White Ghost (27 page)

K
asa arrived at the Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital in central Kunming to find two Chinese narcotics officers waiting for him outside of Luck's room. After driving overnight, he'd spent hours working through intermediaries to bribe their supervisor into releasing Luck into his custody.

“What happened?” Kasa asked Luck, as they walked past ambulances lined up by the emergency entrance.

“I tried to set up Cobra in an alley near the warehouse, but he caught on. When I came to, the police were all over me.”

Luck stopped, then looked around and rolled up his sleeve to expose his forearm. He pointed at the license plate numbers written in ink, then rolled it back down.

“There were both old gray FAWs with canvas-covered beds. Red lions painted on the cab doors. I had photos, but Cobra took my phone.”

“Moby bought a couple more motorcycles. Take one and lead him to where they transferred the heroin. We'll relieve him tomorrow.”

K
ASA SHOOK HIMSELF AWAKE
at the sound of his cell phone ringing on his hotel room nightstand. He checked the screen. It was Moby calling from outside the warehouse.

“The two Thai trucks we followed from Mae Sai to Kunming just arrived.”

“What about the Chinese ones that picked up the heroin from them?”

“Not here.”

“I'll send Luck over so you can get some rest.”

Kasa poked at Luck to wake him and then gave him his orders.

After Luck left, Kasa bought clean clothes, changed, and reserved two more rooms at the hotel. He then drove to the Kunming Railway Station where five men carrying heavy packs waited near the curb.

To Kasa, their wary Shan expressions made them look rough not only on the edges, but all the way through. To those passing by on the sidewalk, they appeared to be nothing more than farmers come down from the hills to labor in the city.

The men piled themselves and their packs into Kasa's van. He drove them to the hotel and ordered them to remain in their rooms until Moby came to pick them up. He gave them a mobile phone and paid the hotel clerk for two days.

Kasa called Luck and followed his directions north through Kunming to the alley behind Yunan Agricultural Transport. As he watched the warehouse from the truck cab, Kasa tried to calculate when the Chinese trucks would arrive, knowing that would at least partly depend on how far they had traveled. While it was likely the heroin had been hauled to Hong Kong or Guangzhou to be hidden in a container, it was also possible it could've gone east to a port on the southern coast of Vietnam, though that would be risky. There was a lot of drug enforcement there because the Americans were putting pressure on the Vietnamese
government both in regard to heroin and methamphetamines traffickers were smuggling into the United States and Europe. Even so, the odds were that it was at least a hard, nonstop, two-day drive up and two days back from wherever the heroin went, unless the destination had been a place he couldn't yet imagine.

All he could do was wait and think through his next steps and imagine the revenge he would take on Cobra.

Kasa left the truck and walked through the commercial district. He bought headache powder, a toothbrush, and some sodas. He took some of the powder to relieve a light throbbing at his temples. It wasn't just the pressure coming from Eight Iron to finish the job, but also internal pressure to avenge the loss of too many friends in the Shan wars against the Wa for control of the opium trade and for the creation of a state independent of both Burma and its Wa proxies. His aim throughout his adult life had been to do both, and Eight Iron knew and accepted it, and in doing so, leave a few dead Wa by the roadside.

I
n the downtown Nantong office of Ren's uncle, Zhang and Gage stood by the fax machine to ensure no one else caught a look at the incriminating powers of attorney. Gage had tried to convince Zhang that an e-mailed document would be as authentic as a fax, but as Gage expected, Zhang wouldn't accept it. He wanted to watch the hard copy emerge from the printer. Zhang signed his family name, and Gage faxed them to Burch, to the accountant, and to the bank. They then drove to the PLA compound at the Qidong port.

“We're done,” Kai told Gage as they entered the sparse and guarded conference room where she and Lew had been working on scripts.

Ferrari took Lew into the hallway.

While Zhang read them over to himself, Kai translated them into English for Gage.

“They're fine,” Zhang said. “I don't see any ambiguities Lew might exploit.”

Gage called Lew back into the room.

“When can I be released?” Lew asked.

“It'll be up to Zhang to decide.”

“I need to get money from my bank account to live on. I don't have much family here, and they hardly know me.”

