by David Archer
Lom came close, and suddenly he bowed. Noah resisted the temptation to try to kick him at that moment, and instead focused on being ready for whatever Lom would do next. He didn’t have to wait long, as the smaller man suddenly leapt straight at him, his fists pistoning into Noah’s rib cage. In the span of only a couple of seconds, Lom managed to land a dozen hard blows, and Noah had to fall back.
Lom fell back as well, giving Noah a moment to recover. When he stepped forward again, Lom tried to go for the same move once more, but Noah had anticipated and thrown himself into a spinning back kick. His left ankle caught Lom by the neck, and the man was flipped off his feet and onto his back. Noah completed the spin and threw himself downward, his right fist aimed for Lom’s chin, but the man rolled and Noah punched the floor of the ring. Lom’s eyes were wide at the sound of the impact, for he knew that it could easily have broken his jaw.
Noah bounced back to his feet and kept moving, making himself as difficult a target as possible. He didn’t have any delusions about winning the fight, but he was determined to make it through all five rounds.
The second round ended, and they went to their corners. Once more Marco wiped his face, while Neil held a water bottle for him. Noah didn’t bother talking, he was too busy trying to breathe in as much air as he could during the respite. When the bell rang, he already had the mouthpiece back in and sprang to his feet.
Lom ran at him, and Noah spun aside to avoid him, but then he realized his mistake. Lom had not been trying to strike, but merely to get behind him and he suddenly sensed the man behind and slightly above. Something, he knew, was coming down at his head, but there was no time to duck so he threw both arms up to make an X above his neck.
The downward jumping elbow is one of the most dangerous blows in Muay Thai, and Noah felt the impact as the elbow slashed down into his crossed wrists. Instinctively, he twisted his hands and clasped them together, catching Lom’s arm between them. The move was unexpected, and when he pulled forward and bent at the waist, Lom suddenly found himself flying through the air. He slammed onto the mat on his back, the breath knocked out of him for a moment, but before he could recover Noah bent his own elbow and dropped. The point of his elbow contacted Lom’s solar plexus, and the fight was over.
The shouting men had suddenly fallen silent, staring in shock at the farang—foreigner—who had beaten one of the greatest fighters Muay Thai had ever known. Lom was a legend in the sport, even though he had never held a major championship; he had instead traveled around Southeast Asia, amassing a small fortune in the officially illegal street fights. Had he ever chosen to, he could probably have won a national or even world championship, but he was content to keep his fame contained while building his wealth. A number of helpers had placed bets on him in every fight, and each took a share of what he won. He was a legend throughout Southeast Asia, and Noah realized he was lucky to be walking away unscathed.
SEVENTEEN
The shock of seeing him beaten by a farang delayed the bell for several seconds, but finally it rang when Lom waved a hand in the air. It was a sign of surrender, and acknowledgment that he was beaten. He lay on the mat for a moment longer, looking up at Noah, and then reached a hand up to him. Noah grasped it between both of his hands, because of the gloves, and helped the smaller man to his feet.
Lom spat out the mouthpiece and looked at Noah with eyes full of wonder. “Should you ever choose to enter the world of Muay Thai,” he said, “I beg of you to let me be your teacher.” He took hold of Noah’s right hand and raised it in the air, then dropped it and walked to the ropes. Noah followed him, and a couple of men began stripping the gloves off of them and unwrapping their hands.
When they were finished, and both Lom and Noah were dressed again, Lom motioned for them to follow him back into his office. He closed the door behind them and then sat down in his chair once more, motioning for them to take seats in the other chairs in the room.
“You are very strong,” he began, “and possess the ability to analyze the moves of your opponent far more quickly than most men. I confess that I underestimated you, and I do not make that mistake often. As agreed, I will now give you the precise location of the young woman, but I must also warn you that it will be heavily guarded. I must also warn you that there is no assurance that she will be unhurt.”
“I understand that,” Noah said.
