〃What about him？〃
〃Last month Crosse had dinner with him。 In his flat。〃
Armstrong rubbed his face nervously。 〃That proves nothing。 Listen； tomorrow； tomorrow we get the files。 Tomorrow Sind… 〃
〃Perhaps we won't get to read them。〃
〃Personally I don't give a shit。 That's SI business and I'm CID and that's wh… 〃
A knock stopped him。 The door opened。 A Chinese waiter came in with a tray and two tankards of cold beer and beamed toothily。 〃Afternoon； sah；〃 he said； offering one to Brian Kwok。 He gave the other to Armstrong and went out。
〃Good luck；〃 Armstrong said； hating himself。 He drank deeply then went to his safe to lock the tape away。
Brian Kwok studied him。 〃You sure you're all right； old chum？〃
〃Yes； yes of course。〃
〃What did the old woman say？〃
〃In the beginning she told lots of lies； lots of them。 And then the truth。 All of it。 I'll tell you over lunch； Brian。 You know how it is … you catch the lies eventually； if you're patient。 I'm fed up with lies。〃 Armstrong finished his beer。 〃Christ； I needed that。〃
〃Do you want mine too？ Here。〃
〃No； no thanks； but it's me for a whiskey and soda before curry and maybe another one。 Drink up and let's get the show on the road。〃
Brian Kwok put his half…empty tankard down。 〃That's enough for me。〃 He lit a cigarette。 〃How's the nonsmoking going？〃
〃Rough。〃 Armstrong watched him inhale deeply。 〃Anything on Voranski？ Or his assassins？〃
〃They vanished into thin air。 We've got their photos so we'll catch them； unless they're over the border。〃
〃Or in Taiwan。〃
After a pause； Brian Kwok nodded。 〃Or Macao or North Korea； Vietnam or wherever。 The minister's hopping mad with Crosse over Voranski； so's MI…6； so's the CIA。 The CIA top echelon in London have been chewing the minister's tail so he's passing it on。 We'd better get those buggers before Rosemont or we'll lose all face。 Rosemont's under fire too to e up with their heads。 I hear he's got every man out looking； thinking it's to do with Sevrin； and the carrier。 He's petrified there's going to be an incident involving the nuclear carrier。〃 Brian Kwok added； his voice hardening； 〃Bloody stupid to offend the PRC by bringing her here。 That monster's an open invitation to every agent in Asia。〃
〃If I was Soviet I'd try to infiltrate her。 SI's probably trying right now。 Crosse'd love to have a plant aboard。 Why not？〃 The big man watched the smoke curling。 〃If I was Nationalist perhaps I'd plant a few mines and blame the PRC … or vice versa and blame Chiang Kai…shek。〃
〃That's what the CIA'd do to get everyone hopping mad at China。〃
〃e off it； Brian！〃
Brian Kwok took a last sip then got up。 〃That's enough for me。 e on。〃
〃Just a moment。〃 Armstrong dialed。 〃This's Armstrong； set up another session at 1700 hours for V…11…3。 I'll want 。。。〃 He stopped； seeing his friend's eyes flutter； then glaze and he caught him easily as he fell and let him slump back in the chair。 Out of himself； almost watching himself； he put the phone back on its cradle。 Now there was nothing for him to do but wait。
I've done my job； he thought。
The door opened。 Crosse came in。 Behind him were three plain…clothed SI agents； all British； all senior agents； all taut…faced and tense。 Quickly one of the men put a thick black hood over Brian Kwok's head； picked him up easily and went out； the others following。
Now that it was done Robert Armstrong felt nothing； no remorse or shock or anger。 Nothing。 His head told him that there was no mistake though his head still told him equally that his friend of almost twenty years could not possibly be a munist mole。 But he was。 The proof was irrefutable。 The evidence he had found proved conclusively that Brian Kwok was the son of Fang…ling Wu； Ah Tam's old employer； when according to his birth certificate and personal records his mother and father were supposed to have been surnamed Kwok and murdered by munists in Canton in '43。 One of the photographs had showed Brian Kwok standing beside a tiny Chinese lady in front of a pharmacy at a crossroads in a village。 The quality was poor but more than good enough to read the characters of the shop sign and to recognize a face； his face。 In the background was an ancient car。 Behind it stood a European； his face half turned away。 Spectacles Wu had identified the store as the pharmacy at the crossroads in Ning…tok； the property of the Tok…ling Wu family。 Ah Tam had identified the woman as her mistress。
