cc.floodtide-第26部分

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　〃Our　chairman　will　be　most　displeased　to　hear　of　your　failure。〃
　〃I　accept　all　blame　for　my　mismanagement。〃
　〃Can　you　make　good　your　escape？〃
　〃No；　it　is　too　late；〃　said　Lo　Han　solemnly。
　〃You　cannot　be　arrested；　Bamboo　VI。　You　know　that。　Nor　your　subordinates。　There　can　be　no　trail　for　the　Americans　to　follow。〃
　〃Those　who　were　aware　of　our　association　are　dead。　My　security　guards　are　merely　mercenaries　who　were　hired　to　do　a　job；　nothing　more。　They　are　ignorant　of　who　paid　them。〃
　〃Then　you　are　the　only　link；〃　said　the　voice　without　inflection。
　〃I　have　lost　face　and　must　pay　the　price。〃
　〃This；　then；　is　our　final　munication。〃
　〃I　have　one　final　act　to　perform；〃　Lo　Han　said　quietly。
　〃Do　not　fail；〃　the　voice　demanded　coldly。
　〃Good…bye；　Lotus　II。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Bamboo　VI。〃
　
　Lo　Han　watched　the　monitors　as　they　revealed　a　group　of　men　rushing　toward　the　mobile　security　vehicle。　They　were　attacking　the　locked　door　when　he　removed　a　small　nickel…plated　revolver　from　the　drawer　of　his　desk。　He　placed　the　barrel　inside　his　mouth　pointing　upward。　His　finger　was　tightening　on　the　trigger　when　the　first　INS　agent　burst　through　the　doorway。　The　blast　stopped　the　agent　dead　in　his　tracks　his　gun　leveled；　a　look　of　surprise　in　his　eyes　as　Lo　Han　jerked　back　in　his　chair；　then　fell　forward；　head　and　shoulders　falling　on　the　desk　as　the　revolver　dropped　from　his　hand　onto　the　floor。
　
　
　
　April　20；　2000　Hong　Kong；　China
　
　QIN　SHANG　DID　NOT　HAVE　THE　APPEARANCE　OF　A　CORRUPT　and　depraved　sociopath　who　had　indiscriminately　murdered　untold　thousands　of　innocent　people。　He　did　not　have　serpent's　fangs；　vertical　slit　eyes；　nor　a　forked　tongue　that　flicked　in　and　out。　There　was　no　aura　of　evil　about　him。　Sitting　at　a　desk　in　his　palatial　four…level　penthouse　atop　the　fifty…story　mirrored　tower　of　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited；　he　looked　no　different　than　any　other　Chinese　businessman　working　in　the　financial　hub　of　Hong　Kong。　Like　most　mass　murderers　throughout　history；　Qin　Shang　went　unobtrusive　and　unnoticed　whenever　he　strolled　down　the　street。
　
　Tall　for　most　Asian　men　at　five　feet；　eleven　inches；　he　was　heavy　around　the　waist；　weighing　in　at　210　pounds；　not　solid　but　what　you　might　call　chubby；　the　aftereffects　of　a　taste　and　appetite　for　good　Chinese　cooking。　The　black　hair　was　thick　and　cut　short；　with　a　part　down　the　middle。　The　head　and　face　were　not　round　but　narrow　and　almost　feline；　and　matched　the　long　and　slender　hands。　The　mouth；　oddly　and　deceptively；　seemed　fixed　in　a　permanent　smile。　Outwardly；　Qin　Shang　seemed　as　threatening　as　a　shoe　salesman。
　
　No　one　who　met　him　could　forget　his　eyes。　They　were　the　color　of　the　purest　green　jade　and　revealed　a　black　depth　that　belied　a　good…tempered　man。　They　burned　with　a　frightening　degree　of　malevolence　and　were　so　penetrating　that　men　who　knew　him　swore　he　could　look　through　your　skull　and　read　the　latest　stock　market　quotes。　The　inward　man　behind　the　eyes　was　a　different　story。　Qin　Shang　was　as　sadistic　and　unscrupulous　as　a　Serengeti　hyena。　He　thrived　on　manipulation　so　long　as　it　led　to　spiraling　wealth　and　power。　As　an　orphan　begging　on　the　streets　of　Kowloon　across　Victoria　Harbor　from　the　island　of　Hong　Kong；　he　developed　an　uncanny　talent　for　exploiting　people　for　their　money。　By　the　age　of　ten；　he　had　saved　enough　to　buy　a　sampan　and　used　it　to　ferry　people　and　transport　whatever　cargo　he　could　talk　merchants　into　letting　him　carry。
