OUTCAST Ops: Red Ice

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

It was after dark when Rhee reached the lab.

Rhee’s car was one of three in the convoy, all late model sedans, all rented from different rental companies. They rolled to a stop near the ranch house and the ten men in Muhn’s unit, the ones who had created the chaos in San Francisco, got out. They swept the area for trouble, most carrying an assortment of submachine guns close to their bodies.

Myoung met Rhee on the porch. “The Americans are in a uproar.”

Rhee walked inside, followed by Myoung and Muhn. “As to be expected. Have you heard from Seonwoo, any of his men, or Kim?”

Myoung shook his head. “No, sir.”

Rhee scowled. “Something’s gone wrong. They should have reported in by now.”

“There were reports of an incident at the hotel, but the Americans have been tight-lipped about it,” Myoung said.

“They would keep it quiet until they were sure.”

“If they were captured, they wouldn’t tell the enemy anything.”

“The Americans will stop at nothing to get the information. What is the latest on the incidents in the city?”

“Hundreds dead, hundreds more injured. The BART and the Golden Gate Bridge are still closed, and the airport is shut down, with all flights diverted to other airports.”

“Good. What about the bombs?”

Myoung smiled. “We have over four and a half metric tons of ammonia nitrate. Each truck will carry over a metric ton of primed explosives, about the same size as the Oklahoma City bomb.”

“I want those bombs ready to go the day after tomorrow.”

“Have the targets been chosen?”

“Yes. Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas. I want the bombs to explode simultaneously in all three places.”

“That will be tricky. We need to calculate the distances so we can set the detonators’ timers.”

“Muhn!”

The large scar-faced man came to attention. “ Sir?”

“I want your people to get some rest now, because I want them on the road before dawn. I need your teams in Chicago, Kansas City, and New Orleans before the end of the week. I want them in place and ready to recruit more shock troops a week from today. If Seonwoo and his men return, I’ll send them onto the next set of cities.”

“And if he doesn’t return? Sir, as much as it pains me to say it, I believe that Seonwoo and his unit are dead.”

Rhee scowled in thought. “I agree. Myoung, place the base on alert. Tell P’il that I want all prisoners except for the ones working in the lab in their cells until further notice. I want all the men carrying weapons at all times they’re on the property. How are our supplies?”

“We have enough for a week.”

“Good. What about the Red Ice shipment?”

“It made it to Los Angeles with no problems. Our agent reports that half the shipment is already on the street, with the rest due there by this weekend. Initial reports indicate the drug is beginning to find a market. Dr. Ryuk reports they are aiming for about five hundred kilos of Red Ice a day.”

“Good. With everyone’s attention focused on San Francisco at the moment, it should make the distribution in Los Angles easier.”

Kwan hated hospitals.

The multiple disasters of the past ten hours had consumed his time and energy, and Rhee’s call didn’t help his stress levels. He had to get away from the bustle of the emergency command center, the continual demands for press access. He needed time somewhere, even if it was only for a few minutes. The best he could come up with was to visit Mayor Pagliei.

Kwan’s own security chief, Don Lenway, had objected to moving anywhere unnecessarily, but Kwan had insisted it was necessary to show his support for the mayor in the city’s time of need. In response, Lenway had tripled the security escort normally assigned to protect the mayor, and heavily armed them. With the curfew in effect, they made the trip in much less time than it would have normally taken.

Despite the deserted streets, Kwan could feel the tension in the air. Hundreds of first responders, soldiers, marines and federal agents were swarming over the disaster sites, still searching for survivors amid the wreckage. The convoy moved at a much swifter speed than the law allowed, escorted by several SFPD cars. Part of Kwan felt guilty about the size of his escort, but Lenway had been unyielding in his insistence about that detail.

And now he was here, alone in Pagliei’s hospital room, with four heavily armed guards outside the door, and more patrolling the floor. The doctors had told him that Pagliei was in a coma and unaware of the outside world. One looked at the frail body in the hospital bed was enough for Kwan. Instead, he spent most of his time staring out the window, fingering the case Rhee had left in his pocket. It would take ten, twenty seconds at most to inject the drug into the one of the IV bags, then stand back and watch the helpless woman die. It would get Rhee off his back and protect his family here and back in North Korea…

… Until the next time.

Committing murder would damn him forever, a stick Rhee and whoever followed him would hold over his head for the rest of his life. They wanted an agent of influence in the highest levels of the U.S. government, and they wanted to make sure their hold over him was absolute.

He glanced at his watch. It was close to 10pm now. He still had twenty-eight hours left. Maybe Rhee would die before then. Maybe the feds would find Rhee and arrest him. Maybe Pagliei would even die without him having to do anything.

Or more likely, he was just delaying the inevitable.

He turned and walked toward the door. He might still have to kill her, but not tonight. For now, the city needed him more than Rhee or his masters back in North Korea. He still had time for a miracle.