“Everyone understands that this meeting is not officially happening,” Sanetomi said as he took a chair at the head of the conference table. “Is that clear?”

All nodded. The prime minister locked his eyes on Takahashi. “No leaks will be tolerated.”

The general bowed an acknowledgment, safe in the knowledge that he was untouchable. Sanetomi was completely ignorant of the inevitability of the path they were on. Even the men around him—men whose loyalty the prime minister thought he could count on—were not what he believed them to be. All had sworn their loyalty to Takahashi. And to an emergent Japan.

“We’ll begin with the investigation into the sinking of the Izumo. Admiral?”

Sachio Inoue cleared his throat before beginning. “It was undoubtedly a torpedo, sir. Analysis of the damage and chemical residue, as well as the reports of the surviving sailors, are consistent with it being fired from the Chinese submarine that we know was in the area.”

“And the Americans?”

“We turned over our data to them and they concur.”

Takahashi watched the prime minister’s face fall at the news. Of course, Admiral Inoue had altered the evidence as necessary before handing it over to the US Navy. The one factor they had struggled to control was the difference in the sound of their torpedo and that of the Chinese Yu-4. Those recordings had been modified after the fact and the Chinese were trying to use their own tapes to support their claim of innocence. The world, though, wasn’t inclined to listen.

“Could it have been an accidental launch? Perhaps a rogue captain?”

“There is no way to know,” Takahashi interjected. “And it makes little difference to the final outcome. Our sailors are dead and the Chinese military is on high alert.”

Sanetomi glared at him for a moment and then turned back to the admiral. “Is there any other plausible explanation?”

Inoue shook his head.

“Why would they do this? What advantage is it to them?”

Akio Himura, the director of intelligence, responded. “We believe that the economic problems in China are worse than we and the rest of the world suspect. Their banking industry has been allowed to hide a great deal of debt, and it may be that they are on the verge of a financial catastrophe. Given that the collapse will be a direct result of the massive corruption of the Chinese political class, they could be facing a potential revolution. It may be that a physical confrontation is the only thing substantial enough to divert attention from their own crimes.”

“But this isn’t just a war with us. It’s a war with America.”

“Is it?” Takahashi said.