　
　In　two　years；　he　had　a　fleet　of　ten　sampans。　Before　he　was　eighteen；　he　sold　his　thriving　little　fleet　and　bought　an　ancient　intercoastal　tramp　steamer。　This　tired　old　rust　bucket　became　the　foundation　for　Qin　Shang's　shipping　empire。　The　freight　line　flourished　during　the　next　decade　because　Qin　Shang's　petitors　hi　the　freight　trade　strangely　fell　by　the　wayside　when　many　of　their　ships　mysteriously　disappeared　at　sea　without　a　trace　with　all　hands　aboard。　Finding　their　profit　margins　dropping　into　the　red；　the　owners　of　the　doomed　ships　always　seemed　to　find　a　ready　buyer　for　their　remaining　vessels　and　dwindling　assets。　Operating　out　of　Japan；　the　pany　that　did　the　buying　was　known　as　Yokohama　Ship　Sales　&　Scrap　Corporation。　In　reality　it　was　a　front　whose　parental　ties　stretched　across　the　China　Sea　to　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited。
　
　In　time；　Qin　Shang　took　a　different　course　from　his　business　peers　hi　Hong　Kong；　who　established　alliances　with　European　financial　institutions　and　Western　exporters　and　importers。　In　a　shrewd　move；　he　turned　his　focus　on　the　People's　Republic　of　China；　creating　friendships　with　high　government　officials　in　preparation　for　the　day　when　they　would　take　control　of　Hong　Kong　from　the　British。　He　conducted　behind…the…scenes　negotiations　with　Yin　Tsang；　chief　director　of　the　People's　Republic's　Ministry　of　Internal　Affairs；　an　obscure　department　of　the　government　that　was　involved　with　everything　from　foreign　espionage　of　scientific　technology　to　the　international　smuggling　of　immigrants　to　relieve　the　country's　overcrowded　population。　In　return　for　his　services　Qin　Shang　was　allowed　to　register　his　ships　in　China　without　the　usual　exorbitant　fees。
　
　The　partnership　proved　incredibly　profitable　to　Qin　Shang。　The　clandestine　transportation　and　trade　in　undocumented　aliens；　in　concert　with　the　legitimate　hauling　of　Chinese　goods　and　oil　exclusively　by　Qin　Shang's　freighters　and　tankers；　brought　hundreds　of　millions　of　dollars　over　several　years　into　the　pany's　many　hidden　bank　accounts　around　the　world。
　
　Qin　Shang　soon　amassed　more　money　than　he　could　spend　in　a　thousand　lifetimes。　Yet　there　was　a　fixed　determination　in　his　sinister　brain　to　amass　even　more　wealth；　more　power。　Once　he　had　built　one　of　the　largest　cargo　and　passenger　fleets　in　the　world；　the　challenge　was　gone　and　the　moral　and　legitimate　end　of　the　business　began　to　bore　him。　But　there　was　excitement　in　the　covert　side　of　his　operation。　The　rush　of　adrenaline　and　the　intoxication　of　taking　risks　excited　him　like　a　steep　slope　of　moguls　in　front　of　an　expert　skier。　Little　did　his　fellow　conspirators　in　the　People's　Republic　know　he　was　also　smuggling　drugs　and　guns　along　with　the　illegal　immigrants。　It　was　a　very　lucrative　sideline；　and　he　used　the　profits　to　develop　his　landmark　port　facility　in　Louisiana。　Playing　the　ends　against　the　middle　gave　him　glorious　hours　of　exhilaration。
　
　Qin　Shang　was　an　egomaniac　with　a　stratospheric　level　of　insane　optimism。　He　held　the　firm　belief　that　his　day　of　reckoning　would　never　e。　Even　if　it　did；　he　was　too　rich；　too　omnipotent；　to　be　broken。　He　already　paid　enormous　bribes　to　high…level　officials　in　half　the　governments　of　the　world。　In　the　United　States　alone；　there　were　over　one　hundred　people　in　every　agency　of　the　federal　government　on　his　payroll。　As　far　as　Qin　Shang　was　concerned　the　future　was　wrapped　in　a　nebulous　fog　that　never　fully　materialized。　But　just　for　added　insurance；　he　maintained　a　small　army　of　bodyguards　and　professional　assassins　he'd　pirated　away　from　the　most　efficient　intelligence　agencies　in　Europe；　Israel　and　America。
