would the prime minister of Great Britain prefer golf or polo during his visit, but world-shaking decisions. Ethan wasn’t the guy for this. He wasn’t someone a president should listen to about what to do regarding China. “Sir, I’m really not qualified—”
“Please, Ethan. I just need to chat it out with someone. I think my mind is made up, but I want to be sure.” Jack smiled softly. “And you really can call me by my first name.”
“Mr. President.” Ethan licked his lips and looked away. His thoughts spun on, swirling as he stared into the fire. He tried to focus on China, on Taiwan, on the dangers of invasion and the complications of icing out a global player on the world economy, but all he could see in his mind’s eye was the curve of Jack’s lips and the dimple in his cheek when he grinned lopsided at Ethan. Pine mixed with vanilla floated to his nose, and Ethan’s eyes closed as he inhaled, greedy for the scent. He was in so much shit. So much deep shit.
Sighing, he leaned forward, clasping his hands as he leaned against his knees. “I told you I’m not a politician. I can talk military, and I can talk protective detail. This isn’t either of those things.” He shook his head. “Whatever we do, it’s not going to be exactly what they want. What they want, sir, is equal footing and equal status. They want to be a co-world power. They always have. But we won’t give them that.”
“They’re not a world power. They’re a world influencer.” Jack’s interruption was smooth.
Ethan nodded. “Just their human rights issues alone knock them out of that race. So they try to force our hand. Take Taiwan. Surely, we’ll have to deal with them as equals now, right? At least in their mind.”
“So, the choice is to engage as equals or walk away entirely?” Jack waited for Ethan’s response.
“Middle grounds can be dangerous. Sometimes they’re just…holding zones to worse places.” Ethan cringed. “Look, I’m not good as this stuff—”
“No, you’re dead on target.” Jack hitched his leg up, tucking one foot beneath his thigh. “Give yourself more credit. You’re better than you think. And you’re right. I don’t want to engage them on equal footing. I don’t want to give them that satisfaction. They invaded an ally. Seized Taiwan. Now, they want to go back to where we were before all of that? No, not while Taiwan is under Chinese occupation. I want to keep them on ice.” He frowned, twisting his lips before he spoke. “But something still isn’t adding up for me. Why invade Taiwan and then go dark? They haven’t tried to make a spectacle of the invasion. They haven’t pressed their military or any of our other allies. When Putin invaded Ukraine, it was years of posturing. With China, it’s like they want to be forgotten. And now this?”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. All his years in the Army, in the Special Forces, were sending warning signals to his brain. “I agree, sir. Something isn’t right. Could they be biding time? Saving up their energy for a bigger show? A bigger threat? Is this just a distraction?”
“Possibly. But there’s no indication that they’re making any moves like that. They’ve all but stopped trying to incite Japan into a conflict over those damn islands. On top of that, they’ve beefed up their aid projects in Iraq. Building new hospitals, along with about four new oil pipelines. But they haven’t scheduled any new military maneuvers, no exercises in the South China Sea, or anywhere near our fleet. They’re just…silent.” He exhaled. “Until now.”
“So, do you see what they have to say, or do you give them the cold shoulder?”
“They haven’t given me any compelling reason to engage with them. It’s practically a summons.”
“The President of the United States is never summoned by anyone or any nation.”
Jack smiled. “No, the office certainly isn’t. The man, Jack Spiers? I can be humble.” He rubbed his face,
“Please, Ethan. I just need to chat it out with someone. I think my mind is made up, but I want to be sure.” Jack smiled softly. “And you really can call me by my first name.”
“Mr. President.” Ethan licked his lips and looked away. His thoughts spun on, swirling as he stared into the fire. He tried to focus on China, on Taiwan, on the dangers of invasion and the complications of icing out a global player on the world economy, but all he could see in his mind’s eye was the curve of Jack’s lips and the dimple in his cheek when he grinned lopsided at Ethan. Pine mixed with vanilla floated to his nose, and Ethan’s eyes closed as he inhaled, greedy for the scent. He was in so much shit. So much deep shit.
Sighing, he leaned forward, clasping his hands as he leaned against his knees. “I told you I’m not a politician. I can talk military, and I can talk protective detail. This isn’t either of those things.” He shook his head. “Whatever we do, it’s not going to be exactly what they want. What they want, sir, is equal footing and equal status. They want to be a co-world power. They always have. But we won’t give them that.”
“They’re not a world power. They’re a world influencer.” Jack’s interruption was smooth.
Ethan nodded. “Just their human rights issues alone knock them out of that race. So they try to force our hand. Take Taiwan. Surely, we’ll have to deal with them as equals now, right? At least in their mind.”
“So, the choice is to engage as equals or walk away entirely?” Jack waited for Ethan’s response.
“Middle grounds can be dangerous. Sometimes they’re just…holding zones to worse places.” Ethan cringed. “Look, I’m not good as this stuff—”
“No, you’re dead on target.” Jack hitched his leg up, tucking one foot beneath his thigh. “Give yourself more credit. You’re better than you think. And you’re right. I don’t want to engage them on equal footing. I don’t want to give them that satisfaction. They invaded an ally. Seized Taiwan. Now, they want to go back to where we were before all of that? No, not while Taiwan is under Chinese occupation. I want to keep them on ice.” He frowned, twisting his lips before he spoke. “But something still isn’t adding up for me. Why invade Taiwan and then go dark? They haven’t tried to make a spectacle of the invasion. They haven’t pressed their military or any of our other allies. When Putin invaded Ukraine, it was years of posturing. With China, it’s like they want to be forgotten. And now this?”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. All his years in the Army, in the Special Forces, were sending warning signals to his brain. “I agree, sir. Something isn’t right. Could they be biding time? Saving up their energy for a bigger show? A bigger threat? Is this just a distraction?”
“Possibly. But there’s no indication that they’re making any moves like that. They’ve all but stopped trying to incite Japan into a conflict over those damn islands. On top of that, they’ve beefed up their aid projects in Iraq. Building new hospitals, along with about four new oil pipelines. But they haven’t scheduled any new military maneuvers, no exercises in the South China Sea, or anywhere near our fleet. They’re just…silent.” He exhaled. “Until now.”
“So, do you see what they have to say, or do you give them the cold shoulder?”
“They haven’t given me any compelling reason to engage with them. It’s practically a summons.”
“The President of the United States is never summoned by anyone or any nation.”
Jack smiled. “No, the office certainly isn’t. The man, Jack Spiers? I can be humble.” He rubbed his face,
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