cc.floodtide-第88节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Laird's　brow　was　furrowed　in　disbelief。　He　sat　quietly　and　did　not　immediately　acknowledge　the　presidential　order。
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　President；〃　said　Qin　Shang　courteously。　〃I　speak　for　my　board　of　directors　when　I　say　we　are　very　honored　by　your　friendship。〃
　
　〃You're　not　off　the　hook　that　easily；　Qin　Shang；〃　said　Wallace。　〃Please　pass　on　my　concern　to　Premier　Wu　Kwong　regarding　the　continued　use　of　slave　labor　to　manufacture　your　trade　goods。　If　we　are　to　maintain　close　ties；　his　government　must　accept　the　use　of　decently　paid　workers　in　its　manufacturing　facilities　and　reject　violation　of　human　rights。　Otherwise；　I　will　cut　off　our　export　of　phosphatic　fertilizers　to　China。〃
　
　Morton　Laird　smiled　inwardly。　At　last　the　President　struck　a　chord。　Phosphatic　fertilizers　exceeded　one　billion　dollars　in　sales　by　a　chemical　pany　in　Texas　that　was　a　subsidiary　of　the　vast　global　chemical　corporation　in　Jiangsu　Province　with　headquarters　in　Shanghai。　Without　threatening　trade　sanctions　against　Chinese　exported　cotton　goods；　shoes；　toys；　radios；　television　sets　and　related　items　that　totaled　over　fifty　billion　dollars　a　year；　Wallace　had　zeroed　in　on　the　most　essential　modity　of　all。
　
　Qin　Shang's　green　eyes　briefly　flashed　with　uneasiness。　〃I　will　relate　your　counsel　to　Premier　Wu　Kwong。〃
　Wallace　stood；　signaling　an　end　to　the　discussion。
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　President。　It　was　a　privilege　to　meet　with　you　again。〃
　〃I'll　acpany　you　to　the　reception　room；〃　said　Laird　graciously；　while　diplomatically　concealing　his　contempt　for　the　financial　criminal。
　A　few　minutes　later　Laird　returned　to　the　Oval　Office。　Wallace　did　not　look　up　as　he　signed　a　stack　of　bills　sent　over　from　Congress。　〃Well；　Morton；　it　was　obvious　by　the　sour　apple　look　on　your　face　that　you're　not　happy　with　my　performance。〃
　〃No；　sir；　I　am　not。　I　am　appalled　that　you　even　talk　to　that　murderer。〃
　〃He's　not　the　first　ghoul　from　hell　who　has　walked　in　this　office　since　it　was　built。　If　not　for　Qin　Shang　and　his　influence　with　the　Chinese　government；　I　might　not　be　sitting　where　lam。〃
　〃You　are　being　conned；　sir。　Conned　by　Qin　Shang　and　his　government　up　and　down　Pennsylvania　Avenue。　In　the　interest　of　political　expediency；　Mr。　President；　you've　dug　yourself　a　grave　too　deep　to　climb　out　of。〃
　〃We're　dealing　with　a　country　that　has　one…point…four　billion　people；〃　Wallace　persisted。　〃This　presents　an　incredible　opportunity　to　sell　billions　of　dollars'　worth　of　American　goods。　Whatever　sin　I've　mitted　was　in　the　interest　of　the　country。〃
　〃There　is　no　justification　to　stand　by　while　the　Chinese　rip　off　the　American　public；〃　said　Laird　earnestly。　〃The　last　bined　CIA…FBI　counterintelligence　report　named　over　a　hundred　Chinese　agents　who　have　penetrated　every　level　of　our　government　from　NASA　to　the　Pentagon。　Several　have　achieved　high…level　staff　jobs　in　the　Congress　and　the　merce　and　Interior　departments。〃