　
　His　receptionist's　voice　came　over　a　small　speaker　on　his　desk。　〃You　have　a　visitor　arriving　on　your　private　elevator。〃
　
　Qin　Shang　rose　from　behind　his　immense　rosewood　desk；　raised　on　legs　intricately　carved　hi　the　shape　of　tigers；　and　walked　across　the　cavernous　room　toward　the　elevator。　The　office　looked　like　the　vastly　expanded　interior　of　a　captain's　cabin　in　an　old　sailing　ship。　Heavy　oak　planking　was　laid　for　the　floor。　Thick　oak　beams　supported　a　skylighted　ceiling　with　teak　paneling　throughout。　Large　builder's　models　of　Qin　Shang　Maritime　ships　sailed　on　plaster　seas　inside　glass　cases　on　one　side　of　the　room　while　on　the　opposite　wall　a　collection　of　old　diver's　suits　with　their　lead　boots　and　brass　helmets　hung　suspended　by　their　air　hoses；　as　if　they　still　contained　the　bodies　of　their　owners。　Qin　Shang　stopped　in　front　of　the　elevator　as　its　doors　opened　and　greeted　his　visitor；　a　short　man　with　dense　gray　hair。　His　eyes　bulged　as　they　protruded　from　fleshy　pouches。　He　smiled　as　he　came　forward　and　shook　Qin　Shang's　outstretched　hand。
　
　〃Qin　Shang；〃　he　said　with　a　taut　little　grin。　〃Yin　Tsang；　always　an　honor　to　see　you；〃　Qin　Shang　said　graciously。　〃I　did　not　expect　you　until　next　Thursday。〃
　〃I　hope　you'll　forgive　this　unpardonable　interruption；〃　said　Yin　Tsang；　the　minister　of　China's　internal　affairs；　〃but　I　wished　to　speak　with　you　privately　on　a　matter　of　some　delicacy。〃
　〃I　am　always　available　anytime　to　you；　old　friend。　e　and　sit　down。　Would　you　like　some　tea？〃
　Yin　Tsang　nodded。　〃Your　own　special　blend？　I'd　like　nothing　better。〃
　Qin　Shang　called　his　private　secretary　and　ordered　the　tea。　〃Now　then；　what　is　this　delicate　matter　that　brings　you　to　Hong　Kong　a　week　ahead　of　your　scheduled　visit？〃
　〃Disturbing　news　has　reached　Beijing　concerning　your　operation　at　Orion　Lake　in　the　state　of　Washington。〃
　Qin　Shang　shrugged　carelessly。　〃Yes；　an　unfortunate　incident　beyond　my　control。〃
　〃My　sources　tell　me　the　holding　station　for　the　immigrants　was　raided　by　the　Immigration　and　Naturalization　Service。〃
　〃It　was；〃　Qin　Shang　freely　admitted。　〃My　best　men　were　killed　and　our　security　people　were　captured　in　a　lightning　raid　that　was　totally　unexpected。〃
　Yin　Tsang　looked　at　him。　〃How　could　this　happen？　I　can't　believe　you　failed　to　prepare　for　such　a　possibility。　Didn't　your　agents　in　Washington；　D。C。；　alert　you？〃
　Qin　Shang　shook　his　head。　〃I've　since　learned　the　raid　did　not　originate　in　the　INS　national　headquarters。　It　was　a　spur…of…the…moment　operation　conducted　by　the　local　district　director；　who　took　it　upon　himself　to　launch　an　assault　on　the　holding　station。　I　was　given　no　warning　by　any　of　my　agents　within　the　American　government。〃
　〃Your　entire　North　American　operation　has　been　promised。　The　Americans　now　have　broken　a　link　in　the　chain　that　will　surely　lead　directly　to　you。〃
　〃Not　to　worry；　Yin　Tsang；〃　Qin　Shang　said　calmly。　〃American　investigators　have　no　evidence　that　directly　ties　me　to　illegal　immigrant　smuggling。　They　may　have　their　pitiful　and　insignificant　suspicions；　but　nothing　else。　My　other　staging　sites　along　the　American　coastline　are　stil