‘Sir!’ He tried to keep the sourness from his voice, but it was hard. He knew instinctively that Ebert was the reason for the delay. He could imagine him waiting until he had finished dining. Or whoring, maybe. He had heard such tales of him. Karr would never have done that. Karr would have been there when he’d said.
Men jumped down from the craft behind Ebert. Special unit guards, their hands and faces blacked up. One of them came over to Ebert and handed him a clipboard.
Chen recognized him from the old newscasts about the Hammerfest massacre. It was Ebert’s chief lieutenant, Auden.
Ebert studied the board a moment, then looked up at Chen again. ‘You know the layout of the Overseer’s House?’
Chen bowed his head. ‘I do, sir.’
‘Good. Then you can play scout for us, Kao Chen. Auden here will be in command, but you’ll take them in, understand?’
Chen kept his head lowered. ‘Forgive me, Captain, but I am unarmed.’
‘Of course…’ Ebert reached down and drew the ten-shot handgun from his holster. ‘Here.’
Chen took the weapon and stared at it in disbelief. ‘Forgive me, sir. But they’ve automatics and lasers in there.’
Ebert was looking at him coldly. ‘It’s all you’ll need.’
Chen hesitated, wondering how far to push it, when Ebert barked at him.
‘Are you refusing my orders, Kao Chen?’
In answer, Chen bowed to the waist, then turned to Auden. ‘Come. We’d best move quickly now.’
Halfway across the field a figure came towards them. Auden stopped, raising his gun, but Chen put a hand out to stop him.
‘It’s all right,’ he said urgently. ‘I know him. He’s a friend.’
Auden lowered his gun. The figure came on, until he stood only a few paces from them. It was Pavel.
‘What do you want?’ Chen asked.
‘I want to come with you.’
He had found himself a hoe and held it tightly. There was anger in his twisted face. Anger and an awful, urgent need.
‘No,’ said Chen after a moment. ‘It’s too dangerous.’
‘I know. But I want to.’
Chen turned and looked at Auden, who shrugged. ‘It’s his neck, Lieutenant Kao. He can do what he likes. But if he gets in our way we’ll shoot him, understand?’
Chen looked back at Pavel. The young man smiled fiercely, then nodded. ‘Okay. I understand.’
‘Good,’ said Auden. ‘Then let’s get into position. The other squad is going in five minutes from now.’
They waited in the shadows at the bottom of the ramp, the main door to the house above them. The windows of the house were dark, as if the men inside were asleep, but Chen, crouched there, staring up at the great three-tiered pagoda, knew they would be awake, celebrating the night’s events. He watched the vague shadows of the assault troops climbing the ropes high overhead, nursing his anger, knowing it would not be long now.
Pavel was crouched beside him in the darkness. Chen turned and whispered to him. ‘Keep close to me, Pavel. And don’t take risks. They’re killers.’
Pavel’s mouth sought his ear. ‘I know.’
They waited. Then, suddenly, the silence was broken. With a loud crash the assault troops swung through the windows of the second tier. It was the signal to go in. Chen leapt up onto the ramp and began to run toward the door, his handgun drawn, Pavel, Auden and his squad close behind.
He was only ten ch’i or so from the door when it slid back suddenly, spilling light.
‘Down!’ he yelled as the figure in the doorway opened fire. But it was only a moment before the man fell back, answering fire from behind Chen ripping through his chest.
There were shouts from within, then two more men appeared, their automatics stuttering. Chen watched them fall, then scrambled up and ran for the door.
He stood in the doorway, searching the first room at a glance, the handgun following each movement of his eyes. As he’d thought, the three men had been the duty squad. Close by the door a table had been upset and mah jong tiles lay scattered about the floor. He stepped over the dead man and went inside.
Up above there was the sound of further shots, then a burst of automatic fire. Chen turned, nodding to Auden as the veteran came into the room, pleased to see Pavel, unharmed, behind him in the doorway.
‘They’ll defend the stairwell,’ Chen said quietly, pointing to the door at the far end of the room. ‘There’s a second guardpost at the top, then DeVore’s offices beyond that.’
