The Guild,Secretive U.S. Intel Operatives
Chapter 3 - Hong Kong
The Black Pawn jet with the Castle Book Tour Entourage landed at the Hong Kong international airport and from there the group checked into their hotel. There is much excitement about Author Richard Castle's Asian Book Tour and the local and international press were there in numbers. Coverage via satellite TV to the globe for the event was being conducted by the Carter Media Network.
The Network founded by none other than Jonathan Carter, Billionaire Media Mogul, who had negotiated to be the first non-Chinese owned network to telecast in mainland China. He had done this by allowing his other news stations around the world to air Chinese backed media partial to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). What was not known more publicly, was that Carter himself was seriously involved in international politics to promote his interests and that of his News organization. This he had done by secretly supporting The People's Front while publicly showing support for the current Chinese government leaders who were CCP members.
Carter had negotiated with The Front that once they had gained leadership of China, Carter would remain the sole foreign news network to board cast in Mainland China excluding all other foreign competitors. This was a big market of more than a billion people and Carter wanted to establish his dominance in the country.
It was known to U.S. Intelligence that it was Carter's billions that banked The Front's political activities in South America, where Carter was making in-roads to establish his network presence there, just as he had done in China. If The Front was successful in their overthrow of the CCP leadership, Carter would cover the story for the World, exclusively, boosting the ratings of his Media Network far ahead of competitors.
Carter's thirst for power and global dominance was his motivation for his actions. His money backed causes in all parts of the world that extended his reach. A megalomaniac, Carter would go to any extreme to further his ambitions.
Carter had managed to stay under the intelligence radar for years, but his involvement in South America came to the attention of one Kate Beckett, NSA analyst and now field agent. Kate had learned of Carter's involvement back when she was Naval Intelligence and she continued to monitor his activities. Carter's actions also were becoming known to the CCP. So much so, that the CCP assigned their top New People's Army (NPA) intelligence officer to keep tabs on Carter. This person was Lieutenant Colonel (LtCOL) Michelle Kwan of Chinese military intelligence.
Thru the years, as both Beckett and Kwan continued to monitor Carter, their paths crossed and although the two had never met in person, their internet contact spanned years. Both had been in communication over the web as to events on their side of the globe, both being careful to protect the other as a confidential informant. Such is the world of intelligence gathering.
So here in Hong Kong, LtCOL Kwan went undercover as a Journalist for the CCP supported 'national newspaper' and is covering the Richard Castle Book Tour that is starting in Hong Kong. Kwan's mission, to find out how much western intelligence had on Carter that was not known to them and then in turn use that to eliminate The Front. Kwan would attempt to find out from Beckett what she could but realized that Beckett could not reveal 'classified' information, so Kwan had to proceed cautiously.
So now the situation had been set and the Carter News Media was becoming a focal point in this matter. The depth of the Media Corporation's involvement soon to be discovered.
The Book Tour Opening
Kate was dressed to kill as she shows up for the opening day of the tour. Her attire is designer from YSL, courtesy of her supposed newspaper, The New York Review. The editor in chief of the newspaper is none other than Jackson Hunt, also clandestine head of The Guild. Kate cuts a good figure and has turned the heads of many a man at the opening. Rick Castle in particular was stunned by her outfit and Sophia Turner showed her disdain as she looked Beckett up and down with a face that said it all.
LtCOL Kwan is also at the opening, undercover, as a 'writer' for the Chinese National Newspaper. So far, Kwan and Beckett are unaware of the others presence, that is until Beckett spots Kwan from across the crowded room. Though the two had never met in person, each knows the other from photos and videos on the web. When Kate notices Kwan, she realizes that the CCP now have a horse in the race at the Book Tour, which is but a ploy to disguise the hidden mission of The Guild. That mission is to gain intelligence on the possible location of the missing Brit nukes for recovery!
Upon seeing Kwan, Beckett makes her way to Turner, but oh so subtlety as to go unnoticed. When she gets Turner alone, she lets the CIA agent know of Kwan's presence. Turner tells Kate she will handle this and for her to continue her undercover role. Turner then alerts her security people, Agents Espo and Ryan, to the presence of Kwan. She directs them to keep an eye on the CCP operative.
Kwan on the other hand had still to notice Beckett despite the fact the NSA agent had attracted much attention from the crowd, particularly, the male participants to the Book Tour Opening.
The Q Session
After the initial introductions and welcoming speech by Castle, a Q session begins.
"Mr. Castle how are you finding your first Book Tour of Hong Kong and what are your goals for this tour?"
"Hong Kong is a great city, so much to see from this former British Colony. Our hopes for the tour is to gain a wider audience in the Asian market to my books and establish a strong readership here, which is an obvious goal for the Tour."
"Do you believe your novels will appeal to the Asian population?"
"My books are about evil people who inflict harm to others and in turn are brought to justice for their acts of transgressions. It is the universal theme of good vs evil and I believe that will resonate with the Asian audience."
Then Kwan is recognized for a question.
"Mr. Castle let me welcome you to Asia and ask what specifically it is that interest you in this region of the globe?"
Rick Castle upon noticing Kwan is appreciative of her attractive Asian features, which many Western men find appealing in Asian Women. He is unaware that Kwan is Chinese Intelligence and undercover. Turner and Beckett had not yet gotten to him to alert him on the matter. Both however see the interest of Castle with the CCP operative.
"That is a good question and I will respond by saying, aside from the obvious, that I am interested in knowing more about the Asian readership from a personal perspective and what appeals to them. I love knowing my readership by getting with fans on a one to one."
"In that case, how about an exclusive interview for my paper, The Chinese National paper. I am Johanna Tan, writer for that outlet."
Kwan had given her undercover identity.
"Certainly Ms. Tan, my publicist can arrange that."