He turned to his desk and opened a laptop computer, waited for it to power up, and then called up a browser. A moment later, they were looking at a map of the Hong Kong area, and Lom motioned for Noah to come closer, pointing to the screen.
“Hong Kong is a special administrative region, SAR,” he said, “which enjoys considerable autonomy compared to the rest of China. A large part of it is situated on Hong Kong Island, much of which is not accessible by automobile. There are large areas that are considered to be parks, especially in the mountainous regions, where automobiles are often prohibited. Here”—he indicated a particular point off Shek O Road, in the southeast corner of the island—“fifty feet off Shek O Road on this path that leads to Hong Kong Trail, Section 7, there is a gate. The path is wide enough at that point for a vehicle, but narrows after it passes the gate. If you go through that gate, you will be on a private drive that leads to the Tung Li Estate. That estate once belonged to Tung Li, who served as a liaison between Hong Kong and China while Hong Kong was under British rule. He passed away in 1989, and his estate was later purchased by the Chinese government. It is considered to be a place of military or government activity, and even its existence is known only to a limited number of people.”
“So, anything I do there,” Noah said, “could be considered a military action?”
“Yes. If you are captured or killed there, you run the risk of creating an international incident.” He turned from the computer and looked at Noah. “There is one large house on the estate, completely hidden by trees from any view. It is used primarily as a safe house, but also as a place for the detention of foreign agents who are being interrogated. There are many reasons for this, but the simplest one is the most obvious. If the foreign agent were to die, disposal of the body takes place in Hong Kong rather than in Beijing, the seat of government for China.”
“What else can you tell me about the place?” Noah asked.
“It is maintained by the Army of the People’s Republic of China. Besides housing more than two-dozen soldiers in barracks rooms in the basement, there are military managers, cooks and orderlies to take care of the house and its occupants. The estate covers thirty hectares, most of which is wooded, and the guards patrol its perimeter and interior. Its only vulnerability is from the south, where the terrain is steep and rocky. The guards are not as diligent there, because some few of them have fallen prey to tigers that roam the area.”
“Tigers?” Neil asked. “You’re talking about South China Tigers? I thought they were extinct in the wild.”
Lom smiled. “That is the official statement, yes,” he said. “However, since 1995, there have been more than fifty sightings of tigers on Hong Kong Island, all of them in this particular area. This is probably because of an abundance of prey for them, but it seems to be true that once a tiger has tasted human flesh, it wants more. Game wardens in that area believe the few attacks on humans, including the Chinese soldiers, are the work of only one or two of the Tigers on the island.”
Noah was leaning forward, studying the map on the screen in front of him. “Mr. Lom,” he said, “I appreciate the information.” He started to rise, but Lom put out a hand and motioned for him to sit once more.
“Will you perhaps satisfy an old man’s curiosity?” he asked.
Noah looked at him, his face blank. “In what way?”
“Pak was ordered to use any means necessary to procure this young woman,” he said, “because the Ministry of State Security received information indicating that she is an agent of an organization from the United States that specializes in assassination. They have been trying fo
r some time to identify one particular agent of that organization, a man known only as Camelot.” Lom looked directly into Noah’s eyes, and there was a sense of calm conviction about him. “Are you that man?”
Noah stared into his eyes for a long moment, then cocked his head slightly to the right. “I could answer your question,” he said, “but then I would be forced to kill you.”
Behind him, he heard Neil gasp and then say, “Oh, geez! Could you be any more corny?”
Noah glanced at him, confused. Despite the fact that the line was often used sarcastically, Noah had been quite serious.
Lom understood, and smiled. “I can accept that answer. However, I suspect the day will come when you and I shall meet again, in your official capacity. Would it be possible that, on that day, you might grant a last request?”
“Why would you expect me to visit you again?” Noah asked. “You’ve actually been most cooperative, and I truly appreciate it.”
