The Thought Cathedral

by Nathan Williams

  “Broadway?”

  “Yes, like Broadway, or acrobats in the circus. He especially likes to go to the Shangri La Resort for those.”

  “Anything else?” Leonard pressed.

  Jiang thought for a moment longer. “Sometimes he goes to the opera in the Liyuan Theater.”

  “Who does he see in these places? Do you have any names you can give me?”

  “It’s hard to say, Joe. There are many men.”

  Jiang had to think for a few moments longer. The kestrels fluttered their wings and took flight again, taking advantage of an upstart breeze.

  “Sun does not tell me too much. I know that he usually sees Qin Gang when he goes to the Shangri La. He owns a series of warehouses and other commercial properties in Beijing and along Bohai Bay.

  “What about the Liyuan?”

  “Sun attends performances at the Liyuan Theater every few weeks or so. He takes me with him every so often. I’ve seen him meet with Ding Xikui, who’s an administrator within the Ministry of Public Security. He’s a very powerful officer within the Ministry. He also sees Li Tao, who is prominent in Chinese art and collectibles.”

  “If you saw any of these men there, would you recognize them?”

  “Possibly,” Jiang said. “I won’t necessarily know their names.”

  “Would you like to go?” Leonard asked.

  The question surprised Jiang. “You would go with me to the theater?”

  Leonard smiled. “Why not? I can’t go alone, can I?”

  “I…I just—I don’t know.”

  Leonard laughed softly “It’s okay if you don’t want to. Are you afraid Sun will see you?”

  Jiang looked away from him, focusing her attention on a young woman making her way slowly along the walkway on a small bicycle.

  Leonard said, “When would you want to go?” He waited for her reply, but Jiang remained silent, so he tried a different question. “When does Sun usually go?”

  “If he goes, it’s usually on a weekday. When he goes to Liyuan, it’s all business for him.”

  “Then let’s go on a weekend.”

  “It’s not that easy for me,” Jiang said. “Sun only allows me to go out on certain days.”

  Jiang thought it through for a few more moments before her jaw hardened and she seemed to resolve the conflict in her mind.

  “I will go with you one time, Joe. But I will have to see when Sun gives me a night out, and I’ll let you know.”

  I’ll let you know.

  Leonard re-focused his attention on the activity at hand in the auditorium. Dr. Mu was still speaking at the lectern.

  “Most of the funds we will receive from our phase-one investors will go toward the construction of the high-pressure reactor. This is the major piece of equipment required to manufacture the nanotubes. We do need other equipment as well, but we can get access to most of it through the universities here and in Shanghai. Tsingua has already agreed to lease us the use of their electron microscope, and Shanghai University is allowing the same with a vertical flow reactor if we should need it.”

  “You have a question, sir?” Mu asked.

  A balding man sitting a few rows down from Leonard had raised a hand.

  “You’ve spent much of your time today discussing the manufacture of the nanotubes, but do you have any other items you plan on producing other than the tubes and, if so, is there a plan in place for the manufacturing of that item, as well?”

  “Yes, we do. As far as our timeline, the very first thing we’re going to do is to set up the manufacturing of stain-resistant fabrics to be used in clothing. Scientists have already developed methods for placing nanoparticles like titanium dioxide into fabric to make it much more resistant to stains and other wear and tear. These methods are quite efficient, allowing for the treatment of over one kilometer of fabric per minute. We believe there’s a massive demand for these kinds of fabrics in clothing all throughout China and, since we obviously have easy access to a great number of manufacturing plants and an eager workforce, this move is a no-brainer. We are very hopeful that revenues from this can help fund further research and additional equipment we may need in order to pursue other technologies.

  “The other thing we’re looking at is the development of nano-sized wires that can more efficiently conduct electricity and can be used in all kinds of electrical devices. This involves a different manufacturing process than is required for the nanotubes. However, we’ve completed all the major research for the development of these wires, though we do still have some odds and ends to sort through. But we’re very close. This is a very high priority for us, and we expect to begin manufacturing the wires within an eighteen-month window.”

  Leonard’s thoughts drifted back to Jiang Liu as Dr. Mu continued answering questions from members of the audience.

  I’ll let you know.

  Leonard had been skeptical that Jiang would follow up with a specific time to attend the theater. But, two days after their meeting in Taoranting Park, he’d received a text message from her on his phone. She would meet him there for the seven o’clock performance the following Saturday evening. Two days from today, he thought.

  Leonard listened restlessly for the remainder of the question-and-answer session. When Mu finished, most of the men and women in the audience filtered their way slowly up the aisle and out of the auditorium, while a few, Leonard included, made their way down to speak with Dr. Mu.

  Twenty-five minutes later Leonard stepped forward with his arm extended as the last of the audience members stepped away from Mu. Leonard’s stomach churned.

  “Dr. Mu, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Leonard said, smiling pleasantly.

  Mu nodded and shook his hand Western style.

  “My name is Joe Leonard. I work for a company here in Beijing called Ricardo’s Logistics Consulting. I promise I won’t take much of your time.”

  Leonard cupped his hands together with his business card in them and extended his arms toward Dr. Mu. Mu grabbed the card, an inquisitive look on his face.

