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ine and then into heroin。 〃Bad； very bad。 We've never touched that trade before。〃
〃Yes；〃 Tang…po said delicately。
〃That'd be very dangerous。 Narcotics Branch are very serious against it。 Big Mountain of Dung himself is very seriously interested in catching those three … very fornicating serious。〃
Tang…po stared at the ceiling。 Then he said； 〃The High Dragon explained it this way： A ton of opium in the Golden Triangle costs 67；000 U。S。 Changed into fornicating morphine and then into fornicating heroin and the pure heroin diluted to 5 percent； the usual strength on the streets of the Golden Country； delivered there you have almost 680 million worth in American dollars。 From one ton of opium。〃 Tang…po coughed and lit another cigarette。
The sweat began on Lee's back。 〃How many tons could go through those three fornicators？〃
〃We don't know。 But he's been told about 380 tons a year are grown in the whole Golden Triangle … Yunnan； Burma； Laos and Thailand。 Much of it es here。 They'd handle 50 tons； he said。 He's certain of 50 tons。〃
〃Oh ko！〃
〃Yes。〃 Tang…po was sweating too。 〃Our High Dragon says we should invest in the trade now。 It's going to grow and grow。 He has a plan to get Marine with us。 。。。〃
〃Dew neh loh moh； you can't trust those seagoing bastards。〃
〃That's what I said； but he said we need the seagoing bastards and we can trust a selected few； who else can snatch and intercept a token 20 percent … even 50 percent to appease Mountain of Dung himself at prearranged moments？〃 Tang…po spat deftly again。 〃If we could get Marine； Narcotics Branch； and the Gang of Three； our present h'eung yau would be like an infant's piddle in the harbor。〃
There was a serious silence in the room。
〃We would have to recruit new members and that's always dangerous。〃
〃Yes。〃
Lee helped himself to the teapot and poured some jasmine tea； sweat running down his back now； the smoke…ladened air sultry and overbearing。 He waited。
〃What do you think； Younger Brother？〃
These two men were not related but used the Chinese politeness between themselves because they had trusted each other for more than fifteen years。 Lee had saved his superior's life in the riots of 1956。 He was thirty…five now and his heroism in the riots had earned him a police medal。 He was married and had three children。 He had served sixteen years in the force and his whole pay was 843 HK a month。 He took the tram to work。 Without supplementing his ine through the Brotherhood； like all of them； he would have had to walk or bicycle； most days。 The tram took two hours。
〃I think the idea is very bad；〃 he said。 〃Drugs； any drugs； that's fornicating bad … yes； very bad。 Opium； that's bad though it's good for old people … the white powder； cocaine； that's bad； but not as bad as the death squirts。 It'd be bad joss to deal in the death squirts。〃
〃I told him the same。〃
〃Are you going to obey him？〃
〃What's good for one Brother should be good for all；〃 Tang…po said thoughtfully； avoiding an answer。
Again Lee waited。 He did not know how a Dragon was elected； or exactly how many there were； or who the High Dragon was。 He only knew that his Dragon was Tang…po who was a wise and cautious man who had their interests at heart。
〃He also said one or two of our foreign devil superiors are getting itchy piles about their fornicating slice of the gambling money。〃
Lee spat disgustedly。 〃What do those fornicators do for their share？ Nothing。 Just close their fornicating eyes。 Except the Snake。〃 This was the nickname of Chief Inspector Donald C。 C。 Smyth who openly organized his district of East Aberdeen and sold favors and protection on all levels； in front of his Chinese underlings。
〃Ah him！ He should be stuffed down the sewer； that fornicator。 Soon those who he pays off above him won't be able to hide his stink anymore。 And his stench'll spread over all of us。〃
〃He's due to retire in a couple of years；〃 Lee said darkly。 〃Perhaps he'll finger his rear to all those high…ups until he leaves and there won't be a thing they can do。 His friends are very high； so they say。〃
〃Meanwhile？〃 Tang…po asked。
Lee sighed。 〃My advice； Elder Brother； is to be cautious； not to do it if you can avoid it。 If you can't 。。。〃 he shrugged。 〃Joss。 Is it decided？〃
〃No； not yet。 It was mentioned at our weekly meeting。 For consideration。〃
〃Has an approach been made to the Gang of Three？〃
〃I understand White Powder Lee made the approach； Younger Brother。 It seems the three are going to join together。〃
Lee gasped。 〃With blood oaths？〃
〃It seems so。〃
〃They're going to work together？ Those devils？〃
