Page 64 of No Time Off

It finally came.

“Get out,” he growled at the guards and then repeated it in Chinese when no one moved. “Now!” The guards, looking slightly bewildered, snapped to attention and then left the room. The chief of staff lingered, clearly wondering if the order applied to him as well. The look Shi gave him provided him all the clarity he needed, and he exited quickly, pulling the door shut behind him.

Once they were gone, Shi rubbed the coin between his palms and let it spin between his fingers again. “I can’t believe you’re actually here,” he said, his voice quiet but laced with undisguised hatred. “I’ve dreamed of facing you again a million times. Followed your every move. But having you show up in the Cook Islands at the very moment of my comeback?” He paused with exaggerated drama. “It’s almost poetic. No, it’s fate.”

“There’s nothing poetic about it all, Shi,” I replied, my tone measured. “It’s just me being a step ahead of you once again.”

That hit a nerve. Shi bobbled the coin and then squeezed it tight in his fist. But I could see the worry and alarm on his face even as he tried to play it off. “There is no way you knew about this in advance,” he insisted. “This is coincidence. Fate.”

True, but better to keep him second-guessing. I needed him to believe we knew everything in advance and this was all part of the plan.

“Sure,” I said lightly. “You believe in whatever you want. I’m happy to lend an ear. Got anything you want to confess?”

“Confess?” Shi flashed a thin, joyless smile. “Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Proof that somehow China engineered this coup. A reason for the US to step in, all noble and righteous. But you see, I know how you Americans do things. If your government has plausible deniability, they’ll turn a blind eye. Weak.” Shi paused, then added, “But if they had hard proof…that would be an entirely different story, wouldn’t it?”

“What proof do I need?” I asked calmly. “China’s actions already speak for themselves. No customs clearance and full authority on the island regarding your so-called law enforcement activities and the movement of Chinese citizens. The amount of money laundering, illegal weapons, drug trading, and intelligence activity flowing through the islands is certainly impressive.”

Shi laughed. “It bothers you, doesn’t it? That you prostrate yourself for meager pay in service to a government that doesn’t appreciate or see the value in your work. While here I am, effortlessly advancing China’s geopolitical influence and domination of the area, and I barely lift a finger. These poor, fourth-rate countries are so desperate, they beg us for money and recognition and, in turn, are willing to sell their sovereignty for a dime. Pathetic.”

“Oh, I’m sure the lucrative cut you’re getting makes things all better.”

That amused him. “Jealous, I see. You know nothing of what I get. I’m the richest I’ve ever been. I make money three ways, only one of which the Chinese government is aware of.”

I goaded him further. “Let me guess, you charge Chinese businessmen who want to move money or goods a particular fee for permitting them to do business on—or should I say, through—the islands.”

“You underestimate me,” Shi said. “Not only do I require an operating fee, but I get a percentage of the profits. Tariffs are a real thing these days, and my services helping them get around those sanctions and tariffs are invaluable. Furthermore, it’s not just moving money. I have many, shall we say, clients, who wish to have a secure location to place funds where they are free from the eyes of prying governments. I have a special arrangement with some bankers here, and I connect them with customers and money and charge them both a fee for my services and, of course, my discretion.”

There was a disturbance in the hall—two men arguing. The door suddenly opened and in strolled Liko Maivia. I recognized him from the photo Manny had showed us earlier. He was wearing a crisp suit and pressed a handkerchief to his sweating brow. But my eyes were immediately drawn to the sparkling coat of arms pin he wore on his lapel. The same pin Petra had showed us the night of the dinner, which was passed on by tradition, from prime minister to prime minister. Maivia had already co-opted it. The audacity of the man should have surprised me, but it didn’t.

Maivia looked at me in shock, his eyes widening, before he sidled up to Jiang Shi.

Shi was visibly annoyed but plastered a fake smile on his face as he greeted Maivia. “Greetings, Prime Minister. What brings you here?”

Maivia didn’t answer. “You know who this is, right?” he fumed, pointing at me. “He’s the guy who stopped the assassination attempt on Askari. He must be working with her. He’s an American and he’s trouble. Everything is going wrong, and that’s why I called you here.”

The prime minister and Manny had been right about Maivia. He was a simpering man put in power by Chinese influence—egotistical and easy to manipulate. He was nothing more than a veneer to maintain the illusion of a local, organic power grab, while in reality, Beijing was tightening its grip on the islands.

Maivia caught my eye, and I glared at him, wondering if he were susceptible to intimidation. I shouldn’t have wondered. He immediately lowered his gaze, revealing a trace of fear. He fiddled nervously with his handkerchief, staying well out of my range despite the fact I was tied to a chair.

But his revelation had shocked Shi. “Thisis the man that stopped the assassination?” Shi asked, as if he hadn’t heard him right. “Him?” He pointed at me, apparently to ensure they were on the same page.

“Yes, him,” Maivia said irritably. “I told you we had trouble and?—”

“Shut up,” Shi said, abruptly standing up and pressing his hands to the sides of his head. “Why wasn’t I notified of this at once? I need to think.”

Maivia obliged, shifting his weight from one foot to the other anxiously, his gaze flickering between me and Shi. “I did notify you right away,” he said defensively.

Shi ignored him, lost in thought. Finally, he spoke. “What was he doing in the compound? Where was he caught?”

“The guards say they caught him here, right in this office. The parrot gave him up. They swept for bugs and searched the entire first floor but didn’t find anything or catch anyone else.”

“He had nothing on him?”

Maivia shrugged. “Just a knife and a lockpicking kit. Maybe he was looking for documents or something. You don’t have any incriminating documents about me…do you?” He suddenly looked worried.

Shi again ignored him and examined me thoughtfully. “Was there anyone else with him? Not here at the compound, but on the island. A friend, a group?”

Maivia shrugged. “Just a woman.”

---