and withdrew her credentials from a packet. This didn’t make sense to her as a way to get in, but she faced the angry-looking officer staring down at her suspiciously.
Before she could hand him the credentials, two loud phuts went off beside her head. She whirled around. Tang held a big silenced pistol, with smoke curling from the barrel. Outside the car, the East Lightning officer crumpled onto the cement.
Three doors opened and the Lion Guardsmen boiled out. Shun Li watched in amazement. East Lightning officers also watched for just a moment. That moment proved too long for them. The Lion Guardsman killed each of the security officers. They gut-shot most, so the officers clutched their stomachs. Then they blew away the faces.
At Tang’s orders, the Lion Guardsmen dragged the officers into the shack.
“Make the call,” Tang told her.
Shaking from surprise, Shun Li climbed out of the car and went to the guard shack. With trembling hands, she patched herself through to the next checkpoint.
“Be confident,” Tang whispered. “You have the Chairman’s complete backing.”
This is the play of my life, she realized. It had been some time now, but she resumed the arrogance of a Guardian Inspector in North America. She spoke to the officer in charge of the next checkpoint.
“Do you recognize this badge?” she asked. She spoke via a screen and held up the Leader’s personal badge of unique design.
The East Lightning officer on the screen scowled at her.
“Check the badge’s authenticity against your secret roster,” she ordered.
The officer did so, and he appeared surprised. “It is genuine?” he asked.
“You know it is,” she said. “But check the code eleven points of confirmation just to make sure.”
He typed and read something on a split screen. He appeared even more surprised, and he lost some of his angry arrogance. He bowed his head to her. “How can I be of service, sir?”
Either the East Lightning officer was a superb actor or Xiao’s coup plans hadn’t reached the lower ranked operatives. She would have been amazed if most of them did know. Xiao seemingly worked with the Army. The secret police and the military were natural enemies and they were seldom in agreement. It was more than likely he worked with only a few of the highest ranked officers and in secrecy.
She explained the situation to the guard officer, and she saw the operative’s nervousness, but he nodded once again.
“Be ready for us,” she said. After signing off, she turned to Tang. “Let’s go.”
The Lion Guardsmen piled into the blocky car. They passed the next checkpoints, and ten minutes later, Shun Li was amazed to find herself marching down the long corridors toward Xiao Yang’s office. Behind followed seven high-ranking East Lightning officers. They were wary and kept glancing at each other. On two different occasions, an East Lightning officer had phoned the number Shun Li gave him. The man listened to Chairman Hong telling him that Shun Li had full authority to do as she saw fit.
It worked so far. The great test approached.
The group turned the corner to Xiao Yang’s office.
“The Police Minister has cameras,” one of the East Lightning officers said.
“Break down the door,” Tang ordered the lead Lion Guardsmen.
Two of the big men sprinted, building up speed. They didn’t try the handle. The first guardsman launched himself at the door, bashing against it with his shoulder. Splintering sounds followed, but the door held. The second Lion Guardsman did the same thing. The door crashed inward.
The three other Lion Guardsmen rushed through the door and fanned out. Xiao Yang was on the phone. He looked up in what might have been surprise. The ceiling lights shined in the lenses of his glasses, giving him an inhuman quality. Even so, Shun Li was slow in drawing her pistol.
Tang drew his heavy revolver. He’d unscrewed the silencer some time ago. The gun barked three times and the magazine must have held exploding bullets. Xiao’s head shattered and the body blew backward, crumpling onto the floor behind the desk.
As one, the five Lion Guardsmen whirled around, aiming their guns at the East Lightning officers. Shun Li opened her mouth to calm everyone. The guns roared until the East Lightning officers lay dead and twisted on the carpet.
Shocked, Shun Li turned to Tang. He faced her, with his gun aimed at her belly.
“Am I next?” she whispered.
Tang shook his head. “Chairman Hong instructed me to purge the leadership. I have done so. Now, it is time for you to grab the