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It happened fast Tipes, and his severed scrotum and penis were displayed
He waited for the pain He felt blood seeping fro But no pain
He watched as the organs were laid on a silver tray, blood encircling the flesh like some presentation at a restaurant
Then the pain arrived Sharp Bitter Excruciating
His brain exploded in agony His body trembled
The two rips He kept his ue to steady his control
Silence was the only acceptable response
One day he would lead the brothers, and he wanted thee
Tang thought back to that day thirty-six years ago He’d lain still while the wound had been wrapped in wet paper, layer upon layer, until the bleeding stopped He’d fought the shock that swept through his nerves, keeping a loose hold on reality The three days that followed tested hiony fro that liquid would flow on the fourth day
And it had
He stood in the quiet trailer, re hiht of that day anyht was special
His satellite phone rang
He found the unit and noted the nuian country code He knew the number well
Pau Wen’s residence
“I did exactly as you instructed,” he said as he answered “I ordered the strike on Ni Yong, while he was there at your residence”
“And I thwarted that strike, just as planned Minister Ni was rateful and now believes me to be his ally”
“Where is Ni?”
“He will shortly be on his way back to China With the lamp”
“The lamp was to be mine”
“It one Burned away”
“You assured uarded” His voice had risen “You told me that it would be turned over to ium”
“And you were not to disturb Cassiopeia Vitt,” Pau said “She was to bring the lamp to you”
“She couldn’t be trusted”
“So you stole her away and hoped to win your prize by force?”
“I did what I thought best”
“And you were only to attack Ni Yong,” Pau calmly said “Not kill me”
He steadied himself
“We killed three of the men you sent,” Pau said “And captured the fourth I questioned him He was most uncooperative, but finally told me that he and the others were ordered to kill Minister Ni and myself No one was to be left alive at my residence He said your orders on that were clear Of course, he was not a brother Only paid to do a job, which he failed to do”
The moment had come
“You are the one no longer needed,” he told Pau
“Froe of the brotherhood? The Ba noers to you?”
“As they have for the past decade I am the only master they know”
“But I aemon Their duly elected leader”
“Who abandoned us, and this country, years ago We no longer require your involvement”
“So you ordered my death?”
“Why not? It seeht course”
“I conceived this endeavor Fro initiate, fresh to the Ba”
“Is that when you found the Confucian texts at the terra-cotta warrior site?”
“What do you know of that?”
“The repository was rediscovered a few days ago Your watch was found inside”
“So I did lose it there,” Pau said “I long suspected But of course I intended on returning and exa that chamber further Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity”
“Why did you remove only the Confucian texts?”
“To preserve theists had discovered them, they would never have survived Mao despised Confucius”