Easton rose from his desk. Five minutes until his conference call with the Chinese President, Hui Wang. He stepped into the quiet hallway. The hunting itch never left him and he missed being in the field. But he’d find no moving target here. The headquarters facility vacuum-packed classified information and people within its doors, sealing out life. It had to be that way to block satellite and other high-tech detection devices.
And to hide secrets.
Back in his office, he sat in front of the colored buttons on his desktop. With those buttons he controlled the most powerful communications and video-surveillance network in the world—the Global Network. It not only operated the agency’s Eyes, it linked into existing worldwide computer information networks. Its web circled the world. Transmissions racing back and forth on the Internet—a highway patrolled by the Global Network—entered and exited via a network ramp.
The Security Council had authorized him to establish the network via a classified memorandum.
So many secrets. If the Council knew about him resurrecting the CIA mind-control program, they’d fire him. But they wouldn’t know. They didn’t want to know about the lines that had to be crossed to win. That’s why they made GTA an autonomous agency and buried him underground in this mausoleum.
A connecting tunnel between Kirtland Air Force Base and GTA served as the entrance and exit for the agency’s mountain facility, keeping the staff’s comings and goings discreet. In an additional layer of security, personnel gained access to the base using Sandia National Laboratory badges, which was also housed at Kirtland, and then drove to one of the base’s inconspicuous hangar buildings to the tunnel entrance.
The yellow button flashed and he straightened. His moment of shame had arrived. He punched the button and a thin glass screen slid up from his desktop.
In a slate-blue suit, white shirt, and ruby tie, Chinese President Wang sat at his mahogany desk. Displayed on a shelf behind him was an impressive collection of ships in bottles, the president’s hobby. Wang came out of the Chinese Navy and had started the maritime art as a young sailor.
Sitting next to him in a tight black suit, sage shirt, and brown tie sat the president’s primary interpreter, Mr. Lin. The president spoke fluent English, but sometimes he chose not to speak it. Or halfway through a dialogue where he spoke English, he’d switch to Chinese. One never knew what his mood might be, so Lin sat ready and on alert.
Easton tipped his head. “President Wang.”
“Director Hughes.”
“Mr. Lin, good to see you again.” Easton swung his arm as if hitting a ball. “How’s that swing?”
Lin smiled and bowed his head. “Good, Director Hughes, thank you.” Before becoming Wang’s interpreter, Lin had been on the Chinese national table tennis team.
“Mr. President,” Easton said. “I respect that your time is limited, so I’ll get right to the point.”
“I appreciate that.”
So today Wang chose to speak English. Easton made a fist under the desk. “In preparation for my presentation at the Security Council’s upcoming conference, I had the agency prepare a risk analysis report. I sent you an advance copy.”
President Wang nodded in acknowledgment.
Easton said, “I expressed my extreme displeasure about the report to the agency’s top managers today. Under my watch, threats across the world have increased for three years, and I take full responsibility for this. I feel I should submit my resignation to the Council. However, you should know, recognizing the situation months ago, I reopened a CIA program which will produce a new weapon. The weapon will advance us to victory, for it is more insidious and subversive than the poison extremism. But I fear I started too late on it.”
“I think your resignation is an extreme action,” Wang said. “It is unfortunate about the last few years, yes, but you have been supportive of the Council members, and I’m personally pleased with your leadership. Your field operations have been impressive in their response and excellence. And you’re taking action to fix the problem. I don’t wish you to resign.”
“Thank you. I’m certainly honored by your confidence in me.” Relieved, Easton relaxed his fist. His position was secure. He’d heard some Council members had held a secret meeting to discuss demanding his resignation, but with powerful China backing him, his enemies had been squashed. He’d hoped this would be the case, based on his and Wang’s collegial history, but one never knew for certainty with this political Grandmaster.
Easton said, “I believe I found the answer as to why extremism has strengthened. I had my staff investigate the finances of the seventeen terrorist groups on our agency ‘watch’ list. We discovered not only are they wealthy—ten have a combined annual wealth of over three billion—but the annual income of some had doubled in one year. Funding is pouring in from state sponsors.”