　〃e　now；　Morton。　I　browsed　the　report。　I　failed　to　see　a　critical　threat　to　our　security。　China　no　longer　harbors　a　fanatical　desire　to　steal　our　nuclear　technology　and　military　secrets。〃
　〃Why　should　they？〃　Laird's　voice　was　hard　and　low。　〃Their　priority　is　now　political　and　economic　espionage。　Besides　obtaining　our　business　and　technology　secrets；　they're　working　every　minute　of　the　day　to　influence　our　trade　policy　as　it　relates　to　their　economic　expansion。　They've　already　passed　Japan　as　the　trading　partner　with　whom　we　have　the　greatest　deficit。　Economic　forecasts　put　their　economy　ahead　of　ours　before　your　term　of　office　expires。〃
　〃So　what？　Even　if　China　does　pass　us　in　the　gross　size　of　its　economy；　her　people　will　still　only　have　a　per…capita　ine　one　quarter　of　the　average　American。〃
　〃I　respectfully　say　to　you；　Mr。　President；　wake　up　and　smell　the　coffee。　Their　forty…five…billion…dollar　balance…of…trade　surplus　is　poured　back　into　building　their　military　and　worldwide　criminal　smuggling　activities；　all　the　while　enhancing　their　mushrooming　economic　power。〃
　〃You've　taken　a　pretty　tough　stand　against　me；　Morton；〃　said　Wallace　coldly。　〃I　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Morton　inflexibly；　〃I　do；　because　I　honestly　believe　you　have　sold　out　the　country　for　your　own　personal　political　gain。　You　are　well　aware　how　strongly　I　disagreed　when　you　extended　most…favored…nation　trade　status　and　at　the　same　time　said　your　decision　was　no　longer　contingent　on　progress　in　human　rights。〃
　〃My　only　concern　was　for　American　jobs。〃　Wallace　was　standing　behind　his　desk　now；　his　face　turning　red　with　anger。
　〃If　that's　the　case；　how　do　you　explain　the　fact　that　in　the　last　fifteen　years　a　total　of　eight　hundred　thousand　American　workers　have　lost　their　jobs　to　cheap　Chinese　labor；　much　of　it　slave　labor？〃
　〃Do　not　push　too　far；　Morton；〃　Wallace　snarled　through　clenched　jaws。　〃I　have　done　nothing　that　will　not　pay　dividends　for　the　American　public。〃
　Laird　crossed　a　hand　wearily　over　his　eyes。　〃I've　known　you　too　many　years　not　to　know　when　you're　distorting　the　truth。〃
　〃Are　you　calling　me　a　liar？〃
　〃That　and　more；　sir。　I'm　calling　you　a　traitor。　And　to　back　up　my　sentiments；　you'll　have　my　resignation　as　chief　of　staff　on　your　desk　within　the　hour。　I　don't　want　to　be　around　when　the　chickens　e　home　to　roost。〃
　With　that；　Morton　Laird　walked　out　of　the　Oval　Office　for　the　last　time。　Fully　enlightened　as　to　his　former　friend's　vindic…tiveness；　he　and　his　wife　soon　dropped　out　of　public　view　and　moved　to　an　island　off　the　Great　Barrier　Reef　of　Australia；　where　he　began　to　write　the　memoirs　of　his　life　and　times　in　Washington　with　great　insight　into　his　long　association　with　President　Dean　Cooper　Wallace。
　Su　Zhong；　Qin　Shang's　personal　secretary；　was　sitting　at　a　desk　inside　his　large　armored　bus；　which　he　entered　after　concluding　his　meeting　with　the　President。　As　soon　as　he　settled　into　a　leather　chair　behind　a　desk　covered　with　a　battery　of　telephones　and　puter　systems；　she　handed　him　several　messages　that　had　arrived　by　fax　and　satellite　phone。　Qin　Shang　had　developed　a　code　to　frustrate　any　agents；　government　or　mercial；　who　attempted　to　eavesdrop　on　his　personal　business。　He　ran　the　messages　through　a　scanner　that　instantly　translated　them。
