Forged in Honor (1995) (37 page)

8 P. M., Directorate of Defense Services Intelligence, .

Rangoon, Burma.

Swei felt a tingling sensation run up his spine as he saw the activity in the underground tunnel complex on his way to the command center.

Brigadier Tan was talking to four of his commanders in the planning room when he saw his superior walk in. He motioned the lieutenant colonels out and smiled. "Everything is going smoothly. The units are all on standby and all targets have been identified."

Swei nodded and took a seat in front of a large map of the city. "My only concern is Kang."

"Which one?" Tan asked.

"Both, actually, but Stephen is our biggest threat for the present. I just got off the phone with our Triad friends. They confirmed Po and the two captains are dead. The FBI is involved and has asked our embassy to identify the bodies and explain why they used false identification to check into the hotel. I've already instructed our embassy team to identify them as members of the army staff. What concerns me is that the FBI is now looking for our Sao as the main suspect."

Tan waved his hand as if not concerned. "How can he be a threat? He thinks we have his wife and son ... and if he does go to the authorities, the lai is gone, so are our workers, and the funds are in a different account. He has no proof we were involved in anything."

Swei's eyes stabbed Tan. "Our Triad friends are concerned he will speak of their involvement."

Tan's nonchalant demeanor evaporated, and he blurted, "He knows nothing of the Triad!"

Swei shook his head. "You don't understand. If Stephen Kang is caught by the FBI, the Triad wants our assurance he won't speak. I gave that assurance just hours ago, saying we had his wife and son. I didn't tell them she had already died during our questioning and that his son had escaped."

Tan's nostrils flared. "How could we possibly have known the Shan bitch would hang herself? Kang doesn't know that!

He thinks we have both of them, so he won't dare say anything."

Swei rose up from his chair. "See that no one else knows of this. We have come this far and are so close. In less than nine hours we will achieve what we have always wanted, but it won't last a day if the Triad becomes our enemy. They must not know."

Tan had already come to his feet when his superior stood.

He bowed his head. "I'll see to it."

Washington, D. C.

Josh looked up at the blazing sun and judged it to be after three. He grabbed the oars again and pulled back. The sound of the seat rolling back was like music to his ears as the scull shot through the water. Sweat dripped down his forehead, gathering on his chin until dropping to his chest. He brought the oars and his legs up and pushed forward again for another bite of the water. With every stroke he was becoming stronger. Just a little more sweat and a little more pain and the faces of the screaming men and women of Shaduzup and the Wa that he had killed would blur, become indistinguishable. The dreams would fade as they'd done after Vietnam and Grenada. The river understood and gave compassion to those who tried to carry on.

"How's it feel to be back, Mister Hawkins?"

Josh smiled at the old boat keeper as he carried the scull up to the boathouse. "It's like I never left. I didn't lose a bit of rhythm, Fred."

The old man raised his hand to shield the sun and looked to the north. "Well, I missed ya, you're about the only one who comes around regular. I thought ya mighta been sick the past weeks. Good thing you made it when you did. Looks to me like we got us a storm coming in."

Josh hung the scull on the pegs and looked toward the north. "Yep, you're right, those thunderheads mean rain and wind. Looks like I'll just make it."

Josh climbed over the seats and the squirming turtles in his flatboat and started the outboard. He raised his hand. "See ya day after tomorrow, I'm back on my schedule."

The old man waved. "You best hurry, you don't wanna be on the water when the lightning starts."

Josh backed up, turned the throttle up, and headed for open water.

Josh left Ky's Emporium just as the wind picked up, and the first slaps of rain cooled the back of his neck. Pulling his baseball cap down tighter, he steered for Lil' Darlin' and his daughter, who stood on the prow waiting.

Stefne tossed him a line and helped him up. For the first time he could remember, she didn't say a word. Josh wasn't sure how to take her silence and said the only thing he could think of. "How ya doin'?" he asked, hoping she would let it drop.

Stefne just nodded and smiled. He threw up his hands.

"Okay, I took Glenn home, but nothing happened. I went to sleep on her balcony. That's all there is to it."

Stefne shrugged but kept the knowing smile. "I didn't ask in the first place. Thanks for calling and telling me Kelly was all right. I was worried about you."

"Me?"

Stefne just nodded, thinking of how he had gone to pieces the day they buried her mother. He wouldn't leave the grave.

Kelly had stayed with him for almost four hours until finally convincing him to leave. His old crooked smile returned only when he had sold the house, gotten out of the army, and started the business.

Josh realized what she was thinking and put his arm around her shoulder. "He's gonna be fine, just like I told ya.

Come on, we gotta batten her down. There's a storm coming in."

Josh was cleaning up in the cabin when he smelled her. He turned and saw Grant in the cabin door, looking at him strangely. "Josh, do you have a TV?"

Stefne came in and asked, "What's wrong, Glenn?"

Grant quickly scanned the cabin, seeing that he didn't have a television before looking back at Josh. "General Swel of the DDSI took over the government of Burma an hour ago."

Josh's jaw tightened. "He'll have the power to finish off the minorities, just like he's always wanted. Poor Stephen will lose his job in the ministry."

Grant stepped closer. "Josh, you'd better sit down. There's something else." She shifted her eyes to Stefne. "Stef, this is classified stuff. Would you mind if ..."

Stefne took Josh's rain jacket from the peg in the passageway and strode toward the cabin door. "Sure. I'll go visit Bob for a while."

Grant waited until she had shut the door behind her. "Josh, Stephen Kang has been in Seattle for the past two and half weeks, and-"

"Now, wrong guy. Stephen would have called," Josh said adamantly.

Grant sat down. "The FBI sent us a report this afternoon.

