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〃Surely you cannot expect me to make such a monumental judgment concerning my keiretsu in the blink of an eye？〃 Nangi said； turning his head toward Liu and away from the girls； who were busy brushing sand from their sleek； oiled thighs。
〃On the contrary； Mr。 Nangi；〃 Liu said； tapping a long…nailed finger against a portion of his silk suit directly over his heart； 〃I expect nothing。 Rather it is you who must deal…and deal quickly… with the All…Asia's unfortunate difficulties。 Bank runs are like wildfire here； Mr。 Nangi。 Once the Chinese get something into their heads it is often an astoundingly short time before matters get out of control。 The Royal Hong Kong Police are well aware of this peculiarity and thus seek to thwart congregating masses。 A flame in and of itself is not a particularly dangerous element。 But lit at a gas station； well。。。〃 Liu's hands spread。
〃So you may take all the time you wish； Mr。 Nangi。 Please do not feel any pressure from this quarter to e to a decision。〃 He reached into an inside pocket of his jacket。 〃However； in a friendly effort； to； er； provide you with some assistance； I have taken the liberty of having the papers drawn up。〃
〃I see。〃 Nangi thought about the implications of this for quite some time。
Liu could not quite keep the smug smile off his face。 〃Despite some curious Western depictions we run quite a well…oiled machine。〃
〃Yes；〃 Nangi said； hating this man with a much more detached passion now； 〃I can see that。〃
〃Oh； no； Mr。 Nangi。 You will pardon me for saying so； but you do not see it at all。〃 Liu paused as the two Chinese girls； ing in off the beach； wiped their sandy feet on the lowest step of the veranda。 His deep avian eyes studied the face of one…the tall one who had been on the beach when Nangi had first arrived… as if his gaze could penetrate the shadows as well as the cascade of thick hair that fell across one shoulder。 In a moment they were gone； stepping silently past the two men into the interior of the villa。
〃We shall have dinner soon；〃 Liu said。 〃Local langoustes and garoupa； as well as braised sun bear paw； quite the delicacy here。〃 His attitude had altered somewhat at the approach of the women and Nangi struggled with that fleeting change； trying to divine its essence。
〃But； back to the topic at hand；〃 Liu continued somewhat more briskly。 〃We are very well coordinated in Hong Kong； far better and more extensively than the British would dare consider。〃 His shoulders lifted and fell。 〃And why not？ Hong Kong is our property； after all。 The true Government of China has never recognized a treaty signed under duress； when a different age caused men to act dishonorably。 We tolerate the British rule because it is useful to us。 I would not deny how lucrative it is for us。 That would be foolish。〃 Liu stood up abruptly。 〃But I'll let you in on a little secret。〃 He reached into his inside jacket pocket and revealed a multipage document folded twice on itself。 Carefully； he placed the document on the small table between them before continuing。
His eyes seemed to glow with an inner light。 〃The recent land boom is ours。〃 His head bobbed。 〃Yes； it is true； Mr。 Nangi。 The recent six…year real estate spiral was instigated by us。 You see； we had planned all along to make our announcement repudiating the Crown Colony's right to govern here。 But first we had to bring home to them the true import of the situation within which they would one day find themselves。〃
Liu was smiling now with an evil triumph。 〃Nowadays； you see； it is we who are the master。 We say 'Jump！' and the Queen jumps。 The whole world saw it。 Her Majesty's loss of face was enormous in hastening here and abasing herself at our feet in order to ensure her country's continued interests in this quarter of the world。
〃But that humiliation would not have been so great； Britain's situation quite so dire without the illustration of how； with a few well…chosen words； we are able to shake the Western economy of this Colony； of how we are able to affect the finances of so many。〃
Liu's fingers were clasped behind his back。 〃Even you； Mr。 Nangi； must admit that our latest five…year plan is a brilliant one； the only way to gain our goal： the eventual total control of the vast monetary flow in and out of Hong Kong。〃
Nangi reached for the folded document and began to read it assiduously in order to calm himself。 God in heaven； he thought。 If the Crown's authorities ever got wind of this they'd have a collective stroke at the very least。 Surely the Colony's chief of police and internal security would be given the ax。 How could this kind of manipulation have gone on right under their noses？ It must have been vast！ Ah； Madonna； they're all fools here！ My own people were totally foxed。 And I was convinced they were well informed。 Why should the officials here be any different？
But debating unanswered questions was a waste of time and he quickly turned his mind to other matters。 First and foremost； the contract。 On initial reading it appeared to be hardnosed but essentially fair。 There were no hidden strings； no floating clauses that Liu had not brought up。
Nangi raised his head for a moment； ing up for air。 〃I see here on page three that the first inflow of capital doesn't mence until ninety days after the signing of this contract。〃
Liu nodded； delighted they had gotten this far。 〃That is correct。 There are a number of； er； realistic entanglements at gathering and transshipping that large an amount of money。〃
〃Gold。〃
〃If that is your wish。 It will be handled via the Sun Wa Trading pany。〃
〃But surely your。。。 ah。。。 firm is of a sufficient size to begin payment on signing。〃
Now Liu's long face looked pained。 His hands； ing around from behind his back； were like prehensile hooks。 〃Regrettably； accelerating the timetable of payments is impossible。 My firm has a number of prior mitments that it must see to concluding first。 There just isn't enough capital for another ninety days or so。〃
Nangi sat up； grasping the white jade dragon head of his walking stick。 Now we e to the nub of it all； he thought。 I must outmaneuver him here or not at all。 〃Mr。 Liu； as you yourself have said； my situation vis…a…vis the All…Asia Bank is critical。 If I am forced to wait three months for your money； I will lose tha part of my keiretsu。 That would not be in either of our interests。〃 And Nangi thought desperately； How I wish we were already one with the American pany so that I could call down then…capital。 But he saw the impossibility of the situation。 Even had Sato's kobun merged with Sphynx he did not believe that the pany could have provided enough money within the deadline period。 Maddeningly； Liu was right。 He had to stave off the run before it became a stampede。 Otherwise no amount of infused capital would save the bank。
Liu said nothing； tapped his fingertips together to an odd internal rhythm。
〃Time is of the essence for me as well as for you；〃 Nangi said； carefully feeding emotion into his voice。 〃If I decide to sign… and as you have said that must be before I leave Hong Kong… then there must be a rider that specifies delivery of enough capital to cover the anticipated run and the short…term obli