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  EMBASSY OF THE EMPIRE

  A JAMES ACTON THRILLER

  J. ROBERT KENNEDY

  About the James Acton Thrillers

  "James Acton: A little bit of Jack Bauer and Indiana Jones!"

  Though this book is part of the James Acton Thrillers series, it is written as a standalone novel and can be enjoyed without reading the other installments.

  What readers are saying about the James Acton Thrillers Series:

  “A great blend of history and current headlines.”

  “You stop breathing from the first page.”

  “If you like Indiana Jones then you will love these stories.”

  “The Acton series is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable series I have read.”

  “Non-stop action that is impossible to put down.”

  Get 5 Free eBooks!

  Award winning and USA Today bestselling author J. Robert Kennedy has sold over one million books, and is now giving some away for free! Join The Insider’s Club to be notified when new books are released, and as a thank you, get his 5 book Starter Library for free along with other bonus materials available nowhere else!

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  BOOKS BY J. ROBERT KENNEDY

  * Also available in audio

  The Templar Detective Thrillers

  The Templar Detective

  The Templar Detective and the Parisian Adulteress

  The Templar Detective and the Sergeant's Secret

  The Templar Detective and the Unholy Exorcist

  The Templar Detective and the Code Breaker

  The Templar Detective and the Black Scourge

  The James Acton Thrillers

  The Protocol *

  Brass Monkey

  Broken Dove

  The Templar’s Relic

  Flags of Sin

  The Arab Fall

  The Circle of Eight

  The Venice Code

  Pompeii’s Ghosts

  Amazon Burning

  The Riddle

  Blood Relics

  Sins of the Titanic

  Saint Peter’s Soldiers

  The Thirteenth Legion

  Raging Sun

  Wages of Sin

  Wrath of the Gods

  The Templar’s Revenge

  The Nazi’s Engineer

  Atlantis Lost

  The Cylon Curse

  The Viking Deception

  Keepers of the Lost Ark

  The Tomb of Genghis Khan

  The Manila Deception

  The Fourth Bible

  Embassy of the Empire

  The Special Agent Dylan Kane Thrillers

  Rogue Operator

  Containment Failure

  Cold Warriors

  Death to America

  Black Widow

  The Agenda

  Retribution

  State Sanctioned

  Extraordinary Rendition

  The Delta Force Unleashed Thrillers

  Payback

  Infidels

  The Lazarus Moment

  Kill Chain

  Forgotten

  The Detective Shakespeare Mysteries

  Depraved Difference

  Tick Tock

  The Redeemer

  The Kriminalinspektor Wolfgang Vogel Mysteries

  The Colonel’s Wife

  Zander Varga, Vampire Detective Series

  The Turned

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Table of Contents

  The Novel

  Preface

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Acknowledgments

  Don't Miss Out!

  Thank You!

  About the Author

  Also by the Author

  For Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, Canadian citizens held hostage and in violation of international law by Communist China since December 10, 2018.

  “The South China Sea islands have been China’s territory since ancient times. It is the bounded duty of the Chinese government to uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime right and interests.”

  Chinese President Xi Jinping September 2015, National University of Singapore

  “The plot at the east window has been exposed.”

  Ancient Chinese Proverb

  PREFACE

  In 2015, the People’s Republic of China began dredging activity in the South China Sea on Cuarteron Reef, in territory claimed by five other nations including the Philippines and Taiwan. Before the end of the year, the Chinese had expanded the reef into 57 acres of useable land, including helicopter pads as well as gun, radar, and missile emplacements. By 2016, photographs suggested anti-aircraft and missile defense systems had been installed.

  Over the next couple of years, six other artificial islands were created by the Chinese government in the same area known as the Spratly Islands, and claims were then laid to the waters surrounding these manmade islands in contravention to international law.

  In response to these illegal actions, various navies have begun Freedom of Navigation Operations through these disputed territories, to signal to China their claims are not only against international law, but are also not recognized under the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III). Countries including Japan, Australia, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States have sailed these FONOP missions.

