“They are leaving from the front of the hotel in a car like mine, only you can see through the windows.”
They approached the hotel and saw Kit get into the sedan with Hung and two other men. The car pulled out and, fortunately started heading in the same direction. The cars headed down into the congested heart of the city. Winding through the narrow streets, they came to the harbor district. The car carrying Kit slowed and turned towards a dock where a large Chinese junk was moored perpendicular to the end. Garrett tapped the young man and pointed to the left. The young man driver pulled over and the two of them watched.
The other vehicle drove another block and stopped. As the four got out of the car and started walking down the dock, Garrett grabbed the two machine pistols and some extra magazines. He and the young man got out and headed after the group, keeping to the edge of the sidewalk, in case they had to duck out of the way. They stopped at the beginning of the long dock and watched as the Kit and her three escorts got onto the junk. After a couple of moments, the two men heard the roar of an engine. The source of the noise had them confused momentarily, but that confusion turned to terror as they both realized the engine noise belonged to a seaplane that had been hidden from view behind the junk. It was now taxiing out into the harbor. Garrett sprinted down the dock towards the boat. He watched the plane lift from the water as he jumped onto the deck, his hand near his weapon.
“Please let them be on here,” he thought to himself as he searched the junk. But after less than a couple of minutes, he realized there was no one on the boat. They had tricked Kitten and he had no clue where they were going. He returned to the deck and watched in distress as the plane disappeared over one of the mountaintops.
CHAPTER
TWENTY TWO
Garrett had been pacing in his hotel room for hours, mulling over the situation. The young driver and his brother had been sitting on the sofa, hardly daring to speak. The only help they could offer Garrett was getting him into China and arranging for someone to guide him. They were all feeling a bit helpless.
“Where are they?” Garrett asked himself. This was an army general who would be surrounded by troops. Drawing him out in the open here in Macau or Hong Kong was one thing. Trying to get anywhere in the general’s own back yard without being noticed would be next to extremely difficult if Garrett were Chinese, but he was Caucasian which would make it all but impossible. He could only hope that they didn’t suspect Kitten of being anyone other than who she was posing as. The thought of her being tortured for information was more than Garrett could bear. He couldn’t leave her in China alone. That was for certain. He had to think of a way to get to her without getting the two of them killed in the process. But, more importantly, they had to find out what the general was planning.
The ringing of the phone interrupted his train of thought. His young driver answered, his voice getting excited.
“It is my brother. Hung is back at casino!”
Garrett started. He had only moments before sent the younger brother over to retrieve any remaining items from Kit’s room.
“Is Kit there?” he asked, the anxiety coming through in his voice.
The young man looked to the floor.
“No. She’s not anywhere to be seen.”
“How the hell did he get back here? I thought he was on that plane.”
“I don’t know Mr. Garrett. Should we go get Hung and rough him up a little?”
Garrett thought for a moment.
“No…No, I think I’m going to have a talk with our Mr. Hung.”
Garrett grabbed his jacket and put it on over his two holstered machine pistols. He strode out of the room headed for the casino across the street. When he got inside, he walked confidently up to the baccarat table and sat next to Wong Hung. His manner had been deliberate and somewhat crude. The Chinaman looked up from his chips and straight into Garrett’s staring eyes.
“You want something mister or are you just staring at me to be impolite?”
Garrett started speaking in a low voice.
“There was a woman you met here within the past couple of days. Where is she?”
The Chinaman responded with a poker face.
“I meet lots of women here. If one of them was your wife, then I’m sorry. I can’t be responsible for someone else’s actions.”
“This woman was different,” Garrett pressed.
The Chinaman just gave Garrett the look of ‘I’ve heard this all before’.
“Why are you looking for her?” he asked, sipping his drink.
“To kill her,” Garrett said without blinking.
Hung spilled his drink down the front of his shirt.
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t play games with me. I know she came here to see you. She used to work for a guy named Simon.”
Garrett really had Hung backpedaling now.
“Is he mad at her? Are you here to clean up a mess?” he asked implying that Garrett worked for Simon.
Garrett laughed out loud and in his low voice, continued.
“I’m not working for him, you idiot, I’m the one who killed Simon and his group of amateurs.”
Hung was starting to sweat. He was sitting next to the man who had taken out the best team of assassins on the open market, and he was fearful of upsetting him.
“Why did you kill them?” he asked.
“I had my reasons,” Garrett answered. “Partially personal, but mostly business. I figured whoever has been paying him, would be willing to make a similar or perhaps a more lucrative arrangement with me. This blonde bitch is the only one who got away, and I want her dead. So, tell me. Where is she?”
Hong’s hands were visibly shaking now.
“I need to make a call. Maybe we can take care of both matters at once.”
“Sure, go ahead,” Garrett stated.
He sat and watched as the call was made. He hadn’t a clue as to what was being said, but he could tell when Hung became excited and animated. Evidently, they were having quite a conversation. When he ended the call, Hung started grabbing his chips.
