Chapter 15

#17, Highway of the People, Shanghai, China

Colonel Sun was a thin man – 171 cm or 5'7" in height, he disliked this team of intellectuals. Soft men and women. General Hu was no better. He was overweight. How could a fat man command troops? As he surveyed the room, his eyes came to rest on Major Feng. Here was a man he could trust to do important things.

Sun arrived as usual at 8:00 a.m. CST – China Standard Time. CST was a great simplifier: it was the same time in Kuokekuo Luoteshan, in the extreme west, as it was in Hulin Shi, on the island claimed by both China and Russia, but occupied by China – over three thousand miles to the east. Yes, the sun rose late in the morning in Kuokekuo Luoteshan and very early in the morning in Hulin Shi. So what? Time zones were invented long after people learned to rise with the sun. The cattle were not confused. Plants did not care. Nor the peasants that comprised the vast portion of the population of China.

#17 was located just a few blocks off Jungong Road, in the Shanghai University of Technology. The Colonel preferred the older name 'Highway of the People.' It was less Western. Soon, the Chaing project would spring forth on an unsuspecting world. Even the Chinese Politburo did not know of its existence. It would take secrets from Western companies, take money from Western banks. He – Chaing -- would interfere with power grids, cease water distribution, and cause oil refineries to cease function. Western governments would topple. The fools in Russia would bother China no more.

"Doctor Fa," he said to Fa Lau-sung, "everything is on schedule, yes?"

"Yes, Colonel Sun. One change to our plans however, the physical attack will take place at Hoover Dam in the Southwest of the U.S. Not in the Niagara region. On consultation with Ministry of State Security..." he gestured deferentially to Major Feng, " ... it was found that integration of our agents is easier in the Los Angeles – Las Vegas corridor than in the Northeast U.S. In the Southwest, one must only prove that he is not coming from Mexico." Dr. Fa smiled. Colonel Sun smiled. Everyone around the conference table smiled.

"Major Feng, you will attack the dam itself?" The Colonel addressed the master of the secret agents who will wreak havoc in the United States in just a few weeks.

"No, Colonel," said the burly Major Feng. "All our plans have changed. Instead of knocking the power out over the government functions and financial centers for a week, we will hit directly at the major port on the West Coast of the U.S. We will destroy the usability of the food production and importation of the Western U.S. – And it will take them months to recover. Months!

"No damage to the dam will take place. We will want to have the dam intact when we take over Los Angeles, later in the Spring or Summer. We will destroy several key power relay stations leading away from the Hoover Dam. Two taking power to the west, to California. One taking power to the north, to Nevada. And finally one taking power to the east, to Arizona. Engineers here at the University have assured me that the power grid in the entire Western portion of the United States will collapse. Take these four key power stations out suddenly and the house of cards will collapse. It will take months for them to recover. And in that time ... well ... Chaing will be fully in charge, will he not?"

"Is the investment wing of our kite in agreement, Ms Xeng?"

"Oh yes," Madam Xeng Dun-wa replied. She was taller than any of the men in the room. A woman of 45 years, she had a hard look about her. "It will be even easier now, as the financial center markets will not lose power. Our operation will proceed nominally, until Chaing can redirect control of the automated computers of the banks and stock exchanges to us, here in China."

"Good. I will not take any more of your planning time, then." The group accepted his signal to depart. "Dr. Fa, General Hu ... a word, if you please?"

General Hu was the commander of the People's Army for the Capital District of China. Although he technically outranked Colonel Sun, the latter was a member of the Politburo, thus outranking nearly everyone.

"Dr. Fa, will Chaing be ready to take over in Beijing, as planned?"

"Yes, sir. All is in readiness. When he is released to the world, he will also be released to be the master of China."

"General Hu, the attack by Western powers on the Politburo?"

"Yes. All is in readiness. We have adequate stocks of Western weapons and even some of their Special Forces uniforms to find on the dead. When the Special Annual Meeting of the leaders in China takes place, all will be present. Excepting you, of course."

Colonel Sun smiled. And when Colonel Sun smiled, everyone smiled.