The Devil's Playground

by Michael Reagan

firmly.

  The President smiled.

  "Been a long, long time old buddy!" he said before explaining to Ali that they had first met at the Oil Baron's Ball in Texas when Rob had been working for the Sheikh of Dubai and he was still a Congressman with ambitions of higher office.

  "I had no idea you were CIA though!" he said with emphasis on CIA while shaking his head and chuckling.

  Ali observed Rob for a moment. Although he was royal pain in the ass at times even he had to admit he was superb intelligence officer who had made a difference with his ability to cross the world of politics one moment, mingle with a foot solider the next, and being able to think outside the box. This was yet just another example.

  "I only wish it was in happier circumstances, Sir," answered Rob as the President offered them both a seat. Grimly the President nodded. The last few days hadn't seen him get any sleep. Indeed after this meeting he had to go downstairs for yet another National Security Council meeting, despite it being a Sunday.

  Ignoring the ever-present presence of his lead agent who, because the country was in heighted state of readiness had to be present for all meetings, the President started the meeting and the reason for the summons.

  "I need to get us out of this mess," he started, referring to his Administration. "Ali tells me you that were a major player in the original reunification," he continued while looking directly at Rob. "-and Vice President O is in contact with you?" he asked, despite already knowing the answer because Ali had updated the National Security Council during his briefing on Friday morning.

  Rob nodded, just as the President's wife entered into the lounge with coffee for them all.

  As soon as she left he continued.

  "Do you trust him?"

  Ali watched Rob as he took a sip of the coffee.

  "Sir, there is a saying in Persia, 'It is better to be in chains with friends, than to be in a garden with strangers."'

  Ali rolled his eyes. Lecturing the President of the United States of America was not the smartest thing to do, but he knew Rob did not worry about such niceties. The President nodded.

  "So I assume that means he prefers to be with us than with the Chinese," referring to the SIGINTEL that was reporting that the Koreans were close to agreeing a new mutual defense treaty with Beijing. A treaty that once signed would force the withdrawal of American troops from the Korean peninsula.

  "Only in so far that it suits his interests would be a better answer, Mr. President," Rob replied before going on to explain the Special Activities Division's what they had discovered with regard as to what was driving the crisis.

  Ali's mind listened and processed Rob's answer. He had held off telling the President about Young and Dowling's agenda on the basis he knew that the Texan was one of the man's closest allies, but now it appeared Rob was about to do it for him.

  The shock on the President's face told Ali instantly that the man had been unaware of their plans in any shape or form as Rob briefed him.

  "Hank and Young fucking planned this!" he said not quite believing his own words once Rob had finished to Ali.

  "Why didn't you tell me," he said to Ali shaking his head.

  "We had to be sure before I told you sir. After all Hank Dowling is one of our nation's largest oil and gas suppliers and-"

  "One of my closest friends!" the President said, completing the sentence for Ali. "In bed with the Yazuka!" the President repeated as if disgusted. "How solid is this asset that gave you this intelligence?" he asked, directing his anger in the direction of Rob.

  This time it was Ali's turn to answer by giving the Commander in Chief the background on Navjot and his current position in CORETEXAS. The President stood up. Ali could see he was furious.

  "I fucking knew Young was duplicitous son of a bitch!" he said with acid before calming down. "But Hank as well!" He spat shaking his head. "What about the Chinese?"

  "We think that their annexation was an opportunist move to test your Administration's resolve and believe it is unrelated to Young or Dowling plans with the Japanese, Mr. President," answered Rob firmly.

  "I take it Young has no idea you're aware of his involvement in this debacle?" the President asked Ali.

  "No, Sir," answered Ali, earning a nod from Parker who suddenly asked. "How do you think the Chinese will react if I forcibly remove them from the islands?"

  Ali mentally took a step back. The role of the CIA was to provide and carry out orders, not formulate positions. He was outside his comfort zone, but fortunately before he could respond, Rob answered for him.

  "Sir! You're damned if you and damned if you don't. But you have?" Rob paused for a second, thinking. "No," he said out loud and resolutely continued, "You must carry through on any threat you make and not blink!"

