Book Read Free

Zero Minus Ten

Page 27

by Raymond Benson


  “You miss your mother, don’t you …” he said tenderly.

  She nodded. “That’s not why I’m crying, though,” she said. “I’m crying for Hong Kong. I fear for its people.”

  “No,” Bond said, kissing her softly. “The people will manage. Don’t worry about them. They are strong, and they are determined. So don’t cry.”

  “All right.” Sunni smiled and wiped her face. “No tears for Hong Kong.”

  She allowed him to encircle her with his arms as they looked towards the skyline to watch the fireworks.

  ZERO: 1 JULY 1997, 12:01 A.M.

  In Statue Square, the handover of the British Crown Colony known as Hong Kong was executed peacefully and smoothly. Formal statements were read by both sides, and the representatives from China shook hands with the representatives from Great Britain. As soon as the transition was declared official, there were tumultuous cries from the people standing in the congested streets. Some were cries of joy, and others were cries of sadness. The fireworks began, filling the sky with colours, noise, and celebration.

  Over at Government House, a few blocks away, the Union Jack was lowered for the last time, and the red and yellow Chinese flag was raised in its place. A new chapter in the history of Asia, and mankind, had begun.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ZERO MINUS TEN

  The author wishes to thank the following individuals and organizations for their assistance:

  IN THE U.S. AND CANADA:

  Kevin Chin, Paul F. Dantuono, Sandra Groark, Alexandra Harris, Dan Harvey, Daisy Koh, Joseph Lau, Hen Chen Lee, Charles Plante, Doug Redenius, David A. Reinhardt, Moana Re Robertson, Kathy Tootelian (for the mahjong illustrations), Mike VanBlaricum, Amanda Wu, Kenneth Yung, and everyone at Viacom New Media.

  IN THE U.K.:

  Peter Janson-Smith, Carolyn Caughey, Man Wei Tam, Pradip Patel and Rina Gokani of the Chiswick Pharmacy, Corinne B. Turner, the staff of Glidrose Publications Ltd., and the heirs of the late Ian Lancaster Fleming.

  IN HONG KONG AND AUSTRALIA:

  Sarah Cairns and Henry Ho of the Mandarin Oriental; Terry Foo of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank; Eric Lockeyear, Mark Bowles, and Peter IP Pau-juk of the Royal Hong Kong Police; Marg Mason of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Tourist Centre; Jacqueline L.S. Ng; James Pickard; and Jeanie Wong and Stephen Wong of the Hong Kong Tourist Association. Special acknowledgement is made to the Royal Hong Kong Police for permission to use material from the Government Press book Triad Societies in Hong Kong by W.P. Morgan (Crown Copyright Reserved, 1960).

  Table of Contents

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT PAGE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  1

  SHAMELADY

  2

  THREE EVENTS

  3

  CALL TO DUTY

  4

  A BRITISH LEGACY

  5

  THE PEARL IN THE CROWN

  6

  THE PREVAILING WIND

  7

  JADE DRAGON

  8

  PRIVATE DANCER

  9

  INTERVIEW WITH A DRAGON

  10

  MARKED FOR DEATH

  11

  ASSASSINATION

  12

  ONE OF THE LINKS

  13

  TRIAD CEREMONY

  14

  BEDTIME STORY

  15

  DAY TRIP TO CHINA

  16

  AGONY AND ANGER

  17

  MEN OF HONOUR

  18

  THE GOLDEN MILE

  19

  FAREWELL TO HONG KONG

  20

  WALKABOUT

  21

  COUNTDOWN

  22

  NO TEARS FOR HONG KONG

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 

 

 


‹ Prev