Greg met them on the terrace.
“Ah the very man! We have a little conundrum for you to solve eh?” He looked at Marion; it was only then that he realised that he was still holding tightly onto her hand. They each let the grip go but their eyes stayed in contact for that extra fleeting moment.
“Right, sit yourself down and listen!” Oscar turned back to Greg and told him their story.
6
The cargo boat edged her way, with the benefit of the Hong Kong harbour pilot, through a throng of sampans and other smaller vessels, until she arrived at the inner harbour basin where she moored starboard side to, with her bow pointing towards the narrow exit.
She had been due two days previously but the near typhoon conditions in the South China Sea had forced her to take shelter.
The men endlessly patrolling the fenced perimeter of the warehouse were visibly relieved when the ship finally tied up.
“Thought I'd go dizzy if I had to take another turn around that bloody fence!” one of the temporary dog handlers commented to his companion. “I wonder what's so important that they needed a double shift security patrol?”
“Just collect your money and don't ask awkward questions. You'll last in the job much longer,” was the curt reply.
Ming-Ho watched the vessel manoeuvre up to the quay then walked back to the café and telephoned Alex.
Taking advantage of the delayed arrival of the ship, Alex had been able to persuade Big J to play along with his plan to disable the ship and eventually destroy the cargo. Big J however was still opposed to sinking it with all hands.
“I'm sorry but it goes against the fundamental principle of seamanship!” he declared defiantly.
Alex decided not to push the matter any further; for the moment he was happy enough to have solicited Big J's agreement to help to disable the vessel. In addition Big J had readily accepted Alex's proposal to let Ling and his wife stay on the tug and travel with him back to Australia.
“Well at least he's taking the first step. Let's see how things pan out,” Alex told John philosophically.
Ling and Mui had left their apartment in such a hurry they only had enough time to throw a few things into an overnight bag. The rented apartment was fully furnished but Mui wanted to go back to collect the rest of their personal clothing and a their few ornaments.
“It's far too dangerous to return to the apartment now,” Alex reasoned. “I'm sorry but the next move must be to the tug”.
Mui, however, was tearful and pleaded to be able to collect her keepsake and mementoes.
“I'm sure it won't take long,” Ling tried to persuade Alex, desperate to calm his near hysterical wife.
“OK Ling but you and I will go. Mui, I'm sorry but you must stay here. Is that understood?” Alex insisted.
He hated being so tough but he knew that there was a strong possibility that the apartment would be being watched.
“They may even be on to Alex by now so I'm not entirely convinced that this hotel is safe either,” Ling smiled trying to convince her.
“That could be true, none the less we're all moving onto the tug this afternoon. Only then will we be amongst friends and completely safe,” Alex concluded and picked up the small haversack resting by the door. “Let's go! We have very little time.”
They left the hotel and headed to wards Ling's apartment.
“Here.” Ling handed Alex a holstered .32 calibre revolver and two extra clips of ammunition. “You may feel more comfortable with one of these.”
Alex took the weapon, slipped it under his jacket and clipped it onto his trouser belt.
“Thank you - you must be a mind reader.” He patted the lump through his jacket confidently. “I don't feel quite so naked now.”
They stopped several times, searching ahead trying to spot any observers but failed to identify anyone suspicious. As they waited at the rear of the apartment block Alex extracted the contents of his haversack. “Forgive the implication, but I think this is more appropriate for you.” Alex passed over a rough material coat together with a small coolie hat.
Ling looked at the garments for a few seconds and then smiled with understanding.
“A new vocation eh?” he muttered as he placed the hat on the back of his head and slipped into the coat.
He looked very much like any real rickshaw boy.
Alex took the bushy false moustache from an envelope and stuck it under his nose.
“This thing makes me want to sneeze,” he said, trying to be light-hearted. “I'll go first. You follow in about two minutes,” he said as he slung the haversack over his shoulder and walked with a sailor's roll back into the street and to the front of the apartment building.
