Page 44 of No Time Off (Lexi Carmichael Mystery #15)
FORTY-FOUR
Jiang Shi
J iang Shi’s eyes were fixed on the television screen in the office, his fists clenched at his sides. His forces were inept. Maivia’s idiots hadn’t brought the internet down or broken into the station to grab the prime minister yet. Supposedly, some of his own police officers were getting the electricity shut down to the building, but it hadn’t happened and now it was too late. Incompetent work from the lot of them.
Instead, the prime minister spoke live and every word that came from her mouth made his blood boil. She poised in front of the cameras, acting like some kind of hero, talking about how China had “engineered” the coup, as if they were the villains in this entire mess. It wasn’t his fault the islanders had been willing to sell their souls for some equipment and an actual, functioning police force. Or maybe they were just too stupid to see the writing on the wall. Led by China, they could have become part of the greatest empire in the world, but in the end, the Cook Islands had proved themselves not worthy of that honor.
Finally, the prime minister stopped her pathetic drivel, and the camera feed went down. A glance at the clock indicated she had spoken for a mere four minutes. It didn’t really matter what she said or how she presented herself, because no one outside this wretched island would see it anyway.
But finally, she shut up, because every word had grated on his nerves.
A minute later, a shaky camera feed showed her being arrested—at last—and led outside where a large crowd had gathered. Shi leaned forward in his chair. Time for the showdown with the real leader.
Maivia walked into the frame, calm and poised. Shi smiled. Time for Maivia to flex his authority in real time.
“Prime Minister, you are under arrest,” he declared, pointing at her dramatically.
The prime minister remained calm and unflappable. “For what, exactly, am I under arrest?” she asked.
Maivia faltered, stumbled. “Uh, ah…”
Shi closed his eyes. This couldn’t be happening, and yet, somehow it was.
“For resisting arrest,” Maivia blustered. “For spreading propaganda.”
Shi smacked his head with the palm of his hand. Maivia was a complete fool. “Say something useful,” he shouted at the television.
Instead, Maivia faltered, which gave the real prime minister the opening she needed to plead her case further. A minute later, the crowd started shouting in support of her, and a young policeman disarmed himself and put down his weapon, followed by the rest of the force. The few Chinese police that accompanied Maivia turned tail and fled. They were smart enough to see what was coming.
Then Maivia, the idiot himself, surrendered to the prime minister without a fight. The cowardice was too much for Shi to bear.
“Imbecile,” Shi muttered, his voice low and dangerously calm. He’d never seen such weakness, such cowardice.
It was time to exit this disgrace of a country.
He grabbed his phone, dialing Chen’s number.
“I want my car and driver ready to go in twenty minutes,” he barked. “Make sure the plane is ready. And recall everyone to the compound. I want all staff here immediately. We’ll need to make sure that whatever’s left of our diplomatic immunity is preserved. But for now, I trust the integrity of the compound and our people to manage any hostile crowd.”
He threw the phone down on the desk and glanced at the clock. Fifteen minutes, maybe twenty, and he’d be out of here. He had the money to go where he wanted. He had many passports and people who owed him. He’d pack a bag, get on the plane, and head somewhere—anywhere—far from this miserable island. But he couldn’t go home to China, and he knew it.
He would not be forgiven this time.
His car and driver were ready when he went to the front. They headed for the airport and encountered remarkably little traffic, although people seemed to be out all over. Shi’s eyes narrowed. He wondered where Slash was at this very moment.
“The next time I see him, it will be his last,” Shi muttered to himself. His grip tightened around the armrest as the car glided through the streets.
His driver drove around the back of the airport, was waved through a gate by Chinese police who obviously hadn’t received the recall alert, and pulled up to the tarmac. Shi stepped out of the car, waiting for his driver to retrieve his bag. Once the bag was in hand, he marched toward his private business jet, a sleek black aircraft. The head pilot and the flight attendant bowed to him on the steps, but Shi ignored them, pushing past, his mind focused on leaving this nightmare behind as quickly as possible. The attendant took his bag from the driver and stowed it.
“Take off immediately,” he ordered the pilot, his voice harsh. “I’ll tell you where to go once we’re airborne.”
The pilot hesitated and exchanged a nervous glance with his copilot. “Sir, we’ll need a destination for the flight plan.”
Shi barely looked at him. “You need what I tell you I need. I don’t care where we go, so long as it’s away from this worthless island. Get us in the air, now, and I’ll decide where we’re going as soon as we’re in the air.”
The pilot hesitated again but finally nodded, inputting commands on the flight deck. Shi settled into his seat, his gaze darting to the window, his fingers tapping on the armrest impatiently. He really couldn’t leave this hellhole fast enough.
Suddenly, two black police SUVs drove up. They swerved and parked in front of the plane, effectively blocking its path.
“What the hell?” Shi breathed.
The pilot called back to Shi. “We have a problem, sir.”
“I don’t care. Take off now,” he ordered.