  On September 30, 2018, the USS Decatur was forced to take evasive action to avoid the Chinese destroyer Lanzhou, which had made increasingly aggressive moves toward the American
vessel, coming as close as 135 feet to the Decatur, risking collision.

  The Chinese government has claimed these FONOP missions are in violation of their law, and have vowed to put an end to them, following through with increasingly aggressive actions toward vessels legally traversing through unfounded territorial claims.

  It’s only a matter of time before something goes horribly wrong.

  1 |

  Hyatt Place Luoyang Luoyang, China Present Day

  Special Agent Yan Shengtao’s adrenaline was pegged as he climbed out of his car. The official records on his targets said they were staying at the Hyatt, so he had put two men on the hotel just in case they returned. Not ten minutes ago, he received a report that one of the targets had been seen entering the hotel alone. It was the first sighting of either of them, and the first indication that Professor Cao might be telling the truth. He was disappointed the sighting didn’t include both of them, but he had little doubt that should he capture one, and have the local English media report that fact, the other would surrender.

  He sprinted toward the doors, the staff pulling them open, fear in their eyes at the sight of his Ministry of State Security identity card held out in front of him, and the dozen uniformed personnel with whom he had arrived. He turned to face his team. “Nobody gets in or out. Two on this door, the rest of you find the other exits.”

  They split off to execute their orders as he scanned the crowd, mostly Westerners cowering in fear as they lined up at the counters, desperate to flee the country they were here to no doubt exploit, before war broke out. He shoved his way through the crowd and smashed his fist on the counter, putting the fear of the state into the young woman behind it. He held out his tablet with the screen split, showing the names and pictures of his targets. “What room are these people in?”

  The woman said nothing, her entire body trembling as she tapped at her keyboard. “Seven-Twelve.”

  He held out his hand. “Give me a key.”

  She unclipped a passkey from her waist and handed it to him. He forced his way toward the elevators, and a few minutes later was inside their room. It was a suite unlike any he had ever seen outside of a movie or a television show, and it made no sense to him. There was nothing in the files he had been provided that suggested they could afford anything such as this. How they could possibly do so raised enough red flags that he now understood why the Politburo was after them. They must be criminals of some sort, perhaps stealing from his country. His government obviously hadn’t been able to prove anything, and was now taking advantage of the current situation to possibly pull them in for interrogation when they previously couldn’t.

  But the real story was that neither of his targets were here, though there was evidence someone had been. Clothing dumped on the bed suggested whoever had been here was searching for something. His eyes widened.

  Passports!

  He headed from the room and pointed at one of his team. “Search the room top to bottom. Report anything unusual.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He headed back down into the lobby to find the additional personnel he had ordered had arrived, the hotel now buttoned up. He walked over to a gathering of the unit commanders. “Search the hotel, top to bottom.” He tapped a few menu items on his tablet, sending the photos of the targets to all of those within the area, including those in front of him. He indicated one of the pictures. “This one was seen entering the hotel fifteen minutes ago. I want them found.”

  “Yes, sir,” echoed the unit commanders.

  “They arrived here by vehicle, so there’s a chance they might still be in the area. Have your people on the lookout.” He headed for his car as there was nothing he could do here now. He was certain they were long gone, and unfortunately his mandate didn’t include roadblocks that would impact the local citizenry.

  The question was, where were they heading, and what was so important they would risk coming back to their hotel room? Unfortunately, for the moment, there was only one person who might provide those answers, and he sat in an interrogation room, cooperating fully, with no leverage he could use against the man to make him reveal any secrets he might be holding back.

  Like why one of the 25 members of the Politburo that controlled the Communist Party of China, wanted him to arrest Professors James Acton and Laura Palmer.

  At all costs.

  2 |

  Imperial Palace Luoyang, Han Empire 166 AD

  Stunning.

  That’s the only word Lucius Seneca could think of as he took in everything around him. Absolutely stunning. It rivaled anything he had seen at the Imperial Palace in Rome, though he was certain anyone who hadn’t witnessed the seat of the Roman Emperor before would react in much the same way he was now. It wasn’t necessarily that this was more opulent than the palace back home, it was that it was different. The colors were bright and vibrant, the patterns intricate and unfamiliar, the uniforms worn by the honor guard unlike any he had seen before. It was an impressive, awe-inspiring sight, and his heart pounded with the excitement of standing here, by his father’s side, facing Emperor Huan, whose throne room this was.

