The White Mountain (20 page)

Afterwards he went across, holding Karr to him fiercely. ‘I am so pleased for you, Gregor. I always hoped…' He stopped, choked by the sudden upsurge of feeling.

Karr laughed, then pushed him back to arm's length. ‘What's this, my friend? Tears? No… this is a time for joy, for today my heart is fuller than it has ever been.'

He turned, raising a hand. At the signal the doors behind him were thrown open, revealing a long, high-ceilinged room, all crystal and lace, the tables set for two hundred guests.

‘Well, dear friends, let us go through. There is food and drink, and later there will be dancing.' He looked across at his bride, smiling broadly, holding out his hand until she joined him. ‘So… welcome, everyone. Tonight we celebrate!'

The golden eye of the security camera swivelled in its dragon-mouth socket, following Shou Chen-hai as he approached. Moments later the door hissed back. Beyond it, in the tiled entrance hall, the Chief Steward was waiting, head bowed, a silken indoor robe over one arm.

Shou Chen-hai let Wong Pao-yi remove his outside garments and help him on with the lightweight
pau
. He breathed deeply, enjoying the cool silence of the anteroom, then turned, looking at his servant. ‘Where is everyone?'

Wong Pao-yi lowered his head. ‘Your first wife, Shou Wen-lo, is visiting her mother, Excellency. She will be back in the morning. Your second wife, Shou He, has taken the boys to buy new robes. She called not long ago to say she would be another hour.'

Shou nodded, satisfied. ‘And Yue Mi?'

The old servant hesitated. ‘She is asleep, Excellency. Would you have me wake her and send her to your room?'

Shou laughed. ‘No, Steward Wong. Later, perhaps. Just now I'd like a bath.'

Wong Pao-yi bowed his head again. ‘It is already poured, Excellency. If you will come through, I will see to your needs personally.'

‘There's no need. Just bring me a drink.'

Alone in the bathroom, he kicked off his thin briefs, then set the wine cup down and peeled the
pau
over his head. Naked, he stretched, feeling good, then lifted his wine cup, toasting himself. The girl had been good. Much less tense than before. Much more willing to please him. Doubtless that was her mother's doing. Well, perhaps he would reward the mother. Send her some small gift to encourage her. Or maybe he would have them both next time, mother and daughter, in the same bed.

The thought made him laugh, but as he turned he slowed, sensing another presence in the corridor outside.

‘Wong Pao-yi? Is that you?'

He took a step forward, then stopped, the heavy porcelain wine cup falling from his hand, clattering against the side of the bath.

‘What the fuck…?'

It was a man, dressed in the orange and yellow work fatigues of Maintenance, standing there, a handgun raised and pointed at him.

‘Wong Pao-yi!' Shou called, staring back at the man, conscious of his nakedness, his vulnerability. ‘Wong Pao-yi, where are you?'

The man laughed softly and shook his head. ‘Been having fun, Shou Chen-hai? Been fucking little girls, have we?'

Anger made Shou take two more steps before he remembered the gun. He stopped, frowning, seeing the odd look of enjoyment on the man's face.

‘What do you want?' he asked. ‘All I have is in the safe in the study. Cards, cash, a few other bits and pieces…'

‘I'm no thief, Shou Chen-hai. If I were, I'd have taken you earlier, in the corridors.'

Shou nodded, forcing himself to stay calm. If this were one of the rival Triad bosses trying to muscle in on the deal he had made with the Big Circle, then it would not do to show any fear in front of one of their messenger boys. He puffed out his chest, wearing his nakedness like a badge of courage.

‘Who sent you? Fat Wong? Li the Lidless? Or was it Whiskers Lu?'

The man waved the gun impatiently and thrust a piece of paper at him. Shou Chen-hai turned his head slightly, not understanding, but at second prompting took the paper. Looking down at it, his stomach turned over.

It was a terrorist pamphlet. Itemizing his crimes. Saying why they had had to kill him.

‘Look, I…' Shou began. But there was no arguing with this. No way of dealing with these bastards. His only chance was to jump the man. But as if he knew this, the man took a step backwards, pulling back the safety. He was watching Shou intently, his eyes gloating now.

‘Been having
fun
?' the man insisted, jerking the gun forward, making Shou jump and give a tiny whimper of fright. ‘Been fucking little girls?'

Was that it? Was it someone hired by his underling, Fang Shuo? And was all this business with the pamphlets merely a cover? He put out one hand, as if to fend off the man.

