e brand he always used to smoke … don't fool yourself； he thought； the brand you still smoke。 〃No thank you sir；〃 he heard himself say； shafts of pain in his stomach and through all of him。
〃You're not smoking； Robert？〃
〃No sir； I've stopped 。。。 I'm just trying to stop。〃
〃Admirable！ Why should Bartlett want John Chen eliminated？〃
Again both police officers gawked at him。 Then Armstrong said throatily； 〃Do you know why； sir？〃
〃If I knew； why should I ask you？ That's for you to find out。 There's a connection somewhere。 Too many coincidences； too neat； too pat … and too smelly。 Yes it smells of KGB involvement to me； and when that happens in my domain I must confess I get irritable。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Well； so far so good。 Put surveillance on Mrs。 Phillip Chen … she could easily be implicated somewhere。 The stakes for her are certainly high enough。 Tail Phillip Chen for a day or two as well。〃
〃That's already done； sir。 Both of them。 On Phillip Chen； not that I suspect him but just because I think they'll both do the usual … be uncooperative； keep mum； negotiate secretly； pay off secretly and breathe a sigh of relief once it's over。〃
〃Quite。 Why is it these fellows … however well educated … think they're so much smarter than we are and won't help us do the work we're paid to do？〃
Brian Kwok felt the steely eyes grinding into him and the sweat trickled down his back。 Control yourself； he thought。 This bastard's only a foreign devil； an uncivilized； manure…eating； dung…ladened； motherless； dew neh loh moh saturated； monkey…descended foreign devil。 〃It's an old Chinese custom which I'm sure you know； sir；〃 he said politely； 〃to distrust all police； all government officials … they've four thousand years of experience； sir。〃
〃I agree with the hypothesis； but with one exception。 The British。 We have proved beyond all doubt we're to be trusted； we can govern； and； by and large； our bureaucracy's incorruptible。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Crosse watched him for a moment； puffing his cigarette。 Then he said； 〃Robert； do you know what John Chen and Miss Tcholok said or talked about？〃
〃No sir。 We haven't been able to interview her yet … she's been at Struan's all day。 Could it be important？〃
〃Are you going to Dunross's party tonight？〃
〃No sir。〃
〃Brian？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Good。 Robert； I'm sure Dunross won't mind if I bring you with me； call for me at 8：00 p。m。 All Hong Kong that counts will be there … you can keep your ears to the grindstone and your nose everywhere。〃 He smiled at his own joke and did not mind that neither smiled with him。 〃Read the report now。 I'll be back shortly。 And Brian； please don't fail tonight。 It really would be very boring。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Crosse left。
When they were alone Brian Kwok mopped his brow。 〃That bugger petrifies me。〃
〃Yes。 Same for me； old chum； always has。〃
〃Would he really order a team into Struan's？〃 Brian Kwok asked incredulously。 〃Into the inner kernel of the Noble House？〃
〃Of course。 He'd even lead it himself。 This's your first tour with SI； old lad； so you don't know him like I do。 That bugger'd lead a team of assassins into hell if he thought it important enough。 Bet you he got the file himself。 Christ； he's been over the border twice that I know of to chat to a friendly agent。 He went alone； imagine that！〃
Brian gasped。 〃Does the governor know？〃
〃I wouldn't think so。 He'd have a hemorrhage； and if MI…6 ever heard； he'd be roasted and Crosse'd get sent to the Tower of London。 He knows too many secrets to take that chance … but he's Crosse and not a thing you can do about it。〃
〃Who was the agent？〃
〃Our guy in Canton。〃
〃Wu Fong Fong？〃
〃No； a new one … at least he was new in my time。 In the army。〃
〃Captain Ta Quo Sa？〃
Armstrong shrugged。 〃I forget。〃
Kwok smiled。 〃Quite right。〃
〃Crosse still went over the border。 He's a law unto himself。〃
〃Christ； you can't even go to Macao because you were in SI a couple of years ago and he goes over the border。 He's bonkers to take that risk。〃
