“Would it be the same sort of reponse a vaccine would seek to elicit in the body?”
Andy gave it some thought. “That’s got to be right … but I need to check it out.”
“Yvonne might have a view on this and if she doesn’t, she’ll know who to ask.”
“Anything else, Gov?”
“I’ve got news from the US consulate in Hong Kong. Randy Zhang is on his way to the US.”
“He just decided to present himself to the consulate?” This was a good question.
“Granted … a little odd but he has indicated he is willing to speak to us.”
“I’ll ask Mandy to deal with that. She’s really hot on that stuff.”
“You mean biotech I presume?” Pole smiled at his reflection in the large window of the airport boarding lounge. The stewardess waved at him. It was time. “Got to go. I’ll call you as soon as I land in Hong Kong.”
Pole killed the call, grabbing his burner phone as he was walking towards the ramp that led to the plane. He mouthed a thank you to the stewardess who had been patiently waiting for him. She returned a smile.
Pole walked at a measured space. They were waiting for him but he had a call placed. “Harris … I’m boarding a plane in less than a minute. The formula that was on Ollie Wilson’s USB key is not a password. It refers to the genetic code of a virus and the way to disrupt its replication.”
Pole’s mobile was buzzing in his pocket as he spoke to Harris. Ferguson’s number appeared. “Got to go, Harris … Just make sure Randy knows. I’ll wager that is our missing link.”
Pole pressed the red button on his other mobile. Ferguson would have to wait until his return.
* * *
The stewardess offered Nancy some tea. “Xie Xie.” At least she could say thank you in Chinese.
The scene of the previous night replayed in her mind in a continuous loop.
As soon as the women start to mix with the crowd of coming and going through the various service entrances, they start running for their lives.
Mingmei leads the way. Nancy follows close behind. They duck, left, right, left, through a number of narrow streets that separate the towers arranged along them. It would be easy to lose track of where they were but her sister looks back several times to make sure Nancy is following.
Out of breath they stop near a cluster of trees and collapse on a bench. There is a strip of water in front of them. It looks like yet another artificial lake that loops around a manmade island.
Mingmei takes her phone out of her jacket pocket and when the call goes through, simply says that they are ready. She gets up, still a little breathless. Nancy stands up too and they start walking along a pavement lined with trees and flowerbeds. Although it is dark, she can see that the landscaping is well-tended.
They walk into a small square, bordered by large flowerbeds. A car approaches and Mingmei’s phone rings three times, stops, then rings three times again.
“Your car has arrived.” She goes forward in the direction of the car headlights.
“You’re not coming?”
Mingmei cocks her head. “It’s better if we’re not seen leaving this place together.”
The two women face each other awkwardly.
“Remember what I said … I want to help.”
Her sister doesn’t reply for a moment. Then she makes the first move, closing her arms around Nancy in a firm hug.
“He said you would come one day … he was right.”
Air turbulence started to shake the plane. The contents of the cup she had been holding distractedly spilt onto her leg. She swore under a breath and wiped away the liquid with a paper napkin.
Prof Licot was reading his book. The seats in club class were comfortable and he had left Nancy to decide to talking if she wished. He knew there was a lot she needed to think about on her way back to Hong Kong. He hadn’t asked Nancy about her evening with Mingmei and she was grateful for that.
It was almost 7pm when they landed in Shanghai. The transit to the international airport took only a few minutes. Passport Control was a little tense for Nancy. The officer asked a few questions. She talked about meeting artists and gallerists.
- Had she bought anything?
- No
- Why not?
- Too many good people, difficult to choose … she would come back.
He looked at her with a combination of coolness and dislike. Still, she looked the part … designer jeans, expensive leather jacket, brand new trainers. He let her through.
Nancy took a seat for the final leg of the journey on the Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong. Her body relaxed in one go. She noticed how tense her shoulders had been since she’d arrived in Chengdu. Her back felt like a block of wood. She would indulge in a long soak in a warm bath as soon as she reached her hotel.
As the aircraft took off the relief faded. She had left behind someone she had started to care for.
After the plane had been in the air for a few minutes, it banked left over the China Sea. Nancy looked through the window. There were a few spots of lights on the vast dark expense … fisherman trying to scrape a living.
The boat’s rocking has become scary. She and her friend have burrowed underneath the tarpaulin the fisherman insists they stay under. Her mother has her arms tightly around her.
There is a loud smack from the bow every time the waves hit the front of the boat. The fisherman is fighting the ocean as best he can but the boat is too small and there are too many people for such a small craft.
The struggle with the sea has been going on for hours. She can’t tell how long but she wants it to stop. Her stomach is somersaulting and she feels almost sick but not quite.
Her friend is not as fortunate. She has been throwing up and her mother is trying to hold a small bucket to catch the bile her daughter brings up.
The wind increases abruptly. It changes direction all of a sudden. They have reached another part of the coast that leads to freedom.
