The Hidden Trap

    The Hidden Trap

Suzanne Marsh

I have never been one to turn down an photographic assignment, this one, the last one one I would ever take, began in early spring. The editor of Harrowing Experiences heard through the rumor mill that a South China Tiger had been spotted, it was extinct, or so most of the world thought. I accepted the assignment, all I had to do was take of picture of the tiger. I had no idea how difficult this assignment would prove to be. John Franks, my editor handed me my passport, I was going to China. This I had not expected, China was not my idea of a country I wanted to visit, they were very strict about photographer taking pictures inside the country. John assured me, I had all the proper credentials, Renmenbi which is referred to RMB, their currency. My flight was booked and I would be leaving later that evening. My destination was Hainan Island, my flight from JFK Airport left on time. I dozed off for several hours.

I had never heard of Hainan Island, where the South China Tiger had been seen. I decided to check out the Island, and Li Chen. My hotel reservation was for the Lotus Hotel located on Hainan Island. I saw pictures of the deep azure blue South China Sea, and a rocky island, with palm trees swaying. The picture was captivating. The I began to check out Li Chen, she was worth over a billion dollars. Her father Xzong Chen formed an international shipping concern, when he died she had inherited the compound. Pictures showed high concrete walls, concertina wire, it appeared to be impregnable.

Thirty hours later after several stop overs the plane finally landed at Dfo Haikou International Airport. I disembarked, following the signs to the passport checkpoint, a notation was made on my passport that I was a correspondent. John must have given some thought to this assignment, he usually forgot the press pass but not this time. Once my passport was stamped and cleared, I rented a Suzuki Jimny, it was not a luxury car but that could not be helped, I had a limited expense account from the magazine. I drove to the Lotus Hotel, dropped off my luggage; I called an old contact of mine, Jim Nichols, we worked together on several stories, he was stationed in Beijing. I explained that I needed as much information as he could obtain Li Chen, and an extinct South China tiger. Nichols told me he would get back to me.

I decided that it might be a good idea to take a ride out to Li Chen’s estate, nose around a little. I drove in silence, the radio in the Jimny did not work, I followed one of the winding rounds up into a small mountain area, overlooking the South China Sea. It was gorgeous, the lush green grass, the azure blue sea, palm trees. This would be more like a vacation I thought momentarily. I caught a quick glimpse of activity out of the corner of my eye. Suddenly I was facing down the barrel of ten QCQ-171 9mm Submachine guns, Chinese Army issue. I sat perfectly still, waiting for whatever was going to happen. A slightly built Chinese man approached, motioning me to get out of the vehicle:

“What are you doing here? This is private property, you will now, not return.”

I nodded my agreement, turned the Jimny around, then proceeded down the mountain, my heart racing faster than the car was moving at sixty-five miles per hour. I must have stumbled accidentally on the rear of Li Chen’s estate, that was where the GPS had led me. The estate was more of a fortress, than a home.

The trip back to the Lotus Hotel had me recollecting my last time in China, it had been a lead I received from Oscar May, Bejing was in turmoil at the time, I covered the Tiananmen Square Protest barely making it out of Bejing alive, that was June 4^th, 1989, almost thirty five years ago, I was ready to retire, once I returned from this assignment. I was back in my hotel room when the phone rang, it was John:

“Hey man, how was your trip?” I calmly told him:

“John, I am retiring after this assignment. I drove out to Li Chen’s estate, got to the

back of the place, found myself surrounded by ten of her men with submachine guns.

I saw no sign of an extinct tiger, at least not back there. What is so damned important

about that tiger any way?”

I could hear John taking a deep breath:

“The tiger is secondary, aside from the fact that the tiger belongs to China, not her. Li Chen

is a smuggler of artifacts, jewels especially jades, we also thing she is smuggling drugs

and human beings. Be careful, she has people everywhere, if you are caught, you don’t

have diplomatic immunity in China, you could be put in prison. She also has control of

the entire island.” I could feel my temper rising:

“John you picked a hell of a time to inform me about her controlling the entire island.

I think the best thing is for me to leave China now, before things get out of hand.”

John, never one to be deterred:

“I know I am asking a great deal but this South China tiger is very important, they

are supposed to be extinct however if she has a few roaming her estate, the Chinese

government is going to want them. With an exclusive like this, you could win the

Pulitzer Prize. You can retire knowing that you did it it all.”

I was like a terrier with a bone:

“Somehow I doubt that, I just want to live to get out of China and back home in the

good ole US of A.”