〃Yes。〃 Armstrong began to mimic Crosse。 〃And how is it tradesmen know things before we do； dear boy？ Bloody simple；〃 he said； answering himself； and his voice lost its banter。 〃They spend money。 They spend lots of bloody money； whereas we've sweet f。a。 to spend。 He knows it and I know it and the whole world knows it。 Christ； how does the FBI； CIA； KGB or Korean CIA work？ They spend money！ Christ； it's too easy to get Alan Medford Grant on your team … Dunross hired him。 Ten thousand pounds retainer； that'd buy lots of reports； that's more than enough； perhaps it was less。 How much are we paid？ Two thousand quid a year for three hundred and sixty…six； twenty…five…hour days and a copper on the beat gets four hundred quid。 Look at the red tape we'd have to go through to get a secret ten thousand quid to pay to one man to buy info。 Where'd the FBI； CIA and god…cursed KGB be without unlimited funds？ Christ；〃 he added sourly； 〃it'd take us six months to get the money； if we could get it； whereas Dunross and fifty others can take it out of petty cash。〃 The big man sat in his chair slouched and loose…limbed； dark shadows under his eyes that were red rimmed； his cheekbones etched by the overhead light。 He glanced at the file on the desk in front of him but did not touch it yet； just wondered at the evil news it must contain。 〃It's easy for the Dunrosses of the world；〃 he said。
Brian Kwok nodded and wiped his hands and put his kerchief away。 〃They say Dunross's got a secret fund … the tai…pan's fund … started by Dirk Struan in the beginning with the loot he got when he burned and sacked Foochow； a fund that only the current tai…pan can use for just this sort of thing； for h'eung yau and payoffs； anything … maybe even a little murder。 They say it runs into millions。〃
〃I'd heard that rumor too。 Yes。 I wish to Christ 。。。 oh well。〃 Armstrong reached for the file； hesitated； then got up and went for the phone。 〃First things first；〃 he told his Chinese friend with a sardonic smile。 〃First we'd better breathe on a few VIPs。〃 He dialed Police HQ in Kowloon。 〃Armstrong … give me Divisional Staff Sergeant Tang…po please。〃
〃Good evening； sir。 Yes sir？〃 Divisional Staff Sergeant Tang…po's voice was warm and friendly。
〃Evening； 'Major；〃 he said sweetly using the contraction of Sergeant Major as was customary。 〃I need information。 I need information on who the guns were destined for。 I need information on who the kidnappers of John Chen are。 I want John Chen … or his body … back in three days。 And I want this Werewolf … or Werewolves； in the dock very quickly。〃
There was a slight pause。 〃Yes sir。〃
〃Please spread the word。 The Great White Father is very angry indeed。 And when he gets even just a little angry superintendents get posted to other mands； and so do inspectors … even sergeants； even divisional staff sergeants class one。 Some even get demoted to police constable and sent to the border。 Some might even get discharged or deported or go to prison。 Eh？〃
There was an even longer pause。 〃Yes sir。〃
〃And when he's very angry indeed wise men flee； if they can； before anticorruption falls on the guilty … and even on innocents。〃
Another pause。 〃Yes sir。 I'll spread the word； sir； at once。 Yes； at once。〃
〃Thank you； 'Major。 The Great White Father is really very angry indeed。 And oh； yes。〃 His voice became even thinner。 〃Perhaps you'd ask your brother sergeants to help。 They'll surely understand； too； my modest problem is theirs as well。〃 He switched to Cantonese。 〃When the Dragons belch； all Hong Kong defecates。 Heya？〃
A longer pause。 〃I'll take care of it； sir。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Armstrong replaced the receiver。
Brian Kwok grinned。 〃That's going to cause a few sphincter muscles to oscillate。〃
The Englishman nodded and sat down again but his face did not lose its hardness。 〃I don't like to pull that too often … actually that's only the second time I've ever done it … but I've no option。 He made that clear； so did the Old Man。 You better do the same with your sources。〃
〃Of course。 'When the Dragons belch 。。。' You were punning on the legendary Five Dragons？〃
〃Yes。〃
Now Brian Kwok's handsome face settled into a mold … cold black eyes in his