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ter flamed as the inter crackled on： 〃Two men're ing aboard with Boradinov； two men； the rest're staying below。〃
〃All right； but delay them。 I'll e on deck。〃 Suslev doused the flame with a curse and stuffed the cables in his pocket。 He grabbed a half…empty vodka bottle； took a deep breath； put a broad beam on his face and went on deck。 〃Ah； wele aboard！ What's the trouble； eh？〃 he said； a slight slur now in his voice； keeping up his well…known cover。 〃One of our sailors has himself in trouble； Superintendent Armstrong？〃
〃This is Mr。 Sun。 May we have a word with you？〃 Armstrong said。
〃Of course； of course！〃 Suslev said with a forced joviality be did not feel。 He had never seen the Chinese before。 He examined the cold…eyed； sallow； hate…filled face。 〃Follow me please；〃 he said； then added in Russian to Boradinov who spoke perfect English； 〃You too；〃 then again to Armstrong with continuing forced good humor； 〃Who's going to win the fifth race； Superintendent？〃
〃I wish I knew； sir。〃
Suslev led the way to the small wardroom that adjoined his cabin。 〃Sit down； sit down。 Can I offer you tea or vodka？ Orderly； bring tea and vodka！〃
They came quickly。 Expansively Suslev poured vodka even though the two policemen refused politely。 〃Prosit；〃 he said and laughed jovially。 〃Now what's the trouble？〃
〃It seems that one of your crew is engaged in espionage against Her Majesty's Government；〃 Armstrong said politely。
〃Impossible； tovarich！ Why joke with me； eh？〃
〃We've caught one。 Her Majesty's Government is really quite upset。〃
〃This is a peaceful freighter； trading。 You've known us for years。 Your Superintendent Crosse has watched us for years。 We don't deal in espionage。〃
〃How many of your crew are ashore； sir？〃
〃Six。 Now listen； I don't want any trouble。 I've had enough cursed trouble this voyage already with one of my innocent seamen murdered by unkn… 〃
〃Ah yes； the late Major Yuri Bakyan of the KGB。 Very unfortunate。〃
Suslev pretended sullen anger。 〃His name was Voranski。 I know nothing of this major you talk about。 I know nothing about that； nothing。〃
〃Of course。 Now； sir； when are your sailors back from shore leave？〃
〃Tomorrow； at dusk。〃
〃Where are they staying？〃
Suslev laughed。 〃They're ashore； on leave。 Where else should they be but with a girl or in a bar？ With a girl； eh； happily； eh？〃
〃Not all of them are；〃 Armstrong said coldly。 〃At least one is very miserable right now。〃
Suslev watched him； glad that he knew Metkin was gone forever and they could not bluff him。 〃e now； Superintendent； I know nothing about any espionage。〃
Armstrong put the eight…by…ten photos on the table。 They showed Metkin going into the restaurant； then under guard； then being hustled into the Black Maria； then a mug shot of him； terror in the face。
〃Kristos！〃 Suslev gasped； a consummate actor。 〃Dimitri？ It's impossible！ It's another false arrest！ I will have my gov… 〃
〃It's already been reported to your government in London。 Major Nicoli Leonov admitted espionage。〃
Now Suslev's shock was real。 He had never expected Metkin to break so quickly。 〃Who？ Who did you say？〃
Armstrong sighed。 〃Major Nicoli Leonov of your KGB。 That's his real name and rank。 He was also political missar on this ship。〃
〃Yes 。。。 yes that is true but his 。。。 his name is Metkin； Dimitri Metkin。〃
〃Oh？ You have no objection if we search this ship？〃 Armstrong began to get up。 Suslev was aghast； Boradinov equally。
〃Oh yes I object；〃 Suslev stuttered。 〃Yes； Superintendent； so sorry but I formally object； and I mu… 〃
〃If your ship is not engaged in espionage and is a peaceful freighter why should you object？〃
〃We have international protections。 Unless you have a formal search warrant th… 〃
Armstrong's hand went into his pocket and Suslev's stomach turned over。 He would have to ply with a formal warrant and then he would be ruined because they would find more evidence than even they could ever hope for。 That god…cursed son of a whore bitch Metkin must've told them something vital。 He wanted to shout in rage； the decoded and coded messages in his pocket suddenly lethal。 His face had gone white。 Boradinov was paralyzed。 Armstrong's hand came out of his pocket with only a pack of cigarettes。 Suslev's heart began again though his nausea still almost overwhelmed him。 〃Matyeryebyets！〃 he muttered。
〃Sir？〃 Armstrong asked innocently。 〃Is anything the matter？〃
〃No； no； nothing。〃
〃Would you care for an English cigarette？〃
