by Travis Stone
Then Amai saw the Major's cyclo, well ahead of them. She pulled some banknotes from her concealed purse and handed them to the rider. 'Faster. Catch that cyclo.'
The rider stood on the pedals and Amai could smell his musky perspiration.
The Major's cyclo made a series of turns and they lost him.
The rider slowed.
'I'm so sorry,' Thi said. 'Will you tell Triet?'
Then Amai saw the Major's cyclo coming toward them; the cart empty. 'Look. He can't be far.'
The cost of failure struck Amai, filling her mind with gruesome images.
We have to find him.
Her cyclo slowed for pedestrians and Amai looked back. She figured that their tail had been shaken and resolved to continue the mission - Nhu An depended on it.
The street was packed with bars. Two Americans were having a fist fight outside one, while a drunken mob cheered them on. Another was full of nurses dressed in mini-skirts.
Amai saw a green door, all but hidden in shadow, and she had the sudden thought that the Major had gone in there. Her minds eye showed her wooden stairs going down into a cramped bar room; Major Johnson buying a big glass of beer; the place packed to standing room only. Cam would've called it intuition.
Amai ordered the cyclo to stop. She paid the driver in US dollars, and then approached two young men on the sidewalk. Amai described the Major; the men shrugged. Amai saw an old man in a chair, sitting back, watching the strange new Saigon. She went to him, and once again, described Major Johnson. The old man pointed to the green door and Amai felt a chill.
'Come on,' Thi said, grabbing her hand and dragging her across the street, through the door, and down into the overcrowded bar room.
The bar's layout matched the picture of Amai's intuitive thought, and she immediately saw Major Johnson's giant figure, leaning on the bar, deep in conversation with a black-man half his size.
Thi did a silly dance, then put her arms around Amai's neck, and said: 'I'm going to get laid tonight.'
Then with dread, Amai realized her mistake.
17
The man in ill fitting tweed approached the CIA man.
'What did you learn?' The CIA man said.
'Nothing. We'd have to grill him, but I don't think he knows anything.'
'We got to him in time. Okay. The driver's dead. Kill Benmore - make it - let's say a heart attack following an auto smash.'
The man in tweed nodded.
'Take Danny back stateside. If he causes trouble - kill him.'
'We're direct to DC at six am. He'll never return to Vietnam again.'
'Good.'
18
Amai felt vulnerable.
From her intuitive vision, she had failed to notice one important detail: the bar was packed only with black-men. No women. No white people.
Several sets of eyes were already boring in on her, and she realized that remaining inconspicuous was no longer possible. More bodies crushed into the room behind her, blocking the exit.
She grabbed Thi's hand, and whispered: 'We're not welcome here.'
'What?'
Amai shook her head.
The room fell silent and the staring eyes turned from her, to a large black-and-white television set.
Amai tried to slow her breathing.
The screen flickered, went fuzzy, and then a gray face filled the square. Amai thought that one day she would love to just sit in front of a television and watch the exciting pictures, but right now she had to get near the Major. With no idea how much time the television's distraction would buy them, she led Thi into the crowd.
The gray man on screen had a mustache, and a fluent, powerful voice.
Amai threaded through the bodies. She could feel Thi's breasts pressed against her back, and her slippery hand in hers. Amai could no longer see the television, but she could hear it: “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”
Triet had said that when the American public stopped supporting the war, they would give up and go home.
Amai wished they would give up and go home.
The bar room was stifling. Heat pressed down from the ceiling, filling every inch of space. A heavy body came between her and Thi. Amai lost her grip on Thi's hand. Then she felt big hands grab her around the waist. She looked up into a man's big face; his lips pink and rubbery; his nostrils huge. His fingers gripped her spine and his thumbs pushed into her belly.
He said: 'We don't let anyone but brothers in here on Thursday nights.'
Amai couldn’t get free. 'Let go.'
'But I think we can make an exception for two beautiful ladies such as yourselves.' He unlocked one of his hands and took hers. 'I'm Captain Tusk.'
