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adly over 〃Rutledge；〃 however。 Well； Americans murdered Chinese names； too； except for simple ones like Ming and Wang； and listening to an American businessman try to make himself understood to a local was enough to make Nomuri gag。 The mentator went on to talk about the Chinese position on the trade talks； how America owed the PRC all manner of concessions…after all； was not China generous in allowing Americans to spend their worthless dollars for the valuable products of the People's Republic？ In this； China sounded a lot like Japan had once done； but the new Japanese government had opened up their markets。 While there was still a trade deficit in Japan's favor； fair petition on the playing field had muted American criticism； though Japanese cars were still less wele in America than they had been。 But that would pass； Nomuri was sure。 If America had a weakness it was in forgiving and forgetting too rapidly。 In this； he greatly admired the Jews。 They still hadn't forgotten Germany and Hitler。 As well they shouldn't； he thought。 His last thought before retiring was to wonder how the new software was working on Chai's puter； and if Ming had actually installed it or not。 Then he decided to check。
Rising from bed； he switched his laptop on and。。； yes！ Chai's system lacked Ming's transcription software； but it。 was transmitting what it had。 Okay； fine； they had linguists at Langley to fiddle with that。 He didn't have the desire to do so； and just uploaded it and headed back to bed。
〃Damn！〃 Mary Pat observed。 Nearly all of it was unreadable but this was a second SORGE source。 That was evident from the pathway it had taken through the 'Net。 She wondered if Nomuri was showing off； or had somehow managed to get in the pants of a second high…ranking Chinese government secretary。 It wouldn't exactly be a first for a field officer to have that active a sex life； but it wasn't all that mon； either。 She printed it up； saved it to disk； and called for a linguist to e up and translate。 Then she downloaded SONGBIRD'S current take。 It was being as regular as The Washington Post； and a lot more interesting。 She settled back in her chair and started reading the translation of Ming's latest notes from Minister Fang Gan。 He'd be talking about the trade negotiations； she hoped； then to see that； sure enough； he was。。。 This would be important； the DDO thought。 She'd soon be surprised to find out how wrong that impression was。
CHAPTER 23
Down to Business
Bacon and eggs； toast and hash…brown potatoes； plus some Colombian …bean coffee。 Gant was Jewish but not observant； and he loved his bacon。 Everyone was up and looking pretty good； he thought。 The government…issued black capsule （they all called it that； evidently some sort of tradition that he didn't know about） had worked for all of them； and the cookie…pushers were all bright…eyed and bushy…tailed。 Most of the talk； he noted； was about the NBA。 The Lakers were looking tough again。 Rutledge； Gant saw； was at the head of the table chatting amiably with Ambassador Hitch； who seemed a solid citizen。 Then a more ruffled employee of the embassy came in with a manila folder whose borders were lined with striped red…and…white tape。 This he handed to Ambassador Hitch； who opened it at once。
Gant realized at once that it was classified material。 There wasn't much of that to be seen at Treasury； but there was some； and he'd been screened for a Top Secret/Special Access clearance as part of his employment on Secretary Winston's personal staff。 So； there was intel ing in from Washington for the negotiations。 Exactly what it was about； he couldn't see； and didn't know if he would see it。 He wondered if he could flex his institutional muscles on this one； but Rutledge would be the one who decided if he got to see it or not； and he didn't want to give the State Department puke the excuse to show who was the he…bull in this herd。 Patience was a virtue he'd long had； and this was just one more chance to exercise it。 He returned to his breakfast； then decided to stand and get more off the buffet。 Lunch in Beijing probably wouldn't be very appealing； even at their Foreign Ministry Building； where they would feel constrained to show off their most exotic national dishes； and Fried Panda Penis with candied bamboo roots wasn't exactly to his taste。 At least the tea they served was acceptable； but even at its best； tea wasn't coffee。
〃Mark？〃 Rutledge looked up from his seat and waved the Treasury guy over。 Gant walked over with his refilled plate of eggs and bacon。
〃Yeah； Cliff？〃
Ambassador Hitch made room for Gant to sit down； and a steward arrived with fresh silverware。 The government could make one fortable when it wanted。 He asked the guy for more hash browns and toast。 Fresh coffee arrived seemingly of its own volition。
〃Mark； this just came in from Washington。 This is codeword material…〃
〃Yeah； I know。 I can't even see it now； and I am not allowed to have any memory of it。 So； can I see it now？〃
Rutledge nodded and slipped the papers across。 〃What do you make of these foreign…exchange figures？〃
Gant took a bite of bacon and stopped chewing almost at once。 〃Damn； they're that low？ What have they been pissing their money away on？〃
〃What does this mean？〃
〃Cliff； once upon a time； Dr。 Samuel Johnson put it this way： 'Whatever you have； spend less。' Well； the Chinese didn't listen to that advice。〃 Gant flipped the pages。 〃It doesn't say what they've been spending it on。〃
〃Mainly military stuff； so I am told；〃 Ambassador Hitch replied。 〃Or things that can be applied to military applications； especially electronics。 Both finished goods and the machinery with which to make electronic stuff。 I gather it's expensive to invest in such things。〃
〃It can be；〃 Gant agreed。 He turned the pages back to start from the beginning。 He saw it was transmitted with the TAPDANCE encryption system。 That made it hot。 TAPDANCE was only used for the most sensitive material because of some technical inconveniences in its use 。 。 。 so this was some really hot intelligence； TELESCOPE thought。 Then he saw why。 Somebody must have bugged the offices of some very senior Chinese officials to get this stuff。。。 〃Jesus。〃
〃What does this mean； Mark？〃
〃It means they've been spending money faster than it's ing in； and investing it in nonmercial areas for the most part。 Hell； it means they're acting like some of the idiots we have in our government。 They think money is just something that appears when you snap your fingers； and then you can spend it as fast as you want and just snap your fingers to get some more。 。 。 These people don't live in the real world； Cliff。 They have no idea how and why the money appears。〃 He paused。 He'd gone too far。 A Wall Street person would understand his language； but this Rutledge guy probably didn't。 〃Let me rephrase。 They know that the money es from their trade imbalance with the United States； and it appears that they believe the imbalance to be a natural phenomenon； something they can essentially dictate because of who they are。 They think the rest of the world owes it to them。 In other words； if they believe that； negotiating with them is going