Without looking in either direction, he walked up the steps and across to the lift. He punched the button for the top floor; he would walk down the four flights to Ling's apartment hoping that anyone observing would be deceived by his ploy.
It took only a couple of minutes for him to the reach the top in the lift and then trot back down the staircase to Ling's floor. He stepped cautiously onto the landing; there was no one in sight so he walked casually along the corridor, passed Ling's apartment and stopped two doors further down. He looked back and observed the door; it looked to be secure.
The lift doors suddenly opened and Ling in his “coolie” disguise appeared and scurried towards the apartment.
Ling produced his key and advanced on the door.
Alex sensed there was something wrong but couldn't see anything obvious.
“Stop!” he commanded.
Ling froze in his tracks.
“There's something not right here.” He moved over to Ling and looked closely at the door. Then he noticed the faint odour of propane gas as it filtered from underneath the door. “Gas,” he warned.
Ling sniffed the air.
“My God you're right. Let's get out of here.”
They dived for the stairwell; somehow they managed two flights before the explosion shook the building.
“Stop right here,” Alex shouted as they scrambled down the concrete steps onto the ground floor.
Ling stopped and looked back in alarm. “What is it?” he panted.
“I think we've been set up. They are probably waiting for us outside!” Alex reached for his mobile phone and dialled Ming-Ho's café; his daughter answered.
“We need a favour in a hurry,” Alex pleaded. “Ling's wife is waiting for us at my hotel. I believe that she is in great danger. Could you get her out of the hotel without being recognised and then keep her at your place until we get there? I'm sorry to ask like this but we have a problem of our own at the moment.”
“Don't worry we'll get her!” she assured him confidently. “What's her name?”
“Mui. I'll get her to wait in the lobby. There's a small meeting cubicle on the right hand side as you enter - she'll be waiting there for you.” Alex remembered the tiny meeting room tucked just around the corner and out of sight from the reception desk. It was the best he could think of.
“I'll call you on your mobile when she's safe. Good luck yourselves.” She replaced the receiver and immediately ran out of the café.
Alex telephoned the hotel and asked to be put through to his room. “Yes?” Mui answered cautiously.
“It's Alex. Listen Mui you are in great danger. You have to get out of there. I'm sending a friend around to collect you; she is Ming-Ho's daughter. You must get out of the room and I mean immediately. I'm sorry but your life is in danger; you must wait in the little meeting area, just to the right of the entrance doors. Is that quite clear?”
“What about our things?” she pleaded.
“There isn't time. Go there now please” Alex insisted
Ling looked on anxiously. “Do you want me to speak to her?” he whispered.
Alex, holding his index finger to his lips, shook his head silently. “Good. Thank you. We will try to collect your stuff later. See you shortly,” he said confidently into the instrument and then terminated the call. “Don't worry she's leaving now.” He pocketed the phone. “I'm sorry to say it but it looks as though someone has latched on to us as well; so our disguises were a waste of time.” He winced as he pulled the moustache painfully from his lip.
“Do you think they might still be watching the building?” Ling asked.
“Almost certainly,” Alex replied pensively. “So I suggest that we just run out into street and walk away, one on each side of the road. Like that we may be able to spot if we're being followed. I'm afraid you're going to have to be the bait. I'll do the ambushing bit, OK?” Alex grinned.
“OK but if anyone gets too close...” Ling patted the pistol clipped to his belt.
Alex nodded understanding.
“OK let's go.” They ran through the main entrance to the street; curious pedestrians were already being pushed back by police officers. The sound of fire engines approaching filled the air as they stood, looking momentarily lost, before being shepherded to a corner where the other dazed occupiers of the apartment building had been assembled. It was only a matter of seconds before Alex and Ling moved into the growing crowd of onlookers.
