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wo dwellings that； until this rain； were dry。 There was one water tap per hundred families； no sewers； no electric light； but the city of these squatters thrived and was mostly well ordered。 Already one uncle had a small plastic flower factory in a hovel he had rented at 1。50 HK per foot per month lower down the slopes； another had rented a stall in the market area selling tangy rice cakes and rice gruel in their Ning…tok village style。 All seventeen were working … now eighteen mouths to feed with a newborn babe； born last week。 Even the two…year…olds were given simple tasks； sorting plastic petals for the plastic flowers the young and old made that gave many of the hill dwellers money to buy food and money to gamble with。
Yes； Spectacles Wu thought fervently； all gods help me to get some of the reward money for the capture of the Werewolves in time for Saturday's races to put on Pilot Fish； the black stallion who； according to all the portents； is definitely going to win。
He stifled a yawn as he plodded on barefoot down one of the narrow twisting alleys in the resettlement area； his six…year…old niece beside him。 She was barefoot too。 The rain kept misting his thick glasses。 Both picked their way cautiously； not wanting to step on any broken glass or rusting debris that was ever present。 Sometimes the mud was ankle…deep。 Both wore their trousers well rolled up and she had a vast straw coolie hat that dwarfed her。 His hat was ordinary and secondhand like his clothes and not police regulation。 These were the only clothes he possessed except for the shoes he carried in a plastic bag under his raincoat to protect them。 Stepping over a foul pothole he almost lost his footing。 〃Fornicate all hazards；〃 he cursed； glad that he did not live here and that the rented room he shared with his mother near the East Aberdeen police station was dry and not subject to quirks of the weather gods like those here。 And thank all gods I don't have to make this journey every day。 My clothes would be ruined and then my whole future would be in jeopardy because Special Intelligence admires neatness and punctuality。 Oh gods let this be my great day！
Tiredness wafted over him。 His head was hunched down and he felt the rain trickling down his neck。 He had been on duty all night。 When he was leaving the station early this morning he had been told that there was to be a raid on the old amah； Ah Tam； the one connected with the Werewolves； whom he had found and tracked to her lair。 So he had said that he would hurry with his visit to his grandfather who had been taken ill and was near death and hurry back in good time。
He glanced at his watch。 There was still time enough to walk the mile to the station。 Reassured； he went on again； eased past a pile of garbage into a bigger alley that skirted the storm drain。 The storm drain was five feet deep and served normally for sewer； laundry or sink； depending on the amount of water therein。 Now it was overflowing； the swirling runoff adding to the misery of those below。
〃Be careful； Fifth Niece；〃 he said。
〃Yes。 Oh yes； Sixth Uncle。 Can I e all the way？〃 the little girl asked happily。
〃Only to the candy stall。 Now be careful！ Look； there's another piece of glass！〃
〃Is Honorable Grandfather going to die？〃
〃That's up to the gods。 The time of dying is up to the gods； not to us； so why should we worry； heya？〃
〃Yes；〃 she agreed importantly。 〃Yes； gods are gods。〃
All gods cherish Honorable Grandfather and make the rest of his life sweet； he prayed； then added carefully； for safety； 〃Hail Mary Mother and Joseph； bless old Grandfather。〃 Who knows whether the Christian God or even the real gods exist？ he thought。 Better to try to placate them all； if you can。 It costs nothing。 Perhaps they'll help。 Perhaps they're sleeping or out to lunch but never mind。 Life is life； gods are gods； money is money； laws must be obeyed and today I must be very sharp。
Last night he had been out with Divisional Sergeant Mok and the Snake。 This was the first time he had been taken with them on one of their special raids。 They had raided three gambling joints but had； curiously； left five much more prosperous ones untouched even though they were on the same floor of the same tenement and he could hear the click of mah…jong tiles and the cries of the fan…tan croupiers。
Dew neh loh moh I wish I could get part of the squeeze； he told himself then added； Get thee behind me； Satan！ I want much more to be in Special Intelligence because then I will have a safe； important job for life； I will know all manner of secrets； the secrets will protect me； and then； when I retire； the secrets will make me rich。
