18

"Without the government's knowledge? That's dangerous."

Yes, I do not need to be informed of that," says Zhu crisply. "However, what I do, I do for China. I simply do not believe that the Nazis have my nation's best interests at heart, or indeed that working with them will stand us in good stead in the long run. A time will come when Germany goes to war with the other Western powers, and I do not believe that Germany will win. When that day comes, it will do China no good to have sided with the loser."

"What would happen if the chairman found out what you were doing?"

"I would be executed," Zhu says without showing any flicker of emotion. "Such a discovery would be very easily manipulable by the more pro-German elements in the government. My loyalty to the chairman would be called into question. I am loyal to my party and my nation, Dr. Spillane, but I understand that my actions on this question could easily be made to tell another story."