Bianhua Ch. 05

"is tusa mac d'athar," Alana said in Gaelic, which means you are your father's son. "You will do what you do because of your views about what is right or wrong."

That is when it hit me, I was despite my limited time with him, I was my father's son because I could not blindly accept those doing wrong for what they thought was the greater good.

For most of the next week, I was not available to anyone as I was following my adopted father the master's teaching. When faced with a problem that would test the character of most of those he knew or associated with he would go off until he had worked things out.

********

Thursday night I called my girlfriend.

"I've been worried sick," Alana said. "You have not contacted or answered my calls and texts all week. Why?"

"I had to mentally prepare myself for what is going to come by working it all out in mind," I explained. "So that I am prepared for all possibilities and outcomes."

I guess that was when it hit home with her because Alana said, "You sense danger and betrayal. You fear the worst because of what was done to your parents."

"Talk to Fen," I said. "In private and inform her what's going on and that I need her to watch the actions of her brother closely going forward. She needs to be able to disclose to me every little thing that does not seem normal. Have her convey the same thoughts to Suling, in the same manner, this weekend."

"I can do that but why?" Alana replied.

"I've spent the last few days searching out for the weakest link," I said, "To conclude that it's the one that works out of Washington DC. On Monday I will make my opening move to see where it leads."

"How do you that without revealing any details," Alana asked?

"By planting a thought, that will lead one to conclude a conclusion," I said. "That will require the person to follow up on."

On Friday China time I called the embassy that had brought me home. Two of the three of the security team that had looked after me were still assigned to the area. Once I had identified myself, I asked them to call me back on a secured line.

It took me about half an hour to reveal what I had learned so far. When they asked what I did with the information I told them I had made three copies which were now all in secured locations. I told them what I needed and why. After giving them my email address, I knew the game was on.

They were not surprised by what I had revealed to them. I learned that they had suspected but had no proof. The money my grandfather had brought home from China had a well-documented trail that provided enough to prove that it was made legally. They had believed that the paper trail may have been phony but had not been able to prove it.

When I gave them the name of who I expected would call them they suggested they would take a detailed look to see what they could learn about him.

Monday morning, I called Chris Devereau, one of Epa's upper management answered my call as soon as he was informed that it was me. After verifying that he had received all the latest data on our ongoing project I got serious.

"Chris, I need you to inform the governor that after our official meeting that I am going to need a few minutes to get both yours and his guidance on a serious matter," I said.

"What does it concern," Chris asked?

"The events behind what caused my parent's death," I explained. "I've learned the primary reason was not what I was led to believe."

"Wow, and how did that happen," Chris asked with his voice showing a bit more concern.

"I recently got some of my parent's belonging returned to me from China,' I explained. "From the same embassy that my adopted father had dropped me off at. I am going to be seeking advice from the Governor and you on what to do before going forward."

As soon as we ended the conversation, I knew that something did not seem right. I just did not know what or why. My mind went back to my adopted father the master who always said those who are afraid of the truth coming out will come after the one who holds it out of hate.

That conservation came out after we had helped a Christian man who was being persecuted by the state. The monks had hidden him from the authorities until one of the brothers had found him a freighter willing to take him on as a rookie employee in the middle of the night.

I texted Alana and asked her to do a background search on Google on Chris Devereau and email me a copy of what it said.

I then texted her and said don't do anything but call me as soon as possible.

"What wrong?" Alana asked me when she called."

"I just remembered that Google works closely with China and has put certain restrictions on those who use their program in their country because of the request of the Chinese Government," I said. "China has had years to create a back door into Google's system to mine it for information that could be of value to them."

"Oh my god," Alana said." They may know already that someone is on to them. Bring the program with you tonight so we can reformate and give the computer a new identification. Tomorrow at school I will leave the laptop in the cafeteria."

I arrived right as they were finishing dinner. Bonnie offered me a plate, but I informed her that I had already eaten.

Most don't know that even though the internet became mainstream in the early nineteen nineties it had been around for years before that. As a result, with China always playing the long game they would find a way to get their fingers into anything that could provide them with an advantage when needed.

Every foreign company that did business in China knew their computers were compromised and acted accordingly. They did not know to what extent. The news claimed the intellectual theft of data and systems cost the American economy billions a year. A lot of this theft could have been achieved thanks to the back doors they created.

Alana brought me the computer and watched me reformate it after we had printed out the background information on Chris Devereau that she googled and did a Facebook check on. I found nothing that would cause be suspect anything. There appeared to be no visible possible links.

"Wait a minute," Ian said after doing a windows ten search on lobbyists on his own desk computer. "Squire Patton Boggs is a lobbying firm that has long represented the Chinese Embassy in Washington. They have an employee named Carl Devereau. Is he related to Chris?"

"Yes, there's one listed why?" I said after rereading the printed material.

"It says he serves as a strategic adviser to clients in the U.S. and abroad focusing on global business development. Carl Devereau helped lead the effort to grant China the most favored trading nation status in the late nineteen nineties.