The boat too has veered and the waves are now slapping against its starboard hull. The women can’t help but cry in fear. It feels as though the boat will be engulfed by the waves any moment.
Voices have risen. The three men are arguing. Nancy can’t understand but she can hear her father shouting. It’s not simply an argument. It’s much more than that … outrage … horror. She has never heard his voice sound as it does today.
The other man has started to beg. Nancy never thought a grown up could do that.
The fisherman yanks the tarpaulin from over their heads. He is dripping wet from the rain. He looks at the two girls and their mothers, but before he can say anything a crash of thunder makes everyone jump.
Nancy’s father has fired a gunshot in the air. She doesn’t know where the gun has come from, but her father is aiming it at the fisherman’s chest.
He returns to the wheel, cursing … they will all drown.
Each wave is a challenge. Everyone is soaked to the bone and Nancy starts shivering.
Her mother replaces the canvas over them as best she can.
The boat’s rocking eases off but her mother’s body tenses. There are some lights far away on the horizon.
The two fathers have seen these too. No one wants to believe it yet.
The fisherman sniggers as the passengers’ hopes are dashed … There is a good reason why their destination is called Big Waves Bay.
The next wave that slams into the boat throws the two men off balance. The fisherman seizes his chance. He tries to grab the gun from her father. They struggle for only an instant and the gun discharge resounds around the small ship. The old man falls on his side. Her father’s friend leaps forward. The fisherman mustn’t die.
Nancy’s father grabs the wheel. The land is so close and yet so far. The old man whispers a few words.
; Her father holds the boat as steady as he can. The waves swell underneath it and their direction has changed again. The boat dips and rises. It is a straight run to the shore if they can maintain the cap.
Nancy’s friend has stopped being sick, but she looks very pale.
The boat is almost there. Nancy’s father is still holding the wheel. He cuts the engine. As he does, a wave no one has seen coming slams into the skiff, rolling it over like a dice and its occupants with it.
Nancy was gazing through the window of the aircraft. She could see neither the stars nor the dark sea below. She only saw one image.
The waves that pushed them to the shore.
The body of a child, lifeless on the sands of Big Wave Bay.
Chapter Forty
Pole rises from the seat he has chosen in the arrivals hall of Hong Kong airport. He paces up and down a few times. Nancy’s flight has landed. He has only had a couple of hours’ rest in his hotel room, but he feels alert.
Harris has been surprisingly forthcoming. Someone doesn’t want Nancy in Hong Kong and now that she is returning from Chengdu, she has become a greater problem.
It may no longer be intimidation. Pole stretches his long limbs and rolls his shoulders. The effects of the bike accident still affect his body and a few bruises have started to appear.
The opaque glass doors of the arrivals gate start to open. People are walking through, friends and family are coming forward to greet them. A couple of limo drivers in dark suits with name boards, are waiting too.
Pole surveys them carefully. They are the most obvious candidates, although perhaps a little too obvious. He has spotted another man of medium height, in a heavy leather jacket. He looks American. Pole doesn’t know why.
The glimpse of a silhouette moving towards the doors makes Pole stop.
Nancy emerges, an older gentleman at her side. She says a few words to him and they shake hands. She waits for an instant, a single bag at her side, deciding what to do next. Pole recognises her expression. She wants to be left alone.
Not this time though. A smile creeps onto his lips. He takes a few steps towards her and waits.
She feels someone looking at her and looks in their direction. She drops her bag, not yet quite sure she’s right. But she is and Nancy starts walking towards Pole with a smile that matches his.
The sharp glow of steel propels Pole forward. Pole’s sudden movement makes Nancy turn around. She swings her rucksack in front of her but it affords pitiful protection as the gunman runs towards them … The sight of a weapon makes a couple of people scream and the mass scramble shields Nancy for a few seconds. Pole has almost reached her.
The rugby tackle comes from nowhere. The assailant topples to the ground. He rolls on his side and a left kick propels his gun away. He jumps to his feet and he and the American are now facing each other.
Pole has swung round in front of Nancy and now that she is behind him, he joins the fray. He picks up the gun as the two other men circle each other slowly. Pole drops the gun onto a seat behind him. A knife comes out. Pole takes off his leather jacket and rolls it in one quick movement around his left forearm. He won’t use a firearm come what may and hopes the rolled leather affords some protection against the sharpness of a blade.
The American is in a defensive position, hands raised. He starts moving in on the assailant as Pole is moves closer too.
The blade cuts the air a few times. Both Pole and the American manage to avoid it. The man tries again but his opponents are skilled in combat and he realises he will be overwhelmed.
He casts a glance towards the exit doors. He throws his knife with force at Pole who ducks, but not quite fast enough. The blade opens a gash in his upper arm.
The man is now running towards the rows of seats that stand between him and the exit. He jumps the rows one after the other, gaining ground towards the automatic doors. The American follows with equal agility. The doors open into the night. They’re gone.