“Come with me. My boss wants to meet with you. The girl is with him.”
Both men got up from the table and went out the front door where the two men from earlier that day stood, car doors open, waiting for them. One of them approached as if he were going to frisk Garrett.
“Uh uh. I’m going in on my terms. Remember, I am the one who killed Simon, and he was supposed to be good.”
Hung waved him off and the man stepped back motioning for Garrett to get into the car. Apparently, there were orders not to press the issue. The car sped off in the same direction it had gone that afternoon.
About twenty minutes later, they pulled up to the same dock as before. Garrett and the three men walked to the end and boarded the junk. Hung motioned for Garrett to walk to the other side of the ship. Sitting below them was the same seaplane!
“They can’t be that far away if they were able to return so quickly,” he thought to himself. Garrett, along with the others, descended the ladder and walked on one of the wings until they were able to open the hatch and climb in. The two men sat in the pilot and co-pilot’s seats and began making preflight inspections while Hung and Garrett sat in the passenger cabin. Moments later the roar of the engines filled the cabin and the plane started on its bumpy taxi to lift off.
After a few bumpy moments, they were airborne. Garrett was trying to discreetly note their direction, but being nighttime made it impossible. They flew over the lighted mountainsides above Hong Kong and north to the mainland.
* * *
About an hour into the flight, the plane started a steep descent. Garrett had been looking out the window during the ride, trying to get his bearings.
Unfortunately, all he could see was blackness, only occasionally interrupted by a street lig
ht here or there. The plane was still descending rapidly which must have made most passengers nervous, because Hung was smiling at Garrett, hoping to garner perverse pleasure in his discomfort. He must have been disappointed when he saw Garrett smiling right back at him.
Suddenly the plane leveled out and touched down on solid ground, the tires screeching as they made contact with the pavement. Garrett could see lights from some buildings escaping through the trees as the plane taxied towards the hangar. The engines were shut down, and the two pilots came back to the main cabin. Garrett and Hung stood and walked towards the door. Hung led the way with Garrett and the two pilots bringing up the rear.
As soon as Garrett stepped out of the plane, there was a rush of movement all around him. A group of soldiers appeared out of the darkness; their weapons brought to bear. Garrett kept his cool and stood impassively as the soldiers surrounded him. After a moment, an officer stepped between two of his charges and walked up to him. The officer stopped within two feet, and assessed him, not speaking a word. One of the soldiers slung his rifle on his shoulder, stepped up to Garrett and made ready to check him for weapons. Before he could reach him, Garrett squeezed his elbows to his sides, causing the shoulder harnesses holding the machine pistols to elevate them to the firing position. The soldiers raised their rifles in alarm, the officer’s mouth gaping wide. Garrett grabbed the pistols and released the magazines on each, allowing them to fall to the ground. He kicked the clips towards the soldier and let go of the pistols, allowing them to fall back inside his jacket. For the coup de Gras, he allowed a cocky smile to form on his face.
The officer regained his composure, his eyes narrowing as he continued assessing Garrett.
“Follow me,” he said, deciding not to challenge Garrett with any further searches.
The group turned and walked towards the lights in the woods. Hung was looking at Garrett as they walked, the fear in his eyes readily apparent. Apparently, he had made quite an impression on the gambler. As they made their way to the camp, Garrett surveyed the area, noting that they were on a mountain ridge surrounded by other mountains. The compound was well hidden in the woods so anyone flying in the area would not be able to see it unless they were right on top of it. If anyone wanted to mount an assault, they would take heavy casualties trying to take the target. All in all, from a military standpoint, Garrett was impressed.
They marched through the woods for a short distance before coming to an opening on the forest floor. Before him were several huts and barracks all positioned for maximum defense. There was a main house in the middle, obviously reserved for the general. The group marched up in front of the house and stopped, the officer continuing to the door. He knocked and an aide answered. After a brief conversation, the aide left the doorway and disappeared into the interior. Moments later, the general emerged and walked onto the front porch, facing the assembled group. There was movement behind the General and suddenly Kitten was there, standing behind him. She saw Garrett, but before she could react, he stepped forward and pointed.
“That’s the one I want, general. Let me kill her now and we can talk business later.”
Taking the cue, she turned to the general, pointing at Garrett.
“He’s the one who killed Simon and the others. I can’t believe you let him come here.”
“Silence!!”
The general seemed to be irritated by the breech in protocol. The first words were normally reserved for he alone. He turned to Kit.
“This man here took out one of the best ring of assassins operating in the world. I should think he would be welcome anywhere he wanted to go. Perhaps I should honor his request and leave you to him.”
Kit feigned fear and stepped back a little. The general and Garrett turned their attention to each other. Garrett assessed the general, noting that he was somewhat portly for a Chinaman. It was the face and more accurately, the eyes that caught his attention. They projected an iciness, a brutality that Garrett had only seen before in pictures of Russia’s Stalin. This caused a chill to run up and down his spine. These were the eyes of a mad man! The general, who at the same time had been assessing Garrett, spoke.
