White Jade

Chapter Fifty-Six

It was two days later. There were strands of gray in Harker's hair Carter hadn't noticed before.

She said, "That was too damn close."

No one said anything.

"The PRC got six of the missiles with their ABMs. The AEGIS group around the Ronald Reagan got three more. The last three were intercepted over the Bering Sea from Alaska. Without warning it wouldn't have worked out so well. If those last missiles had gotten past our intercepts, Rice was going to turn China into a radioactive wasteland. Checkmate for the human race."

"He had some balls to wait that long, " Ronnie said.

"What happens now?" Carter asked.

"There's a summit being set up with all the nuclear powers. It's a real wake up call. Maybe we'll end up with some kind of rational progress on nukes for a change."

"Sure," Carter said. "I'll believe that when I see it. What about Yang?"

"The PRC sent a video of his interrogation and execution to the White House. He gave it all up. The FBI is taking the Triads apart at the seams. The whole country is pissed at China. It's not a good time to be Chinese here."

There had been no way to keep the lid on. There had been a lot of incidents. Chinese businesses were vandalized, people beaten. There was a nation wide, grass roots boycott of everything and anything Chinese. The economy was poised to slip into deep recession. Congress was in an uproar. Rice was being attacked or praised in equal measure, but his approval rating with the public had skyrocketed. There was still an America to come home to.

Harker said, "There's a purge going on in China. Zhang has arrested the key figures and the Officer Corps is in disarray. They're hunting everyone down. There hasn't been anything like it since Mao."

She reached into her desk drawer and brought out the Cognac and glasses.

"Cheryl Wilson resigned from the State Department. She's going to teach at Princeton."

"I'd hate to be in one of her classes," said Nick.

Harker poured. Coke for Ronnie.

After a moment Selena said, "I wonder if the Chinese will excavate the site in Tibet?"

Harker said, "My guess is no. It would be a huge culture shock to find out the emperor isn't buried in Li Shan. I don't think the PRC wants any more shocks."

She sipped. "You three made a pretty good team out there. Selena, I've been thinking. Why don't we make it official?"

"What?" She was startled. "You want me to come work for you?"

"Not me. For the President. For your country."

"But I don't know how to be…a spy, or whatever."

"We can train you in the things you need to know. It's not spying, we leave that up to Langley. You have skills we need. The mission would have failed without you."

"I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything. Just think about it."

There was a pause. Stephanie changed the subject. "I can't imagine what it's like to sit in the oval office. You can't win. Half the people hate you and the other half think you're supposed to save the world, or at least their part of it."

Carter said, "What about everyone who thinks the US is to blame for everything wrong in their lives? Remind me not to run next election."

Selena smiled. "I'll vote for you if you run."

"Awwww. Me, too, Nicky," said Ronnie.

Harker laughed.

Carter raised his glass. "Good liquor."