Power and Empire

Montgomery gave a slight bow. “The code word is ‘Mum,’ Mr. President.”

“Good to hear,” Ryan said. “So, tell me, Gary, how does the security situation look in Tokyo?”

Montgomery didn’t want to upset the boss with the intricacies of protection. It could make a person as conscientious as Jack Ryan overly worrisome if he took the time to sit down and think about all the moving parts that went into protecting him. Two versions of the presidential Cadillac limo known as The Beast, Air Force One, a spare in the event the primary had mechanical problems, the communications aircraft, three Sikorsky Sea King helicopters from HMX-1, three dozen Secret Service vehicles — and the C-17s and C-5s to transport them. That didn’t even touch on all the hundred or so agents, and more firearms than anyone admitted to the Japanese. Trips like the G20 required three separate advances to make certain the routes were checked, hospitals were located and scouted, deconfliction meetings with local police and the protective details of other countries were complete, and at least three floors of hotel — one below and one above the President’s suite — were procured and the staff cleared and credentialed. Equally important, parking for the Secret Service armada had to be arranged well in advance.

President Ryan had enough to think about without burdening him with the monstrosity that was his protective detail. So Montgomery merely smiled at the question and said, “Stellar, Mr. President.”

Ryan gave him a thoughtful nod, then chuckled. “Are you sure that’s not what you say when you have something to hide? You sound like Jack Junior when he was in high school and I asked him about his English classes. A lot of unanswered questions packed into your few words.”

“Seriously, sir,” Montgomery said. “It’s all set up.”

“Very well,” Ryan said, looking forward, unconvinced. He pedaled for a time in silence, then turned, half leaning on the upright handlebars as he spoke. “Tell me your impression of President Zhao.”

The agent thought about that for a minute. Ryan wanted honest answers, but he didn’t want flippancy.

“I’d say he’s an old-school communist. Hard-line enough to keep the support of most of the party’s old guard. He talks a lot about making some progressive changes, but I’m not sure he’ll do much more than talk. He hasn’t figured you out yet, and that keeps him honest…” Montgomery paused, pedaling away on his bike. “At least I’d thought it kept him honest, until this business with the money trail through the Australian telecom.”

“Yeah,” Ryan said. “That is strange. If Zhao is responsible, he’ll answer for it. But considering what happened to the last couple Chinese leaders who tested our resolve, it’s a dangerous thing to make assumptions — and even more dangerous to cling to them. I’m not saying Zhao would hesitate to kick us in the teeth if he thought it would be good for China, but he didn’t strike me as the haphazard type. With Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency mechanisms for hiding one’s money matters, he has his people run payments through a shell corporation in one of our Five Eyes partners?”

Montgomery opened his mouth to speak and then thought better of it.

“Knock it off, Gary,” Ryan said. “Stop holding back. You had another thought.”

“Well,” Montgomery said, “I don’t know if it means anything, but my counterpart running Zhao’s protective detail is a CSB colonel named Huang. We’ve run across each other a time or two over the years on various protective operations involving the U.S. and the PRC. He’s got a stick up his ass to be sure, but he’s a heck of a capable guy. Doesn’t smile very much, but neither do I when I’m working. There’s something about him that I think speaks to Zhao’s character.”

Ryan had stopped pedaling now and sat looking at the agent. “How’s that?”

“Well, a good protective agent will always protect the office, no matter who’s sitting in the chair. But Colonel Huang is protecting the man.”

“And you can tell this how?” Ryan asked.

“There’s a certain look in the eye of someone protecting a man whom he respects.”

“And you believe this speaks to what kind of man Zhao is?”

“I do,” Montgomery said. “That said, even despots have friends. I’ll keep an eye on the colonel, just to get a pulse for what kind of human being he is. If he’s what I believe he is, that says something. I get the feeling this guy would walk through fire to protect Zhao Chengzhi, even if he was not the paramount leader of China.”

Montgomery glanced at his watch and grimaced at the time. The workout had gone longer than he’d planned. That was the problem with operating so close to the President. A smart, observant guy like Ryan noticed when the routine changed.

“Mr. President,” he said, “I must ask to be excused. Special Agent Gallagher will be in charge for a few hours.”

“Everything okay?”

Montgomery smiled. “Everything’s fine, sir,” he said. “I’m going out to Beltsville to observe some AOP scenarios leading up to the G20.”