2
The AgustaWestland helicopter landed on the helicopter deck of the 30,000-ton HEAS Commander, a massive rocket assembly and command ship. The passengers quickly disembarked even before the chopper rotor stopped spinning. A dozen men then started pushing the 15-seater helicopter to the edge of the platform. Luckily, the AgustaWestland is equipped with wheels and not skids, so pushing it is not a difficult task. It took maximum effort, however, before the $ 12 million helicopter fell overboard into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The sea quickly swallowed the wreck.
"What a waste," Scarecrow grunted as he watch the helicopter sink.
"It's necessary," Koko Hekmatyar replied. "I don't want to leave any trace behind."
Scarecrow glanced at the white-haired woman. "Thank you for rescuing me, but you must understand that I still will not stop until I put you and your crew behind bars."
Koko laughed. "Perfectly understandable. But you do not have to thank us. You should thank Schokolade. She's the one that provided us the information of your whereabouts."
"So why did you rescue me?" Scarecrow asked in a serious tone. "It would be an advantage for you if you just let me rot in a Chinese prison."
Koko's smile evaporated. She took an envelope from her drawer and gave it to Scarecrow. The CIA man opened it and gasped. Inside are photographs of piles of corpses, clearly victims of summary executions. There dozens of corpses, most are killed with gunshot wounds to the head. Others are badly mutilated.
"These poor souls are members of my HCLI survey team in Guangde, China," Koko said, her eyes as hard as marbles. "They are simply surveying the old rocket launch site in Shijiedu when they were kidnapped, taken to an isolated hill and massacred. The perpetrator is General Chin, commander of the PLA Rocket Forces."
"Why would Chin massacre your survey team?" Scarecrow asked.
"You know the answer to that," Koko replied. "It is the reason why you were kidnapped by the Chinese."
Scarecrow nodded. It is no secret that the ambitious General Chin wants China to be the only space superpower. In his command, the People's Liberation Army is aggressively developing sophisticated military satellites and rockets. However, one company stood in his way for complete space domination, the Hekmatyar Aerospace (HEAS) headed by Koko Hekmatyar.
A few years ago, HCLI acquired the bankrupt Sea Launch and used its facility – including the HCLI Commander – to launch inexpensive satellites into space. HEAS constellation of satellites made many world leaders nervous, mainly because HEAS provided free worldwide internet access. The Chinese and the Russians are particularly concerned because the free information access is stirring dissent on their citizens. They tried many times to malign and even sabotage HEAS but it seemed Koko Hekmatyar is always one step ahead of them.
General Chin seemed to give up and even showed signs that he is willing to negotiate with Koko. He even invited HEAS to conduct a survey at the closed Guangde Rocket Launch Site to see if the site could be reopen as an alternative satellite launch site. But Chin's treachery was revealed when his men kidnapped the HCLI surveyors and brutally murdered them. Koko was incensed by the senseless murders and swore she will get even with Chin.
"The CIA has been tracking Chin's space program ever since," Koko said. "You were kidnapped because you found out something that you shouldn't know, am I right?"
Scarecrow knew where this is going. "If you expect me to risk my career, you are sorely mistaken, Koko Hekmatyar. I am not gonna tell you matters concerning the national security of the United States just because of your personal vendetta."
"Tell you what, I'll make you an offer that you cannot refuse."
"No deal. I don't want your money, Hekmatyar."
"I know you are an idealist, out for glory and not for the money. You can never be bribed. It is foolish, but that is who you are. Now, tell me what you know about Chin's plans, and I will give you the list of all my contacts wanted by the CIA. You can do whatever you want with them. I just want Chin to pay for his crimes."
Scarecrow closed his eyes. It was indeed an irresistible offer. In exchange for his information, Hekmatyar is willing to divulge her contacts wanted worldwide for terrorism, weapons trade, and war crimes. Scarecrow could lose his job, or worse, if he gave his bitch what she wants, but the US would have the opportunity to kill or capture many people that are considered high-risk targets.
It is definitely worth the risk to his career.
"The CIA is watching General Chin because we believe he is planning to deploy satellite-based lasers and missiles," Scarecrow said. "Chin had the resources and the money, but he didn't have the know-how to deploy these weapons. That changed last month, when I managed to get in touch with an old contact of mine from Scandinavia."
"My contact disappeared before he could give me the whole information, but he said Chin is a part of triumvirate that wants to control space. When you control space, you control the world. You know that more than anyone else, Hekmatyar."
"Who are the two members of this triumvirate?" asked Koko.
"One is the Russian mobster Ivan Govorov. As you may know, he is a former cosmonaut who became the head of the Russian mafia. He is providing financial assistance to Chin, mainly from his drug and oil business. The third one is an American named Sandra Ellis. We know nothing about her, we do not even have a photograph, but my contact said she is the providing the weapons to Chin, including WMD's."
Koko nodded. "Where can we find them?"
"You are in luck, Hekmatyar. Before I was kidnapped, I found out that Ellis and Govorov will meet up at Manila three days from now."
Koko stood up and walked away without another word.
Scarecrow angrily rose and shouted. "Hey! What about our deal?"
"I already gave the list to Schokolade. Happy hunting, Scarecrow. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some vermin to kill."