Pole’s hand is compressing the wound. Nancy has shaken herself into action. She finds a scarf in her rucksack, wrapping it around his arm. “You need a doctor.”
Pole shakes his head. “I need to find him first.”
Pole is already halfway to the doors. Nancy follows. When they come out, it’s almost over. The chase has taken both men onto the multi-lane exit roads where large buses pick up speed as they leave the terminal. The American has caught up with the gunman. The only way to escape is to cross the busy road.
The man dashes across near a bend in the road. A large bus emerges without warning. The man loses his balance and seeks a helping hand, terror in his eyes … the American steps back and watches, as he falls.
Nancy can’t help but close her eyes. The squealing brakes of the bus drown out the thud of body against metal. Pole is about to cross over but the American is already walking back towards them. Nancy is not quite sure whether she should acknowledge him or not.
“The police will be here shortly.” Jack says. “You should go.”
Nancy nods. She plunges a hand deep into her rucksack and hands over the sim card of a phone. He returns her nod and walks back towards the road where people have gathered to help or merely to watch.
Pole takes Nancy by the hand. They retrieve her bag from the arrivals hall and jump into a taxi just as the first police car arrives.
“His name is …”
“I know who he is.” Pole interrupts with a smile. Nancy doesn’t care how. She leans her head against his shoulder. This is home.
* * *
The morning was coming to an end. They had walked since breakfast all the way to Sky Court on top of the Peak, meeting Licot for a coffee before taking a cab to their next destination.
Licot had a surprise waiting for them he had discussed with Nancy on the way back from Chengdu … Amy was alive and well. She had first thought she’d misunderstood him. But she had learned in the few days she spent with him to trust him.
He was not keeping her against her will. He was offering the young woman protection against possible unwanted attention. Licot thought Amy had made herself vulnerable by investigating what had happened to Nancy’s father. Things were changing in Hong Kong and showing too much interest in well-know dissidents was not a welcome occupation.
Nancy had dropped by Philippe’s Hong Kong gallery to tell him the news. They had agreed to meet at Licot for a coffee and a reunion they had never hoped would come so swiftly.
But Amy was there, looking well if a little nervous. They had hugged each other, holding back a few tears. They would all soon be on their way to London. Pole and Nancy had left Licot’s flat for the last part of their journey, whilst the others were still enjoying their morning.
Nancy walked to the edge of the water and removed her shoes. She unravelled the loose piece of string that held the flowers together. She had bought the bunch of roses at the Mandarin Oriental and carried them all the way.
She entered the water, hardly noticing the coolness of the waves that lapped her shins. She dropped the flowers one by one into the sea, watching them drift away from the shore … all seven of them.
Tears rolled freely onto her cheeks. The soft breeze would dry them soon.
When the last of the roses had floated away, Nancy stepped back onto the beach, lighting three sticks of incense she stuck in the sand.
Pole had found a place to sit at the top of Big Wave Bay, waiting … he was in no hurry. Nancy made her way back towards him. When she reached him, he stood up and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head and resting his chin on it.
“You don’t need to rush you know.”
Nancy nodded. “I’m ready to move on … I lost a friend. I gained a sister …”
“And a cause to fight for.”
She lifted her head, with an amused yet surprised smile. “I can’t hide anythin
g from you.”
“You’ve done plenty of that, I believe.”
Nancy slid her arm around his waist and moved them along. “There were certain things I needed to do on my own.”
“Such as doing a little bit of moonlighting for the CIA in Chengdu?”
“I was not on my own.”
“So you said …”
They had reached the lane that led back to the road. Pole’s mobile was ringing. It was a message. He must have lost reception whilst sitting on the beach.
Pole listened and broke into a grin. “The Chinese and US governments have signed their co-operation agreement. Turner is on his way back to the US … The CIA is assembling a welcome committee.”
They stayed silent for a moment, savouring the news.
“So where to now?” Pole finally asked, his voice warm and mellow.
Nancy grabbed his hand and started running.
“Let’s explore the island and enjoy our free time before life throws up another impossible mystery.”
Dear Reader,
I hope you have enjoyed reading BLOOD DRAGON as much as I have enjoyed writing it … Perhaps I can now ask for a small favour? Please take a few minutes to write a review on Amazon, Goodreads or BookBub. Thank you so very much!
Don’t forget FREE access to the genesis of BLOOD DRAGON as well as FREE chapters, or receive information about the next book in the series.
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Looking forward to connecting with you …
Freddie
Perhaps you would like to discover Nancy’s story, her friendship with the notorious Henry Crowne. Or perhaps you would like to discover how she and DCI Jonathan Pole met …
If you would like to discover more about Nancy and Pole, delve into HCPTP series with:
COLLAP$E
BREAKING PO!NT
NO TURNING BACK
or
HENRY CROWNE PAYING THE PRICE BOOKS 1-3
BLOOD DRAGON Page 43
