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reward offered by the High Dragons for John's recapture； curiously； dead or alive？〃
〃Ask them。〃
〃I have。 At least； I asked someone who knows one of them。〃 The Snake shrugged。 〃Nothing。 Nothing at all。〃 He hesitated。 〃We'll have to go back into John's past。〃
Armstrong felt a shaft of cold that he kept buried。 〃Good idea。〃
〃Did you know Mary knew him？ In the POW camp at Stanley？〃
〃Yes。〃 Armstrong drank some beer without tasting it。
〃She might give us a lead … if John was； say； connected with black market in the camp。〃 His pale blue eyes held Armstrong's pale blue eyes。 〃Might be worth asking。〃
〃I'll think about that。 Yes； I'll think about that。〃 The big man bore the Snake no malice。 If he had been the Snake he would have asked too。 The Werewolves were very bad news and the first wave of terror had already rushed through Chinese society。 How many more people know about Mary and John Chen？ he asked himself。 Or about the 40；000 that's still burning a hole in my desk； still burning a hole in my soul。 〃It was a long time ago。〃
〃Yes。〃
Armstrong lifted his beer。 〃You've got your 'friends' helping you？〃
〃Let's just say very substantial rewards and payments are being made … paid gratefully； I hasten to add； by our gambling fraternity。〃 The sardonic smile left Smyth's face。 And the banter。 〃We've got to get those sodding Werewolves very fast or they'll really upset our applecart。〃
52
9：15 P。M。：
Four Finger Wu was on the tall poop of the motorized junk that was wallowing in the chop at the rendezvous well out to sea； all lights doused。 〃Listen； Werewolf turd；〃 he hissed irritably at Smallpox Kin who lay quivering on the deck at his feet； mindless with pain； trussed with rope and heavy chain。 〃I want to know who else is in your fornicating gang and where you got the coin from； the half…coin。〃 There was no answer。 〃Wake the fornicator up！〃
Obligingly Goodweather Poon poured another bucket of seawater over the prostrate youth。 When this had no effect； he leaned down with his knife。 At once Smallpox Kin screamed and came out of his stupor。 〃What； what is it； Lord？〃 he shrieked。 〃No more 。。。 what is it； what do you want？〃
Four Finger Wu repeated what he had said。 The youth shrieked again as Goodweather Poon probed。 〃I've told you everything 。。。 everything 。。。〃 Desperately； never believing that there could be so much pain in the universe； beyond caring； he babbled again who were the members of the gang； all their real names and addresses； even about the old amah in Aberdeen。 〃。。。 my father gave me the coin 。。。 I don't know where 。。。 he gave it to me never saying wh 。。。 he got it I swearrrrrr 。。。〃 His voice trailed away。 Once more he fainted。
Four Fingers spat disgustedly。 〃The youth of today have no fortitude！〃
The night was dark and an ill…tempered wind gusted from time to time under a lowering overcast； the powerful and well…tuned engine purring nicely； making just enough way to lessen the junk's inevitable corkscrewing … the rolling pitch and toss。 They were a few miles southwest of Hong Kong； just out of the sea…lanes； PRC waters and the vast mouth of the Pearl River just to port； open sea to starboard。 All sails were furled。
He lit a cigarette and coughed。 〃All gods curse all fornicating triad turds！〃
〃Shall I wake him again？〃 Goodweather Poon asked。
〃No。 No； the fornicator's told the truth as much as he knows。〃 Wu's calloused fingers reached up and nervously touched the half…coin that he wore now around his neck under his ragged sweat shirt； making sure it was still there。 A knot of anxiety welled at the thought that the coin might be genuine； might be Phillip Chen's missing treasure。 〃You did very well； Goodweather Poon。 Tonight you'll get a bonus。〃 His eyes went to the southeast； seeking the signal。 It was overdue but he was not yet worried。 Automatically his nose sniffed the wind and his tongue tasted it； tangy and heavy with salt。 His eyes ranged the sky and the sea and the horizon。 〃More rain soon；〃 he muttered。
Poon lit another cigarette from his butt and ground the butt into the deck with his horny bare foot。 〃Will it ruin the races on Saturday？〃
The old man shrugged。 〃If the gods will it。 I think it will be piss heavy again tomorrow。 Unless the wind veers。 Unless the wind veers we could have the Devil Winds； the Supreme Winds； and those fornicators could scatter us to the Four Seas。 Piss on the Supreme Winds！〃
〃I'll piss on them if there are no races。 My nose tells me it's Banker Kwang's horse。〃
〃Huh！ That stinky； mealy…mouth nephew of mine certainly needs a change of joss！ The fool's lost his bank！〃