〃So they said。 I'll bet old Four Finger Wu will be the Highest Tiger。〃
〃Ayeeyah； that one？ They say he's murdered fifty men himself；〃 Lee said darkly。 He shivered at the danger。 〃They must have three hundred fighters in their pay。 It'd be better for all of us if those three were dead … or behind bars。〃
〃Yes。 But meanwhile White Powder Lee says they're ready to expand； and for a little cooperation from us they can guarantee a giant return。〃 Tang…po mopped his brow and coughed and lit another cigarette。 〃Listen； Little Brother；〃 he said softly。 〃He swears they've been offered a very large source of American money； cash money and bank money； and a very large retail outlet for their goods there； based in this place called Manhattan。〃
Lee felt the sweat on his forehead。 〃A retail outlet there 。。。 ayeeyah； that means millions。 They will guarantee？〃
〃Yes。 With very little for us to do。 Except close our eyes and make sure Marine and Narcotics Branch seize only the correct shipments and close their eyes when they're supposed to。 Isn't it written in the Ancient Books： If you don't squeeze； lightning will strike you？〃
Again a silence。 〃When does the decision 。。。 when's it going to be decided？〃
〃Next week。 If it's decided yes； well； the flow of trade will take months to organize； perhaps a year。〃 Tang…po glanced at the clock and got up。 〃Time for our shower。 Nighttime Song has arranged dinner for us afterwards。〃
〃Eeeee； very good。〃 Uneasily Lee turned out the single overhead light。 〃And if the decision is no？〃
Tang…po stubbed out his cigarette and coughed。 〃If no 。。。〃 He shrugged。 〃We only have one life； gods notwithstanding； so it is our duty to think of our families。 One of my relations is a captain with Four Finger Wu。 。。。〃
11
8：30 P。M。 ：
〃Hello； Brian；〃 Dunross said。 〃Wele。〃
〃Evening； tai…pan … congratulations … great night for a party；〃 Brian Kwok said。 A liveried waiter appeared out of nowhere and he accepted a glass of champagne in fine crystal。 〃Thanks for inviting me。〃
〃You're very wele。〃 Dunross was standing beside the door of the ballroom in the Great House； tall and debonair； Penelope a few paces away greeting other guests。 The half…full ballroom was open to crowded floodlit terraces and gardens where the majority of brightly dressed ladies and dinner…jacketed men stood in groups or sat at round tables。 A cool breeze had e with nightfall。
〃Penelope darling；〃 Dunross called out； 〃you remember Superintendent Brian Kwok。〃
〃Oh of course；〃 she said； threading her way over to them with her happy smile； not remembering at all。 〃How're you？〃
〃Fine thanks … congratulations！〃
〃Thank you … make yourself at home。 Dinner's at nine fifteen； Claudia has the seating lists if you've lost your card。 Oh excuse me a moment。 。。。〃 She turned away to intercept some other guests； her eyes trying to watch everywhere to see that everything was going well and that no one stood alone … knowing in her secret heart that if there was a disaster there was nothing for her to do； that others would make everything well again。
〃You're very lucky； Ian；〃 Brian Kwok said。 〃She gets younger every year。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃So。 Here's to twenty more years！ Health！〃 They touched glasses。 They had been friends since the early fifties when they had met at the first racing hill climb and had been friendly rivals ever since … and founding members of the Hong Kong Sports Car and Rally Club。
〃But you； Brian； no special girl friend？ You arrive alone？〃
〃I'm playing the field。〃 Brian Kwok dropped his voice。 〃Actually I'm staying single permanently。〃
〃Dreamer！ This's your year … you're the catch of Hong Kong。 Even Claudia's got her eyes on you。 You're a dead duck； old chap。〃
〃Oh Christ！〃 Brian dropped the banter for a moment。 〃Say； tai…pan； could I have a couple of private minutes this evening？〃
〃John Chen？〃 Dunross asked at once。
〃No。 We've got every man looking； but nothing yet。 It's something else。〃
〃Business？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How private？〃
〃Private。〃
〃All right；〃 Dunross said； 〃I'll find you after dinner。 What ab… 〃
A burst of laughter caused them to look around。 Casey was standing in the center of an admiring group of men … Linbar Struan and Andrew Gavallan and Jacques deVille among them … just outside one of the tall French doors that led to the terrace。
〃Eeeee；〃 Brian Kwok muttered。
〃Quite；〃 Dunross said and grinned。
She was dressed in a floor…length sheath of emerald silk； molded just enough and sheer just enough。
〃Christ； is she or isn't she？〃
〃What？〃
〃Wearing anything underneath？〃
〃Seek and ye shall find。