Dark Ambition by Allan Topol Read Free Book Online Page A

shouldn't be placated by appeasement."
    Liu was furious. "All of which is absurd. Taiwan is a part of China."
    "Regardless of who's right, Winthrop convinced the President to accept his position. And I gave you my commitment that I would attempt to persuade the President not to submit that arms request for Taiwan to Congress. I was hopeful that I would succeed. Am I correct?"
    Liu nodded.
    " That's where we stood at the end of October, when your government decided to take matters into its own hands with that London video and everything that followed."
    Despite his iron self-control, Liu felt a tiny amount of perspiration breaking out on his upper lip. The London video had been his idea. Beijing didn't know about it. He had put his career and his life on the line with that decision. "We were doubtful that in a matter of foreign policy, you could prevail in view of the President's close relationship with Secretary Winthrop. We decided to provide you with some assistance."
    "This was help I didn't need, because it complicates the basic issue. If the video is discovered, there will be a full investigation. Someone will attempt to tie your government to Winthrop's death."
    "The video won't be discovered." Liu paused and emitted a short hissing sound. "And we had nothing to do with the death of the secretary of state."
    Cunningham selected his next words carefully. "That may be," he said in a tone intended to show Liu that he wasn't convinced. "However, the London video makes it more difficult for me to persuade the President to reverse a decision that Winthrop favored so strongly. For all I know, Winthrop told the President about the video and what you'd done."
    Liu pulled back. He hadn't considered that possibility. "You're not serious."
    "I don't know. As you said, they were very close."
    His face showing displeasure, Liu said, "Are you telling me that you'll no longer work for a reversal of the decision on the Taiwan arms package?"
    Cunningham paused for a second, trying to frame his words carefully, wanting to make certain Liu understood. "What I'm saying is that until the case is closed on Winthrop's murder. I'm limited in what I can do on this issue. You've got to understand that."
    "I see." Liu said.
    Cunningham knew he didn't see at all.
    When Liu left, Cunningham went to the edge of the patio, next to the railing, and looked at the Potomac below. Dammit. The meeting hadn't gone the way he'd thought. He wasn't certain that the Chinese would wait for him to obtain a reversal of the Taiwan arms proposal. They might take a more aggressive position on the ground with their military. That would enrage Brewster. Cunningham knew how the President would react. He'd say nobody threatened the United States. He'd increase the arms request for Taiwan and put American military forces in the Pacific on alert. Events would spin out of control faster than a runaway truck on a mountain road. He couldn't let that happen. He'd have to regain control over this situation.
    Betty Sue called him from the doorway. "Hey, c'mon, it's time to get dressed or we'll miss the kickoff."
    He couldn't afford to be out-of-pocket for the next four or five hours. Too much was going on. He had too much at stake. In fact, as he thought about it, he'd better be with the President this afternoon. No telling what Jim Slater would do on his own. "Listen," he said gingerly, knowing that his next words would produce a violent response. Ah, well, that came with marrying a general's daughter. "With Winthrop's death, it would be unseemly for me to be at a football game."
    She snarled at him. "You fucking hypocrite. You couldn't stand the man."
    "I know that, but—"
    "Oh, for chrissake," she shouted. "Give me the tickets. I'll call Mary Jo and I'll go with her. I can't believe you'd pass up the Dallas game for a man you described as 'a pompous, self-important jerk, and the President's albatross.' "
    "Shh, keep your voice down. It's not right to talk that way about the