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〃Yes。 But that's not the reason he should go； Phillip。 He should go because he's in the way of the Noble House。 He's too conservative； far too generous to Asian Properties and I think he's a secret ally of Rothwell…Gornt。〃
〃I don't agree；〃 Alastair said。
〃I know。 But we need money to expand and I intend to get the money。 So I intend to use my 21 percent very seriously。〃
The storm outside had intensified but they did not seem to notice。
〃I don't advise you to set your cap against the Victoria；〃 Phillip Chen said gravely。
〃I agree；〃 Alastair Struan said。
〃I won't。 Provided my bank cooperates。〃 Dunross watched the rain streaks for a moment。 〃By the way； I've also invited Jason…Plumm to the meeting。〃
〃What the hell for？〃 Struan asked； his neck reddening again。
〃Between us and his Asian Properties we… 〃
〃Plumm's on Dirk Struan's oblit list； as you call it； and absolutely opposed to us。〃
〃Between the four of us we have a majority say in Hong Kong… 〃 Dunross broke off as the phone rang loudly。 They all looked at it。
Alastair Struan said sourly； 〃It's your phone now； not mine。〃 Dunross picked it up。 〃Dunross！〃 He listened for a moment then said； 〃No； Mr。 Alastair Struan has retired； I'm tai…pan of Struan's now。 Yes。 Ian Dunross。 What's the telex say？〃 Again he listened。 〃Yes； thank you。〃
He put down the phone。 At length he broke the silence。 〃It was from our office in Taipei。 Lasting Cloud has foundered off the north coast of Formosa。 They think she's gone down with all hands。 。。。〃
SUNDAY；
August 18； 1963
1
8：45 P。M。：
The police officer was leaning against one corner of the information counter watching the tall Eurasian without watching him。 He wore a light tropical suit and a police tie and white shirt； and it was hot within the brightly lit terminal building； the air humid and smell…laden； milling noisy Chinese as always。 Men； women； children； babes。 An abundance of Cantonese； some Asians； a few Europeans。
〃Superintendent？〃
One of the information girls was offering him a phone。 〃It's for you； sir；〃 she said and smiled prettily； white teeth； dark hair； dark sloe eyes； lovely golden skin。
〃Thanks；〃 he said； noticing that she was Cantonese and new； and did not mind that the reality of her smile was empty； with nothing behind it but a Cantonese obscenity。 〃Yes？〃 he said into the phone。
〃Superintendent Armstrong？ This is the tower … Yankee 2's just landed。 On time。〃
〃Still Gate 16？〃
〃Yes。 She'll be there in six minutes。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Robert Armstrong was a big man and he leaned across the counter and replaced the phone。 He noticed her long legs and the curve of her rump in the sleek； just too tight； uniformed chong…sam and he wondered briefly what she would be like in bed。 〃What's your name？〃 he asked； knowing that any Chinese hated to be named to any policeman； let alone a European。
〃Mona Leung； sir。〃
〃Thank you； Mona Leung。〃 He nodded to her； kept his pale blue eyes on her and saw a slight shiver of apprehension go through her。 This pleased him。 Up yours too； he thought； then turned his attention back to his prey。
The Eurasian； John Chen； was standing beside one of the exits； alone； and this surprised him。 Also that he was nervous。 Usually John Chen was unperturbable； but now every few moments he would glance at his watch； then up at the arrivals board； then back to his watch again。
Another minute and then we'll begin； Armstrong thought。
He began to reach into his pocket for a cigarette； then remembered that he had given up smoking two weeks ago as a birthday present to his wife； so he cursed briefly and stuck his hands deeper into his pockets。
Around the information counter harassed passengers and meeters…of…passengers rushed up and pushed and went away and came back again； loudly asking the where and when and how and why and where once more in myriad dialects。 Cantonese he understood well。 Shanghainese and Mandarin a little。 A few Chu Chow expressions and most of their swear words。 A little Taiwanese。
He left the counter now； a head taller than most of the crowd； a big； broad…shouldered man with an easy； athletic stride； seventeen years in the Hong Kong Police Force； now head of CID … Criminal Investigation Department … of Kowloon。
〃Evening； John；〃 he said。 〃How're things？〃
〃Oh hi； Robert；〃 John Chen said； instantly on guard； his English American…accented。 〃Everything's great； thanks。 You？〃
〃Fine。 Your airport contact mentioned to Immigration that you were meeting a special plane。 A charter … Yankee 2。〃