Amai had never seen such long fingers.
He smiled, showing white teeth. Amai couldn't tell whether he was hostile or horny.
Thi slipped her body between them, and said: 'Why thank you Captain.' Her English, not as proficient as Amai's, was thick with Asian inflection. 'We saw all these hot black-men and just had to take a closer look.'
Amai thought: Well done. She looked around for Major Johnson, but couldn't see him.
Then Amai saw the Major's head, only ten feet away. She needed to get free of Captain Tusk.
Why is he not letting go?
She squirmed, but Tusk held on.
Someone yelled: 'Fucking Communist.'
Amai froze and then realized that the comment was directed at the television. Within seconds a fist-fight broke out around them. Tusk let go and Amai pulled Thi through a gap.
Major Johnson was moving to the back of the room to avoid the fight. Amai followed him.
Behind her she heard the fight swell to an all-in-brawl. She looked back to see Captain Tusk punch another man in the face before being tackled to the floor. Amai looked at Thi. 'We need to get to Johnson and get him out of here fast - any ideas?'
Thi smiled wickedly. 'I thought you'd never ask.'
Amai narrowed her eyes. Don't blow it, she thought. This mission's more important that you know.
Thi pulled Amai to a spot where Major Johnson could see them, and started dancing seductively around her body. Amai wore a sleek black dress with a high split. She felt Thi's hand slide up the smooth skin of her thigh.
This better work, Amai thought.
Amai didn't quite know how to react to Thi's movements, so she just stood there. She could feel Thi's firm body against hers, and when their eyes met, she knew Thi wasn't acting.
Johnson looked and Amai felt incredibly sluty.
Is he buying it? She thought.
Behind them the brawl died down to a few men grappling on the floor. Amai looked back at Johnson. He was staring at her open mouthed, completely ignoring the fight. Amai knew that now was the time to hook him, but this kind of act did not come naturally to her; she had to rely on Thi's flamboyance.
Slowly, Amai began responding to Thi's erotic moves, gyrating her hips, and moving her hands over Thi's back. Her father's face popped into her head; she thrust it away, turned toward her mark, and gave her best seductive look.
The Major's face betrayed his thoughts.
Thi put a finger into Amai's mouth, and she took a long, hard suck.
The Major was engrossed.
Then, with a jet of panic, Amai realized that the fight had stopped, and the entire crowd was staring at them. Fifty pairs of eyes violated her simultaneously. The eyes projected animal lust. She felt trapped
Someone in the crowd yelled: 'Bitches on heat.'
Amai feared mass rape. It was a danger that she hadn't even considered.
Before she knew what was happening, Major Johnson was shoving her toward a door, shielding her with his giant body.
Amai found herself outside in a rear lane. She caught her breath. 'Thank you Major.' She meant it.
'No, thank you, Miss?'
'Xuan,' Amai lied. 'Amai Xuan.' She used
her real first name in case Thi accidentally used it.
'Thank you Miss Amai Xuan,' he said in a smooth, deep voice. He looked into her eyes. 'You've got everyone back there all fired-up.'
Amai felt her checks flush.
Thi came between them and put her hand to his crotch. 'What about you Major,' Thi said, adding sauce to her voice. 'Are you, fired-up?'
He loosened his collar. 'I am now.'
Thi continued to lay it on thick: 'We've been looking for a man like you for a long time. You would be surprised how hard they are to find.'
She's good, Amai thought.
With the edge of his hand, Johnson pushed rivulets of sweat back over his smooth head. 'So do you two come together?'
'We do everything together,' Thi said. 'Including coming.'
His eyes widened.
Amai noticed that a bulge had formed in the left side of his pants, and that Thi's hand was massaging the lump.
Amai caught Thi's eye, and tried to transfer her thoughts through expression. They needed to quickly isolate the mark before any drunk or inquisitive soldiers came looking for him.
'Take us to your place,' Amai said.
'Fraid I can't. Yours?'
