Assassin’s Revenge–A David Slaton Novel
Chapter 62: Sixty-Two
by Larsen, WardIn Chapter Sixty-Two, Slaton remains closely aligned with CIA operative Sorensen, recognizing her resources as critical to his mission. Without her support, his only option would be a near-impossible solo infiltration into North Korea to locate his abducted family. The tension is palpable as they strategize in an army dining hall, surrounded by oblivious personnel. A sudden call to Sorensen’s secure phone shifts the dynamic—her demeanor hardens, signaling urgent developments. Slaton, already on edge, prepares for action, sensing the stakes have risen.
The call reveals a breakthrough: the discovery of two Chinese Y‑5A transport planes linked to Park’s organization, which were used to move stolen highly enriched uranium (HEU). By cross-referencing flight data with intelligence from El-Masri’s files, the CIA traces these aircraft to theft sites in Pakistan, Ghana, and Kazakhstan. One plane was later abandoned in the Marshall Islands, while the other remains unaccounted for. Sorensen hints at a potential HEU stockpile on Friendship Cay, a dredged island in the South China Sea, though the materials may have already been moved.
Slaton, familiar with the region from past sailing trips, quickly grasps the implications. He presses Sorensen for details, learning that one plane was recently found empty in Majuro, its crew vanished. The CIA is mobilizing resources, including satellite surveillance and naval support, to track the second aircraft. Slaton insists on immediate action, directing Sorensen to arrange a jet for him to head east—toward the Marshall Islands—as a starting point. To his surprise, Sorensen announces she will accompany him, leveraging her authority to expedite the mission.
The chapter concludes with three converging trajectories in the Pacific: a trawler with a determined crew, the remaining Y‑5A transporting nuclear material amid turbulent weather, and Slaton and Sorensen’s high-speed jet. Each group advances at different speeds, setting the stage for a high-stakes confrontation. The urgency and global scale of the operation underscore the escalating threat, with Slaton’s personal mission now intertwined with a broader nuclear crisis.
FAQs
1. What evidence suggests that Park’s group was involved in transporting stolen highly enriched uranium (HEU)?
Answer:
The CIA’s analysis revealed that Park’s company-owned Y-5A aircraft were present near locations of HEU thefts in Pakistan, Ghana, and Kazakhstan during the relevant timeframes. By cross-referencing air traffic records, ownership history, and surveillance imagery, they established a pattern of these aircraft appearing near theft sites and subsequently flying toward Southwest Asia. One plane was tracked to Friendship Cay (formerly Glorious Dawn), a dredged island with a runway, suggesting it served as a storage site. This evidence strongly implicates Park’s group in the logistical movement of stolen nuclear material.2. How does the chapter illustrate the collaborative dynamic between Slaton and Sorensen?
Answer:
The chapter highlights their partnership through complementary expertise and mutual reliance. Sorensen provides critical intelligence resources (e.g., air traffic algorithms, satellite coordination) and tactical support (arranging Slaton’s transport), while Slaton contributes field experience (recognizing the Y-5A aircraft) and operational decisiveness. Their banter (“I’m glad you’re on my side”) underscores mutual respect. Notably, Sorensen insists on joining Slaton’s mission, demonstrating her shift from a desk-bound analyst to an active participant, while Slaton accepts her involvement despite his lone-wolf tendencies—a sign of trust forged by shared urgency.3. Analyze the significance of the three converging travel paths in the chapter’s closing scene.
Answer:
The parallel trajectories—the trawler Albatross, the Y-5A carrying HEU, and Slaton/Sorensen’s Citation X—create narrative tension by emphasizing a race against time. Each vessel’s speed mirrors its role: the slow, deliberate trawler suggests a premeditated attack; the laboring Y-5A reflects the precarious transport of nuclear material; and the near-supersonic jet embodies rapid response. Their convergence hints at an impending confrontation, while the differing priorities aboard (religious devotion, fuel conservation, intelligence coordination) underscore the high stakes. This structure sets the stage for a clash between threat and countermeasure.4. Why is Friendship Cay/Glorious Dawn a strategically chosen location for storing HEU?
Answer:
The abandoned dredged island offers operational advantages: its remote location in the South China Sea minimizes scrutiny, while its small runway (built by China before abandonment) enables discreet air transport. As a failed territorial project, it likely lacks ongoing patrols or surveillance, making it ideal for covert storage. Slaton’s knowledge of the area—recalling its history and infrastructure—adds credibility to its selection. The chapter implies Park’s group exploited geopolitical “gray zones,” repurposing derelict sites for illicit activities, much like how criminal networks use unflagged vessels or stateless territories.5. How does the chapter use contrasting perspectives to heighten suspense?
Answer:
Suspense arises from juxtaposing Slaton/Sorensen’s investigative urgency with the methodical movements of their adversaries. While the CIA team scrambles to interpret data (“reallocating satellites”), the Y-5A crew focuses narrowly on weather avoidance, unaware their cargo’s swaying threatens disaster. Meanwhile, the Albatross crew’s religious fervor contrasts with Slaton’s pragmatic focus on rescuing his family. These divergent viewpoints—analytical, operational, and ideological—keep readers oscillating between hope and dread, uncertain which thread will collide first. The technique mirrors real-world intelligence work, where fragmented information obscures the full picture until critical moments.
Quotes
1. “Without her, and the vast resources of the CIA, he could imagine but one option: catch a commercial flight east, find a way to breach the North Korean border, and search an entire country single-handed. A definite challenge. But if that’s what it came down to, he would do it.”
This quote highlights Slaton’s determination and resourcefulness, showing his willingness to take on an impossible mission alone if necessary. It establishes the high-stakes nature of his quest and his relentless commitment to his goal.
2. “The files you gave us from El-Masri… Of the five caches of HEU allegedly stolen by Park’s group, we can place these aircraft at a nearby airport, and in the right timeframe, on three occasions. A fourth is probable, and we’re working on Belgium.”
This exchange reveals a critical breakthrough in the investigation, connecting Park’s aircraft to the theft of highly enriched uranium (HEU). It underscores the global scale of the threat and the CIA’s analytical capabilities in piecing together disparate clues.
3. “I explained that we don’t hack Chinese domestic air traffic control. I didn’t say anything about Vietnam or the Philippines.”
Sorensen’s witty remark demonstrates the CIA’s strategic intelligence-gathering methods and her own sharp competence. It also reveals how they tracked the suspicious aircraft movements without directly confronting China, showcasing the agency’s operational ingenuity.
4. “By six o’clock that evening, Hawaii-Aleutian Time, three sets of travelers were converging on a single point in the Pacific. They closed in at wildly divergent speeds.”
This passage sets up the climactic convergence of multiple parties, heightening tension as the trawler, Y-5A, and Citation X approach their destination. It emphasizes the race against time and the impending collision of their missions.