“As I told you, I believe that Mr. Pak will shortly cease to be. At that time, I will ascend to take over all of his business interests. Since you are now aware that those interests include the transfer of intelligence and—other items—to China and others, I am forced to believe that I might one day see your face again.”
Noah shrugged. “It’s possible,” he said. “What would be the last request?”
Lom smiled and spread his hands. “A rematch, of course,” he said softly. “As I told you, I underestimated you. I would not make that mistake again, because you are undoubtedly a worthy opponent. If you come to kill me, I would consider it an honor to die at your hands in a rematch.”
“Mr. Lom,” Noah said, “should that day arrive, I would be under orders to carry out my mission by the most efficient means possible. That doesn’t allow me to offer a sporting chance. However, should the opportunity arise in the near future for me to return to Thailand, I will make a point of coming to see you. We can have that rematch, but not to the death. Is that acceptable?”
Lom stood and bowed. “Indeed it is,” he said.
Noah stood, and Neil and Marco joined him. He extended a hand to Lom, who shook it firmly, then turned and walked out into the gym.
There had been about a dozen men in the gym when they had entered, and a few more had drifted in by the time he and Lom had entered the ring. Now, though, as they were preparing to leave, there were more than thirty men, and they were standing in a group between Noah and the door. Several of them turned to look at him, and Noah stopped and let out a deep sigh.
They began to spread out, and Noah saw them picking up different items around the gym. Some of them had small wooden cudgels, some were holding bottles, and others held the iron discs from the barbell.
“This isn’t necessary,” Noah said.
The man who had first spoken to them cast an angry look his way. “We cannot let a farang beat our teacher,” he said. “We cannot let you leave here.”
Noah shook his head and turned to Marco, and suddenly there was a pistol in his hand. He spun back around and aimed it at the forehead of the man who had spoken. “Clear a path,” he said calmly, “or you will be the first to die. Mr. Lom has conducted himself with honor. Would you dishonor him now in this way?”
“Chao!” Lom shouted suddenly. “This is unacceptable. All of you, stand aside.” He repeated the command in Thai.
Slowly, the group spread apart and began dropping the items they had picked up. Noah and the others began walking slowly toward the door, keeping their eyes on the men around them. When they reached the door without further incident, Noah shoved the gun back into his waistband and pulled his shirt over it, and the other two did likewise. He looked at Lom, who was standing just inside the room, and bowed to him. Lom returned the compliment, and Team Camelot left the building.
“Oh, geez, geez,” Neil muttered. “Are they gonna come after us?”
“Not with Lom standing there,” Marco said. “I’ve got a feeling they’re about to get their asses chewed and spit out.”
They returned to the car, and headed back toward the E & E office. Noah simply retraced the route he had taken to reach the gym and found it with no problem. He parked the car where Maggie had, and the three of them walked inside.
Maggie was sitting at a desk, and looked up at them as they entered. “Hey, guys,” she said cheerily. “Everything go okay?”
It took an hour to explain to Maggie all that had taken place, and that they needed to be in Hong Kong as soon as possible. The plane, they knew, was still waiting for them at the airport, so all Maggie had to do was file the appropriate paperwork for a private flight into Hong Kong’s semi-sovereign airspace.
“E & E has a station in Hong Kong,” she told Noah. “The chief there is Peter McDermott, and from everything I know, he’s a pretty good guy. I sent him an encrypted email, letting him know that you are on the way and will need a vehicle and equipment. I also included a copy of the orders I received from HQ, which contains the AA code. That means you get anything you want, no matter what it takes or what it costs.”
“I appreciate it,” Noah said. They had turned in the guns when they got back, because there was a strong possibility the plane might be boarded when it landed in Hong Kong. According to the documents Maggie filed, they were visiting Hong Kong to look at some property that a client of Noah’s was considering purchasing as an investment, but it was not uncommon for China’s State Security Ministry to board and search private aircraft before allowing the passengers to disembark. Carrying weapons into the region was strictly prohibited for any foreigners.
