“No, Mr. President, they are headed due west. Haven’t changed a degree since they came out of the Straits and struck the equator. If they maintain that course, they will run into Africa.”
“Let’s do some critical thinking here, people. First, what is in Africa that would entice the Chinese? Second, where would they land, with how many troops? Third, who would resist them? Fourth, what would be the long-term consequences, especially for the United States and western Europe?”
No one spoke. Then Ms. Stearns calmly said, “Everything the Chinese want and need is in Africa south of the equator. Southern Africa is one of the world’s last treasure houses of minerals. It is rich in tungsten, uranium, vanadium, platinum, nickel, gold, diamonds, cobalt, chromium, and a few other lesser known and underappreciated minerals. Additionally, if they go far enough west, they can tap into Angolan oil, a variety of timber, some fantastic grazing land. If they go far enough south, a mild climate and an agriculturally rich region. If they go all the way south to the Cape of Good Hope, they control another choke point. The Chinese have had more than a hundred thousand entrepreneurs, agents really, in a dozen African countries for over a dozen years. They know where everything they want is, how much is known in quantity, and what it takes to get it. There is no military opposition to speak of, they have bought off whole tribes with food and goods, supported both sides with small arms but no heavy weapons in civil strife and tribal wars, bribed officials, and came in through the back door all over the southern half of the continent. It makes very good sense to consider Africa as their objective.”
“Ms. Stearns, I knew there was a reason I had you here today. Let’s get a team effort here. I want a meeting this afternoon, at 16:00, all the people in this room to be briefed by your people Ed, and yours, Marge, and yours, Jim, to put together an overall picture on southern Africa. The thrust is what is in it for the Chinese, how easily can they militarily acquire it, and the long-term consequences of their seizing it. Let’s take a fifteen minute break so you can make your phone calls to your appropriate personnel.”
After twenty-five minutes, everyone had returned to their seats. “Alright, somebody fill me in on a few other details. Where do we stand on the possibility of invading the Canal Zone? Jim, how ready are your people?”
The flag officers all smiled at each other. Jointness among the services was at its best. Jim Neville looked at his people and smiled at the President. “We’re ready, Mr. President. You just say the word. No one knows, or at least no one has been told, what the target is, although some might have guessed, particularly the SEAL teams involved, but everybody is keyed and chomping at the bit.”
“Depending on the Chinese, I might say the word at any time, Mr. Secretary. If the Chinese steam a straight course into Africa, I’m much less likely to say the word. Marge, have you prepared statements and whatever you need to do on the diplomatic front when we, or if we, go into the Canal Zone?”
“I’m ready, Mr. President. About half a dozen of my people know the target and are people I trust. They have been ready for a month. I’m sure the useless UN will howl, especially the Panamanians who have become millionaires selling their country, and ours, to the Chinese. On that note, who cares? The fraudulence of the UN has tremendously disappointed our own left wing idealists so much that they don’t say so much these days.”
“Fred, what’s the update on Robert Wha Lee? I can’t believe my own bodyguard was a spy for the Chinese.”
“We have him under intense surveillance, Mr. President. We are waiting for him to make a mistake so we can have hard evidence at his trial. We don’t think he has spotted us, but he is very well trained, and that is always a possibility. We just hope he doesn’t slip away on us. That leads me to the question of whether or not you want an open, public trial or a secret trial. We can do it either way, but we will have to work with the Justice Department very closely on it. If it is an open trial, there will be, obviously, a lot of bad publicity for your administration. On the other hand, there are no appeals on a secret trial, records are sealed for fifty years, and the penalty is usually death or life in solitary confinement. We anticipate he fed the Chinese everything that transpired in your office, everything you said, did, thought you did, ever since you became a Presidential candidate. Thank God the Canadians went along with our little investment in security.
“On that note, the Supreme Court should rule on the legality of installing the same system in all of our airports and overseas terminals in the next month or so. The ACLU has put together quite a team of legal eagles with some convoluted thinking in presenting their argument. The liberals appointed to the Supreme Court by your predecessor tilted the Court towards their perspective, so that does not bode well for its favorable ruling.”