“Depending on the timing, you may have a few days to transfer your money out before the U.S. authorities freeze accounts. They'll make you a target as soon as they can compare the employee personnel files with ICE travel records and notice the date you left the States and where you went.” Gage shrugged. “On the other hand, they might focus only on Ah Ming and East Wind and leave you alone.”

“That's not much to hope for.”

“The alternative is that after everything is over you make a deal with the FBI to cooperate. Help them identify Ah Ming's assets and give them the names of the guys who did the robbery and the ones who killed Ah Tien. It's up to you. But they won't give you a complete walk.”

Lew shook his head. “Prison would be a death sentence. You don't know Ah Ming. He can get to anyone.”

“In other words, you don't want to end up like Ah Tien?”

Lew flinched.

Gage stared at Lew for a few seconds, then said, “It all looks a lot different from this side, doesn't it?”

After they returned Lew to his cell, Kai asked, “Will you really let him get his money?”

“Not . . . a . . . chance.”

Gage then led her into an empty office in the compound where he called Burch.

“Did you talk to Casey?”

“He's waiting to hear from Zhang. He checked with the State Department. The Office of International Affairs suggested that Casey deal directly with a responsible party in China. They also gave him a contact at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai.”

“When can he travel?”

“The FBI in Washington authorized him to leave anytime.
It just depends on when Zhang is satisfied the funds are in his control. The money will be wired into my account later this morning. And the technician will be at the Shanghai-Pudong Intercontinental Hotel tomorrow. He wants to be on the Pudong side so he can use some testing equipment in Intel's affiliate company over there.”

Gage kept Burch on the line and looked at Zhang.

“Let's make sure we all understand what's going to happen. Zhang and I have had some discussions since we talked last time.”

“Okay.”

“Today you'll fax Zhang confirmation that the insurance money is in your account.”

“Right.”

“Tomorrow we'll take the chips to Pudong. Zhang will give the technician one-quarter of the chips to examine. When that's done, Zhang will take those back and give him another quarter and so on.”

“Right.”

“The technician will return the final quarter to Zhang, then inform the insurer of the condition and value of all the chips. Based on that valuation the insurer will authorize forwarding an amount equal to twenty-one percent of the total from your trust account.”

“Right.”

“You'll fax Zhang a confirmation that the money has been sent, and the accountant will have the bank send a confirmation the money has been received into the Calico Limited account.”

“Right.”

“And Zhang releases the chips to Casey.”

“And Zhang releases the chips to Casey.”

“That means we're talking about approximately four days until this is done.”

“I think that's right.”

“Call Casey and tell him to expect a call from Zhang today and to be ready to travel to Shanghai tomorrow. He'll lose a day getting here. But first, you should have a talk with your new client.”

Gage handed the cell phone to Zhang.

“This is Zhang Xianzi.”

“I need to tell you a few things before we go any further,” Burch said. “Under the American legal system, anything we discuss and anything I do on your behalf is covered by what's called the attorney-client privilege, but I need to hear from you that you understand what exactly we've decided to do.”

“I heard him recount our agreement just now.”

“So you understand that in exchange for the receipt by Calico of the insurance proceeds, you will release the chips to the FBI.”

“Yes. That is my understanding and what I will do.”

Gage disconnected, sent Zhang on his way, made himself a cup of tea, and then propped some pillows against the headboard and reclined on the bed. It was time to think about going home. He called Faith.

“I'm done.”

“I'm so glad. I had a terrible nightmare. Just like the time you were in Pakistan. The night of the bombing at your hotel. Are you okay?”

“Everything worked out. Not exactly as I planned. Cobra got hurt, but he'll be okay.”

“Has he told Malee?”

“He's afraid to call her. I'll make him do it soon.”

“When are you coming home?”

“In a couple of days. I'll take Cobra and Kai to Bangkok, then fly back from there.”

“Are you going in for another blood test?”

“I'll wait. I'll be home before we'd get the results.”

“You want something special your first night back?”

“Of course. You.”

G
age felt helpless as he watched Cobra suffer a long bumpy ride from Nantong to Shanghai. Even with the pain medication provided by Dr. Yin, every pothole wrenched his wounds and tore at his stitches. Because Zhang's van had been shot up, he drove them in his Yukon he'd had delivered overnight. The chips followed behind in the Volvo light duty truck he'd confiscated from Huang Medical.

