by Alex Archer
“Please make yourselves comfortable,” Tsing said. He reclined on the farthest portion of the couch and pulled his feet up under him. “I really don’t want this to be an adversarial relationship. Everyone always makes out so much better when things are nice and civilized, don’t you think?”
Annja raised her eyebrows. “Since when is tossing someone off a roof nice and civilized?”
“It’s not,” Tsing said. “And it’s a reminder that as cordial as I’m being right now, that mood can quickly turn. You’d do well to remember that.”
“Noted,” Annja said. “Now what is this all about? Even if Mike did borrow money from you, he certainly hasn’t reneged on that deal, has he?”
“No,” Tsing replied. “He has not. And, in fact, I fully expect him to repay me as he promised. But that’s not really the issue.”
Mike said nothing so Tsing continued. “What this is about is what he used my money to purchase. And I know full well what it was.”
“What?” Annja asked.
“A map that shows the way to Shangri-La.”
Mike frowned. “How did you find out?”
Tsing smiled. “You might say that I’ve had an almost obsessive interest in locating it for the majority of my life.”
“Really?” Mike said.
“And I know what the rumors are and who has what for sale. As I said, my obsession with the place has led me to have quite the network of contacts.”
Annja shook her head. “If that’s the case, then why didn’t you just buy the map yourself before Mike came to you?”
Tsing shrugged. “Sometimes people can be particular about who they happen to deal with. And I’m afraid that my reputation tends to precede me. I, of course, made overtures to purchase the map earlier. But the seller refused, saying that he would not do business with me.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t end up taking a dive off the roof,” Annja said.
Tsing smiled. “Violence is always a means to an end. But there are often better alternatives. If he would not sell to me, then it was merely a matter of arranging for someone else to buy it. In this case, I made sure that your friend Mike here found out about it.”
Mike frowned. “You baited me?”
“As much as my reputation precedes me, so, too, does yours. You are one of the few professors who have not gone along with the more outlandish theories of where Shangri-La truly is. I have known of you for some time now. I’ve bided my time. Waited. And when you learned about the map, I knew you would come here and seek to buy it.”
“But how did you know I’d come to you?”
Tsing shrugged. “I know everything about your financial situation. There’s little that cannot be accomplished with a few keystrokes these days. Even here in our rather remote portion of the world, we can still reach out and discover all we need to know. The map was too expensive for you. Yet after you laid eyes on it, I knew you would need financing for it. But you wouldn’t seek help from conventional means. After all, what if it turned out to be a ruse? You would become the laughingstock of your peers. No, you did exactly what I expected you to do. You came to me.”
“And you gave him the money,” Annja said.
“Absolutely.”
“Knowing full well that he would buy the map with it.”
“Yes.”
“And then you would have what you needed.”
Tsing shook his head. “Well, not quite. You see, I am bound by some rather perturbing aspects of my condition. I suffer from a skin ailment that prohibits me from going out into bright light. I dare say that I would make for a poor explorer. As such, the map is not as useful to me as it would be to someone else.”
Mike sighed. “You used me and now you want me to do your dirty work.”
“I want you to use the map to find the fabled location and then report back to me here,” Tsing said.
“What do you hope to gain from that?”
Tsing smiled. Annja noticed the utter whiteness of his polished teeth, even in the dim light. “I am part optimist and part fool believer. If the legends that surround Shangri-La are to be believed, then the place is a utopia of mystical qualities. I may, in fact, travel there by night and eventually find a cure for my condition.”
Annja laughed. “I’ve known people who thought that they could find magical places before. And each time they’ve been sorely disappointed.”
Tsing turned slightly to better face Annja. “And what brings you over here, Annja Creed? Is it just the promise of adventure with an old friend? Or is it something else?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean nothing more than I asked.” Tsing smiled broadly now. “I have long enjoyed watching you on that delightful show. You have so much more…presence than that other rather pitiable woman.”
“Thanks. I like keeping my clothes on, if that’s what you mean.”
“But your reputation also precedes you, doesn’t it?”
“I doubt it.”
“I know, for example, that you are an inherently dangerous woman.”
“Says who?”
“Says any number of witnesses to your rather adept fighting prowess. If rumors are to be believed, and I must admit I’m a bit of a sucker for such tales, then you have quite a formidable manner about you.”
Annja frowned. What else did Tsing know about her? She wasn’t comfortable with the direction the talk was heading. The last thing she needed was Tsing asking about her sword. Had he heard rumors about that, as well?
“This is quite a nice place you’ve got,” she said. “How is it you came to afford it?”
Tsing waved his hand. “A trifling matter not worth much discussion. I simply happened to make a great deal of money and invested in the right places. That’s all.”
Annja raised an eyebrow. “And the government here? How is it you escape their attention?”
“As I mentioned before, violence is only one method to achieving a goal. It is useful at times, yes, but overall it’s a deplorable thing to have to resort to. Often, better outcomes can be had if a little bit of leverage is applied.”
