watched her closely as she approached.
As she sat down, he appeared to hesitate. He opened his mouth as if he were about to ask a question. She dreaded the possibility that he would ask if she’d seen anyone. Fortunately, the mouth closed and he tapped a finger against the desktop. He checked his watch.
“You’re late,” he told her. “I expect promptness.”
“It won’t happen again, sir.”
He continued to stare at her. She found it terrifying. The crocodile had become suspicious. If the Police Minister played for the highest stakes, he could ill afford to take chances.
She realized then that he must suspect that she had seen Gang. But her position in the Chairman’s country estate could prove priceless if Xiao planned assassination.
It felt as if her chest hollowed out. Did Xiao expect her to assassinate the Chairman?
No, no, you’ve become too paranoid. What higher rank could Xiao possibly seek? If the military practiced a coup, they would never leave Xiao as the Police Minster. He must understand that.
Shun Li’s mouth almost opened in surprise. Could Xiao be seeking the highest office of all? Surely, he couldn’t yearn to be Chairman himself. Few people wanted a ruthless secret policeman to become head of state.
“I’ve become curious about the feeding,” Xiao said.
“What?” Shun Li asked, startled out of her thoughts.
The Police Minister refolded his hands on the desk. “You attend your polar bear cub daily. You said the Leader has allowed you to hold the cub’s milk bottle.”
“Yes sir.”
“I want to know the exact times this occurs.”
“Of course,” Shun Li said.
“Oh, and I’m also curious about a little thing. Does the Leader attend the feedings?”
“No sir, not every time.”
“But I expect there is a pattern.”
“I’m not sure.”
“You will write a report, stating the exact times you feed the cub. In the report, you will also record the exact words the Leader utters.”
Shun Li nodded.
Xiao put an insincere smile on his face. It was more a drawing back of his lips, stretching them across his teeth but keeping them hidden.
“I have become concerned about the Leader’s mental health,” he said. “These setbacks in the Midwest are disconcerting. We must help the Leader in any way we can. We must ease the terrible burden for him.”
“That would be wise, sir,” Shun Li said.
The insincere smile widened into a crocodilian grin. “You have become fond of the Chairman?”
“Police Minister,” Shun Li said. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for China. This is a…stressful hour for our country.”
“We will defeat the Americans.”
“I have no doubt of that, sir. They struggle against fate, but in the end, Chinese arms will prevail. It pains me, however, to see the Chairman’s unease at these setbacks. I wish there was some way I could aid him.”
“Yes, that is exactly my thinking. You will write the reports and then I think—depending on the outcome of the next few days of battle—you will be able to help China indeed.”
Cryptic crocodile, he is planning a coup. I cannot believe it. It left Shun Li short of breath.
“That will be all for now,” he told her. “Go. Write the reports, and make sure you are prompt next time.”
“Yes sir,” Shun Li said. This was terrible. Now she didn’t know what to do.
-12-
The Cauldron
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Anna sipped coffee as she sat at the huge computer table in Underground Bunker Number Five. The endless days of emergency meetings had begun to take its toll on everyone, including her and the President.
He’d grown irritated with her lately. And he asked for her advice less often. She felt betrayed, and she wondered what would happen to her if she lost David’s favor. These days, people were even more Sino-phobic, not less. She didn’t understand that. For once, America was on the ascent. They were winning, if encircling two Chinese Army Groups could be called that.
During the summer and autumn battles, the Chinese and Brazilians had often trapped American forces. Sometimes the Americans fought their way out. Sometime, too many U.S. soldiers surrendered to the enemy, marching into captivity.
There had been disturbing rumors about the POWs, about ill-treatment and starvation. David had often asked if they could launch rescue missions into Northern Mexico. The answers had been obvious each time. America couldn’t even defend itself. How could it launch missions into Mexico? How would they ferry ten thousand men to freedom, never mind one hundred thousand or more?
Anna sipped more coffee. She was tired and found it harder to concentrate at these meetings. No one asked her opinion anymore. Their Sino-phobia