With that comment Paula Haas comes to 'Ms. Tan' to make the arrangements.
My Enemy's Enemy
"So Ms. Tan is a Chinese operative and undercover…. is what you are telling me?"
"That's right Castle, so now that we know, how do we proceed?", poses Turner.
"Well, Beckett is familiar with Tan, or more correctly, Kwan, so what's your advice on this Kate?"
"She has been a CI to me thru the years, maybe we should find out her mission and take advantage of it. The old 'my enemy's enemy is my friend' concept."
"Well she clearly has knowledge of the region and would be an asset", says Espo.
"Beckett, see how much you can pump Kwan for info."
"How much of what we know can I reveal?"
"It is a matter of how much leverage you want from this CCP operative. It all depends on how much pumping you're willing to do. I will leave it up to you to decide but do keep the team informed. "
The team had taken a 'break' from the opening festivities and held a quick team meeting back in Castle's room.
"Well, let's get back to the Book Opening. Beckett, see what you can establish with Kwan. Turner, see if there are other persons of interest out there. Espo and Ryan, you two are with Turner."
They head back to the location for the book opening.
Kwan is totally surprised when Beckett reveals herself.
"So we finally meet CDR Beckett."
"Pleasure finally seeing you in person, LtCOL Kwan."
"So how much of this masquerade are we to continue?"
"Well, since it is just to two of us now, let me place on the table a proposition to cooperate. I'm here to find some missing British Nukes."
"As am I. We think The People's Front maybe involved", discloses Kwan.
"And we think there is a connection to them with the Carter News Agency."
"A organization we both know and have monitored thru the years, CDR Beckett."
"I am authorized to share intel."
"I have an 'interview' with Castle tonight, how about we talk then, whose else is on your team?"
"Just the security detail."
"Ah yes, agents Turner, Esposito, and Ryan."
"So you know of them?"
"Yes, we have recently become aware of them?"
"Who's on your team", asks Beckett.
"Just me for the present moment."
"Well, we will show you ours, if you show us yours."
"Tonight then? Who will be at the interview?"
"Just the team."
"What of Haas?"
"We will send her elsewhere."
"See you tonight then."
The Interview
At the 'interview' it was disclosed to the team by Kwan that Col Lei Ang Beng, of whom Beckett had briefed about before, was now considered to have gone rogue by the CCP leadership. After he had aided Front backed rebels in Columbia in overthrowing the duly elected administration there, he had not returned to the NPA but gone into hiding. He was reported now to be an operative of The Front who were seeking to supplant the CCP leadership.
Suspicions by the CCP were that Beng had master planned the hijacking of the two British nukes. This to instigate an international incident using the nuke tipped missiles. One nuke would be fired at a warship of a western power making it appear it was launched from a nearby CCP naval vessel. But there would be no CCP vessel involved, still on the radar of the Western warship would show a CCP warship in immediate proximity to them. This as a result of a hack used by the Front faction of the Chinese military. The Western warship then would launch a defensive missile that would strike the ocean and explode underwater. The second nuke would then be launched at a target in mainland china, making it appear like an attack came from the warship of the Western Power. This would result in creating a potential armed conflict with mainland China and the Western power.
Carter News Network would broadcast to the Chinese viewership an edited news video showing the missile launched from the western naval ship and then doctored to show the launched missile striking a mainland target. The Chinese population would be inflamed and demand immediate action. The CCP leadership will balk at an armed response having no prior intel on the supposed attack by the Western warship. This inaction by the CCP will bring about a demand from the Chinese populous for a recall of the dissenting CCP leadership, who will then be replaced with a People's Front faction.
All this so as to mask a takeover of CCP leadership with the Front leadership under the pretext of a purge. A cleansing so to speak from the CCP ranks of those responsible for resisting a counter strike. The newly installed Front Faction would then diffuse the situation by negotiating with the Western power involved. It would appear to the world that the new Front leadership had avoided a conflict that could have resulted in a possible Global Conflict. That action will gain for the Front international support and recognition of their new leadership. That global support and recognition would convince die hard core CCP members to switch camps to The Front.
This whole event would be reported by the Carter News Agency. The world would not be the wiser as to the real reason for the displacement of current CCP leadership with that of The Front. It would appear as house cleaning of the CCP to the global audience. The Carter News Agency would be used to sell The Front deception to the world and thus solidify its influence with the new Front government of mainland China. Kwan's Intel had it that Lei Beng would then be chosen as supreme commander of the restructured NPA with Front military personnel replacing the 'old guard' with a 'new guard' under Lei Beng's leadership.
Kwan had agreed to work with the Guild team so as to capture Lei Beng, by assisting in finding the missing Nukes and in turn thwart the Front takeover. The Guild would benefit with capture and recovery of the missing nukes. The CCP would be rid of a potential usurper to their power. It was a win-win for both sides. Still, unknown to both Kwan and the Guild team, however, was that the Carter News Media was orchestrating this whole deception to bring The Front to power in China.
With Front members replacing that of CCP, the Carters News Agency would then continue their exclusive rights to the mainland Chinese viewership kept in place by the newly established People's Front Regime. Carter News Media's would have sole coverage of the ongoing incident and takeover, thus drawing a wider global viewership. Thus they would beat out all the other competitors and gain for Carter Media Group a much larger share of the world media market. All the while, Carter Media Network was behind making the news they sought to report.
This is the world of geo-politics as played by the globe's super rich with the money and power to influence governments world-wide for their own interests. It was the war front that The Guild participated in as they worked in the shadows covertly to counter these global oligarchs. If the Guild was discovered, SECDEF would deny any knowledge of their actions. The Guild would take the fall.
It is a covertly dangerous game of cat and mouse that went unseen by the world wide community.
The game now was definitely afoot.