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?
Because the Ping Tiao were ghosts. They had been destroyed – their cells smashed, their leaders killed – less than six months ago. It was not possible that they could have rebuilt themselves in so short a time.
Chen took the copy of the pamphlet from his tunic pocket and unfolded it. There was no mention of the Ping Tiao anywhere on the pamphlet, but the Han pictogram for the word ‘fish’ – Yu – the symbol of the old Ping Tiao was prominent in several places, and the printing and style of the pamphlet were familiar. Even if the Ping Tiao itself had not survived, part of it – one man, perhaps, the brain and eye behind the original organization – had come through. Unless this was an intricate fake: a mask, designed to confuse them and throw them off the scent. But why do that?
He walked through, skirting the corpse. First Level was meant to be immune from attack – a haven from such violence. But that myth had just been blown. Whoever it was, Ko Ming or Triad, had just sent a ripple of fear throughout the whole of City Europe.
Karr was coming out of a room to his right. Seeing Chen, he beckoned him inside.
They had set up an Operations Room here by the main entrance. The room had been a store-cupboard, but they had cleared it and moved in their own equipment. Karr’s desk was at one end of the tiny room, piled high with tapes and papers. In a chair in front of it sat a middle-aged man wearing the uniform of Deck Security.
‘This is Wolfgang Leyden,’ Karr said, taking his seat on the far side of the desk. ‘It seems he knew the team who were responsible for this. More than that, he was witness to one of the killings.’
Chen stared at the man in disbelief. ‘I don’t understand.’
Karr looked to the man. ‘Leyden, tell Captain Kao what you just told me.’
Slowly, and with a faint tremor in his voice, Leyden repeated his story.
‘Well?’ said Karr. ‘Have you ever heard the like?’
Chen shook his head. ‘No. But it makes sense. I had begun to think this was some kind of Triad operation. One of the big bosses cutting-in on another’s deals, but now…’ Now he understood. The Ping Tiao really were back. Or something like them. ‘What else have we got?’
Karr looked up. ‘Surprisingly little. The woman did a thorough job on the deck communications system. For the three weeks they were here there’s no visual record of them.’
Chen laughed. ‘That isn’t possible.’
‘That’s what I thought. You’ve got Security guards checking the screens all the time. They’d notice if anything were being blanked out, neh? But that’s not what she did. The cameras were working, but nothing was being stored by the deck computer. The term for it is a “white-out”. It would only get noticed if someone wanted to refer back to something on the tapes, and with so little happening at this level, it’s rare that Security have
to make checks. I looked at their log. It was almost nine weeks since they last called anything from memory. You see, there’s no crime this high up. At least, nothing that would show as being crime.’
Chen frowned. ‘You said “she” just then when you were talking about the tampering with the computer system. How do we know that?’
Leyden spoke up. ‘She was good. I’ve seen them before, many times, but none of them were as good as her. I sat and watched her while she was at work. It was like she was part of the system.’ He paused, looking away, a sudden wistfulness in his face. ‘She was such a nice girl. I… I don’t understand.’
Chen leaned towards him. ‘You’re certain it happened as you said? The other… Vasska, you say his name was… he had already drawn his gun when she shot him?’
Leyden nodded. ‘He was going to kill me, but she wouldn’t let him. His gun was pointed at me. At my head.’ He looked up, his eyes searching Chen’s face. ‘You’ll kill her, won’t you? You’ll track her down and kill her.’
Chen looked down, disturbed by the accusation in Leyden’s voice.
‘I’ve read their pamphlet,’ Leyden went on, ‘and it’s true. I’ve seen them come here for meetings. Businessmen. And others. Others who had no legitimate business to be here. And I’ve seen the things he’s bought these past eight months. Things beyond his means. So maybe they were right…’
Karr raised a hand. ‘Take care what you say, friend. Captain Kao here and I… we understand how you feel. The girl saved your life and you’re grateful to her. But there are others who will be less understanding. They will take your gratitude for sympathy with the girl’s ideals. I would advise you to keep your opinion of the Hsien L’ing to yourself, Shih Leyden. As for your account…’
Karr hesitated, noting the guard who had appeared at the door. ‘Yes?’
The guard snapped to attention, bowing his head. ‘Forgive me, Major, but an official from the T’ing Wei has arrived.’
‘Shit,’ Karr said under his breath. ‘So soon?’
The T’ing Wei was the Superintendent of Trials, and his department was responsible for keeping the wheels of justice turning in City Europe, yet it was in the department’s other role – as the official mouthpiece of the State – that it was most active.
Karr turned to Leyden. ‘Forgive me, but I must attend to this. However, as I was about to say, your account will be entered in the official record and, if the matter comes to trial, will be offered in mitigation of the woman’s crime. That said, I’m afraid I can’t vouch that she’ll ever come to trial. State policy towards terrorism is, and must be, of the severest kind. To have exposed Shou Chen-hai would have been one thing, to murder him another.’
Leyden shuddered, then stood, bowing his head first to Karr and then to Chen. As he left, Chen looked across at Karr.
‘The T’ing Wei were bloody quick getting here. What do you think they want?’
Karr snorted in disgust. ‘To meddle in things, as ever. To bugger things up and muddy the clearest of streams. What else are they good for?’
Chen laughed. ‘Then we’ll be giving them our full cooperation?’
Karr nodded. ‘And dropping our pants for good measure, neh?’
