communications, had colluded with the PRC on sensitive technologies. Play their cards right and Macklinson stood to benefit from Canyon’s fall from grace, scooping up defence, electronics and system integration businesses worth billions of dollars.
“That story is already in the public domain, right?” Jenson said. “I can understand why you might be interested.”
A waiter who had worked in the clubhouse for almost seventeen years, and whose name Marston had never successfully committed to memory, approached the two men and ushered them through to the dining room. They ordered seafood cocktails and broiled Porter house steaks and the conversation continued.
“What if I also told you that I’d heard about the extent of Chinese infiltration of our nuclear fraternity?” Jenson was looking through the wine list. “What if I knew that thanks to American tax dollars and American scientific breakthroughs and American hard work, Beijing now has dozens of fully functioning, effectively US-made ICBMs pointed at New York, Washington and Los Angeles?”
“Well then I’d say that nothing has changed. I’d say that Bill Marston still has great sources of information.”
“I’m pissed , Dick.” Marston hissed the words into a flower arrangement in the centre of the table. He had a history of heart trouble and had to watch himself when he became angry. “These guys have infiltrated our business environments, our scientific communities, our colleges. They’re selling American military technology to rogue states, to regimes hostile to the United States. China has sold guidance components and telemetry equipment to the Iranians , for Christ’s sakes. They’re proliferating to the Syrians, North Korea, fuckin’ Gaddafi. Are you guys on top of this? What’s happening at Langley these days? Ever since Clinton came in, everything’s gotten so goddam soft .”
“We’re on top of it,” Jenson assured him, though this was far from what he believed. He wanted to hit the gooks just as much as Marston did, but his hands were tied. He resorted to a flimsy soundbite. “Sure, we’ve been the victims of a highly successful campaign of industrial and political espionage, but let me assure you that the United States still maintains an overwhelming military and commercial advantage over the People’s Republic–”
“I don’t give a shit about that. I know we can still kick their ass in a straight fight. I just don’t like the way they do business. I don’t like the way highly qualified Macklinson executives come to me every day complaining about the impossibility of making a decent buck in Beijing. My people in China have to get to know their clients’ families, remember birthdays, take their wives to health clubs. What are we? A fucking charity? Off the record, Dick, Macklinson is paying for six Chinese kids to go to Stanford. You have any idea what that costs? And just so some board of directors in Wuhan will guarantee the legitimacy of a telecoms contract. And these guys have the nerve to steal our technology at the same time. Who the hell do they think they are? You know, not so long ago American soldiers were fighting in Manchuria trying to stop the entire region speaking Japanese.” Jenson felt the historical argument was somewhat strained. “That’s right. American boys putting their lives on the line for China’s future. And this is how they repay us.”
“So what are you suggesting?”
Marston paused. His glass from the clubhouse bar was a pale yellow meltdown of ice and whisky.
“What I’m suggesting is an idea .” He had lowered his voice. Jenson was obliged to push forward in his chair and felt a muscle twitch in his lower back. “Off the books, if it has to be. A clandestine operation looking into ways of destabilizing Beijing. Just the same way we gave the Poles a little push. Just the same way the Agency funded Walesa and Havel. Now I know you guys already have operations out there, but this
“That story is already in the public domain, right?” Jenson said. “I can understand why you might be interested.”
A waiter who had worked in the clubhouse for almost seventeen years, and whose name Marston had never successfully committed to memory, approached the two men and ushered them through to the dining room. They ordered seafood cocktails and broiled Porter house steaks and the conversation continued.
“What if I also told you that I’d heard about the extent of Chinese infiltration of our nuclear fraternity?” Jenson was looking through the wine list. “What if I knew that thanks to American tax dollars and American scientific breakthroughs and American hard work, Beijing now has dozens of fully functioning, effectively US-made ICBMs pointed at New York, Washington and Los Angeles?”
“Well then I’d say that nothing has changed. I’d say that Bill Marston still has great sources of information.”
“I’m pissed , Dick.” Marston hissed the words into a flower arrangement in the centre of the table. He had a history of heart trouble and had to watch himself when he became angry. “These guys have infiltrated our business environments, our scientific communities, our colleges. They’re selling American military technology to rogue states, to regimes hostile to the United States. China has sold guidance components and telemetry equipment to the Iranians , for Christ’s sakes. They’re proliferating to the Syrians, North Korea, fuckin’ Gaddafi. Are you guys on top of this? What’s happening at Langley these days? Ever since Clinton came in, everything’s gotten so goddam soft .”
“We’re on top of it,” Jenson assured him, though this was far from what he believed. He wanted to hit the gooks just as much as Marston did, but his hands were tied. He resorted to a flimsy soundbite. “Sure, we’ve been the victims of a highly successful campaign of industrial and political espionage, but let me assure you that the United States still maintains an overwhelming military and commercial advantage over the People’s Republic–”
“I don’t give a shit about that. I know we can still kick their ass in a straight fight. I just don’t like the way they do business. I don’t like the way highly qualified Macklinson executives come to me every day complaining about the impossibility of making a decent buck in Beijing. My people in China have to get to know their clients’ families, remember birthdays, take their wives to health clubs. What are we? A fucking charity? Off the record, Dick, Macklinson is paying for six Chinese kids to go to Stanford. You have any idea what that costs? And just so some board of directors in Wuhan will guarantee the legitimacy of a telecoms contract. And these guys have the nerve to steal our technology at the same time. Who the hell do they think they are? You know, not so long ago American soldiers were fighting in Manchuria trying to stop the entire region speaking Japanese.” Jenson felt the historical argument was somewhat strained. “That’s right. American boys putting their lives on the line for China’s future. And this is how they repay us.”
“So what are you suggesting?”
Marston paused. His glass from the clubhouse bar was a pale yellow meltdown of ice and whisky.
“What I’m suggesting is an idea .” He had lowered his voice. Jenson was obliged to push forward in his chair and felt a muscle twitch in his lower back. “Off the books, if it has to be. A clandestine operation looking into ways of destabilizing Beijing. Just the same way we gave the Poles a little push. Just the same way the Agency funded Walesa and Havel. Now I know you guys already have operations out there, but this
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