“I’m curious, Fred. In that same vein, do you have any idea how the Second Amendment case will turn out? Do you really think that the Supreme Court will rule that individual citizens in good standing do not have the right to own firearms? Will it become a privilege instead of a right in the eyes of the Court? If so, that might spark a civil war right here in River City.”
“Mr. President, I can’t say. One thing is for sure, with the news every night showing how the Chinese slaughtered millions of people who couldn’t defend themselves, that just might hammer some common sense into the Court, but no guarantees. Some of them think the United States will never change, or that we couldn’t be invaded because we have an ocean on each side of us. They refuse to recognize the invasion from the south, from Mexico especially, but tens of thousands from Central and South America as well, both legal and extra legal immigrants. It is a mess. Some of the eastern states have begun to falsify their criminal data the way the Brits have been doing for years, ever since they outlawed personal ownership of firearms of all types. They count ten burglaries on one block as one burglary. Ever since the raids from Mexico, everybody in the southwest is openly armed. I wouldn’t want to be any law officer or officer of the court that ordered those people to surrender their arms. That law would be unenforceable. That might even lead to some states attempting to secede. Wyoming’s Attorney General tells me that is being openly discussed in coffee shops across the state. Ditto for Montana and Idaho and both Dakotas.”
“All right, then; Marge, tell our African embassies personnel to be ready to depart at a moment’s notice. If the Chinese ships pass the 60th Meridian, they are going for Africa. We want our people out of there. Make sure there are no leaks to the press for the moment. General Shelton, plan for a military airlift for all our folks in Africa. On second thought, let’s evacuate all non-essential personnel now. Give the order, Marge.”
“The locals can get there a lot faster than we can. Call them. Have them get there as soon as possible, but not take any action other than guard whoever happens to be there. Have them dispatch an ambulance at the same time, just in case the guy is bleeding out or something. I’m on my way now.” Ed Wrangell hung up the phone. The operator had immediately relayed the tape recording to him. He grabbed his sport coat and headed for the garage. He turned on his lights and siren in his sedan and headed for Margarita Street in East L.A.
The ambulance crew was loading Chan into the ambulance when he arrived.
“How is he?” he asked of the EMT crew chief. “Oh, he’ll live all right, but they were pretty rough on him. He’s dehydrated as hell, and in a lot of pain, but he will recover. He’s got to be hurting real bad. We’re taking him to L.A. General unless you specify otherwise. They’re real good with these cases.”
“L.A. General is fine.” He turned to the uniformed sergeant standing adjacent to him. “Sergeant, the FBI has a very keen interest in this. Can you have a couple of your folks escort him there and keep him under wraps until we get squared away?”
The Sergeant, a twenty year street veteran, grinned, “Sure. We’ll babysit him for you until you feds get there. If you like, I’ll hold his hand all the way.”
“That won’t be necessary, Sergeant, but thanks.” Wrangell put in a call to have an FBI photographer and fingerprinting authority meet the ambulance at the hospital. Upon Chan’s arrival, the Emergency Department started an I.V. line, and after initial examination, the physician ordered a dose of intravenous Demerol for pain. They cleaned his face and propped him up so the FBI photographer and fingerprint expert could do their jobs. Wrangell then dug the business card of Jacobi out of his wallet, called him, and told him what transpired. He suggested Jacobi meet him in his office. Jacobi agreed to meet with pictures of Miguel Monzani and several of his lieutenants from their files. In Wrangell’s office, they exchanged photographs. Wrangell called the photographic section to have them duplicate the photos provided by Jacobi and provided Jacobi with photos of Chan and Gonzalez.
Chan was identified from the photos by Gonzalez and several of the prisoners being held by the FBI in a special containment facility in the basement of what was supposed to be a warehouse. None of them recognized the photographs of Miguel Monzani or his lieutenants. Ed Wrangell called Fred Gateway to let him know they had a Chinese agent who was involved in the cross border raids.
