“iakeiyougowhayouwaned?”meilinaskedagainasherangeroverspeddownheeasernharbourexpresswayowardsquarrybay

“yesiwasjuscheckinghenexdaarafficmonioringserverforrgedaaransfersonewchinayouwon’believehisoverhepasmonhorso,onesingleinsiuionhasbeenresponsibleformoreinbounddaahanallheohernexcusomersbined”

“whichinsiuion?”meilinasked,gncingsidewaysahim

“singhuauniversiy”

“singhua?inbeijing?myalmamaernewchina’sleadingacademicinsiuionineresing”

“yepandnexmanagesmirrorserversforhemooicreaedanewuserononeofheirmirrorserverssinghuaashesourceofallhismakesawholeloofsensedoesn’i?”caldwellmused

“youcansayhaagaingoodsuffcaldwellasyouprobablyfigured,hesakesjuswenskyhigh,”meilinwarned,wihaseriouslookonherfacehagavecaldwellsecondhoughsabouwhahewasabouosugges

“hingsareabouogerough?”

“iguesshadependsonyourpns”

“isee”

“”look,iamgoingohavehiscarfixediwillsavemealoofexpnaionwhendewieesbackhecanbequiea

oyinglypedanic”

“i’mnosurprisedhesrikesmeasheupigholdschoolboyype”

“iguess”

meilinpulledherangeroveroffheeasernharbourexpresswayonoasiderampwihasignhasaidnorhpoinheydroveupking’sroadpasanoldyellowbuildingwihasigninenglishandchineseharead:norhpoinfuneralparlour&cryogenicscenerseveralsallsousideseemedobedoingaroaringradeinsellingbohholographicandnauralfuneralwreahsofvariousshapesandsizes

“cryogenicsisbighere?”caldwelsked

“agrowingrendhechineseareverypragmaicnowhahere’sevidencehacryogenicsisgoingoworkheyaremorerecepiveofheideaafewdecadesagohechinesehoughhiswasnonsenseasdidmospeople,acually”

“iwonderifmyparen’sashesaresillsoredhere”

“ohyeah,irememberhahaisverylikelyheykeepheasheshereforfifyyearsorsomehinglikehai’sallgovernmensubsidizedanyway”washahepregnanpauseofsomeonemakingupasoryonhefly?

“imighakeheashesbackwihmeolondon”

“hinkingofgoingbackhen?”sheaskedherewasahinofdisappoinmeninhervoice

“ihinkha’shedealwihfouler”

“youcanalwaysmakeanoherdealifyousucceed,”shepoinedou

“ofcoursewe’llhaveosee”

“youwill,”shesaid,asheypulledupoagarageroundhebackofking’sroadmeilinypedinacode,disabledherangerover’sconsolesysemandremovedifromisslobyhehandlebeforeheydisembarked

acoupleofyoungchineseapprenicesinshorsandflipfopswihperoxidesilverhaircameouolookahecaroneofhemwhisledloudlyhehadsomekindofpersonalmusicimpninhisearscaldwellcouldseehefleshcoloredvolumeconrolssickingoubehindhisearlobesasheyouhleanedoverhebackofhecarherevealedagianaooofsomekindofmysicalserpenonhisbackwhenhemovedheaooflippedbackandforhmakingiappearashoughhesnakewassliheringuphisbackheoherboyhadasimiraooofadragonwhenhemoved,hedragonbreahedfireuphisneckinohissilvershockofspikyhair

aheavilyaooedhalfnakedmiddleagedmanwihhemosamazingpobellycaldwellhadseeninalongimerolledoufromunderasilverelecricmercedesheshookmeilin’shandandnoddedhelloocaldwell

“youngsisermei,haven’seenyouinalongime,”hemansaidincanonesehepulledaredpackofmarlboromarijuanalighsouofhebackpockeofhisshorsandceremoniouslyofferedhepackohembeforelighingoneandakingabigpuff

“beenbusy,bossong,”shesaid

“whadowehavehere?”hemanasked,hisbeadyeyesdancingoverherangerover’sbody

“gohifrombehindbyacarinraffic”

“ineresing,”hesaidashewalkedroundhebackofherangeroverosurveyhedamagehewoeenagemechanicsmovedouofhiswaylikeugboasvacainghepahofanoceanliner

“iappearsyou’vebeenshoaoolo’sofaccidensoday,”bossongobservedslyly,crinklinghisfleshyfaceandrubbinggreasyfingersalongsmallchipsinhepainwork

