LITMIR.BIZ

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poor kid on the block behind the U.S. and Russia.”

      “Full circle,” Brognola said. “Back where we started.”

      “If we allow it to happen. The Chinese are aware that starting from scratch means years of development and testing. Buying in technology, to be copied and reproduced, will give their armament community one hell of an advantage. They let us do all the research and development, spend the billions, then buy the goods from their U.S. supplier. All they need then is to analyze the components and start to build their own.”

      “Suspicions?” Brognola probed.

      “Nothing we can move on officially. It’s believed an organization called Shadow run by a man named Oliver Townsend may be the culprit. The CIA got close to a deal being brokered but the whole thing went to the wall at the eleventh hour, so we’re no closer to the truth at this time,” the President told him.

      “We heard through the grapevine about some CIA people getting killed. This the same incident?”

      The President nodded. “Three. Shot down in cold blood during surveillance on the deal I mentioned. Early indications suggest it might have been one of their own who pulled the trigger. There’s a transcript of the tape that recorded the last words of one of the agents.”

      “Anything on the shooter?”

      “No admission yet. Personally I don’t believe they know. But the CIA is embarrassed that the killing may have been by one of their own. They were caught off guard. The Agency has closed ranks. There’s an internal investigation being carried out, but every time I ask questions I don’t get much. I have the feeling the CIA is confused by what happened and they don’t know themselves who to trust. I’m the President, Hal. I should be able to get to the truth.”

      “You want Stony Man to take this on for you?”

      “Damn right I do. No stonewalling, Hal. I want this handled. Top to bottom. I want this mess cleaned up. From the CIA mole, through to the people handling these deals and the Chinese. If Beijing is sanctioning the purchase of U.S. technology, I want it stopped. What’s the point of us developing superior firepower if it’s being taken from under our noses and sold down the road to use against us? This is a direct threat to U.S. security. Put an end to it. We’re being taken for a ride here, Hal, and I won’t let it go on. If the Chinese want down and dirty, they can have a taste themselves. Do we understand each other?”

      “No restraints, Mr. President?”

      “When was the last time that worried you, Hal?”

      “Just like hearing you say it, sir.”

      “No restraints, Hal. Get our hardware back, or destroy it so the Chinese can’t use it. Go the whole damn mile and however farther you have to go. If the Chinese are running this deal, give them a bloody nose and shut the operation down.”

      “Repercussions?”

      “I’m sure there will be, but we’ll field them if and when. Be interesting to hear the mitigating circumstances from Beijing.” The President slid a file across the desk. “Main points. All the detail I’ve been able to collect. I’m sure your Mr. Kurtzman’s cyberteam will find out more.”

      “They like a challenge, sir.”

      “Usual terms, Hal. If want anything, just pick up the phone and ask me.”

       Stony Man Farm, Virginia

      T HE ACTION TEAMS and support staff sat at the War Room conference table.

      The meeting was headed by Hal Brognola, with Barbara Price, mission controller, at his side. Aaron “The Bear” Kurtzman was checking out the monitor setup, ready to reveal his findings.

      The members of Phoenix Force and Able Team were spaced around the table, all of them eager to get the proceedings under way.

      “Let’s have the light show,” Brognola said to Kurtzman.

      Kurtzman tapped in a command and the large wall monitor displayed a series of photographic images, the first one showing Oliver Townsend. The other shots were of people known to be associated with him and working out of the ranch he operated in South Texas, close to the border with Mexico. The sequence was short. No one recognized any of them, until T. J. Hawkins asked if Kurtzman could backtrack.

      “That one,” he said.

      The image was held. Hawkins leaned forward to make certain he had been correct, then nodded.

      “That’s him. Vic Lerner.”

      “He’s right,” Kurtzman said, checking his list.

      He brought up Lerner’s detail.

      “Where do you know him from, T.J.?” Gary Manning asked.

      “We served together. He was with me in Somalia. I lost track of him after that.”

      “Records show he left the military about a year ago. Seemed to drop out of sight, then he was seen with a couple of people tied in with Townsend.” Brognola glanced at Hawkins. “Impressions?”

      “Nice enough guy face-to-face but I always had the feeling there was something going on under the surface. Vic always had his eye out for the main chance. Did a little dealing in ‘lost’ equipment if I remember. He could always get his hands on whatever you wanted. That kind of guy.”

      “He’d be up for this kind of deal?” Brognola asked.

      “Vic? If it paid cash money, he’d trade his sister’s puppy dog.”

      “High-tech hardware is a lot more expensive than a dog,” Manning said.

      “And stuff like that doesn’t just casually fall into someone’s hands,” Calvin James pointed out. “I mean, these boards aren’t lying around like crackers spilled from a box.” He stared around the table. “Well, are they?”

      “Let’s hope not,” Brognola said. “That means the gear is being systematically stolen by an organized group. It looks like we’ve hit on something deep and dirty here. From the information we’ve already got, the Chinese have started in on their missile regeneration big-time. Interagency data points to a concentrated program.”

      “So why now?” Rosario Blancanales asked.

      “This didn’t happen overnight,” Brognola said. “The Chinese have been feeling out in the cold for a few years now. Kind of like the poor relation peering in through the window at all the goodies on show. And they see the neighbors being invited in and not them.”

      “Sounds like paranoia to me,” Carl Lyons said.

      “The Chinese are into saving face,” Brognola said. “No chance are they going to let other nations stand tall and leave them in the shadows. Remember last year when the Russians announced they were going to beef up their own missile program? It was soon after that the Chinese stepped on the gas and started to improve their own missile program.”

      “Are we into ‘if you have a big stick, I’m getting me a bigger one’ territory here?” David McCarter asked.

      “That’s a simplistic way of putting it,” Brognola said, “but it pretty well sums up the problem.”

      “See, simple is best,” the Briton offered.

      “And you’re the expert when it comes to simple,” Manning agreed.

      McCarter leaned forward, wagging a finger at the big Canadian.

      “And also the boss, chum.”

      “China isn’t going to let itself be pushed into the background,” Brognola agreed, choosing to ignore the banter. “They have to been seen as the strongest force in Asia and being able to dictate terms if the need arises. This Russian desire to be able to rattle the saber again isn’t going to go down well in Beijing. So it’s in China’s interest to become a major player. They want parity with all the other big powers.”

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