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Two brothers waited at the end of the courtyard, up a terraced stairway, each dressed in a wool goith a red waistband Their hair was shaved short in front but plaited in back Olive-black eyes barely blinked He strode straight toward a veranda supported by old He cli at the base of the third terrace Behind the brothers opened double doors, flanked on either side by two massive elephant tusks
Pau Wen stepped from the portal
Finally, they were face-to-face After so many years
Pau descended the steps
Tang waited, then bowed “Everything went according to your plan”
“You have done well The end is now in sight”
He enjoyed the feeling of pride He handed Pau the watch froht you would like this back”
Pau accepted the gift with a bow “My thanks”
“Where is Ni Yong?”
“Waiting Inside”
“Then let us finish this and begin a new day for China”
“IT’S AWFUL QUIET UP HERE,” MALONE SAID
Their trek, so far, had been uneventful
An ocean of jagged, snowy suulfed them What had he once read? A land of black wolves and blue poppies—ibex and snow leopards Where fairies congregated, he recalled another observer noting Possibly even the inspiration behind Jari-la
No sign of Viktor yet, or of soldiers
Little sound besides the scuffle of their feet on the rocky trail
In the distance rose hardscrabble hills, washed with green and streaked in red Herds of livestock and nos dotted the slopes Down in one of the gorges he spied the decaying carcass of a donkey that had slipped to its death
He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, ahead and above them
He kept walking, as if unaware, and whispered to her, “Did you—”
“I saw it,” she muttered
Four men
The trail ahead led into a stretch of poplars Cassiopeia led the way
“Get ready to un beneath his jacket
He heard the crack of a weapon, then a bullet zipped by
TANG ENTERED THE ROOM AND STARED AT NI YONG PAU WEN had already removed Sokolov and the boy Hopefully, a father-and-son reunion would calm the Russian and ensure his cooperation
“Our battle is over,” he said to Ni
“And hoill my death be explained?”
“A tragic helicopter crash You were in Xinjiang province investigating more corruption Isn’t that what you do?”
“My staff knohere I was going and why”
“Your staff will either cooperate or be silenced”
“And what of the police in Yecheng? The two pilots on the plane I cos”
He shrugged “All easily eliminated Did you thinkes Did you enjoy the debate between Pau and myself?”
Ni shrugged “Hardly a dramatic feat for two such accomplished liars”
“I was kept infor you did That is how I knew you were headed for Belgium”
“And the attempt on my life there?”
“That was real I was hoping to end the problem But you apparently were able to avoid the men I sent”
“Actually, Pau Wen saved my life”
Had he heard correctly? Pau? Viktor had been unable to learn what had happened at Pau’s residence since he’d been in Antwerp, dealing with Cassiopeia Vitt None of the men he’d sent had ever reported back, and Pau had, characteristically, offered nothing He would have to speak with the emon is not afraid to shed blood If he intervened, then there was good reason”
“Spoken like a true Legalist Congratulations, Minister, on your victory History will note you as the man who finally destroyed China”
MALONE DOVE TO ROCKY GROUND AND SOUGHT WHAT COVER the sparse poplars offered Cassiopeia did the sa a boulder large enough to provide them both protection
More shots came their way
“This is getting serious,” Cassiopeia said