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