White Jade

Chapter Twenty-Four

Selena made herself at home in the spare bedroom. She had some things sent over from her rooms at the Mayflower.

Carter's apartment was minimal in terms of decoration. A good copy of a Paul Klee painting hung over the couch. The carpet was a neutral tan. There were Japanese woodcuts on one of the walls. The furniture was European Modern, clean and functional.

Ronnie sat on the couch, reading a magazine. He'd set up shop next door. The book was locked up back at the Project. Selena had scanned it onto her laptop and was working on the translation.

Carter was in the kitchen putting together a salad and pasta. He liked salad and pasta. It didn't challenge his culinary skills, which were minimal at best. Selena's cell phone rang. He heard her talking, voice excited and pleased.

She paused, covered the phone. "This is an old friend, Cathy Chen. We used to go out and have drinks, go dancing, that kind of thing. She's here in Washington and wants to get together. We're not supposed to be out on the town, but I thought she could come over here and we could talk. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, of course not."

Selena gave directions and hung up.

"I need to let security know downstairs. When is she coming?"

"She said it would take about half an hour."

"Then we'd better eat. Everything's ready."

"Best news I've heard today," said Ronnie from the couch.

Carter set the food on the table and cracked a bottle of Pinot. He called security and told the guard to expect Selena's friend. They sat down.

"How are you doing with the translation?"

"I've got the Sanskrit done and I'm making progress with the Linear A. It's all here on my laptop. You remember I told you one of the ingredients for the elixir was something called burning silver rocks?"

"Yes?"

"The text says the silver rock turns black. The directions say to crush the rocks and leach them with what is probably some kind of acid. That turns the rock gold, or at least yellow in color. I've never seen the particular word construction before. Then you powder the result and mix it with the other ingredients in a liquid infusion. Or maybe it's a solution."

"Sounds like Alchemy. The Alchemists were always trying to turn things into gold."

"This formula already contains gold. I have an idea about those rocks. I think they're uranium ore, extremely high grade. I asked Stephanie to program my translation into her scenarios to see what comes up. We'll know tomorrow."

"How do you figure uranium?"

"What kind of rocks 'burn'? There's nothing in the text about heating them. The only thing I could think of is something radioactive. I did some research. Uranium ore can be silver in color. It oxidizes and turns black."

"China has uranium deposits. Why would that interest Yang?"

"China's deposits are poor quality. It takes a lot of processing to get anything you can use."

"Like for bombs?" Ronnie asked.

"Yes. If those rocks are from a high grade deposit, Yang would want to know where it was. There's only one known deposit like that in the world, in Saskatchewan. The Canadians get as much as seventy-five percent useful refinement from their raw material. The regular stuff produces only one or two percent."

"That would give Yang something to speed up China's nukes program. It makes more sense than hunting for an elixir of life." Carter drank some wine.

Ronnie buttered a piece of sourdough bread and took a large bite. The crumbs dropped on the polyester surf scene he was wearing.

"What do you think, Nick? Is Yang planning an attack here? He's got to be crazy if he thinks we wouldn't retaliate."

"Crazy as a fox, maybe. Politics being what it is, he might pull it off by setting someone up as the fall guy, like a terrorist group or even the Triads. They're right here and a lot easier to go after than whoever is running things in Beijing."

"But the Triads would blow the whistle on him."

"Sure, but where's the proof? It would be their word against his, and he'd be sitting on the trigger of China's nukes. If you were a bunch of our politicians trying to calm everyone down, would you tell the truth? They'd spin it like crazy."

"You'd think Yang would be satisfied with all the power he's already got."

"Power is never enough," said Selena. "At least it seems those who have power always want more."

"You're a cynic." Ronnie said.

"It's true here at home. Why would it be any different in Communist China?"

Carter took a fork full of pasta.

The buzzer rang. He got up and went over to the intercom.

"Yes."

"Mister Carter, your guest is here."

"Send her up." He looked at Selena. "Your friend is downstairs."

"You'll like her."

Ronnie wiped his plate with bread and downed the rest of his soda. He never drank alcohol. He'd seen families and friends destroyed by it on the Reservation. "I'll go next door. Let me know if you need me for something."

There was a light knock on the door as Ronnie reached it. He opened it and stepped aside.

Cathy Chen had long, jet black hair and classic Eurasian beauty. Her golden skin and good looks would fade in a few years, but for now she was in her prime, radiating vitality.

She wore a burgundy silk cheongsam, cut low and tight against her body. It showed off her slim figure to perfect advantage. It would have made some women look like a high priced hooker. On Cathy Chen it provided the touch of elegance and style it was meant to convey. A necklace of delicate white jade graced her throat. She carried a paper bag with a high end shop logo on it. The neck of a bottle stuck out.

"Cathy!"

"Hi, Selena."

They moved toward each other and embraced. Ronnie glanced at Nick, shrugged his shoulders, and closed the door behind him.

"Cathy, this is Nick."

She took his hand, her touch cool. Her eyes were bright. He thought he detected something there, but then it was gone.

"Nice to meet you, Nick. This is your place?"

"Yes."

"Great view." She turned to Selena. "Hey, girlfriend. What have you been up to, aside from Nick, here?"

"Oh, not too much. Nick and I have been hanging out some. I'm working on a translation and doing some consulting work."

"It's about time you hung out with someone. You haven't been seeing anyone since that jerk you tossed in Greece — what's his name…"

"Ted. But Nick and I are just friends."

"Oh sure." She gave him a look. "Well, it's great to see you."

"How about you, what are you doing?"

"I just started with a consulting firm here in Washington. They've got a client in China and they hired me as the token Asian."

"Oh, come on, Cathy, no one's going to take you on as a token. Where are you staying?"

They began talking away. After a few minutes Cathy broke out the bottle she'd brought with her.

"Let's open this. I know you appreciate wine and this one is supposed to be excellent. It's Australian. They're making some really good stuff now."

Nick got out an opener, some fresh glasses, and pulled the cork. Cathy poured. She held up her glass.

"Money, health, love and time to enjoy them. Here's to you."

They clinked glasses. The wine was good, full bodied and smooth, with an underlying taste Nick couldn't pin down. They moved into the living area and sat down, carrying the glasses.

Cathy glanced over at Selena's laptop, still open on the desk.

"Is that the translation you're working on? What's it about?"

"Yes. It's an old Sanskrit text on medicine. Nothing very earth shaking."

"You always were a whiz at that kind of thing. Working right from the source. I had enough trouble researching the information that was already translated."

Carter felt dizzy. The light was fluctuating. Cathy looked at him.

"I don't feel very well," Selena said.

"Can I get you anything?" said Cathy.

Selena's wine glass slipped out of her hand and dropped to the floor. The wine spread in a widening stain over the carpet. Nick tried to get up, but his legs turned to rubber and he crashed to the floor. His vision blurred. The last thing he heard was Cathy Chen telling Selena she was sorry.