‘Right.’ Auden went across and stood by the doorway, forming his squad up either side of it. He tried the door. It was unlocked.
Chen took Pavel’s arm. ‘Here,’ he said, drawing him aside. ‘Let them do this. It’s what they’re trained for.’
Pavel stared back at him. ‘And you, Kao Chen? You’re one of them? A lieutenant?’
Chen nodded, then turned in time to see Auden tug the door aside and crouch there, the big automatic blazing in his lap.
The noise was deafening. There was a moment’s silence, then four of the squad moved past him, climbing the stairs quickly. But they were only halfway up when the firing began again, this time from above.
Chen started forward, but Auden was already in charge. He was climbing the stairs over his fallen men, his gun firing ceaselessly, picking off anything that dared show itself up above.
Chen went up after him. Two of the Overseer’s men had been guarding the stairs. One lay to one side, dead. The other was slumped over a makeshift barrier, badly wounded. Auden took a new clip from his band and fitted it in the gun, then tugged the man’s head back and looked across at Chen. ‘Who is he? Is he important?’
Chen shrugged, not recognizing the Han, then said. ‘No… he’s only a guard.’
Auden nodded, then put his gun to the man’s head and pulled the trigger savagely. ‘Come on,’ he said, letting the body fall away.
He was about to turn, when the door behind him burst open.
Chen opened up without thinking, firing off three shots rapidly, the big handgun kicking violently.
The man looked at him wide-eyed, as if surprised, then fell to his knees, clutching his ruined chest, his gun falling away from him. He toppled forward and lay still.
Auden looked at Chen strangely. ‘Thanks,’ he said coldly, almost brutally. Then he turned and went through the door, the big gun chattering deafeningly in his hands.
Chen followed him through, into DeVore’s office.
The place was a mess. The wei chi board was broken, the stones scattered over the floor. The bank of screens had been smashed, as if in a drunken orgy. He frowned, not understanding. Auden couldn’t have made all of this mess. It was too thorough. Too all inclusive. It had the look of systematic destruction.
And where was DeVore?
One man lay dead beneath the screens. Two others were kneeling in the far corner of the room, their weapons discarded, their brows pressed to the floor in a gesture of submission. Auden glanced at them dismissively, then waved one of his men over to bind them and take them away. Pavel had come into the room. As the captives passed him, the young man leaned close and spat into their faces.
‘For Supervisor Sung,’ he said, his voice hard, bitter.
Chen watched him a moment, then turned to Auden. ‘Something’s wrong,’ he said, indicating the screens, the broken board.
Auden looked back at him. ‘What do you mean?’
Chen looked about him, uncertain. ‘I don’t know. It’s just…’
Auden turned away, impatient. ‘Come on, Kao Chen. No more foolishness. Let’s finish the job.’
Chen stared at him a moment, angered, then did as he was bid. But there is something wrong, he thought. The killings in the field. The broken screens. They mean something.
In the corridor outside Auden had stopped and was talking to the sergeant from the second squad.
‘They’re holed up at the top of the house, sir,’ the sergeant was saying. ‘Ab
out eight of them. Peskova’s there. But not DeVore.’
‘What?’ Auden turned and glared at Chen. ‘I thought you said…’
Chen shivered. So that was it. He’d gone already. It explained the killings, the board, the broken screens. He had known it earlier – some part of him had sensed it. But where? Where could he have gone to?
Chen turned and banged his fist against the wall, all his anger and frustration spilling out. ‘Shit!’
Auden blinked, surprised, then looked back at the sergeant. ‘Okay. Keep them covered, but pull most of the men back. We’ll offer terms.’
He watched the sergeant go, then turned and met Chen’s eyes. ‘What’s eating you, Kao Chen?’
Chen laughed bitterly. ‘You think I wanted DeVore to get away?’
‘That’s if he has. We’ve only their word. One of those eight could be him.’
Chen shook his head. ‘I doubt it. He’s too good a player.’
Auden shrugged, not understanding, then went through. Chen followed.
