DRAUMRS - Dreamweavers - Book Two

8 - Twenty Paces

The deployed team of Red Clan cousins was growing in numbers, as Cherry's plan stepped through each final stage of implementation. Briefing notes told new arrivals most of what they needed to know. Most would not be involved on the dreamscape, but many might be needed to deal with the fallout of injuries or unexpected complications on the ground.

The annual meeting of the globe's 20 most powerful economic countries was happening in the Peoples' Republic of China (PRC) for only the second time. The 'G20' meeting was the culmination of a year's work by key advisers, Ministers of Finance, State Secretaries and Development Officers. The two-day meeting was the decorated and perfumed final stage, intended only for public inking of vague agreements and, for a brief period, for the heads of sometimes hostile governments to sit around an enormous table and supposedly seek solutions together for the world's problems. The host country was accountable only for the setting and the security. Although each host country had wishes for a progressive meeting filled with many accomplishments, few, in the know, expect these wishes to come true.

The Hong Kong/Shenzhen meeting location would take over the Shenzhen Mission Hills Resort, newly reopened near the scenic Tiegang Reservoir. The idyllic setting was inspired by 500-year-old tapestries of the locale that depicted a dream-like vision of mountains and water. Every detail at the five-star resort was aligned with this vision. Guests would feel like they are entering the soft and welcoming dream vision of the ancient artists.

Most of the various country delegations, including their princes, presidents, chancellors and prime ministers would be housed on the resort, taking over either entire wings, complete floors or just a few suites, depending on how self-important they feel and how self-indulgent they are. The public and most of the regular resort staff will be shoed far away from this warren of ego-driven politicians and their spouses.

For some accredited attenders, the resulting privacy will allow a little drunken debauchery among old friends. For others, the secluded setting will afford the slim possibility that a late-night congress might actually achieve some dressed-down progress on the sticky issues that carry too much political baggage for consensus discussion in the light of the day. Suffice to say, the Far East location will sufficiently disrupt westerner sleep rituals to ensure that someone is up and wandering just about any time during the night.

The resort is conveniently surrounded by the open land of the golf courses and the reservoir edge, making it relatively simple to isolate from any who would disturb the tranquillity of the leader's meeting. The location in PRC also helps the assurance of calm surroundings. Unlike more liberal, and more unruly, past meeting locations such as Toronto, London or Seoul, there is little risk of disruption by mass issue-driven protests or by the actions of determined anarchist groups. The President of PRC, and conference chairman, expects that no cars will be burning outside the conference site this time around. Ten years in jail wait for any who would cause him to be disappointed.

The G20 will bring together several players who are critical to the success of Cherry's strategic endeavor for Russia, and by extension for himself and his Red Clan, and, of course, for world peace, although the latter is an afterthought and will be slightly delayed in coming. Escalating tensions also help; with some of the powers represented currently balanced upon the knife-edge of restraint, needing only a small push, one way or another, to let the dogs of all-out war loose.

America will be represented by its blustering president and his somewhat mysterious first lady. Their presence is useful to ensure that the American media spotlight is fully on the conference. The U.S. has been actively moving to disengage from global responsibilities outside its narrow self-interest wherever it can. With no obvious accountability for the disruptive events on the horizon, the expectation is for a 'run-away' American reaction to the furor of the involved governments.