They turned a corner and reached the candy stall。 He bartered with the old toothless woman for a minute or two； then paid her two copper cash and she gave the little girl a sweet rice cake and a good pinch of the bits of oh so chewy and tangy bittersweet sun…dried orange peel in a twist of newspaper。
〃Thank you； Sixth Uncle；〃 the little girl said； beaming up at him from under her hat。
〃I hope you enjoy them； Fifth Niece；〃 he replied； loving her； glad that she was pretty。 If the gods favor us she will grow up to be very pretty； he thought contentedly； then we can sell her maidenhead for a vast amount of money； and her later services profitably for the good of the family。
Spectacles Wu was very proud that he had been able to do so much for this part of his family in their hour of need。 Everyone safe and fed and now my percentage of Ninth Uncle's plastic flower factory； negotiated so patiently； will； with joss； pay my rent in a year or two； and I can eat good Ning…tok rice gruel three times a week free which helps eke out my money so that I needn't take the squeeze that is so easy to obtain but would ruin my future。
No。 All gods bear witness！ I will not take the squeeze while there's a chance for SI but it's not sensible to pay us so little。 Me； 320 HK a month； after two years of service。 Ayeeyah； barbarians are impossible to understand！
〃You run along now and I'll be back tomorrow；〃 he said。 〃Be careful as you go。〃
〃Oh yes！〃
He bent down and she hugged him。 He hugged her back and left。 She headed up the hill； part of the rice cake already in her mouth； the cloying tacky sweetness oh so delicious。
The rain was monotonous and heavy。 Flooding from the storm drain carried debris against the shacks in its path but she climbed the path carefully； skirting it； fascinated by the rushing water。 The overflow was deep in parts and here where the way was steeper； almost like rapids。 Without warning a jagged five…gallon can came swirling down the drain and hurled itself at her； narrowly missing her； to smash through a cardboard wall。
She stood stock…still； frightened。
〃Get on； there's nothing to steal here！〃 a furious householder called out at her。 〃Go home！ You shouldn't be here。 Go home！〃
〃Yes 。。。 yes；〃 she said and began to hurry； the climb more difficult now。 At that moment the earth just below her gave way and the slide began。 Hundreds of tons of sludge and rock and earth surged downward burying everything in its path。 It went on for fifty yards or more in seconds； tearing the flimsy structures apart； scattering men； women and children； burying some； maiming others； cutting an oozing swath where once was village。
Then it stopped。 As suddenly as it began。
On all the mountainside there was a great silence broken only by the sound of rain。 Abruptly the silence ceased。 Shouts and cries for help began。 Men and women and children rushed out of untouched hovels； blessing the gods for their own safety； adding to the pandemonium and wails for help。 Friends helped friends； neighbors helped neighbors； mothers searched for children； children for parents； but the great majority nearby just stood there in the rain and blessed their joss that this slide had passed them by。
The little girl was still teetering on the brink of the chasm where the earth had fallen away。 She stared down into it with disbelief。 Eleven feet below her now were fangs of rocks and sludge and death where seconds ago was solid ground。 The lip was crumbling and small avalanches of mud and stones cascaded into the abyss； aided by the flooding from the storm drain。 She felt her feet slipping so she took a tentative step backward but more of the earth gave way so she stopped； petrified； the remains of the rice cake still firmly in her hands。 Her toes dug into the soft earth to try to keep her balance。
〃Don't move；〃 an old man called out。
〃Get away from the edge；〃 another shouted and the rest watched and waited and held their breath to see what the gods would decide。
Then a ten…foot slice of the lip collapsed and toppled into the maw carrying the little girl with it。 She was buried just a little。 Up to her knees。 She made sure her rice cake was safe then burst into tears。
44
11：30 A。M。：
Superintendent Armstrong's police car eased its way through the milling angry crowds that had spilled over into the road outside the Ho…Pak Bank； heading for the East Aberdeen police station。 Mobs were also clogging the streets outside all the other banks in the area； big and small … even the Victoria which was across the street from t