Amai didn't want to use their flat, but she would if she had to. 'Ours is being painted,' she said putting her hand onto his steel hard backside, while Thi worked the front.
He raised an eyebrow.
Amai realized her mistake and felt the corners of her mouth pull back. She said: 'Take us to your place.'
'Like I said girls, we can't. I stay on the Embassy grounds.'
Amai didn't want to loose him now. 'Let's go to ours then - before Thi comes in her panties.'
Thi licked her lips. 'I just have.'
* * *
Triet had told Amai that Johnson liked fellatio, and Thi was giving it with enthusiasm, panting and slurping and making throaty noises as she did.
The Major moaned, and said: 'Fuck yeah.'
Amai could hear her own heart pounding. No evidence of the flat's renovation work existed, and she desperately hoped the Major wouldn't pick up on her lie. She looked down at him, and thought: Unlikely.
Amai pushed several fingers into her moneybag and felt the vial of serum among the crisp bills.
Now was the time to drug him.
She tried to think of a method, but her eye kept returning to the lewd action on the floor. The soles of the Major's feet were surprisingly white, and knotted gray veins covered his brown penis. The gizzard, from balls to shaft, made it look like Thi was trying to bite the head off a giant tortoise.
Thi pulled herself away from her task and unbuttoned his shirt. Amai saw a metallic flash. The Major wore a shoulder holstered pistol. The upside-down words, Smith & Wesson, clearly visible on the handgrip.
Amai was under no illusion - if the Major suspected foul play, he would shoot them.
'You're so big,' Thi said. 'Just like I imagined.'
Johnson smiled like a big cat.
Thi kept sucking.
Amai went to the kitchenette and started opening cupboards. Under the sink she found a sleeve of plastic cups. She took out two, and half-filled each from the whiskey bottle that Thi had bought earlier. Her hand was trembling. She checked that the Major couldn't see what she was doing, and then put the drug into one of the cups. Her heart fluttered in her throat. She slipped out of her dress, leaving her high-heels and stockings on. She unclipped her bra and rubbed her nipples hard, then taking a cup in each hand, remembering that the spiked one was in her right, she went to the Major. She dug one heel into his firm, hairy stomach, downed half of her whiskey, and pushed the spiked cup into his hand. He took the plastic cup, hesitated, and then knocked it back.
That was easy, she thought.
She wondered how long the drug would take to work.
Thi kept slurping. The louder she slurped, the louder the Major moaned. Amai found herself engrossed in the action. She thought of Danny; she was desperate to finish this assignment without betraying him, but sadly, she realized that that might not be possible. If the truth serum took time to work, she would be expected to join in with Thi.
The only thing the Major wore now was the shoulder holstered pistol, the sight of which stressed the importance of maintaining the deception.
Thi was enjoying herself. She looked to be bringing the Major to the brink of orgasm and stopping, waiting for the moment to pass, and then sucking again. The Major loved every second.
Amai couldn't help feeling aroused. She felt disgusted with her self, but the two really were enjoying each other.
Thi reached for her and Amai tensed.
She felt Thi's hand on her bare breasts. Thi came away from the Major and sucked hard on Amai's nipple. It hurt and Amai screwed up her face. This was Thi's fantasy, and Amai understood that she would have to play along until the serum kicked in.
Amai kissed Thi's throat and the Major moaned.
The Major had suffered no obvious effect from the drug, and Amai began to wonder if it would work at all.
C'mon, kick in, she thought.
Thi dropped and kissed the Major's open mouth; his big hands moving eagerly over her small, supple body. Then he reached for Amai.
For a fraction of a second she pulled back - she didn't want this big black-man to kiss her - she wanted Danny. She corrected her error and let the Major pull her toward him. The pistol's cold steel pressed into her nipple. He didn't seem to notice her mistake.
Triet had given Amai a list of questions to ask the Major. She was to write down the answers word-for-word. The first questions were meant to test the drug's effect. But judging by the way he was kissing and groping her, she knew there was little point in starting.
