cc.floodtide-第99节

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vernment。　Our　long…standing　strategy　to　infiltrate　high　level　government　offices　and　influence　American　policy　toward　China　is　threatened。〃
　
　Qin　Shang　was　shown　to　a　high…backed　chair　carved　out　of　ebony　before　a　large　circular　table　and　offered　a　choice　of　Chinese　wines　the　ambassador　kept　stocked　in　the　basement　of　the　restaurant。　Only　after　a　waiter　pulled　the　cord　to　a　chime　to　announce　his　entrance；　poured　the　wine　and　exited　the　room；　did　Qin　Shang　speak。　〃My　carefully　laid　plans　were　somehow　thwarted　by　the　INS　and　NUMA。〃
　〃NUMA　is　not　an　investigative　agency；〃　Qian　Miang　reminded　him。
　〃No；　but　their　people　were　a　direct　cause　of　the　raid　on　Orion　Lake　and　the　disaster　at　the　Mystic　Canal。　Two　men　in　particular。〃
　Qian　Miang　nodded。　〃I　have　studied　the　reports。　Your　attempt　to　kill　NUMA's　special　projects　director　and　the　female　INS　agent　was　not　a　wise　judgment；　certainly　one　not　condoned　by　me。　This　is　not　our　homeland；　where　such　things　can　be　carried　out　in　secret。　You　cannot　run…what　do　they　call　it　in　the　West…roughshod　over　citizens　within　their　own　borders。　I　am　instructed　to　tell　you　that　any　attempt　to　murder　NUMA　officials　is　strictly　forbidden。〃
　〃Whatever　I　have　done；　old　friend；〃　said　Qin　Shang　bluntly；　〃I　have　done　for　the　People's　Republic　of　China。〃
　〃And　Qin　Shang　Maritime；〃　added　Qian　Miang　quietly。　〃We　go　back　too　far　to　delude　one　another。　Until　now；　as　you　have　profited；　so　has　our　country。　But　you　have　gone；　not　one　but　several　steps　too　far。　Like　a　bear　that　has　knocked　a　nest　of　bees　from　a　tree；　you　have　maddened　a　swarm　of　Americans。〃
　Qin　Shang　stared　at　the　ambassador。　〃Am　I　to　assume　you　have　instructions　from　President　Lin　Loyang？〃
　〃He　wished　me　to　convey　his　regret§；　but　I　am　to　tell　that　from　this　moment；　all　operations　by　Qin　Shang　Maritime　will　cease　within　North　America；　and　all　your　personal　ties　to　the　American　government　are　to　be　terminated。〃
　Qin　Shang's　normally　controlled　demeanor　cracked。　〃That　would　spell　the　end　of　our　smuggling　operations。〃
　〃I　think　not。　The　government's　own　shipping　pany；　China　Marine；　will　substitute　for　Qin　Shang　Maritime　in　all　smuggling　as　well　as　the　legal　transportation　of　Chinese　goods　and　materials　into　the　United　States　and　Canada。〃
　〃China　Marine　is　not　half　as　efficiently　run　as　Qin　Shang　Maritime。〃
　〃Perhaps　so；　but　since　Congress　is　demanding　public　investigations　into　Orion　Lake　and　the　debacle　on　the　Mississippi；　and　the　United　States　Justice　Department　is　in　the　process　of　building　a　case　for　your　indictment；　you　should　consider　yourself　fortunate　that　Lin　Loyang　hasn't　given　orders　to　surrender　yourself　to　the　FBI。　Already；　the　news　media　is　calling　the　destruction　of　the　levee　and　the　ocean　liner　the　United　States　an　act　of　terrorism。　Unfortunately；　lives　were　lost　and　the　ing　scandal　is　certain　to　expose　many　of　our　agents　around　the　country。〃
　The　chime　announced　the　arrival　of　the　waiter；　who　entered　the　private　room　with　a　tray　of　steaming　dishes。　He　artfully　arranged　the　dishes　around　the　table　and　retreated。
