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an Fa housing project in the New Territories in Tai Po Kau。
The first mortgage has already been refinanced once and is on the verge of being so again。 That would necessitate a second mortgage； which we cannot afford。
〃We need an occupancy rate of seventy…six percent to break even at this point。 The units should be renting for sixteen thousand Hong Kong dollars a month； we're lucky if we get five thousand now。 Since the announcement by the munists no one wants to live in such an 'unstable' area that 'could be overrun at any moment。'〃
Allan Su stopped his pacing long enough to slam the folder down on the polished teak desktop on a pile of other such folders。 〃The list is almost endless。〃 There was true disgust in his voice。 〃Anthony Chin could not have done us more damage were he secretly working for one of our petitors。〃
〃Was he？〃 Nangi inquired。
〃In this city； who knows？〃 Su's shoulders lifted and fell。 〃But I doubt it。 Several of the other banks were caught the same as us； though none to such a degree。〃 He shook his head。 〃No； I think Mr。 Chin was merely greedy； and greed； Mr。 Nangi； is the worst enemy of good judgment。〃
Nangi bent forward and poured more tea。 Then he settled himself more fortably in Allan Su's high…backed leather chair and contemplated the terraced network of white and pale ochre high rises that sprouted from the slopes of Victoria Peak； a forest of concrete。
〃Tell me； Mr。 Su； when was your last severe earthquake？〃
Momentarily nonplussed by the question； Allan Su blinked his eyes behind his wire…rimmed spectacles。 〃Why； it's been almost two years now； I believe。〃
〃Uhm。〃 Nangi's attention was still firmly on the thicket of skyscrapers。 〃A bad one； inopportunely placed； would do many of those in； don't you agree？ They'd all fall apart like a jumble of children's building blocks。 Many lives would be lost； many family lines would abruptly e to a halt； many fortunes would be destroyed。〃
He turned his head to face Allan Su fully。 〃And who else do you work for； Mr。 Su？〃
〃I。。。 Pardon me； Mr。 Nangi； but I do not understand what you are talking about。〃
〃Oh； e； e；〃 Nangi said； thinking that all Chinese were alike； 〃there's no room here for coyness。 Everyone in Hong Kong holds down more than one job； it's far more profitable。〃
He paused to pour tea into a second cup。 〃Now take Anthony Chin； for instance。 He was not only the president of the All…Asia
Bank of Hong Kong but he was also a lieutenant in the Red Chinese Army。〃 He pushed the cup across the desk。
〃Impossible！〃 Allan Su had ceased his pacing。 〃I've known him for years。 Our wives shopped together once a week。〃
〃Then you must have known of all this fiscal impropriety；〃 Nangi said blandly； indicating the pile of folders filled with their damning evidence。 The investigation team he had hired had done their work well。
〃I knew nothing of the sort！〃 Su proclaimed hotly。
Nangi nodded his head。 〃Just as you knew nothing of his true affiliation。〃
Allan Su stared at Nangi for a moment； trying to force down his instinctive hatred of the Japanese and see this man for what he really was。 He knew that that clarity was all that could save him now。 〃Then it follows that you also suspect me of being a munist。〃
〃Oh； you may rest easy on that score；〃 Nangi said。 He smiled。 〃e； Mr。 Su； will you drink with me？〃
His heart hammering in his throat； Allan Su did as he was bade。 〃I should no longer be surprised at the oute of events here。〃 He gulped at his tea； which had already grown cold； then used the cup to gesture out the expanse of sparkling glass toward the slender fingers of the Mid…Levels。 〃Take those high rises； for instance。 It would take far less than a major earthquake to send them tumbling。 More than likely they've been built with a gross insufficiency of supporting iron rods in the concrete。 The favorite trick is to set a half dozen in the poured cement…which； by the way will have twice as much sand in it as it should…while the building inspector watches。 Then； as he moves on； those same six rods will be removed from the setting cement and used in the next section the inspector is looking at。 After he's gone； they'll be removed once more and used at the next building site。
〃It's a game； really； because the inspector has already been paid off by the builders not to search through the site too thoroughly。〃
Nangi frowned。 〃That's nothing to play a game over： lives。 And millions of dollars。〃
Su shrugged。 〃If I can buy a twelve…year…old virgin down in Wan Chai； why then should I not be able to buy a building inspector as well？〃
〃The difference there；〃 Nangi said dryly； 〃is that the twelve…year…old virgin you've paid your hard…earned dollars for could probably screw rings around your wife。〃
〃Then my lust…and that's a form of greed…has blinded rny good judgment。〃
Nangi stood up abruptly。 〃How much is the Royal Albert Bank paying you a month； Mr。 Su？〃
Allan Su almost dropped his porcelain cup。 But not quite。 He heard the yammering of his pulse in his ears like the screaming of all his ancestors and he thought； Great Buddha； what will happen to my family now？ No work and ruined in the midst of the Colony's worst recession in three decades。
Nangi was seeming to slip in and out of focus； and with the exaggerated slowness and care of a habitual drunk he placed the empty cup on the desk top next to the pile of buff folders。
〃e； e；〃 Nangi said。 〃It's a simple enough question。〃
〃But the answer's a difficult one。 I beg to…〃
〃I do not；〃 Nangi interrupted him； leaning forward with his rigid arms on the teak； 〃wish to hear explanations； Mr。 Su。 1 require someone here whom I can trust pletely。 Either you can do it or you can't。〃
Nangi held his eyes。 〃You know what will happen to you； Mr。 Su； if you can't do it。〃
Allan Su shuddered； saying nothing。
He stood very straight though his knees felt weak。 Of course he could walk out of here now； tendering his resignation。 But where would that get him？ Had he any assurance that the Royal Albert would hire him？ The job market had narrowed considerably in many fields…banking high among them…since the damnable munists made their accursed announcement。 He thought about his wife； his six children； aunt； and two uncles； one widowed… and how many cousins on his wife's side…whose welfare he was responsible for。
Of course he could always try to brazen it out。 But he suspected that would be an unwise course for him to take； the result being the same as if he walked out。 Nangi was hard。 And he was Japanese。 But if he were fair he could make a satisfactory employer。
Su decided to tell the truth。 〃The Royal Albert has been paying me ten thousand Hong Kong dollars a month to keep them informed of all All…Asia transactions。〃 He held his breath。 He could hear his accelerated heartbeat like surf in his inner ear。
〃I see。〃 Nangi tapped the eraser end of a new pencil on Su's desk top。 Then he looked up。 〃As of now； Mr。 Su； your salary is doubled。〃 Great gods of the west wind； Su thought。 A thin line of sweat broke out at his hairline。 〃In six months we'll review the matter and； based on the bank's overall position； it will be reeval…uated upward。。。 or downward。 T