“We…we can’t take off,” the pilot protested. “Those cars are blocking our path. They’re signaling for us to open the door.”
“No. Don’t open it.”
“Sir, we can’t leave, and we can’t stay in here. They’re showing me a badge and insisting I open the door. We are required to follow the instructions of law enforcement. I’m doing it.”
Shi peered through the window and noticed that the SUVs were ones that had been provided to the local police by China. The ungrateful peasants!
Shi’s jaw clenched. “Fine. Open the damn door,” he spat. “Just make sure they know this is a diplomatic Chinese aircraft and they may not board without my permission.”
“Yes, sir.”
The door opened slowly and, as if summoned by a cruel twist of fate, Slash stepped onto the plane. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses, but his cool demeanor was a stark contrast to the anger that burned in Shi’s chest. Out the door, Shi could see three local police officers with hands on their pistols. The pilot backed into the cockpit without a word and closed the curtain.
Shi rose slowly from his seat. “You have no right to board this plane. I’m protected by diplomatic immunity. I demand you get off at once.”
A slow smile spread across Slash’s face. “You and your bluster. Do you even understand the scope of the situation you’re in, Shi?”
“I’m warning you, get off this plane now or you’ll cause an international incident.”
Slash shrugged and took a step forward and another, casually resting his forearm on the seatback. “I guess it’ll have to be the incident. Your little coup failed miserably, and your words regarding the Cook Islands, and other islands in the region, have spread. I know you’re familiar with Kiribati. Well, just a few minutes ago, the president of Kiribati, Karu Ata, called the real prime minister of the Cook Islands, telling her his Parliament has now officially severed all formal relations with China. They’re expelling all Chinese officials and forbidding their return. And guess what, Shi? Your name is on that list. And, because of your massive failure, now New Zealand and Australia will be discussing new security measures with several other island countries in the region to see if they would like to ‘reconsider’ or ‘review’ any arrangements they may currently have with China. Oh, I assure you, China’s arrangements throughout the entire region are now being carefully reviewed in those countries in which you’ve established similar programs. I’m sure your description of the integrity and independence of those countries, and how cheaply they have allowed China to manipulate them, will certainly inform that review.”
Shi’s hands fisted in anger. He wanted more than anything to hit Slash directly in the face. But it was three against one, and he didn’t think the pilots would step in to help him.
Slash looked at Shi with something close to pity. “Do you think Mother China will be conducting a similar review of your efforts? If so, I’m afraid you’re not going to be popular.”
Shi felt his stomach turn. “You can’t touch me,” he repeated. “I have immunity.”
Slash shrugged. “Maybe you do, but maybe you won’t. We’ll have to see, won’t we? You have immunity unless China withdraws it. Now, why might China withdraw that? Perhaps if their esteemed diplomatic representative in this region was found skimming millions for himself—funneling money from hardworking Chinese nationals and businesses on this island—they might not be so tempted to protect him. Let someone else make him pay for his crimes.”
Shi pressed his lips together but said nothing.
“On the other hand, maybe they won’t withdraw immunity,” Slash continued. “After all, isn’t your president leading a highly public anticorruption campaign? And sadly, you can’t get more corrupt than this affair right now. It’s already all over the news in multiple countries. But of course, China wouldn’t just torture and throw you in jail because the Cook Islands told them to do it. No, they’d need some hard evidence of misdoing, or perhaps a confession? Oh wait, maybe they accidentally received an audio file of you describing all your entrepreneurial activities in the region. So, maybe they won’t waive the immunity. Perhaps they’ll use the same interview chair that you had prearranged for me.”
Shi was so angry he shook, but that seemed only to amuse, not intimidate, Slash. Instead, the hateful American stepped forward, lowering his voice so Shi had to lean forward to hear it.
“I’m sure your bosses will be disappointed to find out just how much you’ve been stealing from them. You see, Jiang Shi, the crude phrases you used to describe your bosses and the people with whom you’re working won’t endear you to them. So, while I’m happy to escort you onto a plane with the rest of your staff that will take you straight back to China and into those welcoming arms, it won’t be this one.”
Shi seethed with anger. But he could say nothing. The noose was tightening.
“Oh, there’s a funny thing about diplomatic immunity that even a professional like you may have forgotten,” Slash continued. His voice was so calm, so self-assured, Shi wanted to throw up. “It just prevents you from being prosecuted for a crime. It doesn’t guarantee you free access to move around, or even luxuries. Furthermore, it doesn’t proscribe how long someone may be detained or under what conditions while the investigations into a crime are undertaken. All these points are being made with Mr. Chen right now, so, unless I’m mistaken, he’ll soon be offered a swift and safe return to China in exchange for his knowledge of the accounts where you’ve been depositing your gains. I’m confident he realizes you’re a loser and a liability and there is no benefit to him in protecting your personal accounts. Agree?”
“You’re bluffing,” Shi growled, but even to himself, the words sounded hollow. He felt as if he were suffocating.
