The Bear and the Dragon - Tom Clancy [527]
It was different on the second floor. The major there didn't hesitate at all. He had his men level their rifles and fire one volley high, just to scare them off. But these students didn't scare. Many of them crashed through doors off the main corridor, and one of these was the room in which the Politburo was sitting.
The sudden entrance of fifteen young people got every minister's attention.
"What is this!" Zhang Han Sen thundered. "Who are you?"
"And who are you?" the engineering student sneered back. "Are you the maniac who started a nuclear war?"
"There is no such war—who told you such nonsense?" Marshal Luo demanded. His uniform told them who he was.
"And you are the one who sent our soldiers to their death in Russia!"
"What is this?" the Minister Without Portfolio asked.
"I think these are the people, Zhang," Qian Kun observed. "Our people, Comrade," he added coldly.
Into the vacuum of power and direction, more of the students forced their way into the room, and now the guard force couldn't risk shooting—too many of their country's Leadership was right there, right in the field of fire.
"Grab them, grab them! They will not shoot these men!" one student shouted. Pairs and trios of students raced around the table, each to a separate seat.
"Tell me, boy," Fang said gently to the one closest to him, "how did you learn all this?"
"Over our computers, of course," the youngster replied, a little impolitely, but not grossly so.
"Well, one finds truth where one can," the grandfatherly minister observed.
"So, Grandfather, is it true?"
"Yes, I regret to say it is," Fang told him, not quite knowing what he was agreeing to.
Just then, the troops appeared, their officer in the lead with a pistol in his hand, forging their way into the conference room, wide-eyed at what they saw. The students were not armed, but to start a gunfight in this room would kill the very people he was trying to safeguard, and now it was his turn to hesitate.
"Now, everyone be at ease," Fang said, pushing his seat gently back from the table. "You, Comrade Major, do you know who I am?"
"Yes, Minister—but—"
"Good, Comrade Major. First, you will have your men stand down. We need no killing here. There has been enough of that."
The officer looked around the room. No one else seemed to be speaking just yet, and into that vacuum had come words which, if not exactly what he wanted to hear, at least had some weight in them. He turned and without words—waving his hands—had his men relax a little.
"Very good. Now, comrades," Fang said, turning back to his colleagues. "I propose that some changes are needed here. First of all, we need Foreign Minister Shen to contact America and tell them that a horrible accident has occurred, and that we rejoice that no lives were lost as a result, and that those responsible for that mistake will be handled by us. To that end, I demand the immediate arrest of Premier Xu, Defense Minister Luo, and Minister Zhang. It is they who caused us to embark on the foolish adventure in Russia that threatens to bring ruin to us all. You three have endangered our country, and for this crime against the people, you must pay.
"Comrades, what is your vote?" Fang demanded.
There were no dissents; even Tan and Interior Minister Tong nodded their assent.
"Next, Shen, you will immediately propose an end to hostilities with Russia and America, telling them also that those responsible for this ruinous adventure will be punished. Are we agreed on that, comrades?"
They were.
"For myself, I think we ought all to give thanks to Heaven that we may be able to put an end to this madness. Let us make this happen quickly. For now, I will meet with these young people to see what other things are of interest