‘I'll pay you. Pay you lots. Much more than Fang Shou paid you. Look, I'll take you to the safe now. I'll…'

‘Shut up!'

The man's mouth was formed into a snarl, but his eyes were cold and pitiless and Shou Chen-hai knew at once he had been mistaken. He was a terrorist. There was no mistaking that mad gleam, that uncompromising fanaticism.

‘Your kind revolt me,' he said, raising the gun and pointing it at Shou's forehead. ‘You think you can buy anything. You think…' He stopped and turned abruptly, following Shou's eyes.

A second figure had come into the corridor. She too wore the orange and yellow of Maintenance. Taking one look at how things were, she raised her gun and came forward.

‘What the fuck do you think you're doing?'

The man gave a visible shudder of anger then turned back, facing Shou Chen-hai. Even so, his face had changed; had lost its look of hideous amusement. Shou could see immediately how things stood between the two – could sense the acid resentment in the man – and at once began working on a way to use it. But it was too late.

Ywe Hao pointed her gun and fired, twice, then, a moment later, a third time, standing over the slumped, lifeless body to make sure it was
dead. There was blood on the ceramic tiles. Blood in the glass-like water of the bath. She turned and looked at Vasska, her anger making her voice shrill.

‘You fucking idiot! I've had to send Erika to do what you should have done. Now go! Go and link up with her. Now!'

The man huffed out his resentment, but lowered his gun and began to turn away. He was two steps across the room when he stopped and turned back.

‘Someone's coming! I can hear footsteps!'

She looked up at him, shaking her head. He was such a fool. Such a bloody amateur. Why did she have to get him on her team? Quickly she placed the papers on the corpse. Then, straightening up, she went out past Vasska and into the corridor. At the far end a man had come into view – barefoot, it seemed, and in his indoor clothes. As he came closer, she recognized who it was. It was the Security guard, Leyden.

‘No…' she said softly. ‘Please, no…' But he kept coming. A few paces from her, he stopped.

‘Chi Li… What's going on? I thought I heard shots. I…'

His voice tapered off. He was frowning and looking at the gun in her hand, part of him understanding, another part refusing to understand.

She shook her head. There wasn't time to tie him up. No time even to argue with him. Training and instinct told her to shoot him and get out, but something held her back. Vasska, coming alongside her, looked at the man and raised his gun.

‘No…' she said, reaching out to restrain his hand. ‘Let him go. He's not armed.'

Vasska laughed. ‘You're a fool. Soft, too,' he sneered, forgetting what she had done in the other room. ‘Let's kill him and get out.'

Leyden was looking frightened now. He glanced from one to the other and began to back away. Vasska stepped forward, throwing off Ywe Hao's arm, and aimed his gun. But he didn't have a chance to fire it. Two more shots rang out and he fell forward, dead.

Leyden looked at Ywe Hao, his eyes wide, his mouth open.

‘Go!' she said, her eyes pleading with him. ‘Go, before I have to kill you, too!' And she raised her gun at him – the gun that had killed Shou Chen-hai and Vasska. He hesitated only a moment, then turned and ran, back up the
corridor. She watched him go – heard his footsteps sound long after he was out of sight – then, stepping over Vasska's corpse, walked slowly down the corridor, the gun held out in front of her.

The lights had been dimmed in the reception room, a space cleared for dancing. A small troupe of Han musicians had set up their instruments in one corner and were playing a sprightly tune, their faces beaming as they watched the dancers whirl about the floor.

Chen stood to one side, watching as Karr led his new wife through the dance. He had never seen the big man so happy; never seen that broad mouth smile so much, those blue eyes sparkle so vividly. Marie, facing him, seemed almost breathless with happiness. She gasped and laughed and threw her head back, screeching with delight. And all about them the crowd pressed close, sharing their happiness. Chen grinned and turned his head, looking across at his own family. Jyan and young Wu were sitting at a nearby table, sipping their drinks through straws, their eyes taking in everything. Beside them sat Wang Ti, her heavily swollen belly forcing her to sit straight-backed, her legs apart. Even so, she seemed not to notice her discomfort as she held Ch'iang Hsin's hands, twirling her baby daughter this way and that to the rhythms of the music.