After they drove onto the Yangtze ferry, Kai and Gage left Cobra sleeping in the SUV and Zhang standing by the driver's door working his cell phone. The cool air flowing in from the East China Sea chilled the passengers who'd left their cars to walk to the interior lounge or to the protected starboard side of the boat. They chose to stand at the bow railing. Kai's eyes teared as she faced toward Shanghai and looked farther south toward Bangkok. He knew the tears weren't solely the product of the buffeting wind, for he knew she had left part of her life, and most of her evasions, behind in Nantong.

They returned to the car as the ferry was about to dock. Cobra awoke to the sounds of motors revving and to the clanging and grating of metal as the ramp lowered to permit the vehicles to roll toward land, then he fell asleep again.

Zhang returned them to the Cypress Hotel on the outskirts of Shanghai, and from Gage's room, Zhang made his first call to Casey.

“It would be better if you didn't mention my name,” Gage told Zhang.

“Why not?”

“He'll have to put it in a report, and if it's in a report, lots of people would be in a position to ask questions.”

“Why doesn't he just leave it out?”

“Because he is old-school FBI, what we call by the book.”

“I have met people like that.” Zhang smirked. “They don't make the big money.”

Gage took Zhang's phone, punched in Casey's number, put it on speaker, and then set it on the table between them.

After Casey answered, Zhang said, “Special Agent Casey, this is General Zhang Xianzi of the People's Liberation Army in Shanghai.”

“How can I assist you?”

“I wish to report that the People's Liberation Army has seized more than eleven thousand microprocessors that I have reason to believe were stolen in California.”

“And I've been instructed by the State Department of the United States and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to extend their thanks and congratulations.”

“The People's Liberation Army and Foreign Ministry of the People's Republic of China invite you to travel to Shanghai to share in the announcement of the recovery.”

“And I've been granted permission by the Department of Justice and the State Department to travel to Shanghai for that purpose and look forward to meeting with you then.”

“I'm planning a press conference and would like you to attend.”

“I'll be pleased to accept your invitation as will the members
of the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai and our trade representatives who have worked with your government in these matters.”

“I'll advise your consulate of the time and place. They will inform you upon your arrival.”

“I look forward to seeing you then.”

“I also.”

Zhang disconnected and smiled at Gage.

“Very interesting. He's quite good. I couldn't tell what he knew and what he didn't know about all of this. He does the diplomatic dance very well.”

“As I told you,” Gage said. “He's old-school.”

Zhang turned away from Gage and walked to the door. He paused and then looked back.

“Casey is a man who can be trusted?”

As Gage nodded, a memory presented itself. “With my life.”

Z
HANG CALLED LATE IN THE DAY
. By then he'd released the second batch of chips to the technician who'd assured him that the examination would likely move swiftly since none of the packaging in the first group had been disturbed.

Gage walked down the hall to Cobra's room. Kai was sitting with him.

“I replaced the bandages,” she said. “And there don't seem to be infections in either wound. Dr. Yin did a good job.”

“Are you ready to call Malee?” Gage asked Cobra, smiling and raising his eyebrows.

Cobra shrugged, winced from the pain, and extended his hand for the phone.

Cobra called Malee and began describing what happened. He jerked the phone away from his ear and turned it toward Kai and Gage.

Kai whispered to Gage, “She's saying . . .”

“You don't need to translate. I think I know.”

Gage heard his name, and then Cobra handed him the phone.

“He's fine, really he is. He's smiling at me right now.”

“The father of my children almost gets himself killed and he's smiling. I want you to hit him with the phone.”

Gage covered the mike. “She says I have to hit you.”

“I think it would be better if you just said you did.”

“I hit him,” Gage said to Malee. “He's not smiling anymore.”

“I didn't hear anything. Do it again.”

Gage slapped the speaker end of the telephone on his palm. “Okay, I did it.”

“I don't believe you. There better be a bruise on him when he gets home. I want to speak to Kai.”

“
Sawadi ka,
” Kai said. “
Sabai di ka.
”

Then a long silence.

“Ka.”

Another silence.

“Ka.”

Another silence.

“Ka.”

Gage leaned close and whispered to Cobra, “There've been too many yeses in a row, and Kai isn't going to rescue us.”

Another silence.

“Sawadi ka.”

Kai disconnected from the call.

“You guys are in big . . . I mean big, big trouble.”