He shook his head. “I’m sorry, but we can’t take chances upsetting our neighbor. You seem to make a poor partner when it comes to agreements with a government. Too fickle for our liking.”

“You might appease your one neighbor—albeit a powerful one—and lose the world’s sympathy. If Taiwan wants to prove that it condemns human-rights violations, sending this baby to her death is a huge error. You will negate thousands of statements you may yell from the rooftop.”

His pen stopped twirling. “You haven’t told me how you plan to guarantee your silence.”

“I must protect friends who helped me out of China. I can’t reveal that my route passed through Taiwan.”

He examined her.

“Look,” she said. “Taiwan gets out of it clean. I get to go home with my baby. It won’t even serve me to inform the State Department of this episode. It’s a win-win solution.”

He rose to his feet and, to her surprise, offered his hand. “You got a deal. You’ve never set foot in Taiwan.”

She did not take his hand. “What time is it?”

“One thirty. Why?”

“What time can I be in the Philippines?”

“In two hours we can drop you off at one of the Philippines’ hundreds of small islands. It will take you some time to get to Manila.”

“I need you to bring me safely to the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Door to door.”

“I’ll see to it.” He pointed at her knee. “I’m sorry about this. I hope you heal soon.”

“One more thing. The three Chinese men arrested with me. I want them.” She thought of the gangrene eating up Zach’s leg.

“Three Chinese men?”

She gulped. “The men captured at the airport the same time I was. I want them to accompany me to Manila.”

The officer consulted with the local commander who sent a soldier out. The soldier returned minutes later.

“There are only two of them,” the officer told Nola.

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 38

The bed was the most comfortable one Nola could remember. After four sleepless nights, the dead weight of sound sleep refreshed her, although her rest lasted only as long as Lulu's afternoon nap. The baby now stirred in her crib, let out a sweet moan, and would soon be up.