Page 174 of Never
‘The Vulture file,’ she said.
‘Yes.’
‘And the drone photo.’
‘That’s what I said.’
There was a pause, and Kai could hear her tapping her keyboard.
‘To Fu Chuyu, with copies to List Three.’
‘Correct.’
‘It’s done, sir.’
Kai smiled. He loved efficient staff. ‘Thank you.’ He hung up.
Wu returned in a jacket and tie, carrying a slender document case. Kai went down in the elevator with him. The two government cars were waiting outside the building. Wu said to Kai: ‘When will you report to everyone else?’
‘I did it while you were getting ready.’
‘Good. I’ll probably see you later. The ructions will go on all day.’
Kai smiled. ‘I’m afraid so.’
Wu hesitated, evidently deciding just how to phrase what he wanted to say. His face changed: the mask of the bon viveur vanished, and suddenly Kai saw a worried man. ‘We can’t let them kill Chinese people with impunity,’ he said. ‘That move isn’t on the board.’
Kai just nodded.
‘What we must do,’ Wu said, ‘is stop the warriors on both sides turning this into a bloodbath.’ He got into his car.
‘You said it,’ Kai murmured as the car drove away.
It was half past seven. Kai needed a shower and clean clothes and his best suit – the armour of political combat. If he was going to get home today, now was the time. He told Monk to return to the apartment building. Meanwhile, he called the office.
Shi Xiang, the head of the North Africa desk, wanted to speak to him. ‘An interesting story from my people in Chad,’ he said. ‘It seems that the US military there has lost a drone, and everyone thinks it was stolen by the Chad National Army.’
Perhaps Neil had been telling the truth. ‘That sounds horribly plausible.’
‘The theory is that the president of Chad – he’s called the General – gave the drone to a Sudanese rebel group, knowing it would be used against the Sudan government.’
‘Why the hell would he do a thing like that?’
‘My people there think it might be the General’s revenge for a recent attempt on his life by suicide bombers connected with Sudan.’
‘A Saharan idol drama,’ Kai observed. ‘I bet it’s true.’
‘That’s what I think.’
‘The White House hasn’t commented yet, but I’ve heard from a CIA contact that the drone was stolen.’
‘Then it’s probably true.’
‘Or an elaborate cover story,’ Kai said. ‘Keep me updated. I’m going home to freshen up.’
He almost got there. He was a few minutes away from his building when Peng Yawen called. ‘President Chen has read the Vulture file,’ she said. ‘You’re summoned to the Situation Room at Zhongnanhai. The meeting begins at nine.’
In rush-hour traffic it might take an hour to get there. Kai could not risk being late. There was no time to go home. He told Monk to turn around.
