SOMETIMES THE DRAGON WINS

Chin Zhonghua Renmin Gonghehuo, the Peoples Republic of China, achieves a technological triumph with its late 21st century deployment of a “space elevator” rising from an equatorial mountain peak in Borneo. Blackmailed into performing a “suicide” mission to penetrate the space elevator’s closely guarded secrets, then temporarily sabotage operations, UN Intelligence Agent Rodolfo “Rudy” Cateel becomes unwittingly embroiled in a subterfuge hatched by China’s counterintelligence director, who is frightened to think economic overkill might result in a thermonuclear holocaust, also believes simulating an artificial hiatus will allow China to “save face.” The operation goes awry when a Nipponese double-agent is instructed to do away and perform totally destructive sabotage.