Chapter 23
The death of the Defense Minister
Under the sky of the Federation, it’s impossible that there would be the never been exposed inside story, and it’s even impossible to have a perfect plan leaving no clues and no traces. Once the inside story were revealed, the initiator were exposed, that would certainly receive the very malicious blow of the other party.
Thus in the recent ten Constitution Calendars this long period, the federal political struggle, has been away from the assassination and so on these kinds of unable see the light means. Also no longer any forces dare to assassinate the President, at least the forces of all the parties would always maintain the peace on the surface.
Therefore, the first day of the Constitution Calendar sixty-seven New Year, had the far away from the Capital the Coastal state gymnasium event happened, that shocked all the well-informed big shots in the Capital. This had already broken away from the rules of the game, it’s a kind of means not accepted by the whole class. All the forces at this moment, all expressed vaguely their support attitude to the Tai family, at least they would maintain neutral and silence.
The investigation work of the federal government, made the important progress in that early morning. Although the Second Military Region seven officers committed suicide, that brought another hand of pressure to the work of the FBI, but those staffs just turned in another direction, and continue to look into it.
The identities of the attacked the gymnasium VIP zone militants had been found out, those all killed militants, were the special company soldiers of the Coastal garrison command.
However, who issued the direct command to dispatch the troop, and who could let those loyal to the Federation soldier become the shameful assassination tools, still couldn’t be checked out temporarily. But the careful officials of the FBI, from that newly repaired cement wall in the underground parking lot of the gymnasium, dug out another quite valuable clue.
The subordinate engineer brigade of the First Military Region’s northern hemisphere headquarters, in the eve of the event, received this task. And the people who issued this command, although had already very carefully erased the information section which representing the identity in the message, but the dedicated second layer information brand of the military system, was ignored by that issued the command people.
A FBI agent, captured keenly this point, in the core statement layers of this command file, found out those several letters which labeled the identity.
This agent had a nickname in the FBI, it’s called “Fur Ball”. because all year round, he liked to wear the synthetic sweater.
The FBI kept investigating through the second information brand, then it all aimed at a male secretary in the Ministry of National Defense building.
The early morning of the Constitution Calendar year sixty-seven’s January three, the Ministry of National Defense building maintained its usual solemn and serene… and its hollowness. On the marble ground of the building hall has the federal army badge pattern painted with the gold powder, the silent but with the relaxed expression men and women officers, walked through on this pattern, in the very grand building, they looked like those on the other side of the federal electronic fence, on the boundless grassland, occasionally walked through few horses.
What happened the day before, the top officers of the Ministry of National Defense building had already known; what happened yesterday in the training center next to the building, most people in this building had already known. As for the news that the officers of the Second Military Region were arrested collectively, and then there were seven officers committed suicide, it’s believed that even the responsible for the cleaning this building the middle-aged women also had already known.
But these personnel working in the federal army core area, still kept the expression relaxed, the corners of the mouth still had the appropriate smile. Because this huge machine never would self-collapse because of the looseness or rust of one certain component.
The design style of the Ministry of National Defense is priority with the frosty style, the exterior wall has not adopted the can absorb the solar energy glass curtain wall, but choose to use the gray black color natural stone materials. The whole building is a square cube, and the seventeen floors height, let this square cube architectural style, look somewhat dull, it just looks like a box.
And in the talking inside of the federal departments, generally they would use “Box” to address the Ministry of National Defense. Because in the eyes of the general affairs officials, those soldiers of the Ministry of National Defense are just like the people set in the box. No matter the walking way or the acting way, always are that square, having the edges and corners.
In the second to top floor of the Ministry of National Defense building, that equals to next to the cover floor of the “Box” that floor, on the end of the corridor has a very quiet and deluxe office.
The vice-minister of the Ministry of National Defense Jason Young, was working in this office. He came to this office same as the usual half an hour earlier, after drank a cup of coffee to refresh, then he adjusted the military map of the S2 Region on the light screen, enlarged it to the four states surrounding the mountains area, he narrowed his eyes to view on it carefully, confirmed the spring offense of the federal troops, let the problems appear as few as possible on some commands.
Half an hour was passed very soon, his secretary still didn’t knock the door, and then brought in the BLT sandwich for him.
The vice-minister Young pressed on the remote controller in his hand, the map on the light screen disappeared. He silently walked to the side of the window, took a look at the beautiful Capital winter scene outside of the window, and then turned his back and sat on the sofa.
The secretary still didn’t come, but the phone on the desk rang. The vice-minister Young got the phone though, listened carefully and seriously for a long time, and he didn’t say a word.
