Free The Einstein Papers by Craig Dirgo Page B

man quickly began to clear the plates. “One must think wherever there are American troops stationed, that’s where these two will head,” he said to all present.
    Sliding his chair back from the table, he rose and walked from the room.
     
    Thirty minutes later, Sun Tao, head of the Social Protection Department, or SPD, Chinas secret police, entered the prime ministers outer office.
    He waited as the male secretary rang the inner office, then motioned to Tao.
    “You may enter, sir.”
    Tao proceeded to the inner office, then across the room to the prime ministers desk near the window and placed the two reports on the desk. He waited until a young Chinese girl, no more than twelve years of age, finished polishing the prime minister’s nails and packed her manicure tools into a leather case. She left the office soundlessly.
    “Records showed there were nearly forty British citizens working or studying in the western desert. Enough, it would seem, that one might be the man helping Choi. There are, strangely, no Americans in the area.” Tao paused, waiting to see if the prime minister would ask him to sit.
    “Continue,” the prime minister said to the still-standing Tao.
    “As to the deployment of United States armed forces, the closest to China appear to be in the Philippines and Thailand, which both hold sizable contingents of American troops.”
    The prime minister nodded. “I think the tracks the security guards spotted going west are designed to mislead our searchers,” he said, glancing at his fingernails. “Three men must have infiltrated Qinghai. Two are leading us astray to the west, while one is leading Choi south as we speak. The kidnappers of Choi have no one that can help them to the west.” The prime minister reached down and picked up a gold pen and rolled it between his fingers. “Choi and one of the others are probably going toward Hong Kong,” the Prime Minister said quietly to Tao. “It would have to be. What single man would be stupid enough, or skilled enough, to infiltrate one of our most secure facilities and then steal off like a thief in the night?” The prime minister paused again. “Have the border with Hong Kong secured. If there are no Americans nearby, it must be the British working for the Americans. Next have the location of all the Brits verified. Whoever is not where he should be, is either with Choi or knows where he is.”
    “Immediately, sir,” Tao said.
    The prime minister’s thinking was flawed. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of a coming war.
     
    By the time Jimn and the tracking dogs arrived and followed the scent to the railroad bridge, it was late afternoon. Climbing back aboard the pair of helicopters, Jimn and Yibo ordered their pilots to fly west along the tracks. They had traveled but a few miles when Jimn radioed Yibo.
    “I just received a scrambled call from Beijing,” Jimn said. “I’ve been ordered to move our search south.”
    “Shall I fly back to Qinghai, refuel, and search to the south?” Yibo asked Jimn.
    “No,” Jimn said, “you go ahead and follow through on the search west.”
    A single hound was still on Taft’s tail. He would prove hard to shake.
     
    “Li, wake up,” Taft said, shaking Choi’s arm.
    Choi came slowly out of his slumber. “That pill …” he said slowly.
    “It’s not the pill that’s affecting you-its the stress of the escape. Your body is simply not accustomed to so much excitement,” said Taft.
    Choi struggled to sit upright. He saw Taft staring at the GPS and the plastic-covered map. Taft marked a spot on the map with a grease pencil and put it away. Next he removed two food packages from inside.
    “Eat,” Taft said as he tossed one of the packages to Choi.
    Choi stared at the printed label: Sesame Chicken. Americanized Chinese food.
    “My own selection,” Taft said. “Mix water in the pouch, it’s not too bad.”
    Choi nodded, took the offered canteen, and began to mix his meal. He would have