As soon as she was done, Maggie turned and looked at Noah and the men. “Okay, so I know you’ve been going like mad since early this morning. How about some lunch before you guys leave? Care to join us?”
Neil sat forward quickly, and Noah glanced at him, then nodded. “Probably a good idea,” he said. “Could be a while before we get the chance again.”
Trudy, one of the women in the office, was chosen to stay and watch the place while they were gone, but everyone else headed out the back door. Noah, Neil and Marco climbed into the Honda with Maggie, while the others got into the Toyota. Maggie pulled out first, and drove them to a steakhouse that was on the way to the airport.
“I figured we’d eat here, so we can go straight back to the plane when you’re done. You guys all eat meat, right? No vegetarians?”
All three of them assured her that they were carnivorous, and then followed her inside. The others from her office had been right behind them, so they were able to get a large round table that seated them all.
The food was excellent, and Maggie explained that most of the beef in Thailand actually came from Australia. It was part of the trade agreement the country had made under the last king, and Neil proclaimed it to be the smartest thing the king had ever done. By the time they left an hour later, he had managed to put down a pair of porterhouse steaks and about half a pound of rice and other vegetables.
“Oh my God,” Maggie whispered to Noah, “where does he put it all?”
Marco overheard and came to Noah’s rescue. “You’ve heard of somebody having a hollow leg? Well, Neil is hollow all the way from the neck down. We figure he must be, the way he shoves food in and never gains any weight.”
Maggie and Julie looked at each other, and the third woman, Carol, said what they were thinking. “If only I could catch whatever it is he’s got that lets him do that. All I’ve gotta do is look at a steak wrong and I gain five pounds.”
EIGHTEEN
Chung brought lunch up to her, and she accepted it without a word. She left the door open as she carried it to the table, and he took it as an invitation to come inside. Sarah paid him no attention as he pulled out a chair and sat down, but she only concentrated on eating the noodle soup.
“I received a telephone call,” Chung said. “Xiao will arrive here this evening, before dark. He wishes to meet with you as soon as he arrives, but his interrogation will begin in the morning.”<
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Sarah glanced at him and realized that he truly did look sad, but she couldn’t allow herself to feel any sympathy. He was still the enemy, no matter how concerned he might seem to be for her health and well-being.
“Sarah, you can stop him. If you would only tell me something, something I can use to stall him off…”
“Give it up, Chung,” she said. “I’m not going to cooperate, not with you, not with him, not with anybody. He’ll have to do his worst.”
Chung lowered his eyes to the floor for a moment, then looked back up at her. “That is exactly what I fear.”
He got up and left the room, and Sarah continued eating. With no idea what might be coming, she felt that she needed to keep up her strength the best she could. Noodle soup might not be the most delicious meal she’d ever eaten, but it was definitely filling. She could only hope that dinner would be more appetizing, and more plentiful.
She spent the afternoon watching television, trying desperately to keep her thoughts away from Xiao and the things he might do. Chung had said that he was known for inflicting pain without doing harm, but Sarah didn’t know enough about torture to understand how that might work. The problem with a lack of knowledge was that it tended to let loose the imagination, and hers just happened to be a vivid one.
Dinner was brought to her by one of the servers from the dining room, and she wondered if Chung had decided to avoid her so that he wouldn’t be so upset when the torture began. It crossed her mind that Noah would say he was being logical, but that only made her even more depressed. She had been a prisoner for a week, now, and a part of her had given up hoping that he would come for her.
No! I can’t think like that. He’ll come, he always does.
The only question that remained was whether she would be alive and intact when he did, but she had reached the point of considering suicide as an alternative to torture. She thought about jumping from the window, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t high enough to do more than break a few bones, and that would not be enough. She considered trying to hang herself with a bedsheet, but there was nothing on the ceiling or walls that she could find to hang from. She hadn’t been provided a razor, and the flatware they used was only plastic, so cutting her wrists or throat was out, as well.