A foreign service officer working in the public diplomacy sector of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing was their escort. She provided them some basic information about the city and directed their attention to some points of historical interest.
Neither Harper nor Kwon were interested in idle conversation. The long trip from the East Coast to the Hawaiian Islands and on to Beijing was tiring. It had been a great opportunity for the two to establish a rapport with one another. By the time the jet touched down on the runway, they had their game faces on and were prepared for the arduous task at hand.
They approached the embassy complex. The main buildings were barely noticeable in the center of the perimeter security wall and fencing. At one entrance, despite the inclement conditions, a long line stretched down the block and around the corner of the wall.
The driver noticed Harper’s interest in the long line. “Visas are in high demand right now. Reports are beginning to surface of another viral outbreak in the western part of the country. The Chinese people are used to the threats of disease, but since the Wuhan outbreak, they tend to want to leave the country at the first sign of trouble.”
“Are there signs of trouble?” asked Harper. “In the media, I mean.”
The young woman laughed. “It’s impossible to know what is real and what isn’t, here. Some of the career embassy personnel recall the days when the Wuhan outbreak occurred. There were a few reports here and there. The next thing we know, we were absorbing all of the staff from the U.S. Consulate General in Wuhan. Chengdu and Guangzhou, also.”
“Was that our decision or Beijing’s?” asked Harper.
“From what I’ve heard, they didn’t say anything to us. Our people in the consulate building noticed one morning that the streets were empty. They said it was surreal. A city of ten million people became a ghost town overnight. Our people evacuated, and the next thing you know, the pandemic was on the move.”
She parked the car and led the two of them through a covered entrance into the security area. There was a short line, as everyone entering the building was heavily scrutinized with the latest technology. It was far beyond what was required to enter the CDC and more invasive than used at U.S. airports.
After they cleared security, their escort led them to a conference room adjacent to a library that contained both fiction and nonfiction books, together with treatises on international law. One section contained all the current issues of American magazines and even some comic books.
“This way, please,” she said politely, gesturing for them to enter the room. “This kitchenette contains snacks and drinks. Nonalcoholic, of course. May I get you something?”
Harper and Kwon both declined. They wandered around the windowless room, opting to stretch their legs after the long flight. Their escort took a seat at the end of the conference table and sat with a smile on her face. Harper glanced at Kwon and furrowed her brow. She expected to be greeted by someone, she just didn’t know who.
“Um, is someone coming to meet with us?”
“Yes, they’re aware of your arrival.”
“Okay,” said Harper hesitantly. She was anxious to get started and was slightly aggravated at the delay. She sat in one of the chairs and studied her escort. “Are you CIA?”
The woman laughed and replied, “Oh, my heavens. No. There is no one from the CIA here, Dr. Randolph. We’re all career foreign service workers in the diplomacy sector. Mostly, we deal with visa applications.”
Harper smirked. “All of you?”
“That’s correct. It’s a very meaningful job, you know. Once, I helped an elderly man whose wife had passed away on a plane to procure her ashes while still in Beijing. It was a touching moment. Don’t get me wrong, living and working in a foreign nation like China takes a fairly big toll on one’s personal life. There are days that are long and grueling. Often, you hope for a change of pace. Thankfully, I was chosen to escort you to the embassy.”
“Will you be assisting us as we travel?” asked Harper.
“Oh, no. Your travel arrangements have been made by others with an expertise in that area. My job is to escort you this far and wait until your point of contact arrives.”
Kwon, who’d stood with his back against a wall, had said practically nothing since their arrival at the embassy. He added, “And observe us.”
“Pardon me?” the woman asked, feigning misunderstanding of his statement.
“Your role is to observe our mannerisms and attitudes,” he replied. He studied her body language. “My guess is you have a psychology degree. Further, you’re well trained in martial arts. You’ve become adept at making casual conversation while your eyes dart from one mark to the other. Even while you portend to sit casually in this chair, your body is somewhat tensed and you’re capable of springing into both a defensive and offensive attack posture.”
The woman smiled. “Dr. Li, you have quite the imagination.”
Before Kwon could respond, not that he planned to, a light tap at the door interrupted his conversation with the covert operative. The woman had been an agency employee for more than a decade since finishing her doctoral studies in psychology at UCLA.
As two men in dark suits entered the conference room, she rose and excused herself. She locked eyes with Kwon one more time before exiting. The two shared a look of mutual respect.
“Dr. Randolph, Dr. Li, I am Charles Downs, deputy assistant secretary for Transnational Affairs and Public Diplomacy. This is station chief of the Central Intelligence Service, Brad Levy.”
The four of them exchanged greetings and then settled in around the conference table. Levy took the floor.
“First, I want you both to know that I was against this operation, at least initially. Let’s make no mistake, I’ve read your personnel files and have nothing but respect for your capabilities. Especially you, Dr. Li. However, the Chinese military and police forces are operating in a heightened state of awareness. This disease is spreading and they’re working every angle, as is customary for them, to cover it up from global scrutiny.”
Harper interrupted. She didn’t like being marginalized. “If I do my job properly, then there will be nothing to scrutinize. Dr. Li and I are looking to the CIA to pave the way for us to enter China with at least a head start on their advanced technological tracking system.”
“You will have that, Dr. Randolph. I can assure you that we have nothing but professional respect for what you are trying to accomplish. Your mission arises out of China’s penchant for secrecy. We understand that. Everyone here is committed to serving our country, and that means we have every intention of helping you succeed.”
“Thank you,” said Harper. She leaned forward to rest her arms on the table. She directed her remarks to the CIA’s head spy in Beijing. “Mr. Levy, I appreciate your concern for our safety, but we’re ready to get started. Infectious diseases don’t call a time-out in the middle of a race.”
“Understood,” he said. Then he turned to Kwon. “You’ll leave the embassy without a weapon. Upon arrival, if you deem it necessary, you can obtain one from our CIA safe houses. However, I must caution you, they are near impossible to conceal from the extensive surveillance system utilized in Urumqi. After the Uyghur uprising, the city was swept of weapons—and the Uyghurs, I might add. Urumqi is one of the most-watched major cities in China.”