Kai had no authority to make proposals, but he did not admit this. ‘There could be a way for you to take control of North Korea and at the same time give yourself an impregnable defence against future interference from South Korea or the US.’
‘And that is . . .?’
Kai paused, choosing his words carefully. This was the crucial moment of the conversation. It was also the point at which he exceeded his orders. He was now sticking his neck all the way out.
He said: ‘One: attack Pyongyang immediately with all your forces except nuclear, and take over the government.’
Pak showed no reaction: this had always been part of his plan.
‘Two: be recognized immediately by Beijing as president of North Korea.’
Pak’s eyes lit up. He was imagining himself as the acknowledged president of his country. He had long dreamed of this, no doubt, but now Kai was offering it to him tomorrow, guaranteed by the might of China.
‘And three: declare an unconditional unilateral ceasefire in the war between North and South Korea.’
Pak frowned. ‘Unilateral?’
‘That’s the price,’ Kai said firmly. ‘Beijing will recognize you and at the same time you will declare the ceasefire. No delay, no preconditions, no negotiations.’
He expected resistance, but Pak had something else on his mind. ‘I’ll need President Chen to make a personal visit to me,’ he said.
Kai could see why that was so important to Pak. He was vain, of course, but politically shrewd too: the pictures of the two men shaking hands would legitimize him in a way nothing else could. ‘Agreed,’ said Kai, though he did not have the authority to agree to anything.
‘Good.’
Kai began to think he might have achieved what he had hoped for. He told himself it was not yet time to rejoice. He could yet be thrown into a cell. He decided to get out of there while he was winning. ‘There’s no time for formal written agreements,’ he said. ‘We’re going to have to trust one another.’ As he spoke, General Ham’s words came back to him: Don’t trust them. But Kai had no choice. He had to gamble on Pak.
Pak reached across the desk and said: ‘Then let us shake hands.’
Kai stood up and shook his hand.
Pak said: ‘Thank you for coming to see me.’
This was dismissal, Kai realized. Pak was already behaving like a president.
Ham stood up and said: ‘I’ll take you to your helicopter.’ He led Kai outside.
The weather was still cold but sunny, with little wind and no cloud, perfect flying conditions. Kai and Ham walked a yard apart as they crossed the base to the helipad. Speaking out of the corner of his mouth, Kai said: ‘I think I did it. He agreed to the proposal.’
‘Let’s hope he keeps his word.’
‘Call me tonight if you can, to confirm that the attack on Pyongyang is going ahead.’
‘I’ll do my best. You need the details of secure contacts with Pak, and he needs the same from you.’ Ham wrote a series of numbers and addresses on a pad, Kai did the same, and they exchanged.
Ham saluted crisply as Kai climbed into the helicopter.
The rotors began to turn as he was fastening his seat harness. A few minutes later the aircraft lifted, tilted, and veered north.
Kai allowed himself a moment of sheer triumph. If this worked out, the crisis would be over by tomorrow morning. There would be peace between North and South Korea, the Americans would be satisfied, and China would still have the crucial buffer in place.
Now he needed to make sure President Chen agreed.
He would have liked to call Beijing right away, but his phone did not work here and anyway it would be insecure in this country. He would have to wait until he got to Yanji and call from there before boarding his plane to Beijing. He would speak to Chen, but he would slant his report to hide the way he had overstepped his authority.
The biggest danger was that the old guard would talk Chen out of it. Huang was still horrified by the idea of making peace with those who had rebelled against a Communist regime. But surely the price of continuing the war was too high?
Night was falling over the rush-hour traffic of Yanji as the helicopter came down at the military air base next to the civilian airport. Kai was met by a captain who took him to a secure phone.
He called Zhongnanhai and reached President Chen. He began by saying: ‘Mr President, the rebel ultras plan to launch their final attack on Pyongyang tonight.’ He spoke as if this was intelligence he had gathered, rather than a proposal he had made.
Chen was startled. ‘We haven’t heard a whisper about this before now.’
‘The decision has been made in the last few hours. But it’s the right strategy for the ultras. Today’s American air attack must have almost wiped out any capacity Pyongyang has left to resist. There will never be a better moment for them to make their bid for power.’
‘I think this is a good development,’ Chen said thoughtfully. ‘Heaven knows we need to get rid of Kang.’
‘Pak made me an offer,’ Kai said, reversing the true roles. ‘If we recognize him as president, he undertakes to call a unilateral ceasefire.’
‘That’s promising. The fighting would stop. The new regime will begin by making an accord with us, which is a good start to our relationship. I’ll have to talk General Huang around, but the whole thing looks advantageous to us. Well done.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
The president hung up. Everything is going according to plan, Kai thought.
He dialled his office and spoke to Jin Chin-haw. ‘The ultras will attack Pyongyang tonight,’ he said. ‘I’ve told the president, but you need to inform everyone else.’
‘Right away.’
‘Any news at your end?’
‘The American bombardment seems to have stopped, at least for today.’
‘I doubt they’ll continue tomorrow. There can’t be much left to bomb.’
‘A few missiles still tucked away, I suspect.’
‘With any luck this will end tomorrow.’ Kai hung up and boarded his plane. His personal phone rang as the pilot was starting the engines. It was General Ham. ‘It’s happening,’ he said, sounding surprised. ‘Helicopter gunships are even now headed for the capital. Arrest squads are on their way to every presidential residence. Tanks and armoured vehicles are following behind the choppers. They’re throwing everything at it. This is make or break.’
This was dangerously specific over the phone. Ham used a different phone every time and threw each one away after use. Still it was not quite impossible that surveillance by Pyongyang or by Pak’s intelligence service might randomly pick up a call. They would realize what was going on, but they would not be able to identify the speakers, at least not immediately. It was a risk, a small but deadly risk. The life of a spy was dangerous.
Ham continued: ‘The General is worried that Beijing may have set a trap for him. He thinks all Chinese people are malicious and deceitful. But this is his big chance and he had to take it.’
‘Are you going to the capital?’
‘Yes.’
‘Stay in touch.’
‘Of course.’
They hung up.
The air-force jet did not have Wi-Fi for passengers, so Kai could not use his phone on the flight. That was something of a relief, he felt, as he sat back in his seat. He had done all he could for one day; he had achieved what he hoped for, and he was tired. He looked forward to spending the night in bed with Ting.
He closed his eyes.
CHAPTER 39
Kai was awakened by his phone as the plane came down over Beijing. He rubbed his eyes and took the call.
It was Jin Chin-hwa, who said: ‘North Korea has bombed Japan!’
For a moment Kai was completely bewildered. He even thought he might be dreaming. He said: ‘Who has? The rebels?’
‘No, the Supreme Leader.’
‘Japan? Why the fuck would he attack Japan?’
‘He hit three American bases.’