President Wang took a sip from a porcelain teacup. “GTA is wealthy too. If I’m not mistaken, your annual budget is”—he turned to Lin and they talked in Chinese as Lin looked up something on the president’s laptop—“sixty billion,” he said in English. “Your agency is much richer than even ten terrorist groups. And you have stockpiles…a variety…of destructive weapons. So, I’m unclear as to why this would be the reason for the agency’s…deficiencies cited in the report.”
Easton waited for a moment before responding. Even though he’d been “forgiven,” he’d have to take hits for the agency’s failures. That’s how the game was played.
He said, “We only have fifteen thousand employees compared to the CIA’s twenty-two thousand, yet we’re expected to support and try to protect the one hundred ninety-three UN members. We’re stretched thin.”
“If you’re asking me to support an increase in your budget for more personnel, I will. Given the information you’ve shared, I can advocate for it.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that. But more personnel are not what I need from you and the Council. I can manage that with the CIA program I resurrected.”
“I am interested in knowing more about this program.”
“It’s an improved MKUltra, the project which attempted to get people to kill on command. With the new advances in chemistry, I’m able to improve on the drugs the program tested. I believe within the next two years I’ll be able to build an army of assassins.”
Easton met President Wang’s curious look with a serious one. He wouldn’t have to take radical initiatives like these if self-centered and power-obsessed leaders would look beyond their own reflections. Someone had to take the global steering wheel. The earth was heading for a fiery crash.
“Mr. President,” Easton said, “a significant amount of the terror group’s cash infusion is being funneled into weapons. This is the battlefield tactic I need to match.”
“You have every possible weapon there is, and a lot of them. What are you lacking?”
“What you have.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I think you do. I’m aware of China’s recent breakthrough in producing metamaterials for cloaking. Invisibility will give us the edge in every case: attacks, reconnaissance, and tactical surveillance. And your specialized artificial intelligence algorithms that give robots the ability to autonomously identify is huge. Robots that can instantaneously sort through data is like slamming down the gas pedal. With these, GTA would be miles ahead of our enemies.”
Wang took another sip of tea. “Unfortunately, I’m unable to assist you on this. The nanotechnology lab was incinerated in a recent fire and a weapon prototype stolen. Your agency wouldn’t happen to have any…leads on these events, would it?”
“Actually, I do. We have a suspect. Let us pursue our angle for a few weeks and the minute I have a solid lead I’ll let you know. I’d be happy to aid you in your search for your weapon prototype. The agency will send out ‘feelers’ and monitor the chatter. Again, give us a few weeks. I’m confident we can assist you with these unfortunate events.”
“I’d be grateful.”
“Of course. And I’m grateful for our partnership. Despite your setback, I think there’s a way you can support the agency. Even if your equipment was destroyed, I’m sure you have the cloaking data safely stored somewhere, along with your AI program. I’d like to have access to it.”
Wang said something in Chinese under his breath, and Lin blushed and looked down.
The president said in English, “No, not possible.” A mosquito buzzed around his head.
Easton watched him swat the mosquito. The Chinese could stall you into infinity. But his clock hadn’t stopped ticking. “I don’t have time to be diplomatic, my friend. You read the report. GTA has to find shortcuts.”
The mosquito flew away and Wang sat in stubborn silence.
Easton said, “Such a shame. As you said, we had a good relationship. I guess I must proceed to Plan B.”
He leaned closer to the glass screen. “Your ambassador will call for a special Security Council meeting immediately and present an amendment to the Charter that appointments me Council president—one with both executive order and veto power. Once appointed president, I will enact legislation that places military nanotechnology programs under my agency regulation. You, the US, and Russia are pouring billions into this technology. By doing this, I’ll have triple the arsenal and thereby triple our terrorist targets. As Council head, I’ll have access to not only your advancements, but also your budget. I’m not trying to stand in the way or take any countries’ weapons. I’m just creating a pool I can dip into to build the same tools you have to do my job.”