〃Yes … but it's not a charter。 It's privately owned。 By Lincoln Bartlett … the American millionaire。〃
〃He's aboard？〃 Armstrong asked； knowing he was。
〃Yes。〃
〃With an entourage？〃
〃Just his Executive VP … and hatchet man。〃
〃Mr。 Bartlett's a friend？〃 he asked； knowing he was not。
〃A guest。 We hope to do business with him。〃
〃Oh？ Well； his plane's just landed。 Why don't you e with me？ We'll bypass all the red tape for you。 It's the least we can do for the Noble House； isn't it？〃
〃Thanks for your trouble。〃
〃No trouble。〃 Armstrong led the way through a side door in the Customs barrier。 Uniformed police looked up； saluting him instantly and watched John Chen thoughtfully； recognizing him at once。
〃This Lincoln Bartlett；〃 Armstrong continued with pretended geniality； 〃doesn't mean anything to me。 Should it？〃
〃Not unless you were in business；〃 John Chen said； then rushed on nervously； 〃He's nicknamed 'Raider' … because of his successful raids and takeovers of other panies； most times much bigger than himself。 Interesting man； I met him in New York last year。 His conglomerate grosses almost half a billion dollars a year。 He says he started in '45 with two thousand borrowed dollars。 Now he's into petrochemicals； heavy engineering； electronics； missiles … lots of U。S。 Government work … foam； polyurethane foam products； fertilizers … he even has one pany that makes and sells skis； sports goods。 His group's Par…Con Industries。 You name it； he has it。〃
〃I thought your pany owned everything already。〃
John Chen smiled politely。 〃Not in America；〃 he said； 〃and it is not my pany。 I'm just a minor stockholder of Struan's； an employee。〃
〃But you're a director and you're the eldest son of Noble House Chen so you'll be next pradore。〃 By historic custom the pradore was a Chinese or Eurasian businessman who acted as the exclusive intermediary between the European trading house and the Chinese。 All business went through his hands and a little of everything stuck there。
So much wealth and so much power； Armstrong thought； yet with a little luck； we can bring you down like Humpty…Dumpty and Struan's with you。 Jesus Christ； he told himself； the anticipation sickly sweet； if that happens the scandal's going to blow Hong Kong apart。 〃You'll be pradore； like your father and grandfather and great…grandfather before you。 Your great…grandfather was the first； wasn't he？ Sir Gordon Chen； pradore to the great Dirk Struan who founded the Noble House and damn nearly founded Hong Kong。〃
〃No。 Dirk's pradore was a man called Chen Sheng。 Sir Gordon Chen was pradore to Dirk's son； Culum Struan。〃
〃They were half…brothers weren't they？〃
〃So the legend goes。〃
〃Ah yes； legends … the stuff we feed on。 Culum Struan； another legend of Hong Kong。 But Sir Gordon； he's a legend too … you're lucky。〃
Lucky？ John Chen asked himself bitterly。 To be descended from an illegitimate son of a Scots pirate … an opium runner； a whoring evil genius and murderer if some of the stories are true … and a Cantonese singsong girl bought out of a filthy little cathouse that still exists in a filthy little Macao alley？ To have almost everyone in Hong Kong know your lineage and to be despised for it by both races？ 〃Not lucky；〃 he said； trying to be outwardly calm。 His hair was gray…flecked and dark； his face Anglo…Saxon and handsome； though a little slack at the jowls； and his dark eyes only slightly Asian。 He was forty…two and wore tropicals； impeccably cut as always； with Hermes shoes and Rolex watch。
〃I don't agree；〃 Armstrong said； meaning it。 〃To be pradore to Struan's； the Noble House of Asia 。。。 that's something。 Something special。〃
〃Yes； that's special。〃 John Chen said it flat。 Ever since he could think； he had been bedeviled by his heritage。 He could feel eyes watching him … him； the eldest son； the next in line … he could feel the everlasting greed and the envy。 It had terrified him continuously； however much he tried to conquer the terror。 He had never wanted any of the power or any of the responsibility。 Only yesterday he had had another grinding row with his father； worse than ever before。 〃I don't want any part of Struan's！〃 he had shouted。 〃For the hundredth time I want to get the hell out of Hong Kong； I want to go back to the States； I want to lead my own life； as I want； where I want； and how I want！〃
〃For the thousandth time； you'll listen to me。 I sent you to Am… 〃
〃Let me run our American interests； Father。 Please。 There's more than enough to do！ You could let me have a couple of mill… 〃
〃Ayeeyah you will listen to me！ It's here； here in Hong Kong and Asia we make our money！ I sent you to school in America to p