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of here before it's too late！ Too late for what。。。 Just want to turn over and close my eyes and。。。 For God's sake stay awake！
On his hands and knees now； bleeding all over the clean；〃shiny surface of the arcade floor； Alix tugging at his arm； pulling him dizzily upward； the corridor beginning to be bathed in pulsing crimson light； the sounds of sirens blossoming in his ears。 He turned with her now； allowing her to head him out of the labyrinth； loping； willing his stiff legs to work； trying to ignore the pounding in his head； the roar of his own pulse； the acrid coppery taste in his mouth making him want to gag。
Red； black； red； the illumination revolving； until gradually the red began to grow dimmer and then he felt the cool incredibly soft night breeze on his hot cheeks and he had the presence of mind to tell her； 〃Keys。 Alix； get the goddamned car keys！〃
Nangi turned his torso over in the bed； ignoring his useless legs。 He reached out in the darkness and touched the slim shoulder of the second Chinese girl on the beach。 Nangi shook her with some power。 He leaned his head in toward the curtain of night…black hair and said； 〃Wake up； sleepy one；〃 directly into the hollow of her ear。 He was greeted with nothing more articulate than a snore。
He rolled away from her and sat up。 Good。 The bit of white powder； tasteless and odorless； he had put in her champagne had done its work nicely。 Now it was time to go to work。
The villa was silent as he quickly dressed in shirt and trousers。 He left off his shoes and socks； transferring several small objects from a deep pouch hidden within the silk folds of the lining of his suit jacket into his trousers' pocket。
Across the room； ribboned in bluish shadow； he took up his walking stick and carefully opened the door。 The hallway was dark and silent and slowly he crept awkwardly along it； turning his mind from thoughts of powerful athlete's legs； which in this situation would have served him in good stead。
When he reached the closed door behind which Liu and the tall girl had disappeared not more than fifteen minutes ago； he paused。 Unscrewing the white jade dragon at the head of his walking stick； he inserted one of the small objects in his pocket。 He pressed a stud； peered at the inside mechanism； satisfying himself as to its working order； and slowly； using infinite care； turned the knob on the door before him。 He froze as a sliver of pink lamplight slithered out the tiny crack between door and frame。
When nothing further occurred； he continued pushing the door inward。 It was time to see if the sensation he had picked up from Liu at the moment he watched the tall girl earlier on the veranda had any validity。 Now he could discern the faint； floating lilt of the Chinese。 Surprisingly； it was not Cantonese。 Nangi had enough ongoing business in Hong Kong so that he had made himself learn the language because he never quite felt secure leaving his business fate to interpreters。 But this was a dialect he was not familiar with。
It was not so much that Liu would be speaking it。 He was a munist Chinese from the mainland； where Cantonese was certainly not the lingua franca。 But these two beach girls…surely they were local。 Of course they could be Chiu Chow or originally from any number of other provinces。 But still。。。
Nangi set his walking stick； point first； along the carpeted floor and slowly slid it through the gap in the door； extending it to its full length。 Then he settled himself to listen。 After a long while he picked up a word he knew and his heart began to race。 But cautious man that he was； he waited for another word or phrase that would give him confirmation。
When it finally came； he gave a tiny inward sigh。 They were speaking Mandarin； there was no doubt of it。 It was extremely unlikely that Liu would find a street girl in the Crown Colony whose native tongue was the same as his own。
Nangi； crouched unfortably in the hallway； waited patiently through the grunting coupling and the languid aftermath when the conversation picked up again。 When at last he heard the soft slide of bedsheets； he withdrew his walking stick。 The barely discern…able pad of bare feet came to him as he was closing the door； forcing himself to do it slowly； a millimeter at a time； lest either of the occupants discover the movement。
At last he rose and went down the corridor to the back of the villa。 There he opened the door and went out。 Earlier in the evening the stars had been visible but now the clouds had e； occluding all light。 The air was heavy with incipient rain as he took out a cigarette and lit it。 He took the smoke deep into his lungs； let it out with a long； satisfied sigh。 Then he threw the thing into the sand and went down the stone steps and across the winding road。
Within the deep shadows along the far verge he found the small red Alfa run up beneath a pair of enormous leafy trees。
〃You're going to catch your death of cold；〃 he said in idiomatic Cantonese。
〃Eh？〃 The driver of the car turned his head as if he was only now aware of Nangi's presence。
〃It's going to rain in a moment；〃 Nangi went on。 He gestured toward the car。 〃You'd better get the top up。〃
They watched each other for a moment； a pair of wary animals about to enter into a contest of territory。
〃I fear you've picked the wrong car to follow anybody in。〃
〃I don't know what you're talking about；〃 the man said； using the most abusive inflection。
Nangi bent down so fast the other man had no time to react。 They were face to face。 〃I know who you are；〃 Nangi said in a rush； 〃or； rather； what you are。 Either the munists hired you…〃
〃I spit on the munists；〃 the man broke in。
〃Then you're working for Sato。〃
〃Never heard of him。〃
〃I'm the one who'll pay you； eventually。〃
The whites of the man's eyes took on a slight sheen as they shifted toward Nangi。 〃Are you telling me he won't e through with the rest？〃
〃What I'm saying is this。 You do what I tell you from now on and I won't inform Mr。 Sato of your clumsiness。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 the man protested。 〃D'you think those sea snakes know I'm here？ They damn well don't。〃
〃But I do；〃 Nangi said。 〃And you were hired to follow me。〃
〃What if I was？〃
〃Let's see if you're really any good；〃 Nangi said； unscrewing
the head of his walking stick。 He extracted a small plastic cassette and held it in his palm like a priceless jewel。 〃Can you speak Mandarin？〃
The man looked up at him。 〃No sweat。〃
'〃No sweat'？ What books have you been into？〃
〃I read Raymond Chandler。〃
Oh； Madonna！ Nangi thought。 He probably thinks of himself as a private eye。 He gave the man a judicious look； wondering whether or not he could trust him。
〃Listen；〃 the man said； shifting unfortably in his leather bucket seat。 〃Give me the tape； I'll get it done。 You want it first thing in the morning； that's exactly when you'll get it。〃 He glanced upward。 〃The gods assure it。 Look。 It hasn't rained here in three weeks。 Now the heavens are about to open。 Guaranteed。〃
〃All right；〃 Nangi said； making his decision。 He didn't see that he had much choice。 He did not want to involve Allan Su at this stage and there seemed to be no other alt