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the Crown Colony； she then selectively betrayed him to the other side。
She was stroking more strongly now。 Her eyes never left her work。 〃The information contains new assignments for over half of the upper…echelon munist operatives secreted within the Crown Colony's government； police department； and security services。〃
〃God in Heaven！〃
It was unclear to Nangi whether the ginger…haired man was reacting to the news or to Succulent Pien's ministrations。 He was beginning to understand the reason for her name。
With a throaty laugh； the Chinese girl swung herself atop the prone figure； inserting his rigid length into her with one swift movement。 Closing her eyes； she pushed herself against his pubic mound； shuddering deeply at the contact。
〃Pull on my nipples；〃 she gasped。 〃I love it when you do that。〃
His hands raised obediently and she cried out shrilly。 Meanwhile； in the adjoining room； Third Cousin Tok was snapping away with the black…bodied Nikon； the telephoto lens ensuring him of clear and exacting shots of the participants' faces as well as their joined sweating bodies。 Beside him； Fortuitous Chiu raised the volume on the micro tape recorder with its extended narrow…dispersion microphone。
On the pink and yellow bed the ginger…haired man's buttocks were bucking upward in a ragged rhythm as if he wished to dislodge his rider； which he most assuredly did not。 But he was not yet far enough gone to lose track of priorities。 〃I don't want to promise Liu。 You understand that。〃
Succulent Pien was gasping and moaning。 〃I know it。。。 Ohhh！。。。 and he knows it as well。 He has arranged everything perfectly。〃 Her voice rose to a scream。 〃Oh； now； now； now； my great stallion！ Fill me all up！〃
Gradually； after that； Nangi and Fortuitous Chiu crept away； back the way they had e。 In the hallway of the basement the same two Green Pang were deep into their Fan Tan。
Outside； in the filthy alleyway； Nangi wiped his brow with a handkerchief。 〃It's not her at all；〃 he said。 〃It's Liu himself！ He's working both sides of the street。 Madonna； he's sure to get himself killed！〃
〃He hasn't so far。〃 Fortuitous Chiu grinned hugely。 〃He's a very smart man。。。 as well as being a very nasty one。〃
Nangi was doing his best to keep the elation he was feeling out of his mind； it was far too busy for such an extraneous and potentially dangerous emotion。
He sensed the tides turning for real now and he was thinking furiously。 He had to be certain； and he needed help for that。 〃Fortuitous Chiu；〃 he said； 〃how can we be certain that what the woman fed this man is not munist disinformation？〃
〃Normally there would be no way；〃 the young Chinese said。 〃Certainly my sources among the munists are not good； and you can imagine that Third Cousin Tok might fare no better on that avenue。〃 He was grinning again and Nangi wondered what it was that was so hilarious。 He was about to find out。
〃But in this case we need no outside verification；〃 the young man went on。 〃Because； you see； the foreign devil locked in the embrace of Succulent Pien is Charles Percy Redman himself。 And no one in Hong Kong； least of all Succulent Pien； would dare risk feeding him false information of this sort。 He's so well plugged in he'd know in a shot and she would never see the light of dawn。〃
Nangi； his hand in his breast pocket； touched the glossy surface of the red envelope Liu had given him； thus causing him to lose enormous face。 Now he allowed his elation full rein。
〃What do you mean you can't read it？〃
〃Just that； Protorov…san；〃 Koten said。
〃It's Japanese； isn't it？〃 Protorov； who had never bothered to learn the difficult and time…consuming Japanese language； could nevertheless not understand that failing in anyone else。
〃It is and it isn't。〃
〃I don't pay you to give me riddles。〃
〃I did what I was ordered；〃 the immense sumo champion said。 〃I infiltrated Sato's kobun； I worked with your Lieutenant Russilov at the rotenburo； and as a consequence we lost your last spy。 I have done my duty。〃
〃Your duty；〃 Viktor Protorov said； 〃is precisely what I tell you it is。 You must read me the papers from the Tenshin Shoden Katori。 Your very life depends upon it。〃
〃Then I must surely die； Protorov…san； for I cannot translate this paper。 True； it is based on Chinese ideograms on which； also； my own language is based。 However； it uses ideograms that kanji discarded as being； perhaps； too plex； difficult； or open to misinterpretation。〃 He spread his pudgy…fingered hands。 〃This might as well be Arabic as far as I am concerned。 There is no doubt that this is the ryu's code。 If you had allowed me to handle matters at the rotenburo； your spy would now be here instead of six feet underground。 No doubt he could have translated this。〃 His shoulders lifted； fell。 〃But now…〃
Protorov slammed the tabletop； grabbed up the sheets of paper in his fist。 It was so unfair！ Here was the secret to Tenchi literally in the palm of his hand； the fruition of the most important clandestine operation he had ever mounted； the sword he needed to dazzle the GRU generals； to galvanize the Red Army； to begin his coup； and he could not read it。 It was unbelievable！
For a moment he thought he might go mad with frustration。 Then he took several deep breaths to calm his racing pulse。 One； two； three。 Set his mind to working。
〃Linnear is ninja；〃 Koten said softly。 〃He got his training at the Tenshin Shodien Katori。 It is conceivable。。。〃 He allowed his voice to trail off。
Hope exploded like a lightning flash across Protorov's mind。 Yes。 Linnear was his only hope now。 It had been many years since he had lived at the ryu but still； traditions in Japan rarely die。 Protorov knew that there was at least some chance that the code would be the same。 On the surface it seemed a desperate gamble； but he was now working under a severe time element。 Mironenko was gathering the generals。 In six days' time they would meet and he had to be there to present his plan to them； he had to deliver Tenchi to them or lose them forever。 With the Neanderthals who inhabited the GRU there could never be another opening； not； at least； for the KGB。
Protorov spun and strode from the small room； calling for the doctor and his magic needle。
〃I need to speak with the subject now；〃 he said to the bespectacled physician。
〃Now？〃 The doctor's eyes were round and startled behind his thick lenses。 〃But you told me you were giving me forty…eight hours for the softening…up process。〃
〃I no longer have the time；〃 Protorov snapped。 〃The real world； Doctor； is infinitely mutable。 You must get used to these sudden changes。〃
〃But I don't know how much I can do on this short a notice；〃 the doctor said； falling into step with Protorov。 〃I'm getting erratic readings from the cerebral cortex； I can't make head nor tail of them。 I can't guarantee how far he's under； if at all。〃
〃Then double the dose；〃 Protorov ordered。 〃Triple it； I don't care。 Just so long as he talks now。〃
The doctor was frantic。 〃But that strength will surely kill him in fifteen minutes； twenty at the outside。〃
Protorov nodded。 〃That's all the time I'll need； Doctor。 Please go to work on him at once。〃
〃His name is Gordon Min