Chess put in: ‘They’re taking an aggressive line. The Foreign Ministry refuses to discuss Dr Lafayette’s return home or anything else to do with her unless we admit that the Vu Trong Phung was engaged in illegal activity.’
‘Well, we can’t do that, even to rescue an American,’ Pauline said flatly. ‘We would be stating that the South China Sea is not international waters. That would violate every maritime agreement and undermine our allies.’
‘Precisely. But the Chinese won’t discuss Dr Lafayette until we do.’
Pauline put down her fork. ‘They’ve got us up against the fucking wall, haven’t they?’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘Options?’
Chess said: ‘We could increase our presence in the South China Sea. We already carry out FONOPs, Freedom of Navigation Operations, sailing battleships through the waters and overflying. We could simply double our FONOPs.’
Pauline said: ‘The diplomatic equivalent of a gorilla beating its chest and tearing up the vegetation.’
‘Well, yes.’
‘Which would get us nowhere, though it might make us feel better. Gus?’
‘We could arrest a Chinese citizen here in the States – the FBI keeps tabs on them all, and there’s always someone breaking the law – then we could offer to trade.’
‘It’s what they would do in parallel circumstances, but it’s not our style, is it?’
Gus shook his head. ‘And we don’t want to escalate. If we arrest a visiting Chinese person, they might arrest two Americans in China.’
‘But we have to get Joan Lafayette back.’
‘If you’ll forgive me for being mundane, bringing her home would also give your popularity a boost.’
‘Don’t apologize, Gus – this is a democracy, which means we should never stop thinking about public opinion.’
‘And public opinion likes James Moore’s nuke-’em-all approach to international diplomacy. Your Timid Jim remark didn’t have the same traction.’
‘I should never descend to name-calling – it’s not really me.’
Chess said: ‘Then it looks as if poor Joan Lafayette is going to spend the next few years in China.’
‘Wait,’ said Pauline. ‘Perhaps we haven’t thought hard enough about this.’
The other two looked puzzled, evidently wondering what she would come up with.
She said: ‘We can’t do what they’re asking – but they must know that. The Chinese aren’t stupid. They’re the opposite of stupid. They’ve demanded something they know we can’t give. They don’t expect us to do it.’
Chess said: ‘I guess that must be true.’
‘So what do they really want?’
‘They’re making a point,’ said Chess.
‘Is that all?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Gus?’
‘We could just ask them.’
‘One possibility,’ said Pauline, thinking aloud. ‘They don’t expect us to support their claim to the entire South China Sea, but perhaps they just want to muzzle us.’
‘Explain,’ said Gus.
‘They may be seeking a compromise. We don’t accept that the Vu Trong Phung was doing something illegal, but at the same time we don’t accuse the Chinese government of murder. We just shut up.’
Gus said: ‘Our silent acquiescence in exchange for Joan Lafayette’s freedom.’
‘Yes.’
‘It sticks in my throat.’
‘And mine.’
‘But you’ll do it.’
‘I don’t know. Let’s find out whether your guess is right. Chess, ask the Chinese ambassador, off the record, whether Beijing might consider a compromise.’
‘Okay.’
‘Gus, get the CIA to ask the Guoanbu what the Chinese really want.’
‘Right away.’
‘We’ll see what they say,’ said Pauline, and she picked up her fork again.
*
Pauline’s guess was right. The Chinese were satisfied with a promise by her not to accuse them of murder. Not that they cared about a charge of murder. They wanted her to refrain from implying that they did not have sovereignty over the South China Sea. In that long-running diplomatic conflict, they would consider American silence a significant victory.
With a heavy heart, Pauline gave them what they wanted.
Nothing was written down. All the same, Pauline had to keep her promise. Otherwise, she knew, the Chinese would just arrest some other American woman in Beijing and reboot the whole drama.