  “You’re a corporate investor?” Mu asked.

  “No, Dr. Mu. I’m not here to offer capital for your business. However, I do think we might be of great assistance to you.”

  “Go on, I’m listening.”

  “We specialize in manufacturing consulting,” Leonard said. “We’re a subsidiary of Brooklyn Capital Management, a very well-respected tech form based in New York City.”

  Leonard always mentioned Brooklyn Capital at the very beginning of his sales pitch. It never ceased to surprise him how many people had heard of the company.

  Mu nodded. “I’ve heard of Brooklyn Venture Capital. Some old colleagues of mine work for them. They have an excellent reputation, Mr. Leonard.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Mu. And, since Brooklyn Capital is a high-concept company itself, we have specific expertise on the logistics involved in high-tech manufacturing. We also have connections with other firms currently doing cutting-edge work in many vital high-tech fields, including nanotechnology. And through these contacts, we have access to firms based in Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere in Asia that can provide expertise and access to manufacturing techniques and equipment that are extraordinarily difficult to find anywhere else.”

  “You have my attention, Mr. Leonard. Please continue.”

  Leonard smiled. “I’ll also add that our contacts allow access to rare earth minerals and compounds that can be almost impossible to obtain or prohibitively expensive to produce. Many of the pieces to that reactor you’re planning on building are going to need to be manufactured from such materials, Mr. Mu, and they will need to be special ordered since they cannot be produced in bulk. Is that not true?”

  “That’s very true, Mr. Leonard.”

  “We can assist you with all of this, as well as the logistics involved with having the parts shipped to Beijing or wherever your facility is going to be located. Many of these companies we work with provide pricing discounts for us, and w
e tend to pass those discounts on to our customers. These are the best companies you can find, Dr. Lu, anywhere in the world. You can have all of this under one roof.”

  “You offer sounds quite impressive, Mr. Leonard.”

  Leonard nodded and bowed his head slightly. The offer was meant to be not just good, but overwhelmingly good. An offer, in fact, not to be refused.

  “Thank you, Dr. Mu. My number is on the card. I realize you are in the beginning stages of your start-up, but I hope you’ll keep Ricardo’s Consulting in mind as you begin your preparations.”

  “I will keep you in mind, Mr. Leonard. Thank you.”

  “And remember, the earlier in the process you are when you allow us to assist you, the more we can help.”

  “Of course. Thank you, Mr. Leonard.”

  Leonard bowed again, shook Mu’s hand, and exited the auditorium.

  The whole pitch took just a few seconds. In and out. An offer he can’t refuse, Leonard thought.

  And that’s how his life as a CIA intel officer often was. Moving from one offer to the next, one potential recruit to the next. It was a slow, tedious process, often taking many months identifying a single recruit. The pitch, on which it all depended, came down to just a few seconds or minutes of interaction. This incontrovertible fact often made the pitch a harrowing experience. He exited the massive revolving doors of the China Equity building feeling very good about his chances of a callback from Mu. Time would tell.

  Chapter 19

  New York City

  Friday, February 6, 9:27 p.m. EST

  Lyn Lee stood once again in the crowded subway, staring into the window, Dr. Wu Xiang at her side. Though the busy Manhattan landscapes sped by outside the window, it was the image reflected on the window itself that was capturing her attention at the moment. It was a reflection of herself which, she thought, floated in splendid detail upon the window with the help of an opaque amber-green backdrop that nearly matched the amulet on the silver necklace she was wearing. She felt a brief flash of thankfulness for the clarity of the image as it allowed her one last check of the makeup she’d hastily applied in the locker at Brooklyn Martial Arts.

  Satisfied with her look, she glanced at Xiang, whose eyelids were drooping once again, as they were prone to do; his mouth was fixed in a faint grin. It gave Xiang the appearance of being in a state of deep solitude and contentment combined with not being entirely aware of his surroundings. She watched his reflection for a few more moments as he rubbed his temples with the tips of his fingers. Peace, she thought. That was the overriding emotion she sensed from him. And, like a yawn, it was somehow contagious and she felt an unexpected wave of warmth and peacefulness seep through her bones. It was an altogether attractive sensation, given the chill of the outside air, which was chased by a sudden craving for a cigarette. She thought the better of it. Maybe later.

  The train hissed and strained to a stop and the patrons grabbed a metal bar or the back of a seat to keep from tumbling over. As they exited the train, the two of them were joined by a large crowd of people who, Lee gathered, were from outlying parts of New York City and had all made the trip into Lower Manhattan, the promise of an adventuresome Friday night foremost in their minds.

  Lee let Xiang guide her a few blocks west and then north a bit until they reached a cube of glass that resembled a phone booth. There was an electric sign above the cube that said FOUR CORNERS in yellow neon letters.

  “This is an elevator,” Xiang explained. “It takes patrons down to the restaurant.”

  There was a large enough number of people waiting for entry that they had to wait until the third trip down and up before they were finally able to step into the elevator. When the elevator came to a stop at the bottom, they stepped out into a rectangular-shaped room dimly lit by candles situated within grooves in what seemed like cavern walls. Or, at least, they were designed to look like the dirt and rock walls of a cavern. Throngs of people standing and sitting on wooden benches with plush multi-colored padding on them were waiting to be led by the hostesses into the restaurant.

