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Midway Island
14 February
1655 Local Time
Xiang sidestepped the man dragging the reporter’s lifeless body as he walked into the filming room. He had watched the entire broadcast in the room next door where they had set up the communications equipment. He had cringed at Fang’s ruthlessness as he watched him kill the reporter.
Fang had executed the plan exactly as they briefed it until that point, but then he had gone off script in killing the reporter. Xiang didn’t know if it had been arrogance or pure recklessness, but he was certain that deviations like that jeopardized the mission. If the script wasn’t followed verbatim, they risked a complete mission failure and the start of a major conflict.
As Xiang entered, Fang motioned for the camera operator to take the President. She was being held along with the other high-ranking officials in a nearby room. They had separated the hostages into three separate groups – media, security personnel, and dignitaries. At the end of the mission, only the media and a select few dignitaries were to be left alive. That part was critical to the plan, and Xiang didn’t understand why Fang had deviated so soon.
Fang lowered his mask and smiled as he set the remote detonator aside. The sense of satisfaction in Fang’s expression worried Xiang. There was nothing satisfying about what they were doing. It was only a means to an end.
“Everything is going as planned,” Fang said proudly as the door closed behind the President and her escort.
“Has the plan changed?”
The smile vanished from Fang’s face. Xiang watched Fang’s scarred hands. His body tensed as he prepared to parry Fang’s inevitable attack. Xiang intended to defend himself if necessary and take command. The mission was far too important to let Fang’s ego ruin it.
“Relax,” Fang said as he studied Xiang. “You are far too tense.”
“I am sorry, sir,” Xiang replied. “But I did not expect the feed to the American media so soon, or the execution of the reporter.”
The smile returned to Fang’s face. “That is what worries you?”
“I worry only for the success of the mission, sir.”
“The mission is going as planned,” Fang said. “The American media found out about the President going missing, and I decided to take advantage of the timing.”
“And the reporter?”
Fang’s brow furrowed. “Do you wish to test my patience?”
“No, sir,” Xiang said, focusing on Fang’s hands again.
“Good, now what is the status of the American pilot?”
Xiang was taken aback by the question. All of the information from the field funneled through him. He had come to report the status, but there was no way Fang should’ve known to ask.
“You look surprised,” Fang said.
“My men have the American surrounded, sir,” Xiang said as he regained his composure. “I expect to have him within the hour.”
“Have your men follow him, but do not detain him.”
“But sir, I—”
“He has sent messages to the Americans,” Fang interrupted. “He can be useful in delaying their rescue attempts.”
Xiang nodded. Of course. They had long since infiltrated the American Search and Rescue communications, especially since transitioning to encrypted satellite communications. The American company supplying the radios to the Americans had used Chinese parts to reduce cost. The chips had included Trojan Horse software that allowed them to decrypt and monitor all communications using the radios.
“I will see to it that he is not captured until you give the word,” Xiang said.
Fang looked at his watch. “Our transportation will be here in less than four hours. I will record the final videos in two hours and then we will make preparations for the exchange. Execute phase three.”
“Yes, sir,” Xiang said. He saluted smartly and turned to walk out. Phase three of the plan involved removing the hard drives, classified materials, and weapons from Air Force One. They would then move the aircraft and destroy it to make room for their aircraft to land.
The aircraft would arrive under the cover of darkness and contain mercenaries from The Islamic State of Uyghur and the East Turkistan Islamic Movement. Once the President and her staff were executed, the footage would be sent on a time delay to the Americans. When the Americans finally developed the courage to mount a rescue operation, Fang and his men would be long gone, leaving the mercenaries to martyr themselves in a brilliant nuclear explosion as the American Special Forces raided the island. There would be no trace that the Chinese were ever part of the operation.
The idea had been floated to allow the Islamic mercenaries to lead the operation on their own, but it had been Fang that pointed out that only his team had the training and experience to pull such a delicate operation off. Even directly supporting the mercenaries, it was unlikely that mercenaries would be disciplined enough to succeed.
It was still confusing to Xiang how someone who argued so vehemently in favor of discipline and training could allow himself to deviate so egregiously from the plan. Despite his explanations, Xiang wasn’t convinced that Fang wasn’t enjoying the brutal nature of the operation and becoming the monster he had proclaimed incapable of running the operation.
Xiang shrugged off his doubts as he walked out of the warehouse. He had less than an hour left of daylight and a great deal of work to do. He decided to personally oversee the pursuit of the downed American pilot. Despite Fang’s confidence in the pilot’s utility, it was one variable Xiang didn’t fully trust.
He would deal with Fang later.