Annja grinned. “And your proximity to Tibet probably doesn’t hurt, either, huh?”
Tsing’s eyes narrowed. “Are you driving at something?”
“Just a theory,” Annja said.
“Care to share it?”
Annja smiled. “Not a chance.” She nodded at Mike. “So, you want Mike and me to find this place using the map he bought.”
“The map I bought,” Tsing said. “The money used was mine. I am the map’s rightful owner. You may consider it a loan right now, but it belongs to me.”
“As you say,” Annja said. “So we find this place and then what? We come back and tell you about it and that’s it?”
“Yes.”
“And Mike’s debt of the fifty grand?”
“Forgiven.”
“You’re serious?”
Tsing nodded. “Absolutely. The map is mine and I paid for it. I want only what I cannot achieve on my own. You must locate the exact position of the fabled land and then come back to me. What I do from that point on is no longer any concern of yours. Any attempt to meddle with my affairs after that will be dealt with firmly, if you catch my meaning.”
Mike grunted. “Perfectly.”
“Excellent.” Tsing clapped his hands. “And just to make sure there are no hard feelings about all of this, I will even loan you the use of one of my smaller planes. It will, I have no doubt, be of tremendous help to you in your search.”
“I don’t suppose it would do us any good to refuse your kind offer?” Annja asked.
Tsing smiled. “That would be tremendously disrespectful of you to do so. And really, I must insist that you use it. At least I know that you will be in good hands.”
Mike glanced at Annja. She shrugged. “Seems as though we don’t have any choice in the matter.”
“You do have a choice,” Tsing said, “but I’m afraid the other option isn
’t nearly as enticing as the one I’ve put before you now.”
“What about Mike and his find? Does he get to tell the world that he found it?”
“And why would he want to do that?” Tsing asked. “Solely for the purpose of self-gratification? I daresay it would be much better for such a place to remain a fabled legend rather than to be overrun with mobs of tourists who would no doubt ruin the magnificence of the place.”
“You’re betting that it really is everything that the legends claim it to be,” Mike said. “We might find it nothing more than a dried-up lake bed. It could have been demolished in an earthquake. There are any number of possibilities.”
“And I’m counting on you to discover exactly what happened,” Tsing said. “All I want is for you to report back to me as to what you find. If you do that and then leave it to me, then we will have concluded our business. Which I’m sure will make you a much happier man than you seem to be at the present time.”
“The sooner we get started, the better,” Mike said.
Tsing nodded. “Shall we have a drink to celebrate our new arrangement? I have the most delicious peach wine.”
Annja held up her hand. “I had a beer earlier. Probably not the best idea to mix them.”
Tsing frowned. “Mike?”
“I guess I’d better. I wouldn’t want to be rude and refuse your kind offer.”
Annja winced. Mike’s tone was both condescending and rude. She saw both henchmen tense briefly before Tsing waved them back down.
“Bring the wine.” He regarded Mike and then spoke simply. “I suppose you cannot be blamed for feeling a sense of betrayal, although you were a bit naive to think that it would be a simple matter dealing with me.”
“I was stupid,” Mike said. “I won’t make the same mistake ever again. Trust me on that.”
“I do. You don’t strike me as someone who suffers failure easily. I would be remiss if I didn’t warn you that trying to double-cross me would be foolish.”
“I gave you my word and I’ll stick to it,” Mike said.
The goateed man brought in a bottle of wine and three glasses. Tsing poured for them all, despite Annja’s earlier refusal. She knew she was expected to drink the wine, as well.
Tsing handed her a glass and then one to Mike. He raised his in a toast and smiled at them. “Here’s to a successful adventure and an outcome we can all live with.”
Mike frowned but raised his glass. Annja did the same. She put the glass to her lips and smelled the sweet wine. It didn’t blend well with the cloying incense in the room. But she took a tentative sip.
Tsing watched her closely. “Do you like it?”
“It’s…different.”
“It’s more of a dessert wine, I know, but I love it so. I can’t imagine relegating it to such a minor role. I prefer it to stand on its own.”
Mike finished his glass and set it down. “Pretty good,” he said.
Tsing refilled his glass. “Have another.”
Annja let more of the wine slide down her throat. It seemed marginally thicker than other wines she’d had in the past. She felt a warm glow come over her and despite herself, she realized she liked the flavor.
Tsing sipped his glass thoughtfully. “This particular vintage comes from a winery down in the southern part of the country. I happen to own it, of course.”
“That must make for a nice discount on your personal supply,” Annja said.
Tsing laughed. “Indeed it does.”
Annja finished her wine. Tsing seemed almost too eager to refill her glass. Annja glanced over at Mike.
Mike had passed out.
She looked back at Tsing. He lifted his glass to her. “I must compliment you on what I perceive to be a rather incredible constitution. Considering your friend is already unconscious, I hardly expected you to last a full glass.”
Annja’s vision swam. “Why?”
