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MALONE LAY PRONE, THE WATER SPLASHING IN AND OUT OF HIS earsbodies would satisfy the pilot’s curiosity He risked only a slight angle of his head and deterrowing in intensity
Then a new sound invaded From the east
The steady thuh air
He rolled over and shook the water from his face
A helicopter roared in over the treetops Bulkier than a swift-attack chopper, more an armed transport The craft assu south Cassiopeia and Pau both apparently sensed a change and started treading water, watching, too
“Malone,” a voice said through external speakers “I’ the pilot to retreat”
Viktor
Malone treaded water and watched as the Annihilator continued its approach
“He doesn’t seem to want to listen,” Viktor said
Another few seconds passed, then fla as two air-to-air missiles erupted frohter Less than ten seconds later the jet disintegrated, its burning debris e the distant shore reckage
“We have to get out of this water,” Malone called out
They started swi toward shore
“Would you like a lift?” Viktor asked
The chopper hovered over them
Two cables with harnesses descended
“You and Pau take them,” he said “I’ll swim”
“A little foolish, isn’t it?” Cassiopeia said, as she and Pau strapped themselves in
“Not to me”
He watched as they were lifted from the lake and ferried toward shore, about two hundred yards away
True, the lake’s pollution worried hi more seemed worse
NI STARED AT THE DRAGON LAMP WHILE HE’D MET WITH THE preht from the airport and deposited on his desk
Karl Tang had gone to a lot of trouble to retrieve it Why? He noticed etchings on its side and wondered what they meant He should have some experts examine it The buzzer from the phone on his desk irritated him He’d told his staff that he did not want to be disturbed
He stabbed the blinking button
“The premier’s office is on the line”
His anger vanished “Connect me”
A few seconds later the sao one of our J-10 fighters forced an unidentified ahter was shot down by one of our helicopters, piloted by a foreigner authorized to fly by Minister Tang”
He listened in shock
“That helicopter was protecting three people who’d escaped into the lake” The premier paused “One of those was Pau Wen”
He stood from his chair
“It seems, Minister, Pau has come ho him to return What he told you is true He and I have spoken many times since I assumed this post We did, indeed, also speak of you Those conversations were innocent Two oldwanted to return, but it is better he stay far away Unfortunately, he seems to have found a way back without my consent”
A chill gripped hi here?”
“An excellent question, one for you to discover I truly do not know But I would like to knoe lost both a man’s life and a five-million-yuan aircraft”
As would he
“I learned long ago that those who excel at defense bury themselves away below the deepest depths of the earth,” the prereatest heights of Heaven Pau Wen never acts from a defensive position He stays on a constant offense”
He was jet-lagged and liue Riddles were no comfort “What is it I am to do?”
“I knohat Karl Tang is after, and I also knohy Pau Wen has returned”