I looked at Ian with a new sense of emergency.

"He was also linked into the FBI's investigation into ZTE's violation of the sanctions on Iran. When it became public knowledge, he resigned." Ian added. "It's also noted that ZTE has close ties to the United Front which is a political-influence arm of the Chinese Communist Party."

With the laptop reformatted I turned it back on and uploaded the program to reformat its identity and give it a new IP number.

"It's crazy, I can't believe it's that easy to connect someone to the Chinese Government," Alana said. "Dad, what gave you the idea of checking into lobbyists?"

"Something Dirk had said when he figured out what his dad's ring said," Ian explained. "I just started going through the lists of employees until I found one that had the same last name."

"Ian run a Facebook search to see if we can tie them in as family members," Bonnie asked?

Using Google and Windows ten it took about ten minutes before he had pictures of both sides side by side on his screen. The family resemblance was seen. All four of us were not surprised when Facebook verified that they were brothers.

"What do you think is going to happen next," Alana asked?

"Do you remember when we went into the restaurant to save Suling from Fen's brother?" I asked.

"Most of it, why do you ask?" Alana asked with a sound of puzzlement.

"Suling revealed that night that I was the Wuming," I said. "With the way, I humiliated Fen's brother I am sure he would remember."

Alana's eyes got wide and open as the information registered. It automatically became clear how close they may be.

"Omg!" Alana said. "That's why I had to inform Fen. Le Chey believes he's an agent for the Chinese Communist Party."

The look on the Conner's face I will remember all my life because I think they were all beginning to realize how infected American society was with people acting on behalf of other countries.

"It also gives more detail as to why the Chinese government hunted me for so long," I said. "They may have believed that I was the key to finding the file my dad had created that would expose the corruption within our own country."

"I think that we are going to be keeping a closer eye on our daughter," Ian said. "Starting tomorrow until this is all finished, we will be driving her to school in our four by four."

********

She had picked him up this Wednesday Morning and had followed him as per her supervisor's orders looking for the right moment to make contact. Her superiors believe that he alone would know what the Wuming was up to,

The Zen Master was known to be a strong-willed man who had a fierce reputation for not backing down. It would take every ounce of training she had to outwit him, but she knew it had to be done. When it had been revealed that someone was living in the temple that did not belong, she had been on the team who was ordered to find out who.

They had reached halfway into the very depths of the inner sanctions before their inside informer informed his contact that he was gone. Three days later they learned that the one they had been searching for was at the US embassy finally in safe hands.

They did not know for sure if the Zen master had been the one that had gotten the one with no name to safety, but it was their strongest lead. Based on new information that had come from above that implied emergency she had been ordered to find out what he knew.

Yet the master was of average build, average height and if was not for his monk's attire you would never have noticed him. Many who had challenged his leadership had soon learned how fast they went down in defeat. Even those agents with years of training were afraid to face him.

Even in the temple, he was a man who was respected for it was quite common for the other monks to come to him for advice. He was already at the point in his development where other monks would spend their lives working to achieve.

In the only recorded video of him standing up against six so-called professionals in a demonstrative fight, not one had been able to land a hand on him. It was only by playing the video at half speed that could you see the blur his movement created.

Yong Ling knew he was being followed but he did not know why. Since his adopted son had been left at the US embassy the Chinese authorities had left them alone. Until this morning. He was going through the local open market checking out the wares the vendors were selling when he first noticed her. Hers was a face he had not seen in a long time.

Once it was established that he was the reason she was here. He had to know the reason why? He had led her into a local park where he was now waiting. Having safely stashed his purchase for a fast pick up later he had moved himself so he could get himself in a spot where he could overpower her.

As she came through the semi-private area for the third time looking for what she had lost he caught the scent of her perfume and realized who she was. Yong Ling reached out and pulled her back into his chest and put his hand over her mouth to silence any sound she might make.

"nǐ shì shuí? nǐ xiǎng yào shén me?" Which means who are you and what do you want."

As he held her, she reached into her pocket and took out her business card. The first thing he read was that she was with the American consulate. He let her go and listened.

"nǐ de yǎng zǐ yǒu wēi xiǎn. nǐ huì shuō yǔ ma?" She replied. He was surprised because she said his adopted son was in danger then asked if he spoke English.

"I speak seven languages English is one of them," Yong Ling said, "Why do you think I am the right man?"

"Wuming's real name is Dirk Campbell," The lady responded. "I'm Susan Wong, I was part of the security team that got him out of the country."

Susan Wong watched looking to see if they had found the right man. Looking to see if tears would fill Yong Ling's eyes. Instead, she saw the look of death because he knew the name, she had given him was false.

"Who and why are they coming after him?" The master asked no expecting the truth.

"Scott contacted us on Friday, he found the file and successfully got in after figuring out the clue that his father had left for him," She said, "he said that his father had proved his own father was selling government secrets to the Chinese authorities. The attack on the Christian community was a cover-up so they could in the eyes of the world legally get away with executing them."