“You have killed some people who have done me favors in the past. Before I decide whether or not to drop you where you stand, I would like to know why.”
Garrett responded with a variation of the truth.
“He killed some acquaintances of mine. When I managed to make contact with him to discuss the matter, his response was unacceptable. Simon knew exactly what he was doing. I accepted the challenge he offered and killed him.” Garrett’s demeanor was one of nonchalance. “I figure his client list is now mine to pursue. If you’re interested, we can talk. If not, then I’ll leave and take the girl with me if that’s OK.”
“How did you know I was one of his clients?”
An eerie grin appeared on Garrett’s face.
“You’d be surprised what information one will divulge with both of their kneecaps blown off.”
The general’s eyes lit up and his nostrils flared. It was obvious to Garrett that the general had some experience in this area. A look of admiration passed from the general to Garrett. After a moment, the light left the general’s eyes and he stood there, silent.
“I don’t need your services,” he said, finally. “Simon had almost completed with his duties to me. I have others who can complete the work. Leave me now!”
He grabbed Kit by the arm and shoved her off the porch at Garrett.
“Here, take her. Don’t ever let it be said that I’m not a generous man!” A few snickers escaped from some of his superior officers in attendance who understood English.
Garrett grabbed Kit by the hair and turned to leave.
“Shoot her here if you like,” the general called after him.
Over his shoulder Garrett retorted.
“I don’t want to kill her, just yet.”
That brought some audible laughter from the general’s men. They all figured he was going to have his way with her, first.
Garrett, Kit, and the three other men walked back through the woods towards the plane. Behind them in the compound, the general watched them go. After a moment a tall, lanky Dutchman joined him on the porch.
“I never did like her, anyway,” ‘the man with no name’ said to the general.
“Are you ready to finish your job?” the general asked.
“I’m looking forward to it,” was the reply.
Garrett, Kit, and the others made it to the plane and all five got in. Within moments, they were airborne. Garrett continued playing his role, treating Kit rather roughly.
About twenty minutes into the flight, the door to the flight deck opened and the copilot walked through joining the others in the cabin. Garrett reached inside his jacket, grabbing a spare magazine for one of his pistols, just as Hung rose and went for his weapon. The copilot had his gun and was just bringing it up when Garrett inserted his magazine and fired off a short burst, killing the copilot. He aimed at Hung who had hesitated just long enough to give Garrett the advantage. Hung froze in disbelief of Garrett’s quickness.
“Can’t trust anyone these days, I guess,” he said addressing Hung.
Kit lunged for the fallen pilot’s gun and grabbed it. Hung smiled, thinking that Garrett now had the two of them to contend with. His smile was short-lived, however, when he realized the truth of the situation. Hung dropped his gun and raised his hands in defeat.
“Did you learn anything while you were there?” Garrett asked Kit, keeping his eye on the door to the cockpit.
“He spent most of the time interrogating me. I didn’t get a chance to do any looking around.”
Garrett noticed the contusions on the side of Kit’s face for the first time.
“Sorry, I didn’t know.”
“That’s OK, it comes with the territory. I did notice something pec
uliar, though.”
“Oh? What was that?” Garrett asked.
“There was a room off of the main hallway that had wall maps and a large flag. It wasn’t Chinese. They shut the door just after I saw it.”
Garrett turned his attention to Wong Hung.
“You obviously know something of the general’s plans, Hung. Start talking,” Garrett said, aiming his gun.
Hung started developing an odd tick. His eyes darted back and forth, his mouth opening and closing rapidly. Garrett just stared for a moment in disbelief. The Chinaman was starting to have a panic attack. He managed to utter some barely recognizable words.
“I don’t know anything about the general’s plans. I’m just a go between for him.”
Hung kept repeating the phrase over and over his eyes darting, his mouth opening and closing rapidly between phrases. Garrett and Kit looked at each other and almost started laughing.
Garrett said, “I’d better get up front. Our pilot may start getting curious.”
Garrett stepped over the dead copilot and went to the cockpit door. He grabbed the knob with one hand, his machine pistol with the other, and pulled the door open. The pilot was watching his instruments, not noticing as Garrett snuck up behind him. Garrett got within two feet, then suddenly lunged into the copilot’s seat, his gun pointing at the startled man. The plane lurched momentarily until the pilot regained control.
Garrett frisked him and removed his weapon. He allowed himself a glimpse around the cabin until he spotted what he was looking for. He grabbed a chart and laid it in the pilot’s lap.
“Show me where the general’s compound is.”
The pilot looked at Garrett, silent.
“Look, I’m able to fly this thing so don’t start acting like you’re indispensable or something. I’ve had a long day. Don’t piss me off! Show me where we just came from.”
The pilot shoved the chart onto the floor. Garrett was just about to strike him, when he grabbed another chart and shoved it towards him. Garrett looked at the new chart and noted a circled area within a mountain region.
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