　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　preordering　to　save　time；〃　said　Qian　Miang。　〃I　hope　you　don't　mind？〃
　〃An　excellent　selection。　I　am　especially　fond　of　tomato…and…eggdrop　soup　and　squab　soong。〃
　〃So　I've　been　told。〃
　Qin　Shang　smiled　as　he　tasted　his　soup　with　the　traditional　porcelain　spoon。　〃The　soup　is　every　bit　as　good　as　your　intelligence。〃
　〃Your　gourmet　preferences　are　well　known。〃
　〃I　shall　never　be　indicted；〃　Qin　Shang　said　abruptly　and　indignantly。　〃I　have　too　many　powerful　friends　in　Washington。　Thirty　senators　and　congressmen　are　in　my　debt。　I　contributed　heavily　to　President　Wallace's　campaign。　He　considers　me　a　loyal　friend。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Qian　Miang　agreed　with　an　airy　wave　of　his　chopsticks　before　attacking　a　dish　of　noodles　with　scallions　and　ginger　prepared　in　the　authentic　manner。　〃But　any　influence　you　had　has　been　drastically　diminished。　Because　of　unfortunate　events；　my　dear　Qin　Shang；　you　have　bee　a　political　liability　to　the　People's　Republic　as　well　as　to　the
　Americans。　I'm　told　there　is　great　activity　in　the　White　House　to　disavow　any　relationship　with　you。〃
　〃The　influence　our　government　enjoys　in　Washington　was　due　in　a　large　part　to　me。　I　bought　and　paid　for　access　and　favors　that　benefited　the　People's　Republic。〃
　〃No　one　denies　your　contribution；〃　said　Qian　Miang　amicably。　〃But　mistakes　were　made；　disastrous　mistakes　that　must　be　swept　away　before　irreparable　damage　is　done。　You　must　quietly　vanish　from　America；　never　to　return。　Qin　Shang　Maritime　will　still　have　access　to　all　other　ports　around　the　world。　Your　power　base　with　the　People's　Republic　in　Hong　Kong　remains　strong。　You　will　survive；　Qin　Shang；　and　go　on　adding　to　your　incalculable　assets。〃
　〃And　Sungari？〃　asked　Qin　Shang；　picking　at　the　squab　soong　with　his　chopsticks　as　his　appetite　rapidly　waned。　〃What　of　Sungari？〃
　Qian　Miang　shrugged。　〃You　write　it　off。　Most　of　the　money　for　its　construction　was　subsidized　by　American　business　interests　and　in　part　by　our　government。　Whatever　it　cost　you；　Qin　Shang；　will　be　recouped　within　six　months。　It　is　hardly　a　reverse　that　will　affect　your　empire。〃
　〃It　pains　me　deeply　to　simply　walk　away　from　it。〃
　〃If　you　don't；　the　American　Justice　Department　will　see　that　you　go　to　prison。〃
　Qin　Shang　stared　at　the　ambassador。　〃If　I　refused　to　divorce　myself　from　all　White　House　and　congressional　contacts；　you're　saying　President　Lin　Loyang　would　turn　his　back　to　me；　or　perhaps　even　order　my　execution？〃
　〃If　it　was　in　the　best　interests　of　the　country；　he　would　not　blink　an　eye。〃
　〃Is　there　no　way　to　save　Sungari？〃
　Qian　Miang　shook　his　head。　〃Your　plan　to　divert　the　Mississippi　River　through　your　port　facility　on　the　Gulf　was　brilliant；　but　too　plex。　Better　you　should　have　built　it　on　the　West　Coast。〃
　〃When　I　originally　presented　the　plan　to　Tin　Tsang；　he　approved　it；〃　Qin　Shang　protested。　〃We　agreed　that　there　was　a　dire　need　for　our　government　to　control　a　shipping　port　on　the　Atlantic　side　of　the　United　States；　a　terminal　to　siphon　illegal　immigrants　and　goods　throughout　middle　America　and　the　eastern　states。〃