Poon hawked and spat for luck。 〃Thank all gods for Profitable Choy！〃
Since Four Fingers and his captains and his people had all successfully extracted all their monies from the Ho…Pak； thanks to information from Paul Choy … and since he himself was still enjoying vast profits from his son's illicit manipulation of Struan stock； Wu had dubbed him Profitable Choy。 Because of the profit； he had forgiven his son the transgression。 But only in his heart。 Being prudent； the old man had showed none of it outwardly except to his friend and confidant； Goodweather Poon。
〃Bring him on deck。〃
〃What about this Werewolf fornicator？〃 Poon's horny toe stabbed Kin。 〃Young Profitable didn't like him or this matter at all； heya？〃
〃Time he grew up； time he knew how to treat enemies； time he knew real values； not ill…omened； stink…wind； fatuous Golden Mountain values。〃 The old man spat on the deck。 〃He's forgotten who he is and where his interests lie。〃
〃You said yourself you don't send a rabbit against a dragon。 Or a minnow against a shark。 You've your investment to consider and don't forget Profitable Choy's returned everything he cost you over fifteen years twenty times over。 In the money market he's a High Dragon and only twenty…six。 Leave him where he's best； best for you and best for him。 Heya？〃
〃Tonight he's best here。〃
The old seaman scratched his ear。 〃I don't know about that； Four Fingers。 That the gods will decide。 Me； I'd have left him ashore。〃 Now Goodweather Poon was watching the southeast。 His peripheral vision had caught something。 〃You see it？〃
After a moment Four Fingers shook his head。 〃There's plenty of time； plenty of time。〃
〃Yes。〃 The old seaman glanced back at the body trussed with chains like a plucked chicken。 His face split into a grin。 〃Eeeee； but when Profitable Choy turned white like a jellyfish at this fornicator's first scream and first blood； I had to break wind to release my laughter to save his face！〃
〃The young today have no fortitude；〃 Wu repeated； then lit a new cigarette and nodded。 〃But you're right。 After tonight Profitable's going to be left where he belongs to bee even more profitable。〃 He glanced down at Smallpox Kin。 〃Is he dead？〃
〃Not yet。 What a dirty motherless whore to hit Number One Son Noble House Chen with a shovel and then lie about it to us； heya？ And to cut off Chen's ear and blame his father and brothers and lie about that too！ And then taking the ransom even though they couldn't deliver the goods！ Terrible！〃
〃Disgusting！〃 The old man guffawed。 〃Even more terrible to get caught。 But then you showed the fornicator the error of his rotten ways； Goodweather Poon。〃
They both laughed； happy together。
〃Shall I cut off his other ear； Four Fingers？〃
〃Not yet。 Soon； yes； very soon。〃
Again Poon scratched his head。 〃One thing I don't understand。 I don't understand why you told me to put their sign on Number One Son and leave him as they planned to leave him。〃 He frowned at Four Fingers。 〃When this fornicator's dead that's all the Werewolves dead； heya？ So what good is the sign？〃
Four Fingers cackled。 〃All es clear to he who waits。 Patience；〃 he said； very pleased with himself。 The sign implied the Werewolves were very much alive。 If only he and Poon knew that they were all dead； he could at any time resurrect them； or the threat of them。 At his whim。 Yes； he thought happily； kill one to terrify ten thousand！ The 〃Werewolves〃 can easily bee a continuous source of extra revenue at very little cost。 A few phone calls； a judicious kidnapping or two； perhaps another ear。 〃Patience； Goodweather Poon。 Soon you'll un… 〃 He stopped。 Both men had centered their eyes on the same spot in the darkness。 A small； dimly lit freighter was just nosing into sight。 In a moment two lights flashed at her masthead。 At once Wu went to the conn and flashed an answering signal。 The freighter flashed the confirm。 〃Good；〃 Wu said happily； flashing his reconfirm。 The deck crew had also seen the lights。 One hurried below to fetch the rest of the seamen and the others went to their action stations。 Wu's eyes fell on Smallpox Kin。 〃First him；〃 he said malevolently。 〃Fetch my son here。〃
Weakly Paul Choy groped his way on deck。 He gulped the fresh air gratefully； the stench from below decks overpowering。 He climbed the gangway to the poop。 When he saw the red mess on the deck and the partial person on the deck； his stomach revolted and once more he threw up over the side。
Four Finger Wu said； 〃Give Goodweather Poon a hand。〃
〃What？〃
〃Are your ears filled with vomit？〃 the old man shouted。 〃Give him a hand。〃
Frigh