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ace and my village is home。 Life without family is nothing。 But now 。。。〃 Then the old woman dropped her voice and chortled； carried away with pleasure。 〃But now the gods have favored me。 In a month or two I'm going home； home forever。 I'll have enough money to retire on and I'll buy the small house at the end of my street and perhaps a little field and 。。。〃
〃Retire？〃 Wu said； leading her on。 〃Who has that sort of money； Elder Sister？ You said you were paid nothing th… 〃
〃Ah；〃 the old woman replied； puffed up。 〃I've an important friend。〃
〃What sort of friend？〃
〃A very important business friend who needs my help！ Because I've been so useful he's promised to give me a huge amount of money … 〃
〃You're making this all up； Elder Sister；〃 he scoffed。 〃Am I a foolish stranger wh… 〃
〃I tell you my friend's so important he can hold the whole island in thrall！〃
〃There are no such persons！〃
〃Oh yes there are！〃 She dropped her voice and whispered hoarsely； 〃What about the Werewolves！〃
Spectacles Wu gaped at her。 〃What？〃
She chortled again； delighted with the impact of her confidence。 〃Yes。〃
The young man took hold of his blown mind and put the pieces quickly back together； if this were true he would get the reward and the promotion and maybe an invitation to join Special Intelligence。 〃You're making this up！〃
〃Would I lie to someone from my own village？ My friend's one of them I tell you。 He's also a 489 and his Brotherhood's going to be the richest in all Hong Kong。〃
〃Eeeee； how lucky you are； Elder Sister！ And when you see him again please ask if perhaps he can use someone like me。 I'm a street fighter by trade though my triad's poor and the leader stupid and a stranger。 Is he from Ning…tok？〃
〃No。 He's 。。。 he's my nephew；〃 she said； and the young man knew it was a lie。 〃I'm seeing him later。 Yes； he's ing later。 He owes me some money。〃
〃Eeeee； that's good； but don't put it in a bank and certainly not in the Ho…Pak or y… 〃
〃Ho…Pak？〃 she said suspiciously； her little eyes narrowing suddenly in the creases of her face。 〃Why do you mention the Ho…Pak？ What has the Ho…Pak to do with me？〃
〃Nothing； Elder Sister；〃 Wu said； cursing himself for the slip； knowing her guard was now up。 〃I saw the queues this morning； that's all。〃
She nodded； not convinced； then saw that her chicken was packaged and ready so she thanked him for the tea and cake and scuttled off； muttering to herself。 Most carefully he followed her。 From time to time she would look back but she did not see him。 Reassured； she went home。
The CIA man got out of his car and walked quickly into police headquarters。 The uniformed sergeant at the information desk greeted him。 〃Afternoon； Mr。 Rosemont。〃
〃I've an appointment with Mr。 Crosse。〃
〃Yes sir。 He's expecting you。〃
Sourly Rosemont went to the elevator。 This whole goddamn…piss…poor island makes me want to shit； and the goddamn British along with it。
〃Hello； Stanley；〃 Armstrong said。 〃What're you doing here？〃
。〃Oh hi； Robert。 Gotta meeting with your chief。〃
〃I've already had that displeasure once today。 At 7：01 precisely。〃 The elevator opened。 Rosemont went in and Armstrong followed。
〃I hope you've got some good news for Crosse；〃 Armstrong said with a yawn。 〃He's really in a foul mood。〃
〃Oh？ You in this meeting too？〃
〃Afraid so。〃
Rosemont flushed。 〃Shit； I asked for a private meeting。〃
〃I'm private。〃
〃You sure are； Robert。 And Brian； and everyone else。 But some bastard isn't。〃
Armstrong's humor vanished。 〃Oh？〃
〃No。〃 Rosemont said nothing more。 He knew he had hurt the Englishman but he didn't care。 It's the truth； he thought bitterly。 The sooner these goddamn limeys open their goddamn eyes the better。
The elevator stopped。 They walked down the corridor and were ushered into Crosse's room by Brian Kwok。 Rosemont felt the bolts slide home behind him and he thought how goddamn foolish and useless and unnecessary； the man's a knucklehead。
〃I asked for a private meeting； Rog。〃
〃It's private。 Robert's very private； Brian is。 What can I do for you； Stanley？〃 Crosse was politely cool。
〃Okay； Rog； today I got a long list for you： first； you're personally 100 percent in the creek with me； my whole department； up to the director in Washington himself。 I'm told to tell you … among other things … your mole's surpassed himself this time。〃
〃Oh？〃
Rosemont's voice was grating now。 〃For starters； we just heard from one of our sources in Canton that Fong…fong and all your lads were hit last night。 Their cover's gone … they're blown。〃 Armstrong and Brian Kwok looked shocked。 Crosse was staring back at him and he read nothing in his face。 〃Got to be your mole； Rog。 Got to be fingered from the tai…pan's AMG papers。〃
Crosse looked across at Brian Kwok。 〃Use the emergency wireless code。 Check it！〃
As Brian Kwok hurried out； Rosemont said again； 〃They're blown； the poor bastards。〃
〃We'll check it anyway。 Next？〃
Rosemont smiled mirthlessly。 〃Next： Almost everything that was in the tai…pan's AMG papers's spread around the intelligence munity in London … on the wrong side。〃
〃God curse all traitors；〃 Armstrong muttered。
〃Yeah； that's what I thought； Robert。 Next； another little gem … AMG was no accident。〃
〃What？〃
〃No one knows the who； but we all know the why。 The bike was hit by an auto。 No make； no serial number； no witnesses； no nothing yet； but he was hit … and of course； fingered from here。〃
〃Then why haven't I been informed by Source？ Why's the information ing from you？〃 Crosse asked。
Rosemont's voice sharpened。 〃I just got off the phone to London。 It's just past 5：00 a。m。 there so maybe your people plan to let you know when they get to the office after a nice leisurely bacon and eggs and a goddamn cup of tea！〃
Armstrong shot a quick glance at Crosse and winced at the look on his face。
〃Your 。。。 your point's well taken； Stanley；〃 Crosse said。 〃Next？〃
〃The photos we gave you of the guys who knocked off Voranski 。。。 what happened？〃
〃We had their place covered。 The two men never reappeared； so I raided the place in the early hours。 We went through that whole tenement； room by room； but found no one who looked anything like the photographs。 We searched for a couple of hours and there were no secret doors or anything like that。 They weren't there。 Perhaps your fellow made a mistake。 。。。〃
〃Not this time。 Marty Povitz was sure。 We had the place staked out soon as we deciphered the address but there was a time when it wasn't all covered； front and back。 I think they were tipped； again by your mole。〃 Rosemont took out a copy of a telex and passed it over。 Crosse read it； reddened and passed it over to Armstrong。
Decoded from Director； Washington； to Rosemont； Deputy Director Station Hong Kong： Sinders MI…6 brings orders from Source； London； that you are to go with him Friday to witness the handover of the papers and get an immediate photocopy。
〃You'll get your copy in today's mail； Rog；〃 the American said。
〃I can keep this？〃 Crosse asked。
〃Sure。 By the way； we have a tail on Dunross too。 W… 〃
Crosse said angrily； 〃Would you kindly not interfere in our jurisdiction！〃
〃I told you you were in S