  The journey to get here had been long and arduous. They had crossed on horseback through the farthest reaches of the Empire, then sailed by boat across seas upon which few Romans had ever ventured, then finally, their guide had brought them northward until they reached the capital of the domain this emperor they stood before claimed as his own. The journey had taken almost two years, and they had lost many. But they were finally here, and the heavy price paid would now hopefully prove worth it, though only if the man before them granted his blessing to establish the first embassy of the Roman Empire in the fabled land at the opposite end of the Silk Road.

  The Han Empire.

  If Emperor Huan denied them their request, there were only two possibilities. He would execute them for some perceived affront, or they would be sent home to Rome facing years more of torturous travel, with the knowledge they had failed in their mission. Emperor Marcus Aurelius had dispatched them to establish trade relations and a military alliance. It was believed the two empires had several common enemies whose territory lay between their lands, and should they form a military pact, they could attack on two fronts, thus eliminating their mutual threats, allowing the establishment of firm trade routes between the two wealthy empires.

  He eyed their guide and translator, Nedum, a man found at a seaport halfway through their journey who not only spoke Latin, but also the language spoken here in the Han Empire, or at least that was what he claimed. The few people they had in Rome who had been to the Han Empire, didn’t speak the language, and had only succeeded by finding translators along the way. If this man did indeed speak the language of the Han Empire, then everything would hopefully go smoothly. And all evidence suggested he did indeed, for he had managed to get them from the borders of the Empire and into the palace, though there were on occasion smirks and laughter as apparently his fluency was questionable.

  Nedum took a knee and bowed deeply, waving his hand at the Roman contingent, indicating they should follow his lead. His father immediately did so, though Lucius hesitated. This man was not his emperor, and the only men he would show fealty to would be Roman. A tug on his sleeve had him glancing down at his father who glared at him.

  “Take a knee now, or you walk back to Rome tonight.”

  He frowned, but complied.

  Huan spoke and the translator did his job, though Lucius was no longer paying attention, for he had spotted something far more interesting. To the side of the throne stood a group of young women who appeared to be servants of another, ornately dressed, and more breathtaking than anything he had seen in his life. She was staring directly ahead, her face expressionless as her emperor spoke. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. His stomach filled with butterflies as he realized this entire journey, even should it end in failure, would have been worth the effort merely for these few moments gazing upon this magnificent creature. br />
  One of the servants whispered in her ear and she turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his. He smiled, and his heart hammered then nearly stopped when a sliver of a smile appeared on her flawless face.

  His father rose unnoticed beside him as he continued to share the mesmerizing moment with this beautiful woman. A hand grabbed his shoulder and hauled him to his feet as Huan stepped forward to greet them. His father and the others executed a salute, which he hastily delivered a moment later, his eyes darting back to the beautiful woman whose stoic expression had returned, her eyes again directed at her emperor.

  “The Emperor would like to present his daughter, Princess Jieyou.”

  Lucius’ heart leaped as the young woman stepped forward with her entourage.

  Princess!

  She bowed, as did his father.

  “It is an honor to meet you, Princess Jieyou. May I present my son, Lucius.”

  Lucius bowed deeply, as did she, and as he rose, their eyes once again met, a hint of a smile appearing in the corner of her lips, and he was certain he spotted a twinkle in her eye. That he was interested in her was beyond question, and he had no doubt she had picked up on that fact. Yet princesses were spoken for, mere pawns in the game of politics their fathers played day in and day out. She was no doubt already betrothed to the son of a rival to her father that would cement some treaty—and if she weren’t, it was merely because it hadn’t yet been necessary.

  And the sons of ambassadors from empires too far away to be of strategic importance to this empire would never be worthy of such an honor, and any hopes he might have had of getting to know this woman better were dashed upon the rocks of diplomacy the moment her identity had been revealed.