That evening, Bernardo was elected by the Caballeros as the new leader. Gomez was appointed a lieutenant. The following day, Bernardo notified the gang leaders of the adjacent territories that he had been elected and would like to meet with them. At that meeting, Bernardo made it quite clear that the only thing that changed was the individual occupying the leadership position. Encroachment upon their territory, operations, or other endeavors would result in violent reprisals. Peace had existed for several years to everyone’s satisfaction, and that should continue. The Council agreed.
Bernardo then called the local office of the Congressman for his district and requested an appointment when the Congressman was next in town. The nature of the meeting was to be discussion of support for the Congressman and La Reconquesta. When politicians and gangs unite, the gang becomes a private armed force for the politician, who in turn offers them political legitimacy. The gang metamorphoses into a quasi-political organization that begins to offer social services at the grass roots level. They constitute an ominous development for legitimate governments when they grow large and powerful.
Robert Wha Lee’s mail included a flyer for ‘luncheon specials’ from a Chinese restaurant. Lee carefully trimmed the coupon for one out and wrote ‘make it quick’ on it. The next day, he visited the restaurant for a late supper, and gave the coupon to the waiter, instructing him to be sure that Mao took care of him.
When his meal was served, a note was written in Mandarin on the paper liner of his tray. Lee pretended to casually read it as he ate. It was a simple set of instructions that he should call the restaurant pretending not to understand or be inebriated and to order an “Antonio’s Special Pizza” only in times of emergency. He would be met one hour later at the park bench in his neighborhood park. Lee finished his meal and left a generous tip. As soon as he stepped away from the table, his tray was whisked back to the kitchen. The note was fed into the stove.
Thirteen U.S. Treasury agents, one of which was Robert Wha Lee, and two FBI agents were hurriedly summoned to an emergency meeting. The two FBI agents were fully informed of the situation, but the Treasury agents were not. Nat Nash, head of Treasury’s Counterfeiting Division, began the briefing.
“We just received word that a shipment of counterfeit U.S. Federal Reserve Notes in twenty- and fifty-dollar denominations entered the port of Baltimore yesterday. As we speak, it is going through customs for shipment to here in Washington, D.C. for distribution. We have an agent following the shipping container which is allegedly full of electrical supplies from Taiwan. We will intercept the shipment at the electrical supply distribution company receiving the container. It is due here late tomorrow afternoon. We have about twenty-four hours. Lights down please, camera.” Nash pointed to the building projected on the screen as he assigned agents to cover the various entrances, where and how roads would be blocked, two ambulances that would be in the immediate vicinity for any casualties, and explained that it would be videotaped from an adjacent building which offered an excellent view of most of the operation. One Treasury Agent would be disguised as a taxi driver, another as a skid row bum. A van parked a block away would house a sound and film unit as well as three agents. At the appropriate moment, a helicopter from the FBI would be called on for possible support. A sniper was going to occupy the passenger’s seat. Nash introduced the two FBI agents, elaborating that an FBI Hostage Rescue Team would be standing by as backup should any innocent individuals be seized as hostages.
“Since a foreign government is likely involved, the presence of the FBI is indicated. Our fellow officers of the Bureau think the FBI Hostage Rescue Team might be necessary, and I agree that it is better to have them and hopefully not need them. This way, the operation is kept entirely in federal hands. The local law enforcement agencies will be informed of the operation only at the last minute, when the shipping container arrives at the warehouse. We will meet here at 10:00 hours to draw equipment and review plans and make any necessary changes. We will have flash and bang grenades and smoke grenades and masks for those of us in uniform. I don’t anticipate their use, but if necessary, we will deploy them. For those of you who will be very close to the building when it goes down, dress in the appropriate disguises according to your assignment. Everyone will be wearing communications equipment and a body vest regardless of assignment. The rest of us will be in highly visible lettered jackets. I know the vests and jackets are hot, but better to be sweaty than full of lead. Besides, no one will be close enough to see the earphones and mics until it is too late. Since I planned this, I’ll personally lead it. Don Livingstone will be Number 2 if I should catch a round early on. Don, you will lead the front door team while I take down the loading dock at the receiving area. It’s not all that big a building, with about twenty people usually inside. It shouldn’t be anything big at all. We want to question all suspects, so watch the firepower. Don’t hose down the place unless you have to. Many of the people inside are just ordinary employees, at least we think so. If there are no questions, let’s call it a day.”