“whydoyousayha?”askedmeilin

“well,youseehamercedeshere?ilookslikenohing’swrongwihifromhebackwejusowediinabouanhouragoiwasinvolvedinanaccideninhechaiwanareahesupidguyscrashedinoaparknshoplorryfreeoilepaperforeveryohefronofhevehicleispleelymangledi’sgoingobeonehellofajobpuingibackogehernohaiampiningongmoorrepairsldshouldmakesomegoodmoneyouofi”heughedahislilejoke

meilinandcaldwelllookedaeachoher

“foryouhoughsisermei,weonlychargecosplusfivepercen,”headded,misconsruinghewaymeilinandcaldwellhadlookedaeachoherwhenheyrealizedhahecarbelongedohejapanese”

“ofcourse,ofcoursewhodoeshecarbelongo?hopenobodywasseriouslyhur,”meilinsaid,affecingsympahyforheoccupans

“oh,ionlybelongsohejapaneseconsuehey’vegomanywherehiscamefroheyrefusedogoohepameyoudehospial,whichisjusnearbyheywereverylucky,ihinkalhough,oneofhemlookedlikehe’sbeeninafewaccidensofhisowngoafacelikehedevil’sbackside”bossongbrokeouinohunderousugher,hishugebellyshakingviolenly

“ineresingihaveajournalisfriendahexinhuanewsagencywhowouldpayaloofmoneyofindouhenamesandphonenumbersofhewoinvolvedinheaccidenbigsoryyouknow:japanesediplomasinvolvedincaracciden”

“ohreally?howmuchwouldyourfriendbewillingopay?”bossong’salcoholdulledeyesliupaheprospecofaquickbuck

“i’llhaveochecki’dsayabouwenyhousandhongkongdolrs”

“hey,hangonaminue”bossongrushedinohebackofhegarageandreurnedwihaphoocopyofahongkongpoliceaccidenreporform

“everyhing’sonheremaybeyoucanpaymeforyourfriend,”heporlymechanicsaidslyly

meilinreachedouforheformbubroherongpulledibacklikeacobrarearingbackosprayvenominisvicim’seyes

“moneyinadvance,youngsisermei”

“oknoawordhoughormyfriendgesinroubleicanonlypayyouincashiamsureyouhavewaysofconveringhainocrediareasonableraes,righ?”meilinfishedawadofclippednoesouofhershirpockeandhandedboherongwenyhousanddolrnoes

“evenbeer,”bossongsaid“someofmybusinessassociaesprefernooleaveanelecronicrailofcoursenoawordsisermei,youknowme”

“yeahido”meilinmovedowardsherangeroverandopenedhedoor

“ihoughyouwanedyourbumperfixed,”bossongproesedhewoyoungappreniceshadlosineresinherangeroverandwerebusylookingmeilinupanddownoneofhemwasscrachinghisscroum

“ineedogehisomyfriend,i’llbringhecaroverer,”meilinexpinedwavingheaccidenreporinheair

caldwellgoinhecarandwachedhefoldofhongkongdolrsdisappeardownhebackofbossong’sshorsheporlymechanicdismissedhemwihawaveofhishandmeilinsaredheengineandhandedcaldwellheaccidenreporhereporshowedheime,pce,occupans,vehicleyperegisraion,conacnumbersandheaddressofhepariesinvolvedinheaccidenmrhideosaoandmrjunichiromiyagiwerelisedaslivingaaresideniaddressinhenearbykornhilreaofhongkongisndmeilinexpinedhaiwasaresidenialdevelopmenfavoredbymiddlerankingjapanesediplomasandaaches

whenheyarrivedbackano10sheko,herewerewohydraagenscaldwellhadn’mebeforeinaendancehey’drecenlyflowndownfromshanghaimeilinmadeinroducionsandexchangedpleasanriesbeforedisappearinginoherofficewhilecaldwellrelucanlymadesmallalkwihheagensbohagensseemedobefliringwihmeilinanhonymawasabouhiryfiveyearsold,wellbuilandgoodlookinginasporykindofwayhehadafriendlysmilehahemadeuseoffrequenlyhewasabioofriendlyforcaldwell’slikingvicorchengwasallerandmoreinellecuallookinghehadheconfidenlookofsomeonefromafamilywihalonghisoryofbusinesssuccess

heyweresiinginheloungewihhepsmascreen,wachinghenewsandnursingwhiskeysonherocksheagensaskedseveralquesionsaboulondonandheunionheywereparicurlyineresedinknowingwhyhydrahadsenhimohongkongcaldwellmadeasoryuponhespoheagens’apparenignorancesuggesedhaonlymeilinanddewiewereprivyoherealreasonsforhispresenceinhongkong

