Page 252 of Never

Kai could do no more. ‘Thanks,’ he said, and hung up.

He felt bothered by that conversation. It was not Neil’s studied neutrality, which was to be expected, but something else that made him uneasy. However, he could not immediately put his finger on it.

He phoned home. Ting answered, sounding worried. ‘You normally call me when you’re going to be this late.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Kai said. ‘I was in a place where I had no phone connectivity. Is everything all right?’

‘Except for dinner, yes.’

Kai sighed. ‘It’s good to hear your voice. And to know that someone worries about me when I don’t show up. It makes me feel loved.’

‘You are loved, you know that.’

‘I like to be reminded.’

‘Now you’ve made me wet. When will you be here?’

‘I’m not sure. Have you heard the news?’

‘What news? I’ve been learning lines.’

‘Turn on the TV.’

‘Just a minute.’ There was a pause, then she said: ‘Oh, my God! North Korea bombed Japan!’

‘Now you know why I’m working late.’

‘Of course, of course. But when you’ve finished saving China, I’ll be keeping the bed warm.’

‘The greatest reward.’

They said goodbye and hung up.

Kai’s car reached Zhongnanhai, went through security, and parked at Qinzheng Hall. Kai pulled his overcoat closer around him as he walked to the entrance. Beijing was colder than Yeongjeo-dong today.

He went through building security then ran down the stairs to the basement Situation Room. As before, the large space around the stage was occupied by desks with workstations. The place was more heavily staffed than last time, now on a full war footing. It was hushed, but there was a faint background sound like the murmur of distant traffic. It was not possible that traffic noise could penetrate here, and Kai decided he must be hearing the ventilation system. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant, like a hospital, and Kai guessed that it was rigorously purified, for the room was designed to operate when the city above was infected or poisoned or even radioactive.

Everyone was listening in dead silence to both sides of a phone conversation. One voice belonged to that of President Chen. Another was speaking a language Kai identified as Japanese and a third was an interpreter, who said: ‘I am glad to have this opportunity to talk to the president of the People’s Republic of China.’ It sounded insincere even at second hand.

Chen said: ‘Mr Prime Minister, I assure you that the missile attack against Japanese territory perpetrated by the Pyongyang government was carried out without the consent or approval of the government of China.’

Clearly Chen was talking to Eiko Ishikawa, the prime minister of Japan. Chen, like Kai, was hoping to forestall an extreme Japanese reaction to the missile attack. China was still trying to prevent war. Good.

While Chen’s statement was being translated into Japanese, Kai tiptoed to the stage, bowed to the president, and sat at the table.

A reply came back from Tokyo: ‘I am most relieved to hear that.’

Chen made the key point quickly. ‘If you wait a few hours you will realize that this assault, grievous though it is, does not merit any reprisal by you.’

‘What makes you say that?’

Something about that sentence rang a bell with Kai, but he postponed thinking about it and concentrated on listening.

Chen said: ‘The regime of the Supreme Leader will come to an end within the next twenty-four hours.’

‘What will take its place?’

‘Will you forgive me if I don’t go into all the details? I only want to assure you that the persons responsible for what has happened in Japan today will be removed from power immediately and brought to justice.’