Classified: Missing Cat-Sub

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  Mike with Janice knocked on the hotel room door. Sandy wagged her tail knowing friends had arrived. Mike loved animals and he always had time for either Rocky or Sandy to show his friendship. Janice too was warming to the fine animal.

  Behind Mike and Janice the Master slipped in almost unseen. Janice gave a marked inhale with her hand going to her mouth. Even though she was in China, seeing an old wizened Chinese man in dragon pajamas carry an old cloth bag frightened her a little. The old man sat down in front of the TV and using the remote turned it on. He looked over at Brad and Brad nodded. Brad picked up the hotel phone and called room service. He ordered the Master's usual: noodles, fish soup and rice with green tea.

  After that Brad said, "When the room service arrives, we'll go down and eat. Janice I'm sorry to not have introduced you but he knows who you are and what you do. He's grown accustom to seeing women in roles that men used to have secured in their pockets. Ah, a knock on the door. Mike would you get that while I wash up before dinner?"

  The next day found all of them sitting in Leo's van watching the factory entrance. Indeed there were plenty of guards walking around with radios in their hands and side arms, but nobody looked very alert or expected any trouble. Leo thought it would be not hard to find a company that delivered supplies to the factory. He made a call and an hour later had the information. A local company had the contract for office supplies. A van with their name on the side would not be a difficult thing to copy. Leo, after getting Brad's approval went to work on the vehicle. He called his office and in no time men were at work on the project.

  After watching the security guards for most of the day, Brad decided that after he looked at the satellite pics seeing where the helipad was, that as soon as the van was ready, they'd make their move. It had been reported that Paul and his family lived not so far away in an apartment complex with two guards on the door. Paul was transported each morning at 8am and around 6 pm back to his apartment.

  The plan was to disable the guards and take the two females to the American embassy in Shanghai for transportation out of the country. Brad, if it was convenient, decided to helicopter the family to the waiting USS Guam. Paul Hullseth was being charged with theft and possible treason against his country. A SEAL team was waiting at the embassy for orders. Mike would take care of that end of things. It all respect, no deaths were acceptable. This mission was covert using stealth methods. What the USA didn't need was an international incident on China's homeland.

  In Brad's thinking, maybe the Chinese government didn't know about the plans of Mr. Chi and his son. Mike had briefed Brad on the home office of Chi and the difficulty it might be to penetrate the security. Brad told Mike that with Mr. Chi being forewarned they were coming to visit with news of his son, Chi would welcome them with open arms.

  One thing Brad realized was not to underestimate the 80 plus year old Chi. He had to be wise and not without backup plans reaching as long as his arm.

  **//***

  At 2 am Leo and Brad dropped off the Master not far from the entrance to the factory. The area had street lights and the factory had security lights placed every so often, but when Leo tried to watch the Master, he saw virtually nothing. He was gone, like a wisp of smoke. Leo shrugged his shoulders and they went back to the hotel.

  Leo said, while driving, "I've heard of the ancient Peking man and some of the things they could do that men of contemporary times have difficulty believing. I saw him ge
t out and then, poof, he was gone. It's amazing Brad."

  Brad chuckled. "It's only been a few minutes since he left us Leo. I'd bet money he's already to the main office door about to enter. After he locates Feng's office, he'll find a snug place to hide until morning. No one will see him, feel him, hear him, or taste him. There's not a security camera that will video him without knowing exactly where he is at exactly that time. He's spent his whole life learning and performing actions to benefit his compound and school. Be that as it may, Leo, let's take a tea break before game time," said Brad.

  Mike received a text on his cell phone. The SEALS were inside on site with the family waiting for a holler to go.

  In the underground parking garage of the hotel, first Janice was placed inside the stand up office printer cardboard box. It wasn't all that comfortable, but she'd endure for the time being. Her back was against the side of the van so she could relax a little. Mike too, was placed inside a big cardboard box that once held a very fancy office chair. He was side by side to Janice with his back against the wall. The rest of the van was filled with boxes of copy paper and all things for a thriving factory office.