I began to feel as if I were in the Twlight Zone, and soon very soon Rod Sterling was about to appear at any moment. I slammed the phone down, damn John, he had better have some back up plan.

Morning dawned and I dragged myself out of bed, grabbed a cup of coffee, then drove toward Li Chen’s estate. I parked the Jimny in a small grove of trees, then strode down the road, as if I did not have a care in the world. I began to notice signs KEEP OUT, KEEP OFF PROPERTY! I noted camera’s on small tree branches, this place was as heavily guarded as Fort Knox. I needed to find a way in there, I drove back to the hotel placed a call to information, I was going in the front door of the mansion, I wanted to meet Li Chen face to face. I wanted to ask her questions, about the tiger, just to see her facial expression. I spoke to her representative, stating that I wished to interview her. I was told after being on hold for five minutes, that if I could be there in twenty minutes she would see me. I drove like a man possessed, I arrived, picked up the phone told whoever that I was here to interview Li Chen. I was shown to her home office and seated, I waited. Li Chen was not exactly what I had expected, she was young and beautiful, her long black hair hanging loosely down her back, she was dressed in jeans and a sweat shirt. I opened my note pad, my first question was:

“Is it true you have several South China tigers?” I should not have blurted it out like that but she almost smiled:

“Yes, there are four, would you like to see one? I can take you down to their pens.”

I had not expected this:

“Yes, I would. Don’t they belong to the Chinese government?” She smiled:

“No, they belonged to my father, he kept them hidden during Chairman Mao’s

idea to get rid of pests. Pests such as mice and sparrows, my father decided

to capture two tigers one male and of course one female. He bred them, the result

are the four we have here. Shall we go?” I smiled at her;

“Yes, what can you tell about breeding them? What if the Chinese government finds out

about those tigers? Won’t they try to take them? She grabbed keys to her Jeep:

“Breeding them is difficult, the tigers are old now. They are the last of the South China

tigers. I believe if the government knew, they would take the tigers away, if they were

to find out I could find myself in prison or they could execute me. That is why I have

cameras all over my estate, at times I feel as if I am under siege but at least I am safe here.”

We returned to the mansion, I was genuinely glad I had come to talk to her, I thought perhaps John’s information was wrong. I saw no signs of smuggling or anything else. I was escorted out to my car after thanking her for the interview.

There was no warning, suddenly there were Chinese soldiers converging on the estate. I was trapped, Li Chen saw what was happening, she sent several of her men to bring me back. They motioned me out of the car, and toward the mansion. Once I was inside, Li Chen wanted to know if I had been followed, I told her I must have been but how could four old tigers be that important? She motioned me toward a wall, pushed something and we were in a tunnel leading to the South China Sea.

We reached the last step when she suddenly pulled a PPK pistol pointing it at me:

“I want to know what your real purpose here is. If you do not tell me I will turn you

over to the tigers, there will be no remains when they are finished.”

This made me realize why it was time for me to retire I looked her in the eye:

“I came do to a story on the tigers, you gave me the story. Look lady, I am a reporter

and I am ready to retire. I don’t have any knowledge about what you are asking me,

please believe me.”

She put away the PPK and I sighed a sigh of relief. We remained hidden for several hours as the Chinese Army roamed over the estate. We were hidden behind lotus trees, when I felt a PPK at the back of head. I stood up, my hands in the air, she did the same. A colonel who spoke English strode over to me:

“You are under arrest for treason, do you know what we do with people who commit treason?

We execute them. Now sir you will come with me.” He gave a shout in Chinese and Li Chen was lead away. The colonel gave me a shove, I swallowed hard as I walked. The PPK was removed from my back. The colonel stopped then spoke:

“We are here because we have been attempting to capture Li Chen, we know she is smuggling

drugs and occasionally human traffic. Your editor had your state department contact our

state department. He told us you were on assignment, have you seen the tigers? Are they

South China tigers, they have been extnict for sometime. If she has them we will confiscate

them, attempt to breed them. We are hopeful we can bring them back. Now sir, will you

take me to them.”

I found the path I had been on, we strode toward the cages where the tigers were kept. They were such beautiful animals, I thought perhaps Li Chen’s father had been correct in his thinking about the safety of the big cats.

Two days later, I was on my flight home, the moment I set foot on American soil I thought about the hidden trap I almost walked into. I had to remember to thank John for getting me out of there before I had been sitting in a prison cell in China. I retired the next day. The story was front page news, not bad for a retiree.