President Wang’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t see how such an amendment can get passed by the Council. We won’t give up control to you, nor do I believe that Russia, the US, or France will either. And the legal restrictions—”
Easton waved his hand. “There are no treaties related to nanoweapons to stop me. I will email the wording for the amendment and instructions on how to proceed. I’ve already been having similar conversations with the other Council members.”
The mosquito appeared again. It hovered in front of Wang’s face for a second and flew down to land on the saucer.
“Pesky mosquito, isn’t it?” Easton said.
Wang slapped the saucer and Lin steadied the cup with his hand before it tipped. The mosquito, untouched, zipped upward and disappeared.
“Mr. President,” Easton said, “we’ve had a good partnership and we both know we want to keep it that way. For years at your request, my people have been taking care of your special ‘needs.’ It seems to me you’re pretty busy trying to hold things together in China. So, why not let me be the one fighting on the battlefield? With the combined power of our might, I can stop the rising wave of extremism.”
“I greatly admire your talents and appreciate our partnership, but China will not have its defense program compromised by outsiders.”
“The truth is, Mr. President, I don’t need your vote. I’m not going to fail because of your shortsightedness. I’ve already received the backing from some Council members, and I will get more if needed. I’m asking you because I respect you and getting your support today expedites the process and gets us on the road to victory quicker. The reorganization amendment will pass, with or without you.”
Easton brought his face within inches of the screen. “As you say, I have a stockpile of biological and chemical weapons. I don’t like to use them on my ‘friends.’ But then again, we wouldn’t be friends anymore, would we, if you fail to support the reorganization? I miss the action and would enjoy some. How about a series of dirty bombs exploding through your country, causing chaos and thousands of deaths?
“Or, I could be patient, and once the amendment is passed, I’d have a three-times larger nanobot arsenal. What do you think of thousands of insects and birds being released in Beijing in a killer robot plague, while at the same time, simultaneous weapons of mass destruction attacks could take place in Guangzhou?”
The president banged his fist on the desk. “Are you threatening me?”
With a slight smile, Easton sat back. “Maybe Mr. Lin would be kind enough to translate for you so you don’t have any question about what I’m saying.”
Lin started to speak, but Wang flipped his hand for him to stop. He snarled something in Chinese and Lin looked down.
“You control the world’s nanoweaponry?” Wang’s voice cracked and he reached for his teacup. “That is not going to happen.”
“I wouldn’t drink that if I were you.”
“Why not?”
“My nanobot may have dropped poison into your tea.”
The president looked around his office. “The mosquito!”
“Yes, these tiny bots are lethal and realistic, aren’t they? Now imagine thousands of them invisible. I know you’re aware of the power that AI and cloaking technology bring. You’re investing billions into it. But I need it too, for the greater good. With thousands of invisible bots with the advanced features of the Black Widow, alongside our kill-on-command human assassins, we’d wipe out the seventeen terrorist groups in no time.”
“Do not try to put on China what is your responsibility, and do not attempt to steal our technology to make your duties easier. The weapon prototype belongs to us and we will never rest until we have it back.” Wang looked over his shoulder and up at the chandelier.
“Say what you will, but the fact is you have no place to hide from me,” Easton said. “I’m linked to you in every way. I have the Global Network, which translates simultaneously for me your email, your calls, your conversations. I control satellites. Every move you or your staff make is seen and heard by me. My bots are there now, in every room in your home and office…listening, recording, and waiting…for my command…to kill.”
He paused, letting his words hang in the silence.
Then he said, “Since we’ve worked well together in the past, I will, for old times’ sake, agree not to cut into your nanotechnology budget too much. And I’ll share with you the advancements made in the agency’s new mind-control weapon. But only if you agree to support my Council leadership and sit tight for a few weeks on the prototype search, so I can complete the investigation. That’s my deal. Agreed?”
The mosquito appeared and landed on the back of Wang’s hand. With a violent jerk, he threw it off.
“Mr. President, your decision?”