The China Affair: Part 2

By J. T. Gooch

The China Affair: Part 2 is a continuation of the first book, The China Affair. While it stands on its own, it is better understood with the background the first book provides. The characters of the first book transcend into the second one, although, again, they can stand alone. Moreover, to read the part 2 first will not distract from the first book; both books are connected but are independent of each other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796029871

J. T. Gooch

"A graduate of the University of Evansville and of Indiana University, J. T. Gooch has taught sociology, World War II, the History of the Vietnam War, and U. S. History survey courses at Madisonville Community College, Madisonville, Kentucky, since 1970. He is one of the founders of the Historical Society of Hopkins County and served as the first treasurer. He has studied Chinese history and has taught two summers at Changsha Education College, Changsha, China. He likes to tend his Indiana farm and to restore farm tractors.

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Copyright © 2019 by J. T. Gooch.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 06/27/2019

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CONTENTS

Preface

On the Way Home

The Task Force

The Ice Queen

Setting the Hook

The Pride of Chicago

Angela’s Fantasies

What Is Happening?

Time for the Chickens to Roost

The Walk

The Wild Card

The Wrap-Up

The Ceremony

Epilogue

For

Lily

Jack

Megan

Preface

The China Affair: Part 2 is a continuation of the first book, The China Affair. While it stands on its own, it is better understood with the background the first book provides. The characters of the first book transcend into the second one, although, again they can stand alone. Also, to read Part 2 first will not distract from the first book; both books are connected but are independent of each other.

The fictional characters are a composite of several individuals and maintain their integrity in both books.

Fiction and fantasy are fellow travelers. Fantasy fuels fiction as stories are often a figment of the imagination of the writer. The imagination of events can be exaggerated to levels of fiction as the writer has characters in the story that express their viewpoints in various ways. These viewpoints are fictional for it is the author that is saying them; the characters and story are vehicles a writer uses to say what is on his/her mind. So if a character says something that is, hopefully, profound, it is actually the author that is saying it.

History is full of such examples. If John Paul Jones did not actually say, We have only yet begun to fight, he should have. If Stovepipe Johnson in the Partisan Rangers of the Confederate States Army did not say when he walked into the hotel in Newburgh, Indiana, Don’t finger a trigger nor flicker an eye, we have you surrounded, he should have. History would be incredibly boring without some additional help from a little fantasy or exaggeration; of course, fantasy is no substitute for facts.

This story from beginning to end is fiction fueled with fantasy. The author disclaims any resemblance to a real situation or real people.

This just in! Our news room reports that law enforcement officials foiled an attempt to detonate a bomb in the Willis Tower, Chicago, Illinois. Information is limited but it is believed that three or four Chinese immigrants with links to a dissident group in China planned to create an incident in the United States to cause conflict between the two governments.

The Chinese government has pledged to assist in the investigation in all ways possible.

More news will be made available as soon as possible.

It was a beautiful, sunny morning at Jack’s farm in northern Illinois. The sun was just breaking above the horizon and streaming into the bedroom. It was nature’s alarm clock telling him it was time to get out of bed and to get moving. He was already awake but liked to watch the sunlight pour through the windows into the room.

A knocking at the door interrupted this tranquil scene. Jack hurriedly put on some clothes and walked down the short hallway through the kitchen and the utility room to answer the door. On the way, he glanced out the kitchen windows to see two Illinois State Police cars parked in the driveway. As he looked out the window next to the door, he saw one uniformed officer and one other person, presumably a plainclothes officer, standing on the porch.

Jack opened the door slowly and asked, May I help you?

The plainclothes person answered with a question, Is this the residence of Jack Thomas and are you Jack Thomas? I am Chief Detective Donald Matthews of the Illinois State Police, Northern District, and this is Sergeant Larry Jessup of the Illinois State Police, post number 9. We have urgent business with you. May we come in?

Jack looked at him with a puzzled look on his face for a moment or two and said, Please, my house is always open to law enforcement people. There is little to offer you at this time, but in a few minutes there will be some hot coffee and something to eat.

Matthews and Jessup walked into the kitchen, and Jack noted two other state police positioned at strategic places around the house.

Matthews asked, Would it be all right, Jack, if we took seats at the table, so I can briefly tell you why we are here?

Of course, that is a good idea, as I am curious why you would have any interest in me, replied Jack.

Matthews continued, Jack, I can only tell you brief details but we are here to escort you into the city [Chicago], not under duress or under arrest, but only if you freely and willingly go with us.

Jack looked even more confused and asked, Do I actually have a choice?

Yes, you do, Matthews replied, if you tell me right now you do not want to go, we will not say another word and we will leave. Do you trust us to act in your best interest? We will escort you to the city, provide for your lodging, and your expenses.

What is this all about? Jack asked cautiously.

Matthews answered that he could only give him the barest of information, but said he would be told when it was appropriate. That is why you must trust us at this time.

Jack said, If the Illinois State Police cannot be trusted, who can be? Let’s get moving.

Matthews smiled at that and said, "That is what I hoped