There was a space at the foot of the narrow stairs where the corridor widened out, forming a kind of small room without doors. Two men were stationed there, guns at their shoulders, keeping the door at the top of the steps covered. It was the only way in to the upper room and the stairs themselves were too narrow for more than a single man to use at any one time.
‘What have they got?’ Auden asked his sergeant.
‘Guns. One or two deng rifles, maybe. But that’s all.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘It’s all they’re issued with out here. These peasants never riot.’
Auden laughed. ‘Lucky them!’
Waving one of the men away, he took his position on the left, half sheltered by the wall, then called out to the men above.
‘My name is Lieutenant Auden of the T’ang’s Security forces. As you know, you’re totally surrounded by my men. Worse than that, you’re in a bad situation. The Overseer, the man you knew as Bergson – his real name was DeVore. Yes, DeVore, the traitor. Which means that in helping him you too are traitors. Dead men. Understand me? But the T’ang has empowered me to make a deal with you. To be lenient. Surrender now and we deal with you lightly. If you come out, unarmed and with your arms raised where we can see them, we’ll treat this whole matter as a mistake. Okay? Any tricks, however, and you’re all dead.’
Chen crouched by the back wall, watching. He had heard the sudden murmur of voices from above at the revelation of Bergson’s true identity. So now you know, he thought. But what are you going to do?
The door slid open a fraction.
‘Good,’ said Auden, turning to Chen. ‘They’re coming out…’
Chen heard the grenade bump-bump-bump down the stairs before he saw it, and threw himself to the side, his handgun clattering away from him across the floor. He tensed, fearing the worst, but instead of an explosion, there was a tiny pop and then a furious hissing.
‘Gas…’
It was a riot gas; a thick, choking gas that billowed out of the split canister, spreading quickly in the tiny space. He had to get up, above it. Forgetting his gun, Chen crawled quickly on his hands and knees, his breath held, making for the stairs. But they were quicker than him.
Chen glanced up. The first of them was already halfway down the narrow stairs. He was wearing a breathing mask and held a stiletto in his right hand. Seeing Chen, his eyes narrowed and he crouched, preparing to spring. But Chen moved quickly. As he jumped, Chen rolled to the side.
The man landed next to him and turned, slashing out wildly with the knife. It flashed past Chen’s face, only a hand’s width from his eyes. Chen scrambled backward, cursing softly to himself.
More masked men were coming down the stairs now, spilling out into the tiny smoke-filled space, while from the two side corridors Auden’s men emerged, their knives drawn, afraid to use their guns in the confusion.
Chen’s man had turned, looking for him. He took a step towards Chen, his knife raised, then, with a small strangled noise, he staggered forward, collapsing to his knees. Behind him Auden smiled fiercely through his mask, then quickly turned away, rejoining the fight.
Chen’s eyes were streaming now, his throat on fire. He had to get air. He dragged himself forward, making for the stairs, then stopped.
‘No-o!’
Pavel was halfway up the stairs, his hoe held out before him. He turned, surprised, looking back down at Chen. ‘It’s Peskova!’ he said hoarsely, as if that explained it all. Then his face changed and he fell forward slowly, a knife protruding from his back.
For a moment Chen struggled to get to his feet, then he fell back, a wave of blackness overwhelming him.
It seemed only a moment before he came to again, but the corridor was almost clear of gas, and five bodies lay neatly to one side. Three men sat trussed and gagged in one corner. The door at the top of the stairs was locked again, the stairway covered by the sergeant.
Chen sat up, his head pounding, then remembered.
Pavel! He mouthed the word, his heart wrenched from him.
He crawled across to where they had lain the bodies, and saw him at once.
Chen pulled the young man’s body up into his arms and cradled him a moment. He was still warm. ‘You silly bastard!’ he moaned softly. ‘You poor, silly bastard!’ He shuddered and straightened up, looking across to where Auden was standing, watching him. Chen’s cheeks were wet with tears, but it didn’t matter. It was like losing a son, a brother. He felt a black rage sweep through him.
‘What are you waiting for? You told him what would happen! All dead if they played any tricks. That’s what you said.’
