“Sit down,” said Peyron, motioning to both of us. “Nobody is going to hurt you, Mr. Truell. I understand you have a job to do. But I do need to know what you said to Mr. Navarre. Tell me, please.”

“I asked about his research,” I lied. “Navarre said he wasn’t allowed to tell me anything. That was it.”

Peyron was looking at me sadly. The Sun King was unhappy. His genteel approach was failing, and he would soon have to call on the forces of darkness. “You make a great mistake in telling me these lies, Mr. Truell. We are in China. I wish you understood how powerless you are here.”

I could feel the tightness returning. I needed to escape this box, to reverse roles somehow with him. All I had was the reporter’s weapon—the ability to ask questions. That was my secret power.

“What about Roger Navarre?” I asked softly.

“Excuse me?”

“What is Navarre doing in that laboratory that he couldn’t talk about? Why are you so worried about what he might have said?”

“Stop this game, Mr. Truell,” he said, waving his hand again. His dismissal made me feel bolder.

“No, I mean it. Why is this biotechnology-research project so sensitive? You keep asking me about it, so I have to wonder why. It only makes me more curious.” I felt that I was recovering my balance; I knew the ground I was standing on.

“All right,” said Peyron wearily. “We’ll play the reporter game. Turn on the tape recorder, if you like. I want a record of this meeting, too, to show that I have cooperated and answered your questions. And then we will say good-bye to you.” He called to the security man to bring him a tape recorder. “What do you want to know? I will be as frank with you as you have been with me.”

I pushed the “record” button, but I knew this was a useless exercise. An interview is valuable only to the extent that a person is prepared to answer questions. Otherwise, it is simply a cover for lies. But if Peyron wanted a record, I would fill it with as much damning information as I could.

“What is Unetat doing at Qinghua University?” I asked. “Does it involve biological-weapons research?”

“Of course not. That is absurd and libelous. The Qinghua project involves pharmaceutical research. Ask Mr. Minart. He’ll give you a statement.”

“If you win the communications contract, will you work with the Chinese military on developing new weapons systems?”

“Absolutely not. Our involvement in China is entirely commercial. I just told you. We have no role in military research whatsoever. Next question.”

“What’s your relationship with Michel Bézy?”

“He’s my attorney. Beyond that, I have no relationship with him.”

“If you win the communications contract, how much of the thirty billion dollars will be paid in commissions to Chinese agents?”

“None. Next question.”