The Spy Devils by Joe Goldberg (top rated books of all time .TXT) 📕

“Well, then. That is nice to know.” Bridger closed his eyes and absorbed the tone of her voice, the cadence of her words, and the words she was using.

“Goodbye, Trowbridge.”

Lovely, he thought. This is already messed up and it hasn’t even begun for real.

27

Kill the Devil

Taipei, Taiwan

Li Chu, the covert MSS Bureau X assassination team leader, remained bunkered in his Shida/Guting neighborhood apartment safe house eating pineapple cakes and drinking Long Dong Lagers. Before he sequestered himself in this section of Taipei, he told his few remaining men to stay concealed.

For the last two days, he searched the internet and monitored the media for any coverage of his men's deaths.

Aided by the exposure from the Spy Devils, Taiwan media were pushing conspiracy theories so fast on the captured men's identities and intentions that they were causing a traffic jam on Taiwan’s internet superhighway. Comparing the similarities to other incidents in countries in the region during the last year, Chinese assassins were at the top of the list.

Li Chu noticed the Taiwan government had not released anything on the two men found dead in the Taiwan National Police headquarters' basement cells. That would be a scandal.

Dressed comfortably in jeans, AC/DC t-shirt, and sporting a new black beard, Li Chu looked out the large window. He waited for the inevitable encrypted communication from Deputy Minister Chen. It would undoubtedly read something like: Your mission is over. Return to Beijing. You will be reassigned. Li Chu knew what that meant: You are a political embarrassment. Come back to Beijing so we can shoot you in the head.

Going back was not an option.

Killing the leader of the Spy Devils was his only mission.

A buzz on his encrypted phone brought him back to his current situation.

“Yes?” he answered.

“Where are you?”

Li Chu stood out of view and scanned out the large window to the street activity five stories below. Students with backpacks and shoppers with bags were moving along the crowded sidewalks. Cars. Trucks. Scooters. Regular people going about their business. No hit-team. No rifles on roofs across the street. No apparent threats.

“I am safe,” was all he said.

“I understand,” Chen replied. “I will be knocking on your door in ten seconds. I have two of my security men with me. You are not in danger. Please do not shoot me.”

Li Chu tossed the phone and snapped away from the window like he had been hit by lightning. He pulled his T75 out of the waist of his jeans. He pointed it down a short hallway across the room at the door. Crouching low, he stepped to one side to avoid being directly in the way of any bullets that would come from the direction of the door. With his eyes focused and gun leveled, he stuffed an extra magazine of ammo into one pocket. He felt his knife folded in the other.

A soft knock came. Then again.

Li Chu regulated his breathing and calmed his nerves. He would kill anyone that came through the door if they had a gun in their hand.

Another knock. The knob wiggled with a slow metal squeak.

“I am unarmed. Please unlock the door.” When Li Chu didn’t answer, Chen whispered again. “I will have my men move away.” Li Chu heard some voices and footsteps. A few seconds later, he heard, “They are gone.”

Li Chu kept his weapon ready as he walked across the room, unlocked the multiple door locks, and stepped to the side.

It opened a few inches. A set of hands came through the crack. Raised. Empty.

When Chen’s head appeared, Li Chu put the gun to his temple, grabbed his shoulder, and pulled him in. Chen glanced at Li Chu with a look of impatience.

Li Chu kept the gun against Chen’s head like it was glued on.

“Wait.” Li Chu locked the door with his free hand. Chen ignored him and walked into the living area. “Stop!” Li Chu shouted.

Chen stopped in the middle of the room next to the coffee table. His demeanor was all business in his black suit, white shirt, and narrow, striped tie. A thin smile was on his lips.

“If you shoot me, you will not hear the good news,” Chen said, making sure his jacket was on straight.

Good news? Li Chu moved so his back was against the wall keeping his body away from the window.

“What good news?”

Chen sighed and shook his head. He looked around the room, then turned toward Li Chu.

“I will get directly to the issue. The Standing Committee of the State Council has terminated Bureau X. The global exposure of your failures has been too great. There are too many considerations in jeopardy with the scrutiny. It is their consideration that the risk is not worth the reward. I am to recall you to Beijing. You and your remaining associates are to be reassigned within their original organizations, but, truthfully—much like your missions—you will be arrested for causing embarrassment to the CCP and then disappear.”

“That is the good news?” Li Chu said, applying a little more pressure on the trigger.

“Not at all, but you had to expect this, of course.” He kept his eyes on Li Chu. “You can lower your weapon.”

Chen saw the box of cake and made an approving face. He reached down, picked up the last piece, and took a bite. He nodded, then waved the cake in front of him. “A little dry, but still delicious.” He set the remaining cake back in the box.

Li Chu kept his face calm, and his gun raised.

“I still have not heard the good news.”

“Oh, yes. I spoke personally with the president, who agreed with me that you should not be recalled to Beijing. He continues to see value in your work silencing the enemies of China, as I do. The Standing Committee is not aware of it, but he has overruled their decision. He and I have other plans for you and the remaining members of your group.”

“I have my own mission.”

“The Spy Devils.