　Qian　Miang　gazed　at　Qin　Shang　queerly。　〃Unfortunately；　Internal　Affairs　Minister　Yin　Tsang　died　an　untimely　death。〃
　〃A　great　tragedy；〃　Qin　Shang　said　with　a　straight　face。
　〃A　new　directive　has　been　approved；　one　that　places　our　priorities　along　the　West　Coast　for　the　purchase　of　existing　facilities；　such　as　our　acquisitions　of　the　United　States　naval　bases　in　Seattle　and　San　Diego。〃
　〃The　new　directive？〃
　Qian　Miang　paused　before　answering　to　taste　a　stew　called　curried　beef。　〃President　Lin　Loyang　has　given　Project　Pacifica　his　total　blessing；〃　Qian　Miang　answered。
　〃Project　Pacifica？　I　have　not　been　informed　of　it。〃
　〃Because　of　your　recent　difficulties　with　the　Americans；　all　concerned　thought　it　best　if　you　not　be　involved。〃
　〃Can　you　tell　me　its　purpose；　or　do　our　nation's　leaders　feel　I　am　no　longer　worthy　of　their　trust？〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Qian　Miang。　〃You　are　still　held　in　high　esteem。　Project　Pacifica　is　a　long…range　plan　to　split　the　United　States　into　three　countries。〃
　Qin　Shang　looked　puzzled。　〃Forgive　me；　but　I　find　that　nothing　more　than　an　outlandish　fantasy。〃
　〃Not　fantasy；　old　friend；　but　a　certainty。　Pacifica　may　not　bee　a　reality　in　our　lifetimes；　but　with　the　migration　over　the　next　forty　to　fifty　years　of　millions　of　our　countrymen；　respected　geographic　scientists　are　predicting　a　new　Pacific…rim　nation　stretching　from　Alaska　to　San　Francisco。〃
　〃The　United　States　went　to　war　in　eighteen　sixty…one　to　prevent　the　Confederacy　from　secession。　They　could　easily　do　it　again　to　keep　their　house　united。〃
　〃Not　if　the　central　government　was　struck　from　two　sides　instead　of　one。　What　may　even　e　earlier　than　Pacifica；〃　Qian　Miang　explained；　〃is　Hispania；　another　new　nation　of　Spanish…speaking　people　that　will　spread　from　Southern　California　across　Arizona；　New　Mexico　and　the　lower　half　of　Texas。〃
　〃I　find　it　all　but　impossible　to　think　of　the　United　States　divided　into　three　sovereign　nations；〃　said　Qin　Shang。
　〃Look　how　the　borders　of　Europe　have　changed　in　the　past　hundred　years。　The　United　States　can　no　more　remain　united　for　eternity　than　the　Roman　Empire。　And　the　beauty　of　Project　Pacifica　is　that　when　it　es　to　pass；　the　People's　Republic　of　China　will　have　the　power　to　control　the　entire　economy　of　the　countries　surrounding　the　Pacific　Ocean；　including　Taiwan　and　Japan。〃
　〃As　a　loyal　citizen　of　my　country；〃　said　Qin　Shang；　〃I　would　like　to　think　I　helped　in　some　small　way　to　make　it　a　reality。〃
　〃You　have；　my　friend；　you　have；〃　Qian　Miang　assured　him。　〃But　first；　you　must　leave　the　country　by　no　later　than　two　o'clock　this　afternoon。　That's　when；　according　to　my　sources　at　the　Justice　Department；　you　will　be　taken　into　custody。〃
　〃And　accused　of　murder？〃
　〃No；　willful　destruction　of　federal　property。〃
　〃It　sounds　rather　mundane。〃
　〃Only　the　first　tier　of　the　government's　case。　The　murder　conspiracy　at　Orion　Lake　es　later。　They　also　intend　to　indict　you　for　the　smuggling　of　illegal　immigrants；　guns　and　drugs。〃
　〃I　imagine　the　news　media　must　be　gathering　like　locusts。〃
　〃Make