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“Ever heard of the Dniepr-Donetsk basin in eastern Ukraine?”
He shook his head
“In the 1950s the area was abandoned as a prospective place to drill No potential for oil production was the conclusion of the survey team We know this because an American well driller, a man named J F Kenney, was part of the team that studied the site with the Russians No source rock for fossil fuels was located there” She paused “Today, that basin contains more than 400 round The man who determined that to be the case is Lev Sokolov He was a Russian expert on the abiotic theory of oil”
“Hoe know that the survey tea, and there was oil there all the time?”
“It happened again On the Kola Peninsula, in northern Russia Another place that had no prospect of production—under the fossil fuel theory Yet the Russians drilled down seven as No one ever believed that ranite rock The fossil fuel theory would never support the finding, but the gas was right where Sokolov predicted”
“And now Washington is finally interested in all this”
“With a vengeance This could change the world balance of pohich explains why Karl Tang is interested Ivan’s right Tang’s a threat to us all If he assuion, across the globe, will be enormous Especially if he has unlimited oil at his disposal”
“President Daniels wants Tang stopped?”
“Actually, Cotton, ant him dead”
He understood the enormity of the statement America did not officially assassinate people
But it happened
“And you’re hoping the Russians do the deed?”
She shrugged “Enough that I forced myself into their business Ivan wasn’t happy to see h that Sokolov was alive, he sure did not want us involved”
“How did he know about me?”
“Froht that note to your shop, his ”
She’d left so out “And where were you?”
“Watchin
g too He infor at Tivoli only after you were already on your way there”
“So you already knew some of what Ivan told you back in the café?”
She nodded “I did I figured we’d have a talk”
“What did you know about Cassiopeia?”
“I had no idea she was being tortured”
He believed her on that one
“We’ve done thebecoht diplomacy He thinks China has been mistreated by everyone and he wants retribution He’ll reassert Chinese doht noe keep China in line thanks to its foreign energy dependence We maintain a sixty-day oil reserve, and Japan keeps a hundred China has barely ten days’ worth A naval blockade could easily choke the country into subh the Strait of Hor way from China, and we control both”
“So they behave the e could do?”
“Soh the threat is never voiced Bad for with the Chinese They don’t like reminders of weakness”
He was glad not to be a diplomat
“If Tang has unlimited oil available to hie we have China practically controls the world currency h we don’t like to admit it, we need China If Chinese oil wells flow forever, they’ll be able to expand their economy at will, force whatever policies they want, unconcerned about what anyone cares or thinks”
“Which makes Russia nervous”
“Enough that they justout”
Okay, he was convinced This was serious
“I know you edon Ivan 100 percent Still—”
“You need a little more help”
“So like that”
“I assume that means we have to find Sokolov before Ivan does And Cassiopeia seems the fastest route in”
She nodded “Let’s play the Russian’s ga the way, then that’s good for us If not, I need your help getting Sokolov away from them”