that the Yankees are bombing Bangkok, that their Marines are landing in
the city, but nothing confirmed …”
Hsiao’s fingers tightened their grip behind him. “What else?”
“General Kol is waiting outside. He wishes to see you most urgently.”
Hsiao turned and smiled. “That I can believe.”
“Radar reports unusual air activity between here and Bangkok. There are
also rumors of troop movements on the road north of Chiang Mai. Colonel
Wu believes that an attack may be imminent and requests a meeting with
you at your earliest convenience.”
Hsiao sighed. “Very well. Tell Colonel Wu I will see him in ten
minutes. At his office.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell that pig of a Burmese general to come in. I will deal with him
now.”
The aide made a wai and backed out of the room. A moment later, General
Kol entered, his chubby face flushed with anger. “I have heard rumors,
General,” Kol began. “Rumors that the Americans are attacking.”
“That is nonsense, Kol.”
“You said that there would be no direct confrontation with the
Americans.
You claimed the damage done to their ship would drive them away.” He
shook his head stubbornly. “Our agreement never called for armed
conflict with the Yankees. I am returning to Burma with my men. Now.”
Hsiao laughed. “It is a little late for that now, don’t you think,
General Kol? Haven’t you heard the reports? That army forces are
closing in on U Feng even as we speak! Your pathetic little army would
be trapped and cut down before it got within five kilometers of the
border!”
Kol swallowed. “Nonetheless,” he said. “My men will not fight the
Americans. What do we have to gain from such a confrontation?”
“I’m paying you enough, General. Your men will do what I demand of
them.”
“We’ll see about that.” He turned away.
“Have you forgotten General Xiang?” He drew his Type 62 pistol and
pointed it at Kol’s head. “That, my fat friend, is the price of
crossing me!”
Kol turned again, and his eyes bugged out at the sight of the gun. His
mouth worked soundlessly for a moment, then he licked his lips. “I
didn’t mean, General, that …”
“The situation is under control, General kol,” Hsiao said. “As planned,
the Thais have committed themselves to an attack on our forces here at U
Feng.
Our aircraft and anti-air missiles will sweep their planes from the sky.
When the skies belong to us, we shall rain destruction upon the That
forces and crush them. You, General Kol, can be a part of the victory,
or a casualty.
Which shall it be?”
“I-I support you, of course, General,” Kol said. His eyes were wide as
he stared down the pistol’s muzzle. “I simply wish to provide counsel
… to advise caution. Provoking the Americans is a terrible risk.”
“I will handle the Americans, if it comes to that,” Hsiao said. “You do
what I tell you to do.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Get out of my sight. You make me sick.”
The general bobbed his head and departed. Hsiao reholstered the pistol.
Kol would have to be killed, of course, and quickly. It would have been
foolish to trust the man fully before. Now, afraid and insulted, he was
far more dangerous. But the execution would have to be handled
carefully, to avoid alienating the expatriate Burmese troops in his
command.
Too, the defeat of the That assault on U Feng would generate yet more
impetus for the mutiny, perhaps even convince the King and his ministers
in Bangkok to support the dissident officers’ faction. The body of a
Burmese general would be a fine, added touch, proof that Burma had been
behind the communist rising in the north and the capture of U Feng. That
might satisfy the Americans as well, who would still be wondering about
the loss of one of their planes in the area and smarting from the attack
on their carrier.
Burmese involvement would explain so much.
If Kriangsak were still alive, he would pull the whole thing together in
Bangkok. Hsiao frowned. Loss of contact with Kriangsak was worrisome.
It was possible that the attack in the capital had gone badly, that