In the park adjacent to his home, all but three of the park benches were being painted. Signs of fresh paint, do not use, were place on all four sides of each bench. Of the three not painted, a small microphone was taped to the underside of each. Each microphone had a different frequency and was voice activated.
That night, from a pay phone, Lee dialed the Chinese restaurant, and with a stutter, demanded Antonio’s Special Pizza. “I need that pizza now, not tomorrow night, I want my pizza,” he decried. “I’ll come now to collect it.” With that, he hung up and walked to the park with a newspaper under his arm. He sat on the appropriate bench and began to read. One block away, he was filmed by the FBI. The phone was tapped, and his pizza order and the number he dialed were recorded. One hour later, an elderly Chinese lady sat down on the bench next to him. Holding the newspaper over his face, he said, “There is to be a raid on the electrical supply house receiving the money tomorrow.”
“We know nothing of that. What are you talking about?”
“A team was assembled today to raid the electrical supply company tomorrow afternoon when a shipment of ten million counterfeit dollars arrives.”
“We know nothing of that. We are not involved in any counterfeiting operations. Our targets are political. I will, however, inform my superiors. They will know of such an arrangement and take the necessary precautions.” With that, the old lady left. The entire conversation was recorded. She proceeded to a phone booth from which she called a minor clerk in the Chinese embassy. She invited her friend to meet her for drinks in an hour at a small bar in Silver Springs, Maryland at 21:00 hours. When she left, the FBI collected the coins from the phone and lifted fingerprints from all of them. A dozen FBI technicians proceeded to the bar over the next three hours and planted microphones in various locations around the bar, in places they thought the two women would talk, such as in the booths. Between 20:00 and 21:00 hours, half a dozen agents of both sexes and several ethnic nationalities drifted into the bar.
Over Rob Roy drinks, the elderly lady informed the younger woman of her conversation with Robert Wha Lee earlier that day.
“There is no such shipment arriving tomorrow. We have no such warehouse or contacts at any such business. We do not receive any shipments of anything at that place. There is something seriously wrong here. It smells of a trap to me. I suggest you immediately get ahold of your contact and let him know that he might be in serious trouble. As soon as you finish your drink, leave. I will leave a little later.” One of the FBI agents was photographing the two women as they spoke with a tiny camera hidden in his attaché case.
Realizing that his apartment phone was probably tapped, the elderly lady ruled out a discussion of a possible trap over the phone lines. The only other way she could provide a timely warning was to stop by his apartment. That, too, she decided would be very risky, as it was undoubtedly under surveillance. Finally, she decided that the best way would be a simple phone call with the message, “Go see your Uncle Mao.” He should be smart enough to figure out that she meant immediately proceed to the Chinese embassy because you are in immediate danger. She stopped at another bar and made the phone call. Lee was home reading when the call came in. As soon as he said “Hello,” she said “Go see your Uncle Mao” twice, then hung up. Lee thought about it for a few minutes, then decided he should go for a walk. Perhaps he would be contacted as he walked.
As he walked, it dawned upon him that he should proceed to the Chinese embassy. He returned to his apartment and did a cursory search. He found a microphone behind a picture in the living room. He grabbed his coat and headed for his car in the parking lot. The FBI agent parked half a block away observed his movement, and radioed it to the command post. He followed Lee at a safe distance. Lee continually checked his mirror to see if he was being followed. The agent turned off after a mile, depending upon the transmitter in Lee’s car to keep him informed. Lee’s mind eased for a few minutes as he headed for the Chinese embassy. Then he considered that his car probably had a transmitter in it as well. The Officer-in-Charge at the command post following his route on the computer screen determined Lee was headed for the Chinese Embassy. The OIC scrambled two cars with agents, radioing to them their instructions to intercept Lee immediately in front of the entrance to the Embassy so that Lee would not be able to find asylum.