Auden glanced across at the stairs, then looked back at Chen. ‘I’ve offered our friend Peaskova a new deal. He’s thinking it over.’
Chen shuddered again, then looked down again. Pavel’s face was ugly, his twisted features set in a final snarl of pain. Even in death he had been denied the peace that most men found. Damn you, Pavel! he thought, torn by the sight. It was supposed to be a job. Just a simple infiltration job.
He turned sharply. The door at the head of the stairs had opened slightly. A moment later there was a clattering on the steps. Chen looked. Two weapons lay there at the sergeant’s feet – a rifle and a knife.
‘Okay,’ Peskova called down. ‘I’ll do what you say.’
Chen turned back, swallowing drily. His stomach had tightened to a cold, hard knot. A deal. They were going to make a deal with the bastard. He lowered Pavel gently, carefully, then turned back, looking across at Auden. But Auden had turned away. He had forgotten him already.
‘All right,’ Auden was saying. ‘I’m coming up. Throw the door open wide, then go to the far side of the room and stay there with your hands in the air. If I see any movement I’ll open fire. Understand me?’
‘I understand.’
Chen pushed his hands together to stop them shaking, then pulled himself up onto his feet. The effort made him double up, coughing. For a moment his head swam and he almost fell, but then it cleared. He straightened up, wheezing for breath, and looked across.
Auden was halfway up the stairs now, moving slowly, cautiously, one step every few seconds, his gun tracking from side to side. Then he was at the top, framed by the doorway. Without turning, he called his sergeant up after him.
Chen stood there a moment, breathing deeply, slowly, getting his strength back. He swallowed painfully, then looked about him. Where… ? Then he saw it. There, on the floor by the wall where they had lain him. His handgun.
He went across and picked it up, then turned back, following two of Auden’s men up into the top room.
Peskova stood against the back wall, his hands resting loosely on his head. He was looking across at Auden, his chin raised arrogantly, his eyes smiling cruelly, almost triumphantly, knowing he was safe.
Chen shivered and looked away, sickened by the sight of the man, barely in control of himself now. He wanted to smash that arrogant face. To wi
pe the smile from those coldly mocking eyes. But it was not Peskova he wanted. Not really. It was DeVore.
He lifted his head, forcing himself to look at him again. Yes. He could see the pale shadow of the man in this lesser creature. Could see the same indifference behind the eyes. A kind of absence. Nothing that a retinal print could capture, but there nonetheless. Like his master, Peskova had nothing but contempt for his fellow creatures. All he did was shaped by a cold and absolute dismissal of their separate existence. They were things for his amusement. Things…
Chen looked down again, the trembling in him so marked now that he had to clench his left fist again and again to control it.
Such power DeVore had. Such awful power, to cast so many in his own dark image.
‘Kuan Yin! Look at this!’
The sergeant had been moving about the room, searching. In the far corner he had come across a large shape covered by a sheet. Now he turned, facing them, the colour drained from his face.
‘Watch him closely!’ Auden said to the man at his side, then went across to where his sergeant stood. Chen followed.
He was not sure what he’d expected, but it wasn’t this. The man was stretched naked over the saddle, his hands and feet bound tightly to the stirrups. Dark smears of congealed blood coated his legs and arms and the lower part of his back, and he was split from arse to stomach.
‘Gods…’ Auden said softly, walking about the body. ‘I’d heard of this, but I never dreamed…’ He fell silent.
Chen felt the bile rise to his throat. The man’s eyes bulged, but they were lifeless now. He had choked to death. Not surprisingly. His balls had been cut from him and stitched into his mouth.
‘Who is this?’ Auden asked, looking across at Peskova.
Peskova stared back coldly, almost defiantly. ‘A guard. His name was Chang Yan. He had been stealing…’
‘Stealing…’ Auden made to shake his head, then turned away. ‘Cover it up,’ he said to his sergeant, meeting his eyes a moment, a look of disgust passing between them.
‘You made a deal,’ said Chen, glaring at Auden. ‘Was this a part of it?’
Auden glanced at him, then turned away, moving back towards Peskova.
Ice and Fire: Chung Kuo Series Page 31