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Chapters (39)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Acknowledgements
  4. Epigraph
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE

"And you thought joining the army would help? You are a dreamer! A fool!"

Xu bolted from the bed and seized Fang by the neck, tightening his grip. "It will happen!"

"No, it never will. The Americans will always be in the way."

Realizing what he was doing, Xu released Fang and tried to catch his breath. "There will come a day. I promise you."

Fang rubbed his neck a moment, then said, "Maybe I am wrong, Xu. Maybe your parents will see their children again. And maybe . . . I can help you."

Xu cocked a brow. "Why?"

"As repayment for the help you will give me."

"What help?"

Fang leaned in closer and lowered his voice, as though they were being watched. "After the games, I am not going back to Taiwan."

Xu's mouth opened. "I see."

"If you help me, I will do everything in my power to help you and your parents. You have my word."

Xu took a deep breath. Perhaps it would not take much to help Fang. Perhaps if he did, Fang would become an ally for life, a fiercely loyal friend who would, indeed, help Xu attain his goal. How he would do that was not yet clear, but harnessing Fang's energy made Xu feel less like a victim and more like a warrior.

"Fang, I will have to think about this."

"I understand. But it does seem we share a common goal."

"Maybe. But I still do not trust you. Tell me what happened to you in the army."

Fang closed his eyes and bared his teeth. "We were working with the Filipino and American Special Forces teams. The Americans came up with a plan and marched us into the jungle to be slaughtered. I would not allow that to happen. And, for saving my men, for doing the honorable thing of rejecting an unconscionable order, I was rewarded with disgrace and discharge. My family name has been ruined. The news made my mother ill. She is near death. And now there is only one thing left to do."

"Yes," Xu answered slowly. "I understand now. You are right. We do share a common goal."

More than just firsthand knowledge, Fang had direct experience with American and allied Special Forces operations and tactics. This news excited Xu. Fang would be an easy sell to Xu's superiors, and Xu's aiding and abetting Fang's defection would be looked upon as a great deal, an asset to the cause. Perhaps Xu could even help Fang get a commission in the army.

Fang's audacious military cunning, fueled by unbridled hatred and an unquenchable thirst for revenge, would be welcomed by Xu's inner circle of friends, men who thought like him that they must "inspire" the government and military to act more swiftly, more aggressively.

"Yes," Xu confided to Fang. "A select group of my peers has need of a man with your knowledge and talents. You will not be leaving China."

NINE

NINE

NORTHWEST WAZIRISTAN
AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN BORDER
JANUARY 2009