Ling, acting as the bait, forged ahead, trying to be as conspicuous a possible and hoping to be recognised by their assailant. Alex followed but on the opposite side of the street. He stopped after a few metres and waited in the doorway of a café.
With all the curious pedestrians homing in on the fire, no one else was walking in their direction, so the dark haired, stockily built European was quite conspicuous.
Waiting to be sure that the man was alone, he nearly missed the other one. Dressed in typical Chinese labourers' overalls and carrying a tool bag, he appeared to be merely ambling along against the human tide. But something about his steady gait alerted Alex so he let him pass, then slipped unnoticed across the road and followed. As they approached the waterfront the flow of people towards the fire had almost stopped. Alex couldn't see Ling any more so moved up close to his target.
As the man stepped off the pavement to cross to the entrance of a dingy narrow side street. Alex jabbed his revolver into the startled man's kidneys and turned him into the alley. The man recovered quickly and kicked out with a vicious open fist jab, catching Alex on the side of the head and momentarily regaining the advantage. Alex fired the gun, hitting the man in the pelvis.
The close proximity of two men's bodies strangely muffled the noise of the shot. The man grunted, his legs collapsed and he fell to the ground grabbing at his hip. The tool bag clattered onto the cobbled surface, spilling out an automatic machine pistol fitted with a silencer and several clips of ammunition. The man tried to grab the gun but Alex smashed down on his hand with his own weapon. The man fell back in surrender and his cap slipped back revealing him to be another European. Alex looked up and checked to see if they had been observed; the alley was empty. The whole incident had taken no more than fifteen seconds.
“You better start talking pal. That wound will bleed you to death in no time at all!” Alex smiled down at the man.
“Fuck off,” he spat back in English, though it was obvious to Alex that he was from another European country.
The man winced as the acute stabbing pains from the smashed bones started, taking his breath away.
“OK, that's fine. You can stay here until someone finds you. If you're still alive, they might get you to hospital or they might just strip you and leave to die. You can't be sure here can you!” he taunted and smiled again.
The pain was becoming unbearable now, as the man tried to move his legs but they refused to obey his will.
“OK, what do you want to know?” he muttered, hoping to gain something from his impossible situation.
In fact he knew very little, only that he had been paid to blow up the apartment and eliminate the two men.
“How did you recognise us?” Alex asked.
The man produced the photographs; he almost laughed.
“I followed you from the hotel - in fact I nearly missed you when you put on your disguises!” He gagged with pain. “Are you going to call an ambulance now?” he asked, looking up hopefully.
“What about the other guy?” Alex persisted.
“He rigged the apartment's gas supply and fired the set detonator when I gave him the signal. You took a little bit more time to get there than I expected.” He gagged again. “For God's sake help me now please!” he begged.
“OK I'll make the call,” Alex agreed sympathetically.
The man relaxed a little and looked away.
Alex stood up; holding the man's own silenced machine pistol. As he looked down at the crippled man he remembered the pathetic sight of David's wife in that bloody room. Without emotion, he raised the weapon, flicked the safety, pointed and shot the man in one smooth movement. The silenced bullet slapped into the man's forehead. He died instantly.
Alex picked up the tool bag, stuffed the weapon and ammunition back inside then ambled casually from the lane and headed towards the waterfront. He bumped into Ling at the junction.
“Am I glad to see you! Are you OK?” Ling asked anxiously.
“I'm fine thank you but what happened to your man?” Alex replied.
“He's over here.”
They walked across and along the quayside until they came to a gangplank leading down to an old barge. Ling led the way on board and entered the wheelhouse and there, tied to the helm seat, was the swarthy European.
“He has something he wants to tell you,” Ling smiled. “He assured me that his colleague will have fixed you, as he put it, then would come for me!”
“Well your mate isn't going anywhere and unless you have something valuable to say to me, you are about to join him.” Alex opened the tool bag and withdrew the machine pistol.
The man, visibly shaken and uncertain of himself, stammered, “What's happened to him?”