Warshot (The Hunter Killer Series Book 6) by Don Keith (top ten ebook reader TXT) 📗

you that neither of the submarines has reported in. They have now missed several communications windows, which does not bode well. We must presume that either they are lost or they have been too badly damaged to communicate.”

Tan Yong held up a hand, interrupting Yon Ba Deng’s narrative.

“You say the destroyer was lying in ambush. That would mean they had prior knowledge that our submarines would be in the area. That would imply that we have a security breach, that somehow the Taiwanese were informed of this mission in advance, including information that our vessels would be on the surface and vulnerable. Do you believe this to be the case, Assistant Vice Director?”

Yon Ba Deng hesitated. This was precisely the inference that he wanted every man in the room to draw. Especially the president. And it was vital that everyone on the committee would make that logic leap on his own. Having the president help them do so was even more than he could have hoped.

“We cannot discount that possibility,” Yon answered. “Only a very small group knew of this particular mission. It was a rapid tasking out of the Southern Theatre of Operations. Even my own staff was unaware of the details of the operation. I will, of course, order an investigation immediately, and we will learn if there has been a betrayal in the Southern Theatre.”

There. He had just pulled the pin and thrown the hand grenade under Soo Be Xian’s insular little club of pet generals. Let them deal with the carnage when things inevitably blew up around them.

Tan Yong again held up his hand.

“Thank you, but I believe we will deal with such matters from within this committee. I anticipate you and your staff will be otherwise occupied in the near term. For example, as to the continued fighting on Pratas Island, what does the Navy recommend?”

Yon Ba Deng had to concentrate hard to avoid smiling. This was going better than he had dared anticipate. He had suspected that the Party Committee for Internal Security might possibly insist on doing his dirty work for him. Clearly, that would now be the case. That meant that Soo Be Xian would soon be a toothless tiger and Yon would not have needed to risk anything to accomplish that goal. This also offered the perfect chance to use the same committee to keep his own necessary diversion in play, even if the submarines had botched things so badly for him.

Looking directly at Tan Yong, Yon Ba Deng answered, “General Secretary, the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on our submarines by the Taiwanese is either a potential disaster or a potential opportunity. We have two options. We can turn our backs on our brave Marines and suffer the loss of face before the world should we kowtow to the Taiwanese. Or we can give an immediate and overwhelming response to them. One that sends an unmistakable message to the world. Pratas Island has but a small garrison. It is situated nearer to Hong Kong than it is to Taiwan. In point of fact, the atoll is of no real value to Taiwan. Despite the inevitable diplomatic bluster from them and their allies, they will not risk an existential war to keep control of it. The People’s Liberation Army Navy recommends that immediate air and naval support be dispatched to rescue our beleaguered warriors, attempt to learn the fate of our brave submariners, and reclaim our rightful territory.”

For the first time in memory, Yon Ba Deng watched as every person in the room looked to the president to assess his reaction to such a bold plan. It all hinged now on Tan Yong.

The president remained stone-faced for a moment, as if he had heard nothing that had been proposed. Then, he smiled. There was no attempt to conceal his approval.

“Yon Ba Deng, how quickly can these forces be deployed?”

Yon felt dizzy. Still, he forced himself to remain calm, to not allow his glee to be obvious, to respond forcefully and confidently.

“With your order, the first aircraft from Shek Kong Airfield can be airborne in less than an hour from this moment. Destroyers and patrol craft can depart Nyong Shuen Chau Naval Base within two hours. We can have overwhelming force around and over the island before the sun rises. They will be capable of quickly and effectively executing the plan.”

Tan Yong nodded.

“Let it be so.” He raised a hand and pointed directly at Yon Ba Deng. “But I must impress upon you, do not start a war with your little games or you will quickly learn how dry and desolate the Gobi is.”

With that, the president waved Yon Ba Deng from the room and signaled to the others that the meeting was now completed. But he remained seated until the room was cleared and the doors had once again been closed by the guards.

Only then, as he was rising, did Tan Yong speak quietly to his aide.

“That one bears even closer scrutiny. He is not to be trusted.”

The aide nodded. “Should I have him arrested?”

“No, no. He has potential. We will make use of his talents, his ambitions, and his connections so long as they serve our purposes. But the bear must always watch the young tiger. The other one, Soo Be Xian, the one our friend here has so neatly stabbed in the back. Him, we will need to punish. Find or invent some corruption—I doubt you will need to be very creative or look far—and let the Guoanbu discover the evidence.”

The Guoanbu, the Ministry of State Security, would certainly know what to do with such information. And the ministry’s results were often permanent.

Ψ

Captain Joe Glass stood on the catwalk high above the well deck of the USS Portland. Alongside him, Captain Mort Jones, Portland’s CO, and Commander Steve Weiss, CO of the ORCA team, leaned against the rail, observing the activity below them.

Waves gently lapped up on the inclined well deck as two teams of sailors in small