Part 13 (1/2)
”Yes, seems to be. Commander, my daughter has been contacted by someone who claims to know that Holly and Raymond were kidnapped by parties on the mainland.”
”Did she give you any details?”
”Only that they said they will contact her again,” the captain lied.
”Commander, once again I appreciate your allowing me to use the Consulate.”
”You're welcome, Captain. Please let me know immediately if you learn anything else?”
”Most definitely.”
After he had escorted the captain to the building entrance, the commander returned to the communications room and accessed the system again, playing back the recording that is automatically made of every secure call in or out of the Consulate.
The cab ride to Happiness Balloon Company was a study in contrasts. Situated in an industrial area of Hong Kong, the difference between this and the magnificent buildings in the tourist and business sections of Kowloon and Hong Kong island was truly striking. Here cheaply constructed warehouses and factories were tightly squeezed together with overhead wires festooned everywhere in seeming endless tangles.
The cab dropped him off in front of a building where the number sign was larger than the three plaques announcing the companies residing there. The front door opened into a narrow hall leading to a peeling, painted metal door that was obviously the elevator. It was the most unsettling elevator ride of his life. The lift rattled sideways and made screeching noises as it rose haltingly to the top.
When to his relief, it reached the third floor, the door opened onto a floor filled with machines that appeared to seal the balloon halves as well as apply the artwork. There were pallets stacked with balloon blanks scattered about the factory floor. In one area, collapsed boxes waited to be filled and s.h.i.+pped. A man looked up with a questioning expression: ”Yes?” he said finally.
Almost yelling to be heard over the machines, the captain replied: ”I'm looking for Dong Heng.”
”What?” the man said.
”I'm looking for Dong Heng,” the captain said even louder.
The man stopped what he was doing and walked over. When the captain repeated what he had said, the man just shook his head. Across the floor in a gla.s.s walled enclosure, another man with a tie had looked up. He got up and walked across the floor.
”Yes?”
”I'm looking for Dong Heng,” The man looked at Richard for a moment and then motioned him to follow. Once they were in the enclosed gla.s.s s.p.a.ce, he waved his arm toward the chair in front of his desk. Then he walked around and sat down.
”Your name?” he said.
”Richard Davis,” the captain replied, ”Yours?”
The man ignored the question and just stared at Richard for a moment.
”Who told you Dong Heng works here,” he finally asked.
”Your balloon did,” replied the captain. The man turned his head slightly sideways in puzzlement for an instant before the captain continued: ”Does the name Sally Petersen ring a bell?” the captain asked, becoming irritated.
”Sally Petersen is?” asked the man.
”Sally Petersen is my daughter,” the captain said with growing annoyance ”and Holly Petersen is my granddaughter,” he added.
The man seemed to visibly soften.
”May I buy you a cup of coffee, Mr. Davis?”
Ten minutes and a block later they were sitting in the corner of a restaurant that looked like it would be hard to find a table during lunch rush.
”Dong Heng is a fict.i.tious name, Mr. Davis,” the man said once their coffee arrived. ”The name means strong pillar or pillar of strength.”
”My daughter indicated that a letter she received from your company was signed with that name . . . Mr. . . . . ?”
”Gang Guo,” Mr. Davis. ”Call me Min, please.”
”Why did you send my daughter that letter, Min?” the captain asked straightforwardly.
”Because we wish to rescue your granddaughter,” he replied simply.
”Why do you want to do that?” the captain asked, stifling the excitement that was rising in his chest.
”Two reasons, Mr. Davis. First, and most importantly, because it was a crime against humanity to kidnap your granddaughter and her husband. No country should ever abduct an innocent person, Mr. Davis. Second, we want to use your daughter and her husband to make a point to the world, that China will do anything to anyone to further its interests, whether they be money or politics. We want your granddaughter and her husband to tell their story to a camera and we want that video to be seen around the world.”
”How do you know about the abduction, Min?” asked the captain.
”If what I am about to tell you, Mr. Davis, were to become known by the authorities, my life would be very short. I am one of many in this country who seek true freedom, not just controlled economic opportunity. We seek freedom of thought and of speech, freedom to ask questions and expect answers and finally, freedom to choose those who represent us. Many of us have been imprisoned, others have been murdered in places like Tiananmen Square. Our government continues to silence us everywhere, but they cannot silence our message.”
”My group is aware of corrupt officials and police officers who are taking advantage of the lucrative trade in human organs to enrich themselves. In the past, it has been mostly unfortunate Chinese who have been swept up and turned into involuntary organ donors. More recently, a demand for Caucasian organs has arisen among certain wealthy persons who are squeamish about having organs from an Oriental in their bodies. They are willing to pay very large sums, Mr. Davis. That is why, I believe, your granddaughter and her husband were abducted.”
The captain sat stunned as the enormity of what he had just heard sank in. Finally he said: ”How do you propose to help my granddaughter, Min?”
”We intend to abduct her from her abductors. She and her husband are being held in a hospital in Tianjin where many of these operations are performed. We do not know now much time she has, but we believe it may be as little as a week, based on what we have been told by our people there.”
”My daughter mentioned Senator Baines. How does he figure in this?”
”The senator more than anyone, we believe, has placed himself squarely in front of the immoral ambitions of Beijing. He has taken steps to s.h.i.+ne a light on things such as the sinking of the Filipino s.h.i.+p. We believe he is our most important ally in Was.h.i.+ngton, perhaps our only hope. Our goal is to rescue your loved ones and, with the help of Senator Baines, to put them in front of the world as an example of the evil of our leaders.”
”I was under the impression that a rogue organization is responsible for these abductions,” said the captain.
”You are correct to an extent, however, there are certain high officials who are being paid to look the other way. The harvesting of organs from hundreds of unwilling donors could not happen without the knowledge of people in high places in Beijing.”
”Let's get started, Min,” said the captain.
”Mr. Davis, I appreciate your love for your family and your desire to help, but my concern is . . . how do you say? . . . you are a stranger in a strange land.”
”I may be a stranger in your land, Min, but I am no stranger to danger and, conflict. Before I retired, I captained a billion dollar wars.h.i.+p with the power to incinerate an entire city. I had the best training that the United States Navy can provide and I understand military planning, which in some form I am certain you will be applying to this challenge. And believe me, Min, there is no one in your organization who has one tenth the will to rescue my family that I have. You would be foolish not to utilize the skill and experience that is sitting in front of you.”