"Cold" War

The almost always taciturn Chairman smiled.  “Genius,” the great one gloated.  “Do what is necessary.”

The first of the Air China flights departed for carefully chosen target cities within hours; pilots and crew chosen because they’d shown westernized characteristics, having been contaminated over time by the superficial ideals embraced by the elite of the cities the planes regularly serviced.  Passengers were similarly contaminated businessmen and women with a scattering of undesirable dissidents mixed throughout. 

Wuhan was the chosen city of origin.  Dubbed “China’s Chicago,” the transportation hub assured the disease would spread rapidly, domestically and internationally.

Eight weeks later the Chairman again sat in the War Room.

“Report!”

“Comrade Chairman.  I am extraordinarily honored to report the experiment was a total success in nearly every respect.  We have clearly won the first battle in our new war against the decadent West.”

“More!”  It was the first time anyone had heard the Comrade actually chuckle.

“The infection process was incredibly successful.  An invisible, odor free agent carrying the virus was easily disbursed throughout train and bus stations and in our airport.  An adequate incubation period for the disease assured distribution around the world well before the disease began to show in our own population.  We’ve seen the world’s economic system suffering  devastating dislocation and panicked populations are still demanding wholesale changes in their own governments.”

“All that and not a single soldier lost,” the Chairman mused.  “How soft the West is.  The new virus is ready?”

“Yes, Comrade.”

“Launch phase two!”