  Sandy sat just behind Brad who was made up superbly as a male Chinese worker. His hair was shinny black with eyebrows to match. Dark brown contact lenses turned his eyes into Asian black. The original office supplier wore uniforms. Both Leo and Brad had pale blue shirts and pants on.

  With a copy of a past purchase order, Leo had a new fresh order on his clipboard ready to show the guards at the gate. The September day was on the chilly side, but the smog was not so evident this time of year.

  All was set and ready to go. Leo drove out of the underground parking headed to the Hai Fong factory. At the gate, the guards, two, looked at the paperwork and one of the guards opened the back roll up door for inspection. Sandy sat in the middle of the van box looking at the Chinese guard. Just as Brad figured, the guard didn't like the big dog. He walked up to the front drivers side and asked, "Why do you have a giant dog with you?"

  Leo said, "Mr. Feng, the owner wants more protection so he ordered a guard dog. Just smile and act normal. She won't bite you unless you provoke her."

  "Okay, here's your paper work."

  Leo drove slowly away from the gate. Brad let out a lung full of air as they passed around the side of a big warehouse and drove to the main office building where the helicopter sat waiting for use. Round one to the good guys.

  Round two came when Leo asked the pilot to help with a box in the back. The pilot readily agreed as he was totally bored all day waiting for the boss to summon him for a ride. As he climbed in the back, not seeing Sandy, as she was outside near the passenger door, Brad gave the pilot a neck squeeze that put him to sleep for a few hours.

  Mike and Janice were freed of their cardboard jails. With her hair cut short and hat on, Janice tried to walk like a man to the waiting helicopter. Mike walked behind with an empty large cardboard box to shield prying eyes.

  Leo and Brad, with a hand cart, took a load to the front door of the office. Brad held the door while Leo pulled the cart in. Brad followed and as if ordered from a takeout window, there stood Mr. Feng, the Master and Paul Hullseth. Round three to the good guys.

  Brad said in Chinese, "Let's go Master." Then Brad saw that the reception area was totally empty. The Master had put all the workers to sleep it would seem.

  Out the door they went to the helicopter. While waiting, Mike called the SEALS and told them to exit; game over Round four to the good guys.

  The rotors began turning as Brad, Leo, Paul, Feng, Sandy and the Master took their seats in the helicopter. Ten minutes later they were in the air. Leo felt wonderful and wondered how the Master did it all by himself. Brad told him later this is what came down:

  The Master had found a hiding place in a storage closet not so far from Feng's office. When he saw Feng walk into his office followed by his secretary, he waited until she served him coffee or tea. After that he went in the office and before Feng realized he was there, the Master said, while pinching a nerve in Feng's neck, to not make a noise or die. Feng never uttered a sound. Master said, "If you do as I say, you live. One mistake and you die. Now call your secretary and tell her no calls. Also, call whoever and have Paul Hullseth come to the reception area of office. The next thing is to give me the vessel drawings you stole. If you do all what I say, you will live."

  Feng realized he was with a person of note. He'd heard about a sect who was for hire and would kill anyone for gold. What an intelligent man would do is follow the instruction and hopefully, lives to tell the tale. He did what was asked.

  To demonstrate his need to follow the Master, the Master pinched his underarm and made that arm useless. It hung there like a dead weight. Feng had to use one hand to open the giant safe standing by his desk. Feng never did regain use of his arm until they were aboard the ship off Japan.

  As the helicopter passed over the coast, Mike received a call telling him the two family members were safely in the consulate and would be flown out in the next hour or so.

  Mike gave Brad thumbs up and Brad began to think about Hong Kong and Mr. Chi.

  On the other hand, next to him sat Mr. Feng who was also thinking about what might happen to him. He thought, so this is the famous Brad Pratt and his covert team of freedom fighters. He didn't smile as the thought just a few hours ago he was home with his family having a lovely fall breakfast. His son was telling him how his soccer team was ready to take on all comers. He smiled at his son and then looked at his lovely wife. She was from a well to do family herself. Her father was a government official with some high ranking status.