The two men roared with laughter. They were still laughing when the official from the T’ing Wei entered, trailing four youthful, effeminate-looking assistants. All five were Han, and all had that unmistakable air of self-contained arrogance that was the hallmark of the T’ing Wei – a kind of brutal elegance that was reflected in their clothes and manners.
The official looked about him distastefully, then began to speak, not deigning to look at Karr.
‘I understand that a pamphlet has been circulated linking the Hsien L’ing with certain nefarious organizations.’
Karr picked up a copy of the pamphlet and made to offer it, but the official ignored him.
‘Our task here is to make sure that the truth is known. That this scurrilous tissue of lies is revealed for what it is and the reputation of the late Shou Chen-hai returned to its former glorious condition.’
Karr stared at the official a moment, then laughed. ‘Then I’m afraid you have your work cut out, Shih… ?’
‘My name is Yen T’ung,’ the official answered coldly, turning to take a folder from one of his assistants, ‘and I am Third Secretary to the Minister, Peng Lu-Hsing.’
‘Well, Third Secretary Yen, I have to inform you that it seems the accusations are true. Our friend the Hsien L’ing has been having meetings with people with whom a man of his… reputation… ought not to have associated. As for the funds relating to the Phoenix Health Centre…’
Yen T’ung stepped forward, placing the folder carefully, almost delicately, on the edge of Karr’s desk.
‘Forgive me, Major Karr, but inside you will find the official report on the murder of Shou Chen-hai. It answers all of the points raised as well as several others. Moreover, it paints a full and healthy picture of the dead man.’ Yen T’ung stepped back, brushing his left hand against his silks, as if to cleanse it. ‘Copies of the report will be distributed to the media at twelfth bell tomorrow. Shortly afterwards I shall be making a statement regarding the capture of those responsible for this heinous crime.’
‘A statement?’ For once Karr looked nonplussed. ‘Are you saying that we have until twelfth bell tomorrow to find the culprits?’
Yen T’ung snapped his fingers. At once another of his assistants opened the case he was carrying and handed him a scroll. With a flourish, Yen T’ung unfurled it and read.
‘“We have been informed by our Security sources that the four man Triad assassination squad responsible for the murder of the Hsien L’ing of Hannover, Shou Chen-hai, were, in the early hours of this morning, surrounded by forces loyal to the T’ang and, after a brief struggle, subdued and captured.”’
‘I see,’ Karr said, after a moment. ‘Then we’re to let things drop?’
‘Not at all, Major Karr. Your investigations will continue as before, but from henceforth any discoveries made will be screened by my office. I have the authority to that effect right here.’ He took a document from another of his assistants and handed it across.
Karr studied the authority a moment, then looked up again. ‘Then we’re to paint black white, is that it?’
Yen T’ung was silent, a fixed smile on his lips.
‘And the guard Leyden’s account?’
Yen T’ung raised an eyebrow in query.
‘We have a witness who saw exactly what happened. His account—’
‘Will be screened by this office. Now, if you will excuse me, Major Karr, there is much to be done.’
Karr watched the Third Secretary and his retinue depart, then sat back heavily, looking up at Chen.
‘Can you believe that? The arrogance of the little shit. And they’ve got it all worked out beforehand. Every last little detail.’
Chen shook his head. ‘It won’t work. Not this time.’
‘Why not? The T’ing Wei are pretty good at their job, and even if you and I don’t like what they do or the way they go about it, it is necessary. Terrorist propaganda has to be countered. It softens public opinion and that makes our job easier.’
‘Maybe, but this time I’ve a feeling that they’re up against people who are better at this than them.’
‘What do you mean?’
Chen hesitated, then said what had been on his mind all along. ‘Wang Ti. She knew about Shou Chen-hai. When we were getting ready this morning, she commented on him – on his corruption. It was most unlike her. Usually she has nothing to do with such tittle-tattle, but it seems that the rumours were unusually strong. I suspect someone seeded them long before the assassination. And then there are the pamphlets.’
Karr nodded. Yes, it would be hard to counter the effect of the pamphlets. In the past they had been circulated on a small scale, but reports were coming in that millions of the things had been distributed throughout the Lowers. All of which spoke of
a much larger scale of activity than before. And the assassination itself was far more subtle, far better planned than previous Ping Tiao attacks. Far more audacious. Whoever was behind this had learned a great deal from past mistakes.
Chen had gone to the door. He pulled it shut then turned, looking back at Karr. ‘So what now? Where do we begin?’
Karr lifted the pamphlet. ‘We begin with this. I want to know how much of it is true and I want to know how our friends the terrorists got hold of the information.’
‘And the two women?’
Karr smiled. ‘We’ve good descriptions on both of them from several sources – Leyden, the wives and servants, the three guards who tried to intercept them at the lift. We’ll get one of our experts to run a face match and see what comes out of the files. Then we’ll dig a little deeper. See what turns up.’
‘And then?’
It seemed an innocuous question, but Karr knew what Chen meant. If they got to the girl, what would they do? Would they kill her? Would they hand her over, to be tortured and disposed of at the whim of the T’ing Wei official, Yen T’ung? Or was there something else they might do? Something that was not strictly by the book?
Karr sat back, sighing heavily. ‘I don’t know, Chen. Let’s find her first, neh? Then we’ll decide.’
It was a dark and empty place, echoing silent, its ceiling lost in the blackness overhead. They were gathered at one end, a single lamp placed at the centre of the circle of chairs. There were nine of them, including Ywe Hao, and they spoke softly, leaning towards the lamp, their faces moving from darkness into light, features forming from the anonymity of shadow. Just now the one called Edel was speaking.
The White Mountain Page 15