  "You sound like Young," said the President shaking his head.

  To Ali's surprise his Deputy Director continued when he should have backed off.

  "Sir, in my experience the Central Committee of China acts as a collective in a bee hive, but the Premier isn't the Queen bee," Rob started dumbing-down his explanation to a level that the President could deal with. "That honor belongs to the Party itself and by definition, its people."

  "What hell is that supposed to mean?" asked the President.

  "The one overriding objective of every Premier of China since Mao has been one thing and one thing only" Rob answered.

  "What's that?" pressed the President.

  "Feeding his people," Rob answered. "At the heart of every Chinese is a gambler. I would bet my last cent and life that a Chinese Premier when push comes to shove wouldn't dare take the bet that puts his prime objective in jeopardy! Neither would his enemies on the committee."

  Ali watched the President's face. Grim reality was setting in.

  "Unfortunately this will come at price!" Rob stated.

  "I lose Korea!" answered the President immediately. Ali knew that would mean almost certainly he would be a one-term President. The American people would never forgive him for failing to protect America's interests.

  The First Lady at that moment walked into to the room. She let Parker know that his Chief of Staff was on the phone requesting his presence in the Situation Room. The forty-fifth President of the United States of America nodded and thanked her then got up followed by Ali and Rob as well.

  "You know, Ulysses S Grant once said," said the President. Both Ali and Rob looked grim but said nothing. "'I have never advocated war except as a means of peace,'" he quoted to them. "I now know what he meant!"

  Both Ali and Rob acknowledged the brave decision their President was going to have to make with a respectful, "Sir."

  He looked at them both once and then said, "Director Mansoor, you are authorized to do whatever is deemed necessary to stop us from losing Korea." He shook each man's hand in turn and then before leaving the room said, "God have mercy on us all!"

  Once Ali and Rob had both left the White House, Ali turned to Rob.

  "You heard the man, we are authorized to do whatever is necessary," he repeated.

  The former Englishman looked at him, smiled, and said, "Duly noted, Director."

  36

  Beijing

  Thomas examined the seventeenth century Chinese oversize Imari baluster ceramic vases with their blue and white pheasants, flowering branches and rockwork as he stood in one of the numerous meeting rooms located in the Great Hall of the People. The heart of China's government, on any other day he would have admired the exquisite craftsmanship; today though his mind was firmly on the mission he had been given by the Mayor.

  As expected, O had easily made the arrangements for Thomas in spite of part of him wishing he had refused to help in the Mayor's grand scheme. By his side was Zhang, who was acting as his cover for the visit. He felt Zhang's gentle touch on his arm. He looked down at her and smiled.

  "Do not worry Tommy," she said with her ever-present seductive set of eyes. "You will find the Vice Premier is a most rea
sonable man."

  "We will soon see," he whispered in low voice while offering a wink to her.

  Seconds later the red door opened and in walked the second most powerful man in China. He briskly walked up to them.

  Economist by profession, sixty-year-old Hua Peng, with short pepper and salt hair and Korean features, was considered within the Politburo as the main specialist for issues on Korean peninsula. Fluent in Korean after studying two years in North Korea, something that O had told him, he was considered a safe pair of hands and could be trusted to deliver the Mayor's message.

  Although the Vice Premier of China does not have any command authority over the PLA, he nevertheless is the Head of the National Defense Mobilization Committee of China, an important department because it is responsible for implementing government policy while the President gathers the political support necessary for government policy for the armed forces.

  "Sir Thomas," the Vice-Premier said with fluent English, offering his hand.

  "Vice Premier," replied Thomas taking it firmly.

  "May I introduce my close and trusted friend Zhang Nu?" Thomas said, introducing his companion.

  The Vice Premier smiled.

  "Miss Zhang I are already well acquainted, Sir Thomas," he answered with a look that instantly told Thomas what that meant. A pang of jealousy hit him before he instantly dismissed it because the feeling had been replaced by his instincts telling him something else.

  "I wonder?A Congressman now a Vice Premier," Thomas thought as Zhang greeted the Vice Premier, covering her smile with her hand,