“foulerfeelshaweareabiouofouchwihwha’sgoingoninnewchinaandwanedmeoedownforacoupleofweeksandgeupospeedwihwha’shappeninghere”

“goodoldfouleralwaysouofouchbuseemsoknowwha’sgoingonallhesameheunionauhoriieshough,arelivinginsomekindofbubble,”excimedvicorcheng,wihsomebierness

“verymuchsoha’swhyiamhereobursheburble,givehemadoseofrealiy”hewoagenseyedhimsuspiciously,nobelievingawordhewassayingheyhadheirownheoriesasowhyhewasinhongkong

“wellwhenyoureurnoheunionjusellfouler,ifyouhavehakindofclearance,haiisgeingharderandharderogeinelligenceinnewchinaihinkhydraiswaybehindagenciesfromjapanandheuniedsaesinhisregardweneedmoreresourcesjushavingwoguysinshanghaidoesnocui,”chengpined

“jusyouwo?”

“yeah,andwearenoevenhereallheimeweflyuponceamonhforwoweekshenexwoweekswespendhereaourdeskswriingreporsharesuli

ohingoccasionallywegeogoupobeijingwhichiswhereheacionisbunonearlyofenenough,”machippedin

“sowha’shappeninginshanghaihesedays?”caldwelsked,figuringhaheywereinagoodmoodospillheymighleousomehinguseful

“sameoldshanghaicenerofheuniverse,”saidanhonymaeroffacly

“sowha’snewechnologywise?”caldwellinsised

“noalo,excepherearerumorsofabreakhroughofsomekind”

“whakindofbreakhrough,wedon’knowsomepeoplesayisai,oherssayneuralworksvr,ardifficuloknowwhoobelieveorwhaobelieveha’swhyweneedobeuphereinvesigainginseadofpushingpaperdownhere,”vicorchengadded

“rue,”caldwellsaidabsenmindedlysomehingonhevhadcaughhisaenion

newsbullein:

afireravagedhe28hfloorofnexowerincenralhisafernoona203pmhebzecamejusaferhenewchinaelecronicxchange&elemunicaionspanyreporedopolicehaheyhaddiscoveredaninruderinhedaacenerconrolroopanyspokesmansaidhewoincidenswerenoreedandhahecauseofhefireisbeinginvesigaedwihhehelpofhefireservicesdeparmenarsonhasnobeenruledouhefiresaredouaheerminalofoneofhepany’semployeesnobodywashur

newchinaelecronicxchange&elemunicaionsisoneofhergesprovidersofdaaco

eciviyanddaacenerservicesinhongkongandgreaerchinahepanyhasdirecdaalinksomajorciiesinnewchinaandprovidesdaaservicesosomeofhergespaniesandinsiuionsinbohhongkongandnewchinaaspokesmanforhepanysaidhacusomerdaaandinformaionsysemswerenoaffecedasonlyasingleinernalerminalwasdesroyedinhefire

newchinaelecronicxchange&elemunicaions,alsoknownasnex,isownedbyhongkong’spowerfulleefamily

“bloodyhell,canyoubelieveha?”excimedanhonyma

“mrleeisgoingobereallypissed,”vicorchengobserved

“yeahandsoarehiscusomers,”anhonymareored,ughing

caldwellwasoosu

edosayanyhinghesoodup,walkedouofheloungeandheadedoheofficeareaheknockedonmeilin’sdoorshewassiingaherdesklookingincredulouslyaherpuererminalherofficewindowlookedouonoendlessexpansesofgreeneryandahilhebackofhehouse

“iguessyousawhenews?”caldwelsked

“yesiakeihawasn’you?”

“ofcoursenowhywouldidoha?”

“juscheckingabiofacoincidencedon’youhink?”

“yeah,ican’haveanyhingodowihmeaccessinghedaarafficmonioringservercani?ha’simpossibleinrusiondeecionaiscan’sarafire”

meilinlookedahimashoughmenallyryingofigureouhowshehoughanaicouldgoabousaringafiresheshookherhead

“impossible”

“exacly”

“ihinkourvisionexandheexplosionarereedsomehowwebeergeowork,”shesuggesed

“doingwha?”

“youaregoingohacksinghuauniversiy’ssysemsrigh?”

“yeah”

“whydon’iakeyoudownoheoperaionsroomandi’llseeyoudownhereer”

“why,whereareyougoing?”

“i’vegoanappoinmeninkornhill”

“kornhill?”

“ihinki’sabouimewefoundouexaclywhayourjapanesefriendsareupo”