"The American government is nothing but a ship of fools," Yong Ling said with authority. "For years they have been sending money to support the Christian community in my country with the full knowledge of knowing the government just seizes it all because they believe it will buy votes back home."

"They will be coming after him," Susan Wong explained. "We suspect they will try to draw him using a female whose first name is Suling. Her father is the man that you know as Le Chey."

Yong Ling raised his hand and went into a seldom-used move one that is only passed on by the secret six masters to the one chosen to replace them.

Using the technique of the Bak Mei which is a highly sophisticated fast and aggressive system so seldom used that it was rarely seen within the Chinese martial arts community. Using the ging (sacred power) his hand and arm went from stillness to knocking her in less than four seconds. To the untrained eye, it would be seen as an act of brutal force but the way he had taken her out would not leave a mark.

After catching her he laid her down in the brushes. Using his hands and fingers he touched on the scalp in six places and whispered. "Fawn Wang, when they find you, you will report back to those who sent you that I was not the one you were looking for. We talked but I had no clue to anything you were implying. You will go to Madame Wing's and offer your services as a whore willing to serve anyone as per your supervisor's orders."

Madame Wing would make sure that the assets her latest recruit had brought would bring in lots of money. She loved taking down the high and mighty when given the opportunity. From the moment she entered the house she would be painted like all her girls making it hard for her to be found. Once broken in she would offer her to the rich and powerful government officials who were her top paying clients then move her down as the newness of her wore off.

Yong Ling for the second time in his life had been forced to use his knowledge to change the direction of a person's life. The first one he still had second thoughts about. This one he would not because he had seen her for weeks trying to sneak into the temple just before he had taken his son to safety.

Today he would go about his business as if nothing had happened but come tomorrow when the American embassy unlocked their doors, they would find him waiting. It was time for the six masters to travel for the first time to America and for them to learn their internal security was compromised.

If Dirk was indeed facing trouble, he needed to get to him. Dirk would need to have the full teachings that were locked in his mind to use as needed to guide him on the road ahead. It had been hard to get the other five of the secret six to go along with his adopted son being the one to pass the ways of the old on.

But when he explained the mental strength the child had to use to resist the lashes, he had to take because he refused to give up the cross. Even they had been impressed. Thus, at the age of about ten Dirk had begun learning what a true master could do when called upon.

Most had to have experienced life before they were chosen that's why certain guards had to be put in place so that the knowledge could not be misused as he grew up.

The ging was strong in him, perhaps the strongest that he had ever seen. When each lesson had been learned to his complete satisfaction. He would go to where Dirk was sleeping and block it in his mind.

What every master of the Bai Mei was able to do was make the impossible possible by bending the rules of physics when needed to create an advantage. Most of the special effects they used in martial arts movies were juvenile in comparison to what they could do.

When Fawn Wang failed to report in at the appointed time her supervisors started becoming concerned. When she missed the second one, they started to worry because losing contact with Gungwu Wang's granddaughter meant a major problem for those assigned to handle her.

If she were not found soon someone would come in the night and take those who were considered responsible away. At the start of the next day, it would be as if they never existed. Those who knew of their disappearance knew better than to ask lest they suffered the same fate.

********

Fawn Wang awoke in the brush, her mind was foggy, her purse was missing along with her identification and her electronic devices. The last thing she remembered was being sent out on a routine assignment, but she could not remember where.

Slowly as her mind cleared things became clear. She had gotten herself mugged while on the way to Madame Wings to offer herself as a recruit. Her supervisors must have had gotten approved to take her down. For that to have happened it must mean that major cleansing was to be taking place in the upper areas of the government.

Prostitution had been illegal for years, but Madame Wings operations had been allowed to flourish because of it serving the greater good. The party used her as the means to set up those deeded troublesome to any change of agenda the United Front wanted to bring forth.

It made removal of them easy for breaking the law. If it was a low life they were sent to prison for a lot of years, if it was higher-ups who held power, they were sent to North Korea's prison work camps where they were never heard from again. It was believed to be a sentence of death because it was believed the average time, they survived there was less than seven years.

Fawn Wang wondered as she headed to her assignment if her supervisors were behind her mugging to make it easier for her story to be sold to Madame Wing.

Madame Wing was in total shock. She had gone into her private office to take a private call when she saw a former classmate from school standing there waiting for her.

She did not know that Little Ling had become a Zen monk.

"It's been a long time, my old friend," Wu Wing said. "What brings you here after all these years?"

"Have you ever heard of the one they call the Wuming?" Wong Ling asked.

"Yes, the upper crust was upset that he got away," Wu Wing answered. "We lost quite a few clients because of him getting out of the country."

"They sent an agent to talk to me about that matter," Wong revealed. "Sadly, she now believes I know nothing."

"Why does that concern me?" Wu asked.

"The very nice looking lady now believes she has been ordered to come and work undercover as a whore in your stable," Wong said. "To begin to investigate you. With her assets, she will be a very profitable source of income. She should show up within the next twenty-four hours."