Power and Empire

Ryan’s plan had been for Huang to arrest Long Yun, but Huang had seen the other man shoot. Reaction being slower than action, Colonel Huang Ju decided on his own plan, one that would ensure the survival of the paramount leader. Smiling, he swept the hem of his jacket and drew the Taurus. His finger found the trigger as he rocked the muzzle toward Long Yun, firing two rounds from less than four feet away. Long took a half-step back, going for his own pistol. He wore a ballistic vest, but the nine-millimeter rounds stunned him enough to stagger him, slowing him down for the fraction of a second it took for Huang to rock the Taurus upward and fire two more rounds on the heels of the first volley, catching Long in the throat and above his right eye.

Colonel Huang dropped his pistol immediately, raising his hands high above his head to show he was no threat to the armed Japanese officers that poured through the door at the sound of gunfire.

• • •

Three Secret Service agents, including Gary Montgomery, formed a protective phalanx around Ryan and hustled him through the anteroom and past Long Yun’s body to meet another half-dozen of their cohort and escort him straight to the roof and a waiting Marine One.

The President had wanted to wait and see to Zhao, or even scoop him up in the protective bubble — but at some point, those decisions stopped being up to the President. He would understand that. Probably. Maybe.

• • •

Ryan sent a text to Jack Junior as soon as they were airborne letting him know he was safe. He’d call later, catching up as much as he could. He wondered if he’d ever know exactly how Jack had figured out about Zhao’s detail — and what had led him to look into it in the first place. Some things, Ryan decided, were probably best left unsaid, for the time being, at least.

He called Cathy, in case she happened to be watching the news. She wasn’t, but it was good to talk to her anyway.

Arnie and Mary Pat met him at the Akasaka State Guesthouse and they drafted a press release that named an unidentified gunman and extolled the fast work of Japanese authorities. If Zhao decided he wanted his name involved, that was up to him.

“So,” Mary Pat said, “it sounds like Foreign Minister Li had some sort of relationship with a provocateur named Vincent Chen. He along with three others in the party were involved in a coup to oust Zhao and have Li installed as the new president.”

“I’m surprised Zhao would let it get this far,” van Damm said. “He’s steady, but from the outside looking in, he seems to rule with an iron hand.”

Ryan rubbed a hand across his face, feeling the effects of jet lag and the ebb of adrenaline. “While we were lying on the floor, waiting for them to take care of Long Yun, he confided that he had suspected the foreign minister for some time. He considered the plot was intended to get me to invoke the Ryan Doctrine, but he admits he didn’t believe Li would attempt to have him killed directly.”

“Just how was it supposed to work?” Mary Pat asked.

Ryan shrugged, holding out his hand, watching it tremble slightly. “Long Yun shoots Zhao and Colonel Huang and my security detail — and me. The guy was apparently an impressive shooter. Five or six head shots. It would have been over in a heartbeat — especially if no one was suspecting it. He’d just blame the assassination on us.”

“Still,” Arnie said, “I find it odd that a man who’s risen to Zhao’s level could be duped like that.”

Ryan said, “I wouldn’t move Zhao out of the sneaky-bastard category just yet. He admitted to me that he did not expect the attack to happen so quickly after arrival in Japan. He intended to meet with Li later in the day and let him know his wife and son had been in ‘protective custody’ since early this morning.”

“I’m sure the foreign minister and his cronies will all be granted fair trials and speedy executions,” Arnie said.

Mary Pat gave a smug nod. “Sounds legit.”

Ryan turned to Montgomery, who stood against the wall, unwilling to let the President out of his sight.

“So, Gary,” Ryan said, “you told Colonel Huang you would have gone to handle it yourself if that were possible?”

“Backing your play, sir,” Montgomery said.

“So you wouldn’t have?” Ryan mused. “Left me with the Chinese, I mean, while you took care of it.”

“No, Mr. President,” Montgomery said. “Not in a million years.”

62

Magdalena Rojas insisted on going to the hospital to see Eddie Feng and thank him for his kindness that night at Parrot’s party. Callahan could hardly say no to the request, considering all the poor kid had been through. She and Caruso stood with her beside Feng’s bed.

The whites of his eyes were still red with pronounced petechiae from the attempted dead-leg hanging, but his ridiculous fauxhawk was combed down and he wasn’t quite so twitchy, since he’d been off energy drinks for the better part of a week.

“I’m sorry I stole your thumb drive,” the child said.

Feng scoffed. “I’m not,” he said. “Not if it got you out.”