　
　〃Any　word　yet　from　Zhu　Kwan？〃
　Su　Zhong　recited　a　synopsis　of　the　reports　as　her　boss　scanned　the　translations。　〃Only　that　he　is　attempting　to　track　down　the　location　where　it　was　rumored　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　sank。　He　claims　the　pieces　do　not　fit　together　as　constructed。〃
　〃If　anyone　can　find　the　whereabouts　of　the　ship；　Zhu　Kwan　can；〃　Qin　Shang　said　confidently。　〃What　else　do　you　have？〃
　〃The　purchase　of　four　Russian　oil　tankers　has　been　concluded。　Our　pany　crews　are　in　flight　to　Sevastopol　to　take　mand　of　the　ships。　They　are　scheduled　to　reach　your　yard　in　Hong　Kong　for　refitting　by　the　middle　of　next　month。〃
　〃Progress　on　the　new　cruise　ship？〃
　〃The　Evening　Star？〃　said　Su　Zhong。　〃Four　months　from　pletion。　Our　promotion　department　has　produced　preliminary　art　for　her　introduction　as　the　largest　and　most　luxurious　cruise　ship　in　the　world。〃
　〃And　the　United　States。　What　is　the　latest　on　her　status？〃
　〃She　has　entered　the　Head　of　Passes　at　the　mouth　of　the　Mississippi　River　and　is　in　transit　to　New　Orleans。　That　part　of　your　operation　is　going　as　planned。〃
　〃Anything　else　I　should　know　about？〃　asked　Qin　Shang　warily。　〃Any　incidents　at　Sungari；　perhaps？〃
　Su　Zhong　shook　her　head。　〃Not　Sungari。〃
　He　could　tell　from　the　way　she　avoided　his　eyes　the　news　was　bad。　〃What　is　the　story？〃
　〃Federal　agents　have　raided　and　closed　down　the　staging　depot　at　Bartholomeaux；　Louisiana。　Three　hundred　and　forty…two　immigrants　were　apprehended。〃
　〃Our　people？〃
　〃Ki　Wong　is　dead。　Jack　Loo　of　the　Dragon　Triad　is　dead。　His　assistant；　May　Ching；　is　in　the　custody　of　INS　agents。〃
　Qin　Shang　merely　shrugged。　〃No　great　loss；　any　of　them。　Jack　Loo　was　only　one　cog　in　the　American…Chinese　syndicate。　His　death　and　the　raid；　no　doubt　brought　about　by　his　lax　security　and　stupidity；　offers　me　an　excellent　opportunity　to　renegotiate　my　agreement　with　the　Dragon　Triad。〃
　〃A　more　profitable　agreement　in　your　favor；　of　course；〃　said　Su　Zhong。
　〃Of　course；〃　Qin　Shang　said；　smiling。　〃I　would　have　ordered　Bartholomeaux　closed　down　in　thirty…six　hours　anyway；　once　I　realized　my　goal　of　making　Sungari　the　premier　shipping　port　on　the　Gulf。〃
　〃The　last　report　will　not　be　to　your　liking；〃　Su　Zhong　murmured　reluctantly。
　〃No　review？〃
　〃Perhaps　you　should　absorb　it　with　your　own　eyes；　Qin　Shang。〃　She　nodded　at　the　message　containing　a　report　detailing　the　destruction　of　the　security　post　on　the　Mystic　Canal。
　As　Qin　Shang　scanned　the　report　his　eyes　shifted　from　somber　to　wrathful；　especially　when　he　reached　the　message　from　Pitt。　〃So　Mr。　Pitt　wonders　if　I　still　stoop　to　pick　up　bananas。　He　seems　to　take　great　delight　in　taunting　me。〃
　〃The　accursed　devil　should　have　his　tongue　torn　out；〃　Su　Zhong　said　loyally。
　〃I　have　had　many　enemies　in　my　time；〃　Qin　Shang　said　quietly。　〃Most　were　business　petitors。　But　none　were　as　challenging　as　Pitt。　I　must　say；　I　relish　his　pathetic　attempts　at　sarcastic　wit。　A　worthy　opponent？〃　Qin　Shang　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃Not　really。　Bu