Slash shook his head and gave Shi a pitying look. Shi had to resist the urge to leap forward and claw the sunglasses off Slash’s face. “I’m not bluffing, and you know it. I don’t have to. You’re not leaving on this plane, Shi. The prime minister of the Cook Islands has already made arrangements for you. She’s not releasing you—or your staff—until you’ve handed over all the accounts where you’ve stashed your illegally gained money. It’s a small price to pay for the trouble you’ve caused. I have no doubt they’ll see this as a nice compensation for China’s so-called investment in their islands. Oh, and in case you think you did a good job hiding those accounts, Shi, you didn’t. You and I both know you really didn’t.”
Shi couldn’t be sure Slash knew where his all accounts were hidden. But even if they didn’t know, he doubted his bankers would stay bought when they felt the heat from the prime minister and potentially New Zealand officials. The walls were closing in, his options narrowing with every passing second. Slash was already steps ahead of him, and his toes were sinking farther into the sand with each passing wave of revelation.
“So, then, and only then, will the prime minister allow you and your staff to return to China—without your money and as a political embarrassment.” Slash’s expression softened, but only slightly. “However, I’m offering you a deal. How would you like to go somewhere other than China? This location would protect you from the people in China who may not be pleased with your actions, but only if you cooperate. Since you personally cannot waive diplomatic immunity—only your country can—you’d have to defect. And if you defected, you’d still be subject to prosecution for any crimes you may have committed against the US. If convicted, the accommodations may not be quite as luxurious as those to which you are accustomed, but you can weigh it against what you might imagine your government in China has planned for you, considering you’ve set them back at least a decade or more in the Pacific region. The choice is entirely yours.”
Shi didn’t want to hear it or even entertain it, but he knew what awaited him in China if he went back. Execution would be too easy after what he had done. He would suffer. A lot. And he and Slash both knew it.
“What choice?” Shi asked between clenched teeth.
“A one-way ticket to the US and perhaps a reunion with your brother.”
“My brother is a traitor.”
“And so are you, Shi.” Slash stuck the final knife in and twisted. “You aren’t going to get a third chance in China, and we both know it.”
Shi’s mind raced. He needed an out—there had to be an out—but he could think of none. Shi wavered. Better the US than China , he thought. At least I’ll have a second chance there. With a final, bitter breath, Shi’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
“Wise decision.” Slash rapped on the bulkhead next to the pilot’s curtain. “Does anyone in the cockpit speak English?”
“I do,” said one of the pilots cautiously.
“Please come out here and witness a statement by Mr. Shi.” When the pilot emerged, Slash asked him to take a seat near Shi. “Please note that Mr. Shi is making this statement of his own free will. I’m not holding him under duress, and I’m not carrying a weapon to threaten him. Now, Mr. Shi, do you wish to relinquish your Chinese citizenship and defect to the US? Do you do so knowing you are not promised favorable conditions or immunity from prosecution for any crimes that you may have committed against the United States? I need two yeses from you. One for defecting and the other that we have not promised you any favorable treatment or immunity. Understand?”
The humiliation was overwhelming. He couldn’t even look at the pilot or Slash. The honorable thing to do would be to commit suicide, but he didn’t have any means and he wasn’t sure he could do it even if he had. This was his point of no return. He wanted to plead with Slash for some other option. What could he trade? He stole a quick look at the American. He couldn’t see his eyes, but he knew Slash would not negotiate any more than he would have if the situation had been reversed.
“Yes, and yes,” he said quietly.
“I need you to say it louder. I want to make sure we know that you want to do this of your own accord.”
“Yes, damn you,” he shouted, his anger and frustrations breaking lose. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, whatever.”
Slash turned to the pilot. “You may report this conversation to whoever in China needs to hear it.”
Slash leaned forward and grabbed Shi’s arm, yanking him into the aisle and frisking him like he was a common criminal. Slash took his wallet, phone, passport, and everything he had on him. Slash then pulled him none too gently off the plane and down the steps. When they reached the tarmac, Shi was cuffed, and Slash faced him one last time.
“These officers will hold you until a plane arrives in a few hours to transport you to the US. Do not attempt to bribe them. They were not fooled by you and Maivia. They faithfully protected the prime minister from your attempts to harm her and her family. Also, they do not have to put you on the airplane in pristine condition, so I wouldn’t irritate them.”
Slash started to walk away, then turned back to face Shi. “You were right about one thing though,” he said, a smile crossing his face. “Fate is fickle and fair. But she was never working for you, Shi. She worked for me.”
Shi glared as he was dragged away and shoved into the waiting police car. He watched from a distance as Slash pulled out his phone and spoke into it. He was pretty good at reading lips, so he narrowed his eyes to make out what Slash was saying.
“Did you get all that, Candace?” Slash asked. “Looks like we’re going to need that plane after all.”
Shi wasn’t sure what his future held. It wouldn’t be good, but at least it was a future.