Chen smiled, then took a deep swig of his beer. It felt good to be able to let go. To relax and not have to worry about what the morning would bring. The last six months had been murderously busy, getting the new squad ready for active service, but after tonight both Karr and he were on a week's furlough. Chen yawned, then put his hand up to smooth his head, surprised, for the briefest moment, that his fingers met not flesh but a soft covering of hair. He lowered his hand, frowning. A lifetime's habits were hard to shift. He was always forgetting…

He made his way back, catching Karr's eye as he circled the dance floor, lifting his glass in salute.

‘Are you all right?' he asked Wang Ti, crouching at her side. ‘If you're feeling tired… ?'

She smiled. ‘No, I'm fine. Just keep an eye on the boys. Make sure they don't drink anything they shouldn't. Especially Wu. He's a mischievous little soul.'

Chen grinned. ‘Okay. But if you want anything, just let me know, eh? And if you get tired…'

‘Don't nag me, husband. Who's carrying this thing – you or me? I'll tell you straight enough when I want to go. All right?'

Chen nodded, satisfied, then straightened up. As he did, the door at the far end swung open and a uniformed guard came into the room. Chen narrowed his eyes, noting at once that the man was a special services courier. In one hand he held a Security folder. As he came into the room he looked about him, then swept off his cap, recognizing Karr.

Chen went across, intercepting him. ‘I am Captain Kao,' he said, standing between Karr and the man. ‘What is your business here?'

The courier bowed. ‘Forgive me, Captain, but I have sealed orders for Major Karr. From Marshal Tolonen. I was told to give them directly into the Major's hands.'

Chen shook his head. ‘But this is his wedding night. Surely…?' Then he caught up with what the man had said.
From Tolonen
…

‘What has been happening?'

The courier shrugged. ‘Forgive me, Captain, but I am unaware of the contents, only that it is a matter of the utmost urgency.'

Chen stood back, letting the man pass, watching as he made his way through the dancers to stand before Karr.

Karr frowned, then, with a shrug, tore open the wallet and pulled out the printed documents. For a moment he was still, reading; then, grim-faced, he came across.

‘What is it?' Chen asked, disturbed by the sudden change in Karr's mood.

Karr sighed, then handed Chen the photostat of the terrorist pamphlet. ‘I'm sorry, Chen, but we've work to do. It looks like the
Ping Tiao
are active again. They've assassinated a senior official. A man named Shou Chen-hai.'

‘Shou Chen-hai…' Chen looked up from the pamphlet, his mouth fallen open. ‘The
Hsien L'ing
from Hannover?'

Karr's eyes widened. ‘That's right. You knew him?'

But Chen had turned and was looking at Wang Ti, remembering what she had said only that morning – the argument they had had over the rumours of the man's corruption. And now the man was dead; murdered by assassins. He turned back. ‘But your wedding night…?'

Karr smiled. ‘Marie will understand. Besides, it will be sweeter for the waiting, neh?' And, turning away, the big man went across.

The first corpse lay where it had fallen, on its back on the bathroom floor. The face was unmarked, the eyes closed, as if sleeping, but the chest was a mess. The first two high-velocity shells had torn the ribcage apart and spattered the heart and most of the left lung over the far wall, but whoever had killed him had wanted to make absolutely sure. A third shot had been fired into the man's gut after he had fallen, haemorrhaging the stomach and large intestine and destroying the left kidney.

Chen had already seen the computer simulation produced by the medical examiner on the scene, but he had wanted to see the damage for himself; to try to picture what had happened. He knelt there a moment longer, studying the dead man, fingering the fine silk of his bathrobe, then looked across at the fallen wine cup, the faintly pink water of the low-edged marble bath. The medical report showed that Shou Chen-hai had recently had sex. As for the wine, he had barely sipped at the cup before he had dropped it, presumably in surprise, for it lay some way from the body, the thick stoneware chipped.

He stood and took a step back, taking in the whole of the scene, then turned, looking out into the hallway where the second corpse lay, face down, the back of the orange and yellow Maintenance worksuit stained red in a figure-of-eight where the wounds had overlapped. Chen shook his head, trying to piece it together, but as yet it made no sense. The second corpse was supposedly a terrorist. His ID was faked and, as expected, they had found a fish pendant about his neck, a copy of the pamphlet in his pocket. But was that what they had been meant to find? Was this, in fact, a Triad killing and the rest of it a front, meant to send them off on the wrong track? It would certainly make sense of the explicit mention in the pamphlet of Shou's dealings with the Big Circle. If a rival Triad boss wanted to discredit Iron Mu or, more likely, to frighten off those who might think of dealing with him, what better way than to resurrect old fears of fanatical terrorists who struck like ghosts between the levels?