They've been trying to determine if we have Burmese in our country with bogus visas. Stephen Kang entered the U. S. on the fifth of June, two days after the embassy bombing. His visa was checked and he was logged in the Customs computer. Last night three Burmese Army officers were shot and killed at a Holiday Inn just outside of Seattle, and another is missing. They had checked in early in May and rented their cars using phony names. A fifth man checked in on the fifth of June. The hotel staff describes the new man as having Oriental features, tall, good-looking, early forties. A maid distinctly remembered him because she asked him about the silver bracelet he wore. The FBI checked with the Customs officers on duty that evening. A female officer remembered him because his English was flawless-he told her he was in the States for pleasure and was going fishing."

Josh's face had gone pale. He stared past Grant at a spot on the bulkhead.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Josh. The FBI has an all-points bulletin out for him for questioning about the killings. The fingerprints in his room match those on a cellular phone found in the room where two bodies were discovered. The third body was found outside, hidden under a hedge. The Burmese embassy identified the bodies as being officers assigned to the staff of the now-imprisoned prime minister."

Josh lowered his head for a moment, then slowly raised it to look into her eyes. "You told them I knew him, didn't you?"

Grant didn't blink. "Yes. I contacted the FBI just before coming over here. They think he may try to contact you.

They want your cooperation. I wanted to tell you first before they got here. Josh, I'm sorry, I know how close you two were."

His insides felt like they were being torn apart, but he dipped his chin toward her. "I would have done the same thing if I'd been you. It's your job." He walked into the bedroom and came back with a small framed picture, which he handed to her. "This was taken on Royal Lake in '82. We ... we ..." He turned away from her so she wouldn't see his tears. "Please stay until the FBI get here. I don't want to be alone right now."

.

Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

Stephen had checked into a small motel near the airfield after arriving at the county airport. He was sitting in front of the television with tears running down his cheeks.

The television screen was filled with a color photograph of General Swei's smiling face while a newswoman spoke in the background.

"Today marks the end of one more chapter of this South-east Asian country's long history. Today General Ren Swei became yet another general to become the self-proclaimed prime minister of Burma. Early this morning officers from the elite Burmese Strike Commando Battalion arrested General Maw Mung, the prime minister and general of the armed forces, at his home. At the same time similar arrests were made of his cabinet and of other key government and military officials. At eight this morning General Swei, the former leader of Burma's secret police, spoke on government radio.

He shocked his audience not only with news of the bloodless coup, but also by announcing his plan to begin government reforms to help the Burmese people and to rebuild the country. He also announced he will open the borders and cancel all restrictions on foreign travel into and out of Burma within weeks. Most Burmese would not speak to us, but a few did say they fear the general's words are just that, words. The people of Burma are waiting to see if their new leader keeps his promises. They are waiting, and so is the world. This is Connie Hoffman, reporting live from Rangoon."

Stephen got up, turned off the television, and lay down on the bed. He could see his son pleading for him to stay and Mya's teary eyes filled with worry. He bit down on his lip, remembering he'd promised her everything would be all right. Clenching his fists, he cried out, "What have I done?

My God, what have I done to them?" Tears began streaming down his face again, for he knew the answer all too well.

Thailand Border Xu Kang stood as the two men were brought into his office. He motioned for his soldiers to release the two Americans and spoke tiredly. "You're too late. Your trip has been wasted."

The CIA chief of station for Thailand stepped forward and said, "It's not too late if you're willing to try. We have been authorized to assist you with our intelligence capabilities and enough weapons to arm all of your soldiers. We know that-"

Xu Kang sat down and shook his head. "It's too late. I'm too old to lead another attempt at the impossible. My heart is bleeding-my son is surely dead, as is his wife. All I have left is my grandson. Find someone else who believes in dreams. Mine are gone. I seek only revenge."

The agent exchanged looks with the other man beside him before speaking. "Stephen Kang is not dead. He killed three Burmese officers in Seattle, Washington, and is now being hunted by our Federal Bureau of Investigation. We have instructed them not to harm your son when they find him."

Kang had come out of his chair upon hearing his son's name; now he stood staring at the chief of station. "You are lying! How would you know of my son?"

The second man stepped forward. "Sawbaw, I am the chief of station for India. We know of your son because we know Joshua Hawkins. I believe you know him, and-"

"Joshua! You know Joshua? By the gods! If he says Stephen is alive, then by the gods it's true!"

"Sawbaw, Colonel Hawkins was recently involved in an operation to find out if the junta was involved in heroin production. Colonel Hawkins and others were infiltrated into Burma and witnessed the destruction of a drug facility and the village of Shaduzup. After the operation he spoke to me about you. He had previously talked to a member of military intelligence about your son, Stephen. This afternoon we received word that your son entered the U. S. on June 5. We don't know where he is and we don't know why he killed the other men. We have come here today because you are the last hope for your country. Could we at least sit down and talk?"

"Where is Joshua?" Kang asked impatiently.

"Sawbaw, he is in the United States. We believe your son will be trying to reach him."

Kang spun around to face Colonel Banta, who was leaning against the bamboo wall. "The gods have willed it. Stephen and Joshua will be coming to join us."

Banta nodded with sadness. "Yes, Mya and the others will be revenged. Our people in Rangoon are waiting for your orders to begin."

The India chief of station held up his hand. "Wait a minute, you don't understand. I didn't say anything about the colonel or-your son com-"

"You're the one who doesn't understand!" blurted Kang.

"I am not the last hope for my country-my son is! And Joshua will come as well, for he is a Shan! By the gods, they will return to me!"

"I don't know about the gods, Sawbaw, but 'I do know your son has a lot of questions to answer and-"