After the phone call, he sat back to the sofa again, this time he didn’t pick up the coffee cup, but found a bottle liquor in the bookcase out, poured himself a glass and sipped slowly.
While he was drinking the amber liquid, this important character of the federal military was narrowing his eyes to think of something, completely not perceived normally he disgusted the most alcohol, would be so rough.
His secretary had been brought to be investigated, it looked like that he wouldn’t be able to come back. And the news he just received from the phone, the security adviser of the President had already entered the Ministry of National Defense hall, and was going to take the elevator, and come to his office.
The vice-minister Young wrinkled up his that aged eyebrows slightly, took out a file from the confidential cabinet by his side, and somewhat fascinated looked at it. About the assassination event happened in the gymnasium of the Coastal state, although he didn’t take part in the investigation, but the details about this event and the progress of the investigation, all would be sent to his hands according to the certain period of time.
Watching the other party getting close to himself step by step helplessly, this kind of feeling is not that great. Knew the news that his secretary was arrested, the mood of the vice-minister became relaxed a bit instead. What happened in the first day of the Constitution Calendar year sixty-seven, all were conducted under his prompt and instruction.
After the vice-minister Jason Young returned from the front line, he held the post of a lot of positions, the most respected job was the dean of the First Military Institute. With his status in the Federation, it’s enough to let those cooperated with him big shots, or even Mr. President himself, keep him at all costs, just like… those the day before committed suicide seven officers.
But he didn’t wish to do so, he put down the glass, came to the front of the computer, wrote an e-mail, and sent it to the related having received permission personnel.
“Forty years ago, I was a private soldier of the machine maintenance company in the Second Militar
y Region, I witnessed countless federal soldiers, for a great goal, sacrificed on the land in the Green mountains. Forty years later, I am the vice-minister of the federal Ministry of National Defense, have the full power to handle the spring offense for the Constitution Calendar year sixty-seven.”
“I never believe the words of the politicians, more reluctant to put the future of the Federation, to the hands of those not even seen the blood with their own eyes people.”
“Once served as the dean of the First Military Institute, I know it better than anyone, the sacred rule that the army must act under the law and the federal collective will. But I often think, if the law and the federal collective will, have already become the toys in the hands of some certain people, or the result of compromise among them, what on earth the army should do.”
“A grown up in a peaceful environment Mr. lawyer, in the circumstance without the government authorized, reached some kind of agreement with the traitors, in my opinion, this is collusion, this is surrender. I think that I have to stop this thing.”
“Maybe the history will sentence that I am wrong, but… I would rather die than admit I am wrong.”
After the e-mail was sent, the vice-minister Young heaved a sigh gently, many sacrificed in the war with the anti-government army colleagues emerged in his heart, his eyes fell on the file in his hand once again.
This assassination, was to prevent the reach of that so-called settlement agreement, kill Charlie Tai, that has long history family naturally would fall into decline or even collapse. And the senator Palmer who they support, in such a situation, surely wouldn’t be elected as the President. Then the eve of the New Year, the agreement reached between the senator Palmer and the anti-government army… perhaps would never have that day to accomplish.
The reason why this vice-minister chose Charlie Tai rather than that he called lawyer in contempt senator as the target, because in his opinion, kill palmer, the skin cowardice and ready to surrender at all times Tai family, still could choose other political cooperation partner, that couldn’t resolve the problem ultimately.
The vice-minister fell his eyes on a inconspicuous name on the file. If he had what regret in his heart right now, of course would be the assassination plan which was elaborated by his those loyal subordinates, was unable to succeed unexpectedly. That heir of the Tai family, incredibly survived in the attack of the mecha. According to the put down in writing investigation after the event, which played a key role therein, the character saved Charlie Tai twice in succession, no doubt is that have died young student-- Sheilor.
The vice-minister Young drank off the liquor in the glass in a gulp, and then opened the drawer, took out that have already accompanied him for many years old pistol, somewhat clumsily turned the muzzle around, and put it into his mouth.
He paused for a moment, gasped heavily and sharply for a few times, and then pulled the trigger.
The stuffy sound spread all over the whole floor.
The door of the minister office was forcibly burst open, the grey hair President security adviser and the Defense minister pushed the blocked in front military police aside, crowded to the front. They looked at the in the sofa the dead body of the vice-minister Young, looked at that large shocking red on the wall behind the sofa, and silenced for a long time.
“He can’t accept to be brought to trial.” the federal security adviser said in a low voice, “perhaps this is the best result.”
The Defense minister took down his army cap slowly, took that paper which the staff passed to him by his side, looked at that e-mail printed on the paper, he silenced for a long time and said, “rather die than admit he is wrong, at least… it’s a kind of dignified way to die.”