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“Pardon me, Mr President,” Rudi said, “but I’”

“The State Depart your Special Projects tea with local gangsters, accused of getting involved with an antigovern down a thousand-year-old castle Noe’re receiving intelligence out of China that all of Shanghai has gone into lockdown and a net has been spread across the city to locate two more ard NUMA operatives who snuck into the country like spies”

Rudi had been expecting heat to come down sooner or later “They’re not ard, Mr President They’re working on the sea-level issue, following up leads which suggest China lobally”

“They appear to have violated Chinese sovereignty in their efforts”

Rudi didn’t blink “I directed them to take whatever action was necessary in search of answers I’ll take responsibility”

The President appeared cross

Sandecker offered a comment “I told you Rudi wouldn’t pass the buck”

“Don’t cover for him, Jim”

“He doesn’t need ht”

The President turned to face Rudi once ht no precarious Japanese–A them the full-court press for over a year to beco bloc and o, they settled the

dispute about war criotiations Three o, they held joint naval exercises for the first tireement And, next week, the Japanese Parliament will vote on whether or not to remain bound by the mutual defense treaty with America”

“I hardly see how that—”

The President cut him off “Any untoward actions bla of the ancient temple has been played on nationalistic websites in Japan over and over for the last seventy-two hours”

Rudi waited to make sure the President was done “Not much I can do about that, Mr President The castle was not burned by our people It was, in fact, burned in an attempt to kill the occupants and the members of my team We believe the kill order came from China”

“I see”