Tsing waved her concerns away. “Do not worry. I’m merely taking steps to ensure that you will do as you’ve promised. You won’t be harmed. And tomorrow, you’ll be on your way to finding the mystical kingdom of Shangri-La. For now, sleep well.”
6
Tuk could hear Tsing’s voice issue his commands. “Let them sleep and then deliver them to the airfield. Get them into the plane. When they wake up, they’ll be fine.”
Tuk shrank away from the conversation. He had to get out of the penthouse before he was discovered. He slipped back toward the front door. Already Burton and Kurtz were moving around too much for Tuk’s comfort. He’d done what he’d been asked to do and now it was time to get out of there and report back to the mysterious man who had hired him.
As he backed away, his instincts suddenly screamed at him and Tuk had barely enough time to shrink into a shadowy recess before the main door opened. The woman in the mandarin gown came gliding back into the penthouse.
She froze.
Her eyes swept around the darkened penthouse like lasers. Tuk averted his eyes from her. From experience he knew that even glancing at someone could often trigger that primal awareness of being watched.
But Tuk felt genuine fear. Something about the woman unnerved him. She was someone other than the house servant she appeared to be. He could sense power in her.
She moved forward, closer to where Tuk squatted, hidden by the darkness. His heart thundered inside his chest and he willed it to slow, fearing she might even hear it. What was it about her that filled him with fear?
She paused again and he heard her sniff the air. How could she smell anything over the heavy mist of incense? Tuk marveled at her sense. She was completely attuned to her environment and knew something was out of order.
She couldn’t tell just then what it was.
But her senses served her well. And now she moved even closer to where Tuk was hiding. Her eyes seemed to pierce the darkness in front of her. Tuk imagined that she had some sort of robotic night vision optical sensors or something equally outlandish.
The line of cold sweat that broke out along his spine almost made him start to move. He didn’t think he’d ever experienced this kind of fear before, and in all of his years working with the intelligence community he couldn’t recall ever feeling anything like it.
She knew he was there.
Tuk felt certain of it. He heard something in the darkness and realized that she had clicked her terribly long fingernails together. They looked like claws in the twilight. Tuk had little doubt they could effectively shred anyone she wanted. He realized that she reminded him of a feral cat that knows it has its prey cornered.
Just then Burton came around the corner and headed straight at her. She blinked and, in that instant, Tuk knew he was safe. Her concentration broken, she seemed to suddenly mask herself again in the guise of a servant.
Burton regarded her. “Mr. Tsing wants you to clean up the wineglasses. Make sure you use hot water on them.”
She bowed low, took one final look at Tuk’s hiding place and then slipped away. Tuk watched her turn a corner and vanish.
Burton wandered into another room.
This was his chance.
Tuk eased over to the main door and cracked it open, passing out of it as quickly and noiselessly as he could manage. He heard the soft hiss as the door closed behind him and then he was fairly running to the stairwell, shooting down to the floors below the penthouse.
Once there, he hopped on the elevator and sank to the lobby. He walked out as easily as he’d entered and then took up a position outside of the hotel. He would be able to see Burton and Kurtz remove Annja Creed and the fellow known as Mike.
He removed the cell phone from his pocket again and pressed the number two. It was answered immediately.
“Were you successful?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Tell me everything you heard and saw.”
Tuk faithfully recounted the entire escapade, delving into detail about the conversation and then also about the mysterious woman in the apartment.
The man on the phone seemed especially intrigued about her. “You said she seemed to know you were there.”
“Without a doubt. She knew I was there. In another moment she might have killed me, such was the feeling she gave me.”
“But when the man you called Burton came around the corner, she assumed the guise of a servant woman again?”
“Yes.”
“Very interesting.”
“Terrifying,” Tuk said.
“She is no doubt some type of plant on Tsing. Of that we can be certain. But for what reason?”
“I don’t know,” Tuk said.
“Where are you right at this moment?”
Tuk glanced around. He was again hidden in the shadows and certain no one would see him. The only way he could be discovered was if someone overheard him talking on the phone.
“I’m hidden across the street from the hotel entrance.”
“You said Tsing’s men will take them to the airfield?”
“Yes.”
“Is there a back entrance to the hotel they might opt to use instead of the front?”
“There is,” Tuk said. “But it leads only to an alley too small for a car to travel down. If they want to use a car to transport Annja Creed and her friend, they will need to come out the front entrance.”
The man grunted. “They’ll wait, then, until very late. When there’s a skeleton crew on duty in the lobby. That way they’ll be able to pass without too much interest in what they’re doing.”
“That is my guess, as well,” Tuk said. “I will stay with them all the way.”
“Good. I need to look a little bit further into this strange woman you spoke of just now. I want to know more about her and who she really is.”
“May I ask what your feeling is about her?”
“I’m not sure yet. But it may be assumed that she is no mere servant girl. She is obviously positioned close to Tsing for some reason. But for what, I don’t know.”
“She scared me. And I’ve never felt fear like that.”