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〃Tokyo Airport Police；〃 Kwok said。 〃One of their mechanics was doing a routine inspection … you know how thorough they are。 He reported it to his superior； their police phoned us and we said to let it through。〃
〃In that case get hold of the FBI and the CIA … get them to check back to Honolulu … or Los Angeles。〃
〃You went through the flight plan too？〃
〃Of course。 That's obvious。 Why someone in Struan's？〃
〃Both of the villains said 。。。〃 Armstrong took out his pad and referred to it。 〃Our question was； 'Where were you to take the packages？' Both answered using different words： 'To 15 go…down； we were to put the packages in Bay 7 at the back。' 〃 He looked up at Dunross。
〃That proves nothing。 We've the biggest warehouse operation at Kai Tak … just because they take it to one of our go…downs proves nothing … other than they're smart。 We've got so much merchandise going through； it'd be easy to send in an alien truck。〃 Dunross thought a moment。 〃15's right at the exit … perfect placing。〃 He reached for the phone。 〃I'll put my security folk on it right n… 〃
〃Would you not； please； just for the moment。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Our next question；〃 Armstrong continued； 〃was； 'Who employed you？' Of course they gave fictitious names and descriptions and denied everything but they'll be more helpful soon。〃 He smiled grimly。 〃One of them did say； however； when one of my sergeants was twisting his ear a little； figuratively speaking of course〃 … he read from the pad … 〃 'You leave me alone； I've got very important friends！' 'You've no friends in the world；' the sergeant said。 'Maybe； but the Honorable Tsu…yan has and Noble House Chen has。' 〃
The silence became long and heavy。 They waited。
Those God…cursed guns； Dunross thought furiously。 But he held his face calm and his wits sharpened。 〃We've a hundred and more Chens working for us； related； unrelated … Chen's as mon a name as Smith。〃
〃And Tsu…yan？〃 Brian Kwok asked。
Dunross shrugged。 〃He's a director of Struan's … but he's also a director of Blacs； the Victoria Bank and forty other panies； one of the richest men in Hong Kong and a name anyone in Asia could pull out of a hat。 Like Noble House Chen。〃
〃Do you know he's suspected of being very high up in the triad hierarchy … specifically in the Green Pang？〃 Brian Kwok asked。
〃Every important Shanghainese's equally suspect。 Jesus Christ； Brian； you know Chiang Kai…shek was supposed to have given Shanghai to the Green Pang years ago as their exclusive bailiwick if they'd support his northern campaign against the warlords。 Isn't the Green Pang still； more or less； an official Nationalist secret society？〃
Brian Kwok said； 〃Where'd Tsu…yan make his money； Ian？ His first fortune？〃
〃I don't know。 You tell me； Brian。〃
〃He made it during the Korean War smuggling penicillin； drugs and petrol … mostly penicillin … across the border to the munists。 Before Korea all he owned was a loincloth and a broken…down rickshaw。〃
〃That's all hearsay； Brian。〃
〃Struan's made a fortune too。〃
〃Yes。 But it would really be very unwise to imply we did it smuggling … publicly or privately；〃 Dunross said mildly。 〃Very unwise indeed。〃
〃Didn't you？〃
〃Struan's began with a little smuggling 120…odd years ago； so rumor has it； but it was an honorable profession and never against British law。 We're law…abiding capitalists and China Traders and have been for years。〃
Brian Kwok did not smile。 〃More hearsay's that a lot of his penicillin was bad。 Very bad。〃
〃If it was； if that's the truth； then please go get him； Brian；〃 Dunross said coldly。 〃Personally I think that's another rumor spread by jealous petitors。 If it was true he'd be floating in the bay with the others who tried； or he'd be punished like Bad Powder Wong。〃 He was referring to a Hong Kong smuggler who had sold a vast quantity of adulterated penicillin over the border during the Korean War and invested his fortune in stocks and land in Hong Kong。 Within seven years he was very very rich。 Then certain triads of Hong Kong were ordered to balance the books。 Every week one member of his family vanished； or died。 By drowning； car accident； strangulation； poison or knife。 No assailant was ever caught。 The killing went on for seventeen months and three weeks and then stopped。 Only he and one semi…imbecile infant grandson remained alive。 They live today； still holed up in the same vast； once luxurious penthouse apartment with one servant and one cook； in terror； guarded night and day； never going out … knowing that no guards or any amount of money could ever prevent the inexorability of his sentence published in a tiny box in a local Chinese newspaper： Bad Powder Wong will be punished； he and all his generations。
Brian Kwok said； 〃We interviewed that sod once； Robert and I。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。 Scary。 Every door's double locked and chained； every window nailed up and boarded over with planks … just spy holes here and there。 He hasn't been out since the killing started。 The place stank； my God did it stink！ All he does is play Chinese checkers with his grandson and watch television。〃
〃And wait；〃 Armstrong said。 〃One day they'll e for both of them。 His grandson must be six or seven now。〃
Dunross said； 〃I think you prove my point。 Tsu…yan's not like him and never was。 And what possible use could Tsu…yan have for a few M14's？ If he wanted to； I imagine he could muster half the Nationalist army along with a battalion of tanks。〃
〃In Taiwan but not in Hong Kong。〃
〃Has Tsu…yan ever been involved with Bartlett？〃 Armstrong asked。 〃In your negotiations？〃
〃Yes。 He was in New York once and in Los Angeles on our behalf。 Both times with John Chen。 They initialed the agreement between Struan's and Par…Con Industries which is to be finalized … or abandoned … here this month； and they formally invited Bartlett to Hong Kong on my behalf。〃
Armstrong glanced at his Chinese partner。 Then he said； 〃When was this？〃
〃Four months ago。 It's taken that time for both sides to prepare all the details。〃
〃John Chen； eh？〃 Armstrong said。 〃He certainly could be Noble House Chen。〃
〃You know John's not the type；〃 Dunross said。 'There's no reason why he should be mixed up in such a ploy。 It must be just coincidence。〃
〃There's another curious coincidence；〃 Brian Kwok said。 〃Tsu…yan and John Chen both know an American called Banastasio； at least both have been seen in his pany。 Does that name mean anything？〃
〃No。 Who's he？〃
〃A big…time gambler and suspected racketeer。 He's also supposed to be closely connected with one of the Cosa Nostra families。 Vincenzo Banastasio。〃
Dunross's eyes narrowed。 〃You said； 'seen in his pany。' Who did the seeing？〃
〃The FBI。〃
The silence thickened a little。
Armstrong reached into his pocket for a cigarette。
Dunross pushed across the silver cigarette box。 〃Here。〃
〃Oh； thanks。 No； I won't … I wasn't thinking。 I've stopped for the last couple of weeks。 It's a killer。〃 Then he added； trying to curb the desire； 〃The FBI passed the info on to us because Tsu…yan and Mr。 John Chen are so prominent here。 They asked us to keep an eye on them。〃
Then Dunross suddenly remembered Foxwell's remark about a prominent capitalist who was a secret m