Suslev fought for control； wanting to smash the other man for tricking him。 Sweat was on his back and on his face。 He took the cigarette shakily。 〃These things are 。。。 are terrible； eh？ Espionage and searches and threats of searches。〃
〃Yes。 Perhaps you'd be kind enough to leave tomorrow； not Tuesday。〃
〃Impossible！ Are we being hounded like rats？〃 Suslev blustered； not knowing how far he dare go。 〃I will have to inform my government and th… 〃
〃Please do。 Please tell them we have intercepted Major Leonov of the KGB； caught him in an espionage act； and that he has been charged under the Official Secrets Act。〃
Suslev wiped the sweat off his face； trying to stay calm。 Only the knowledge that Metkin was probably dead now kept him in one piece。 But what else did he tell them； he was shrieking in his head； what else？ He looked at Boradinov who was standing beside him； white…faced。
〃Who're you？〃 Armstrong asked sharply； following his glance。
〃First Officer Boradinov；〃 the younger man said； his voice strangled。
〃Who's the new missar； Captain Suslev？ Who took over from your Mr。 Leonov？ Who's the senior Party man aboard？〃
Boradinov went ashen and Suslev was thankful that some of the pressure was turned off him。
〃Well？〃
Suslev said； 〃He is。 First Officer Boradinov。〃
At once Armstrong put his icy eyes on the younger man。 〃Your full name please？〃
〃Vassili Boradinov； first officer；〃 the man stuttered。
〃Very well； Mr。 Boradinov； you're responsible for getting this ship under way by midnight Sunday at the latest。 You are formally warned we have reason to believe there might be an attack on you by triads … by Chinese bandits。 The rumor is the attack's planned for the early hours of Monday … just after midnight Sunday。 It's a very strong rumor。 Very。 There are lots of Chinese bandits in Hong Kong； and Russians have stolen lots of Chinese land。 We are concerned for your safety and health。 I suggest it politic 。。。 eh？〃
Boradinov was ashen。 〃Yes； yes； I understand。〃
〃But my 。。。 my repairs；〃 Suslev began； 〃if my repai… 〃
〃Please see they're pleted； Captain。 If you need extra help or a tow outside Hong Kong waters； just ask。 Oh yes； and would you be kind enough to appear at police headquarters at 10：00 a。m。 Sunday … sorry about the weekend。〃
Suslev blanched。 〃Eh？〃
〃Here's your formal invitation。〃 Armstrong handed him an official letter。 Suslev accepted it； began to read as Armstrong took out a second copy； wrote in Boradinov's name。 〃Here's yours； missar Boradinov。〃 He shoved it into his hand。 〃I suggest you confine the rest of your crew aboard … with the exception of yourselves of course … and bring your shore party back right smartly。 I'm sure you'll have lots to do。 Good night！〃 he added with startling suddenness； got up and went out of the wardroom； closing the door behind him。
There was a stunned silence。 Suslev saw Malcolm Sun get up and leisurely head for the door。 He got up to follow but stopped as the Chinese whirled on them。
〃We'll get you； all of you！〃 Sun said malevolently。
〃For what？ We've done nothing；〃 Boradinov gasped。 〃We've d… 〃
〃Espionage。 Spying？ You KGB think you're so clever； matyeryebyets！〃
〃You get to hell off my ship；〃 Suslev snarled。
〃We'll get you all … I don't mean us police 。。。〃 Abruptly Malcolm Sun switched to fluent Russian。 〃Get out of our lands； hegemonists！ China's on the march！ We can lose fifty million soldiers； a hundred and still have double that left。 Get out while you've time！〃
〃We'll blast you off the earth！〃 Suslev bellowed。 〃We'll atomize all China。 We'll ta… 〃 He stopped。 Malcolm Sun was laughing at him。
〃Your mother's tit in your atomics！ We've our own atomics now！ You start we finish。 Atomics； fists； ploughshares！〃 Malcolm Sun's voice dropped。 〃Get out of China while you've the chance。 We're ing out of the East like Genghis Khan； all of us； Mao Tse…tung； Chiang Kai…shek； me； my grandsons； their grandsons； we're ing and we'll clean you off the earth and take back all our lands； all of them！〃
〃Get off my ship！〃 Suslev felt his chest hurting。 Almost blind with rage； he readied to hurl himself at his tormentor； Boradinov as well。
Unafraid； Malcolm Sun came back a pace。 〃Yeb tvoyu mat' Turd…head！〃 Then in English； 〃Hit me and I'll arrest you for assault and impound your ship！〃
With a great effort the two men stopped。 Choked with rage； Suslev stuffed his fists into his pockets。 〃Please； you will 。。。 you will leave。 Please。〃
〃Dew neh loh moh on you； your mother； your father and the whole of your turd…eating Soviet hegemonists！〃
〃You … will … leave … now。''
Equally enraged； Sun cursed them in Russian and shouted back； 〃We're ing out of the East like locusts。 。。。〃 Then there was a sudden noisy