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He looked up and saw Suslev watching him and queasily wondered if the man had read his thoughts。 〃Yes； rade Captain？〃
〃How long will the instructions take to write？〃
〃A few minutes。 I can do it now if you wish； but I will have to go back to the hotel for the chemicals。〃
〃How many different chemicals are to be used？〃
〃Three： one for sleep； one for wake…up and the last； the Pentothal…V6。 By the way； it should be kept cool until used。〃
〃Only the last intravenously？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Good； then write it all down。 Now。 You have paper？〃
Koronski nodded and pulled out a small notebook from his hip pocket。 〃Would you prefer Russian； English or shorthand？〃
〃Russian。 There's no need to describe the wake…sleep…wake pattern。 I've used that many times。 Just the last phase and don't name Pentothal…V6； just call it medicine。 Understand？〃
〃Perfectly。〃
〃Good。 When it's written； put it there。〃 He pointed to a small pile of used newspapers on the moth…eaten sofa。 〃Put it in the second one from the top。 I'll collect it later。 As to the chemicals there's a men's room on the ground floor of the Nine Dragons Hotel。 Tape them to the underside of the lid； the last booth on the right … and please be in your room at nine o'clock tonight in case I need some clarification。 Everything clear？〃
〃Certainly。〃
Suslev got up。 At once Koronski did the same； offered his hand。 〃Good luck； rade Captain。〃
Suslev nodded politely as to an inferior and walked out。 He went to the end of the corridor and through a bent door up a staircase to the roof。 He felt better in the air on the roof。 The room smell and Koronski's smell had displeased him。 The sea beckoned him； the wide clean ocean and salt…kelp smell。 It will be good to be at sea again； away from the land。 The sea and the ocean and the ship keep you sane。
Like most roofs in Hong Kong this one was packed with a polyglot of makeshift dwellings； the space rented … the only alternative to the crude； packed mud slopes of the squatter settlements that were far in the New Territories or in the hills of Kowloon or Hong Kong。 Every inch of space in the city had long since been taken by the vast influx of immigrants。 Most squatters' areas were illegal； like all roof dwellings； and as much as the authorities forbade it and deplored it； wisely they ignored these transgressions for where else were these unfortunates to go？ There was no sanitation； no water； not even simple hygiene； but it was still better than on the streets。 From the rooftops； the method of disposal was just to hurl it below。 Hong Kong yan always walked in the center of the street and never on the sidewalk； even if there was one。
Suslev ducked under clotheslines； stepped over the flotsam and jetsam of lifetimes； oblivious of the automatic obscenities that followed him； amused by the urchins who ran before him shrieking； 〃Quai loh 。。。 quai loh！〃； laughing together； holding out their hands。 He was too Hong Kong yan to give them any money though he was touched by them； their poverty and good humor； so he just cursed them genially and tousled a few crew…cut heads。
On the far side of the roof the entrance to Ginny Fu's tenement jutted like an ancient funnel。 The door was ajar。 He went down。
〃Halloa； Gregy；〃 Ginny Fu said； breathlessly opening her front door for him。 She was dressed as he had ordered in a drab coolie outfit with a big straw conical hat hanging down her back； her face and hands dirtied。 〃How I look？ Like film star； heya？〃
〃Greta Garbo herself；〃 he said with a laugh as she ran into his arms and gave him a great hug。
〃You want jig…jig more 'fore go； heya？〃
〃Nyet。 Plenty of time in the next weeks。 Plenty； heya？〃 He set her down。 He had pillowed with her at dawn； more to prove his manhood than out of desire。 That's the problem； he thought。 No desire。 She's boring。 〃Now； you understand plan； heya？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 she said grandly。 〃I find go…down 7 and join coolies； carry bales to ship。 Once on ship I go door opposite stairway； go in and give paper。〃 She pulled it out of her pocket to show that she had it safely。 On the paper was written in Russian； 〃Cabin 3。〃 Boradinov would be expecting her。 〃In 3 cabin； can use bath； change to clothes you buy and wait。〃 Another big smile。 〃Heya？〃
〃Excellent。〃 The clothes had cost little and the buying saved any baggage。 Much more simple without baggage。 Baggage would be noticed。 Nothing about her should be noticed。
〃Sure no need bring anything； Gregy？〃 she asked anxiously。
〃No； only makeup things； woman things。 Everything in pocket； understand？〃
〃Of course；〃 she said haughtily。 〃Am I fool？〃
〃Good。 Then off you go。〃
Once more she embraced him。 〃Oh thanks holiday； Gregy … I be bestest ever。〃 She left。
The meeting with Koronski had made him hungry。 He went to the battered refrigerator and found the chocolates he sought。 He munched on one； then lit the gas stove and began to fry some eggs。 His anxiety began to return。 Don't worry； he ordered himself。 The plan will work； you will get possession of the tai…pan and it will be routine at police headquarters。
Put those things aside。 Think of Ginny。 Perhaps at sea she won't be boring。 She'll divert the nights； some of the nights； the tai…pan the days until we dock。 By then he'll be empty and she'll vanish into a new life and that danger will be gone forever and I'll go to my dacha where the Zergeyev hellcat'll be waiting and we'll fight； she calling me every obscenity until I lose my temper and tear her clothes off； maybe use the whip again and she'll fight back and fight back until I fight into her and explode； explode taking her with me sometimes； Kristos how I wish it was every time。 Then sleeping； never knowing when she'll kill me in my sleep。 But she's been warned。 If anything happens to me my men will give her to lepers on the east side of Vladivostok with the rest of her family。
The radio announced the seven o'clock news in English。 〃Good morning。 This is Radio Hong Kong。 More heavy rain is expected。 The Victoria Bank has confirmed officially that it will assume all depositor debts of the Ho…Pak and asks depositors to line up peacefully if they require their money on Monday。
〃During the night there were numerous land and mud slides throughout the Colony。 Worst hit were the squatters' settlement area above Aberdeen； Sau Ming Ping； and Sui Fai Terrace in Wan…chai where six major landslips affected buildings in the area。 In all； thirty…three persons are known to have lost their lives and many are feared still buried in the slides。
〃There are no new developments in the foul murder and kidnapping of Mr。 John Chen by the Werewolf gang。 Rewards of 100；000 for information leading to their capture have been posted。
〃Reports from London confirm that this year's harvest in the USSR has again failed。 。。。〃
Suslev didn't hear the rest of the broadcast。 He knew the report from London was true。 Top…secret KGB forecasts had predicted the harvest would once more be below even that necessary for subsistence。
Kristos； why the hell can't we feed ourselves？ he wanted to shout； knowing famine； knowing the bloatedness and pains in his own lifetime let alone the ghastly tales his father and mother would te