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he had graduated top of his class； senior prefect； and had joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in their plainclothes branch in Vancouver's huge Chinatown。 He spoke Cantonese； Mandarin； sei yap； and had served with distinction。 In '45 he had requested a transfer to the Royal Hong Kong Police。 With the reluctant approval of the RCMP； who had wanted him to stay on； he had returned。 〃You're wasted working for them； Brian；〃 Dr。 Meng continued。 〃You should serve the masses and work for the Party！〃
〃The Party murdered my father and my mother and most of my family in '43！〃
〃There was never proof of that！ Never。 It was hearsay。 Perhaps the Kuomintang devils did it … there was chaos then in Canton。 I was there； I know！ Perhaps the Japanese swine were responsible … or triads … who knows？ How can you be certain？〃
〃I'm certain； by God。〃
〃Was there a witness？ No！ You told me that yourself！〃 Meng's voice rasped and he peered up at him myopically。 〃Ayeeyah； you're Chinese； use your education for China； for the masses； not for the capitalist overlord。〃
〃Up yours！〃
Dr。 Meng laughed and his glasses fell on to the top of his nose。 〃You wait； Superintendent Kar…shun Kwok。 One day your eyes will open。 One day you will see the beauty of it all。〃
〃Meanwhile get me some bloody answers！〃 Brian Kwok strode out of the laboratory and went up the corridor to the elevator； his shirt sticking to his back。 I wish it would rain； he thought。
He got into the elevator。 Other policemen greeted him and he them。 At the third floor he got out and walked along the corridor to his office。 Armstrong was waiting for him； idly reading a Chinese newspaper。 〃Hi； Robert；〃 he said； pleased to see him。 〃What's new？〃
〃Nothing。 How about you？〃
Brian Kwok told him what Dr。 Meng had said。
〃That little bugger and his 'could possiblys'！ The only thing he's ever emphatic about's a corpse … and even then he'll have to check a couple of times。〃
〃Yes … or about Chairman Mao。〃
〃Oh； he was on that broken record again？〃
〃Yes。〃 Brian Kwok grinned。 〃I told him to go back to China。〃
〃He'll never leave。〃
〃I know。〃 Brian stared at the pile of papers in his in tray and sighed。 Then he said； 〃It's not like a local to cut off an ear so soon。〃
〃No； not if it's a proper kidnapping。〃
〃What？〃
〃It could be a grudge and the kidnapping a cover；〃 Armstrong said； his well…used face hardening。 〃I agree with you and Dunross。 I think they did him in。〃
〃But why？〃
〃Perhaps John was trying to escape； started a fight； and they or he panicked and before they or he knew what was happening； they or he'd knifed him； or bonked him with a blunt instrument。〃 Armstrong sighed and stretched to ease the knot in his shoulders。 〃In any event； old chap； our Great White Father wants this solved quickly。 He honored me with a call to say the governor had phoned personally to express his concern。〃
Brian Kwok cursed softly。 〃Foul news travels quickly！ Nothing in the press yet？〃
〃No； but it's all over Hong Kong and we'll have a red hot wind fanning our tails by morning。 Mr。 Bloody Werewolf Esquire … assisted by the pox…ridden； black…hearted； uncooperative Hong Kong press … will； I fear； cause us nothing but grief until we catch the bastard； or bastards。〃
〃But catch him we will； oh yes； catch him we will！〃
〃Yes。 How about a beer … or better； a very large gin and tonic？ I could use one。〃
〃Good idea。 Your stomach off again？〃
〃Yes。 Mary says it's all the good thoughts I keep bottled up。〃 They laughed together and headed for the door and were in the corridor when the phone rang。
〃Leave the bloody thing； don't answer it； it's only trouble；〃 Armstrong said； knowing neither he nor Brian would ever leave it。
Brian Kwok picked up the phone and froze。
It was Roger Crosse； senior superintendent； director of Special Intelligence。 〃Yes sir？〃
〃Brian； would you please e up right away。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Is Armstrong with you？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Bring him too。〃 The phone clicked off。
〃Yes sir。〃 He replaced the receiver and felt the sweat on his back。
〃God wants us； on the double。〃
Armstrong's heart jumped a beat。 〃Eh？ Me？〃 He caught up with Brian who was heading for the elevator。 〃What the hell does he want me for？ I'm not in SI now。〃
〃Ours not to reason why； ours just to shit when he murmurs。〃
Brian Kwok pressed the up button。 〃What's up？〃
〃Got to be important。 The Mainland perhaps？〃
〃Chou En…lai's ousted Mao and the moderates're in power？〃
〃Dreamer！ Mao'll die in office … the Godhead of China。〃
〃The only good thing you can say about Mao is that he's Chinese first and mie second。 God…cursed mies！〃
〃Hey； Brian； maybe the Soviets are hotting up the border again。 Another incident？〃
〃Could be。 Yes。 War's ing … yes； war's ing between Russia and China。 Mao's right in that too。〃
〃The Soviets aren't that stupid。〃
〃Don't bet on it； old chum。 I've said it before and I've said it again； the Soviets are the world enemy。 There'll be war … you'll soon owe me a thousand dollars； Robert。〃
〃I don't think I want to pay that bet。 The killing'll be hideous。〃
〃Yes。 But it'll still happen。 Again Mao's right in that。 It'll be hideous all right … but not catastrophic。〃 Irritably Brian Kwok punched the elevator button again。 He looked up suddenly。 〃You don't think the invasion from Taiwan's launched at long last？〃
〃That old chestnut？ That old pipe dream？ e off it； Brian！ Chiang Kai…shek'll never get off Taiwan。〃
〃If he doesn't the whole world's in the manure pile。 If Mao gets thirty years to consolidate 。。。 Christ； you've no idea。 A billion automatons？ Chiang was so right to go after the mie bastards … they're the real enemy of China。 They're the plague of China。 Christ； if they get time to Pavlov all the kids。〃
Armstrong said mildly； 〃Anyone'd think you're a running dog Nationalist。 Simmer down； lad； everything's lousy in the world which is now and ever shall be normal … but you； capitalist dog； you can go racing Saturday； hill climbing Sunday and there're lots of birds ready to be plucked。 Eh？〃
〃Sorry。〃 They got into the elevator。 〃That little bastard Meng caught me off balance；〃 Brian said； stabbing the top…floor button。
Armstrong switched to Cantonese。 〃Thy mother on your sorry； Brother。 〃
〃And thine was stuffed by a vagrant monkey with one testicle in a pail of pig's nightsoil。〃
Armstrong beamed。 〃That's not bad； Brian；〃 he said in English。 〃Not bad at all。〃
The elevator stopped。 They walked along the drab corridor。 At the door they prepared themselves。 Brian knocked gently。
〃e in。〃
Roger Crosse was in his fifties； a thin tall man with pale blue eyes and fair thinning hair and small； long…fingered hands。 His desk was meticulous； like his civilian clothes … his office Spartan。 He motioned to chairs。 They sat。 He continued to read a file。 At length he closed it carefully and set it in front of him。 The cover was drab； interoffice and ordinary。 〃An American millionaire arrives with smuggled guns； an ex…drug peddling； very suspect Shanghainese millionaire flees to Taiwan； and now a VIP kidnapping with； God help us； Werewolves and a mutilated ear。 All in nineteen…odd hours。 Where's the connection？〃
Arms