  As Lee waited, she saw that each of the four walls in the rectangle were entrances for four different continental themes: Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. Each wall had its own entrance, hostess desk, and live performer playing music of some sort. Xiang had led her to the Asia section, which had an elderly man with a long salt-and-pepper beard dressed in traditional Indian clothing and playing a flute. A large snake sat coiled in a small dirt pit.

  Lee was fixated on the snake charmer for a few minutes until the hostess called Xiang’s name. The two of them followed the hostess, dressed in a traditional imperial Chinese robe, further into the restaurant. They were guided through a narrow passageway, also designed to look like a cavern—there were stalactites and stalagmites hanging from the ceiling and protruding out of the floor along the passageway. Lee’s mind instantly flashed back to the incident in the company portal where Xiang’s avatar had met with Confucius inside the digital cavern. She fleetingly wondered if Xiang was thinking the same thing but, when she glanced at him, his facial expression remained blank, unrevealing.

  They followed the hostess through the tunnel and, as they progressed further in, they occasionally passed through small alcoves where couples or small groups of people were eating at small brass tables dimly lit by candles. Pieces of Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Indian art had been hung on the walls above the tables.

  Eventually, they cleared into a spectacularly large room illuminated by chandeliers high above, the chain links holding them aloft extending down from the darkness overhead. This vast room contained different sizes of tables scattered throughout. Some of the tables were nestled into segments of a brick partition than snaked its way through and around the room in gently curving swirls which, Lee thought, resembled cross-sections of undulating waves. The partition served to separate different parts of the room in a way that blended in with the décor on the walls and with the furniture. At the center of the room, where the brick partition whorled into an ellipse, was a circular bar where patrons sat, eating and drinking. There wasn’t a table in the room within Lee’s line of sight that did not have either a couple or a group of people eating.

  Xiang spoke briefly with the hostess, requesting a round, medium-sized table set intimately within one of the smaller whorls of the brick partition. Their table was decorated with a bouquet of pink and red chrysanthemums with a black iron lantern flickering in the middle. The hostess gave them each a copy of the menu as they sat down.

  “How do you keep finding these spectacular places to eat?” Lee asked. “This place is incredible.”

  Xiang shrugged. “I know a lot of places just by following the ambassador around.”

  They sat in silence for a few moments as the hostess poured each of them a glass of water. Lee admired the two paintings on the wall above their table as she slipped off her coat. The first painting, on the left, was a portrait of a young Chinese man dressed in a suit and bowtie. The second was an immaculate color painting of a Chinese imperial court with a series of single and dual-level pagodas scattered throughout the court and on an adjacent hillside. There were birch and pine trees scattered here and there as well as a number of people in traditional Chinese robes walking outside in the court and in the pagodas.

  Xiang had removed his winter coat, revealing a white dress shirt. He’d unbuttoned the top button. “I really like this place. A friend of mine and his girlfriend are meeting us here in a little while. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Everything’s a surprise with you,” Lee said.

  “Thought it might be good to mix things up a little bit.”

  Lee allowed a full smile to play across her face. She could dazzle with her smile. It had its intended effect, as Xiang’s half-closed eyes opened wide. “These paintings are amazing.”

  “They are, aren’t they?”

  “Do you have any idea who the man is in the portrait?”

  “It’
s Sun Yat-sen as a younger man.”

  “I’ve heard that name before. I know he’s an important figure in Chinese history, but I can’t remember why,” Lee admitted.

  “I think I told you about him when you first visited my apartment. He was the founder of the old Nationalist Party and a prominent figure at the beginning of the twentieth century, particularly during China’s 1911 revolution.”

  “Oh, yes. I remember now. He was the one who favored democratic principles.”

  “That’s the one, yes.”

  Lee asked, “What role did he play in the revolution?”

  “Well…he was one of the main leaders of the revolutionaries.”

  Xiang was interrupted briefly by the waitress, who’d arrived to take their orders. He resumed as soon as the waitress had finished.

  “Let me just briefly explain what the revolution was about,” Xiang said.

  “Go on, please.”

  “The revolution of 1911 is known in China as one of the three major turning points in its modern history, along with the establishment of the C.C.P. in 1949 and the C.C.P.’s Third Plenum, which occurred in December of 1978. It was, in fact, one of a series of mini revolutions that has occurred in China throughout its history since 1900. You have to understand how volatile China has been throughout its history, but especially since 1900. The events I just listed were nothing less than three major revolutions in that short span of time that have taken China from a feudal state as late as the 1930s, to one of the world’s most formidable economic and cultural powers the present day.”

  “What happened in the 1911 revolution?”

  “In a nutshell, the 1911 revolution took China from an imperial government, which was at the time a China governed by the Qing dynasty, to a republic. The Qing dynasty was China’s last imperial dynasty.”

  “What’s the difference between an imperial government versus a republic?”

  “Well, in an imperial government, the people are ruled by a lone individual—a king. Whereas in a republic, the people are ruled by an elected governing body.”