The drug should have worked by now. He should be sedate, compliant, and unable to lie. But he wasn't.
The serum had failed. Now she would have to comply with his every desire, or risk blowing their cover, and either being shot, or arrested. She saw herself floating face down in the Mekong.
The Major's powerful arms lifted her effortlessly into the air and onto her back. She felt Thi's small hand slide up one thigh, and his big hand go up the other.
Amai went ridged. I can't do it.
Thi whispered in her ear: 'Think of yesterday - I'm going to make you come.'
Amai felt the Major's large penis against her stomach. And then he was trying to enter her. Amai dug her fingernails into the floorboards. She thought: No. And said: 'Yes.'
Thi gurgled with pleasure as she guided him inside.
It hurt. He's too big.
Then she felt Thi's fingers, massaging her the way she had done yesterday. As Thi rubbed, Amai let out her breath. Her hips relaxed and she felt herself getting slick. Thi was looking directly into her eyes, and the Major groaned as he gained deeper penetration.
Thi and the Major worked as a team. Amai lost her sense of reality in the paradox of pain and pleasure. Eventually the rhythm of their combined attention started the feeling. It began as it had yesterday - in her feet, sweeping up into her legs. Pins-and-needles enveloped her body. She felt like she was about to explode. And then it came in a long intense wave, and she began to shudder. The pleasure was unbelievable.
The Major rolled off. Amai lay back with her arms above her head panting.
Then she thought of Danny.
Then came the agonizing guilt.
19
December 27, 0530am
Bangkok, Thailand
Danny woke to the sound of metal-on-metal. The cell door was opening. He rubbed his eyes.
A short, ginger-haired man came in, wearing a black suit with no tie. 'Danny Thorn?'
'Yes.' Danny got up. 'Who're you?'
'Name's Blue. Friend of ya brother's. He called me earlier. Sorry I'm late.'
Danny placed the man's twangy accent as Australian.
'Turn round, mate.'
Danny turned and the Australian snapped handcuffs around his wrists.
'G
otta make it look legit. Told em you were goin' out early on a military flight.'
Danny felt both thrilled and edgy; Chaske had come through. But what would he do next?
How will I get back into Vietnam? He couldn't bare the thought of never seeing Amai again. He loved her so much it hurt.
The Australian marched him out through the police station's front doors by his cuffed hands; he was actually hurting him.
'Realism's everything,' he whispered.
The Australian bundled him into a three-wheeled Bangkok taxi. The taxi drove off. Danny's hands were un-cuffed and the man handed him back his denim satchel; his camera still inside. 'What did you say your name was again?'
'Blue Creighton. Friend-a-Chaske's.'
'How'd you do it?'
'Easy, mate. Showed em my ID and told em I was taking you out on an early flight. Piece-a-piss.'
'Thanks,' Danny said. 'I owe you big-time.'
'Forget it. It only took an hour or so. Anyway, I owe Chaske so many favors; I should get some mileage outta this one.' He laughed.
'Can you get me back in to Saigon?
Blue scrunched his face. 'I don't see how. I'm flying in on a CAT flight tomorrow arvo'. You'll have to figure that one out yourself, mate.'
Blue stopped the taxi. 'Good luck, but my job's done.'
20
Amai burned with anger.
Triet's truth serum had failed, and it had put both her and Thi in extreme danger.
He could've killed us . . . Last night's sex flashed into her mind and she wondered if the guilt would ever go away. She had let Danny down. She felt cheap. She felt used. She felt wrong. Then she thought of her Nhu An, and hoped that the failure would not lead to her harm.
It's not my fault, she thought. It's his.
She was meeting Triet at café La Camargue, their usual, and when she got there, she would let him have it.
Meeting at the cafe meant using the Trung Hoa cutout. She went to Thi's front door, but stopped before opening it. Something didn't feel right. Something told her that danger was close. She remembered Triet's training: Be over cautious. She heard Cam's words: Listen to your intuition.
Amai turned from the door, went to the window, and climbed out.