〃And the man？ Who's the man standing beside her？〃
〃Oh that's her son； Lord。 I've told you。 He's Second Son Chu…toy。 Now he lives with the foreign devils across the sea in the north； the north of the Land of the Golden Mountains；〃 the old woman had whimpered from the white room。
〃You're lying again。〃
〃Oh no； Lord； he's her son； Chu…toy。 He's her Second Son and he was born in Ning…tok and I helped deliver him with my own hands。 He was Mother's second born who went away as a child。 。。。〃
〃He went away？ He went where？〃
〃To 。。。 to the Rain Country； then to the Golden Mountains。 Now he has a restaurant and two sons。 。。。 He's a businessman there and he came to see Father。 。。。 Father was dying then and he came as a dutiful son should e but then he went away and Mother wept and wept。 。。。〃
〃How often did he visit his parents？〃
〃Oh； it was only once。 Lord； only that once。 Now he lives so far away； in such a far place； such a far place but he came as a dutiful son should and then he left。 It was just by chance I saw him； Lord。 Mother had sent me to visit some relations in the next village but I was lonely and I came back early and saw him。 。。。 It was just before he left。 The young Master left in a foreign devil car。 。。。〃
〃Where did he get the motorcar？ It was his？〃
〃I don't know； Lord。 There was no car in Ning…tok。 Even the village mittee did not possess one； even Father who was the pharmacist in our village。 Poor Father who died in such pain。 He was a member of the mittee。 。。。 They left us alone； Chairman Mao's people； the Outsiders。 。。。 Yes they did because though Father was an intellectual and pharmacist he was always a secret Mao supporter though I never knew。 Lord； I swear I never knew。 Chairman Mao's people left us alone； Lord。〃
〃What was his name； the son of your Mistress？ The man in the photo？〃 he had repeated； trying to shake her。
〃Chu…toy Wu； Lord； he was her second born。 。。。 I remember when he was sent from Ning…tok to 。。。 to this foul place； this Fragrant Harbor。 He was five or six and he was sent to an uncle here and… 〃
〃What was the uncle's name？〃
〃I don't know； Lord； I was never told； I only remember Mother weeping and weeping when Father sent him away to school。 。。。 Can I go home please now； I'm tired； please。 。。。〃
〃When you tell us what we want to know。 If you tell us the truth。〃
〃Oh I tell you the truth； anything anything。 。。。〃
〃He was sent to school in Hong Kong？ Where？〃
〃I don't know； Lord； my Mistress never said； only to school and then she put him out of her mind and so did I； oh yes； it was better； because he was gone forever； you know always second sons must leave。 。。。〃
〃When did Chu…toy Wu return to Ning…tok？〃
〃It was some years ago when Father was dying。 He only returned that once； it was only once。 Lord； don't you remember me saying； I remember saying that。 Yes it was the once of the photo。 Mother insisted on the photo and wept and begged him to have one taken with her。 。。。 Surely she felt the hand of death on her now that Father had gone and she was truly alone 。。。 Oh she wept and wept so Chu…toy let her have her way as a dutiful son should and my Mistress was so pleased。 。。。〃
〃And the barbarian in the photo； who is he？〃 The man was half turned around； in the background； not easy to recognize if you did not know him； standing beside the car that was parked beside the pharmacy。 He was a tall man； European； crumpled clothes and nondescript。
〃I don't know； Lord。 He was the driver and he drove Chu…toy away but the mittee of the village and Chu…toy himself bowed many times to him and it was said he was very important。 He was the first foreign devil I had ever seen； Lord。 。。。〃
〃And the people in the other photograph？ Who're they？〃 This photograph was ancient； almost