  Alas, now he was riding in his own helicopter flying east towards Japan. It was no use wondering as time would reveal all. Feng had no fear of dying. Everyone passed on eventually, but he would surely like to see his son play soccer. He also wondered what his father would say or do in this circumstance. Too many questions and his arm still tingled from where the pajama clad grandfather pinched his ulnar nerve.

  Sitting just behind Feng sat Paul Hullseth. He too was wondering what the hell was going on. The pilot looked like a white woman with short hair and the Mike guy was definitely American. The guy in the Chinese pajamas was an enigma to the group, but so was the guy who had makeup all over his face. After the makeup was half off, he recognized Brad Pratt from Kings Naval Base. The remaining thought was he was going to die for being a traitor to his country. Then a second thought occurred: what about my family?

  It wasn't long before the helicopter landed on the back deck of the USS Guam. Captain Lester Naught was there to greet his guests. Brad shook his hand and went someplace quiet. Mike put Feng and Paul in the brig, but not together. Nobody said a word. Both men sat down on a hard stainless one man bed with a typical grey woolen blanket on top.

  The Master went with Brad and then he told the captain to find a room with a TV for the old Chinese grandfather. His second jumped on the order and assigned rooms for all the guests; including Sandy. Brad asked to be excused to clean up and then they'd have lunch together. Captain Naught agreed. While Brad was gone, Captain Naught had a message sent to the Pentagon informing the Secretary of the Navy the entire team was aboard his ship.

  Brad had given the drawings to the captain for safe keeping. It was good to be on home ground, so to speak. Brad enjoyed a hot shower and as he'd left his bag at the hotel where the CIA would pick it up later, he dressed in Navy brown but without a rank insignia. Sandy went with him and soon both were in the mess hall chatting away with Captain Naught and his second.

  Brad told him what he could reveal and left it at that. He said, "The Chinese man we're holding is for ransom to his father. We'll need a ride to Cheju do, South Korean Captain.

  They stole something very valuable to our military. The American is a turn coat we'll take back for the authorities to deal with. Janice here is our pilot and she preformed the job very well. I'd like to see something in her record about her plac
e in the affair. Mike Henshaw is my right hand man. Sandy is my best friend. There you have it Captain Naught.

  The next thing I want to do is have the Chinese man, Mr. Feng call his father to arrive a meeting time for him and I. I'd like to set the meeting up for late tomorrow afternoon. I don't see why we can't use the borrowed Bell for that flight to Cheju where we can catch a flight to Hong Kong. Would you have someone check it over and refuel it please," said Brad.

  "Consider it done," said Captain Naught, "I'll see to it right after lunch. Now what can we offer you in the way of food."

  "For my Master please send some rice, fried fish and a bowl of noodles would be just fine. Also, some green tea if you have it," said Brad.

  "I drink green tea myself," said the captain. "I'll be happy to share with the old grandfather."

  -19-

  That evening Brad visited Mr. Feng. He said to Feng, "I'd like for you to call your father. Tell him I'll be in his office at 4 pm tomorrow to negotiate your release. At this point you've nothing to fear as very little harm will be done to you if you fully cooperate."

  "I'll follow your request. Hand me your phone please," said Mr. Feng.

  He called his father. He said, "Father I'm fine, but am in a jail aboard a ship. Brad Pratt kidnapped me yesterday, as you probably know by now. He wants to meet with you tomorrow at 4 pm." Feng listened and then hung up. He said to Brad, "Okay all set. He told me to tell you he would share some of his special black tea with you tomorrow."

  Next Brad went to see Paul Hullseth. He found the man sitting on the bed with a rather dejected look on his face. Brad said, "I'll make this short and sweet Paul. We recovered the plans and we recovered the cat sub. Your friend Rolf is working in a mine in Africa as we speak. There's no escape and there's no escape for you. Nothing in my book is worse that a traitor to his country. I could, but I won't kill you and dump you into the ocean. I've done it before and will do it again. However, let's see what the legal system wants to do with you. Also, your family is safe and on their way home to America. You might want to thank the Navy for saving their lives." Brad walked out.