"Indeed he has, Chieh Hsia. And I have put his name before the Marshal to fill the next vacancy for general."
"Your own?" Li Shai Tung smiled.
"If the T'ang no longer feels he needs me."
"Oh, that will be some time yet, Knut. A good long time, I hope."
Tolonen bowed deeply, profoundly pleased.
Just then Major Nocenzi appeared at the edge of the group, his head bowed, awaiting permission to speak.
The T'ang looked at him. "What is it, Major?"
Nocenzi kept his head lowered. "There is a message, Chieh Hsia. For the General."
Tolonen turned to the T'ang. "You'll excuse me, Chieh Hsia?"
"Of course."
He bowed and turned away, then followed Nocenzi across to an anteroom they were using as coordination center for Security. When the door was closed behind them, Tolonen faced his Major.
"What is it, Vittorio?"
"Karr has been on, sir. He says he's traced his man."
"What?"
"He's waiting to talk to you, sir. On the switching channel."
At once Tolonen reached down and touched the relevant button on the panel inset into his thigh. "Well, Karr?" he said, knowing Karr would hear him, wherever he was in the City. Karr's voice came back to him at once; as clear in his head as if he stood in the same room with him.
"Forgive me for disturbing you, General. But I'm certain I've found him. He fits the profile perfectly, right down to the scar. I'm following him right now."
Tolonen listened carefully, making Kart repeat the coordinates three times before he cut connection. Then he turned to Nocenzi, "I must go, Vittorio. Take charge here. Ensure by your life that nothing happens."
Nocenzi looked down. "Are you sure you should go personally, sir? It could be dangerous. The man's a killer."
Tblonen smiled. "I'll be all right, Vittorio. Anyway, Karr will be with me."
"Even so, sir . . ."
Tolonen laughed. "If it makes you easier, Vittorio, I order you to take charge here. AH right? In this instance I have to go. Personally. It's too important to leave to anyone else. Too much has slipped through my hands as it is, and this man's the key to it all. I know he is. I feel it in my bones."
Nocenzi smiled. "Then take care, Knut. I'll make certain all's well here."
Tolonen reached out and held Nocenzi's shoulder briefly, returning his smile. "Good. Then I'll report what's happening to the T'ang."
"Well, Chen? Would you like a beer?"
Chen looked up at the brightly pulsing sign over the door. FU yang's BAR, it read. His mouth was dry and the thought of a beer was good. It was some while since he'd allowed himself the luxury. Even so he looked down and shook his head. "Thank you, Pan chang Lo, but I should be getting back. It's late and Wang Ti will have to cook."
Supervisor Lo took his arm. "All the better. You can get a meal at the bar. Call her. Tell her you'll be a bit late, and that youVe eaten. She'll not mind. Not this once. Come on, I'll treat you. YouVe helped me out and I appreciate that."
Chen hesitated, then nodded. Lo was right; it wasn't as if he made a habit of this. No, Wang Ti could hardly complain if he had a few beers for once; not after he had worked a double shift. Anyway, he had bought her something. He traced the shape of the necklace in his overall pocket and smiled to himself, then followed Lo Ying into the crowded bar, squeezing in beside him at one of the tiny double booths.
Lo Ying turned to him, his deeply lined, wispily bearded face only a hand's breadth away. "What'll you have? The soychicken with ginger and pineapple's good. So's the red-cooked soypork with chestnuts."
Chen laughed. "They both sound excellent. We'll have a large dish of each, eh? And I'll share the cost with you."
Lo Ying put his long, thin hand over Chen's. "Not at all, my friend. As I said, you did me a good turn tonight. It was good of you to work the shift at short notice. I was in a hole and you helped me out of it. It's the least I can do to buy you a meal and a few beers."
Chen smiled, then looked down, rubbing at the red marks at the back of his head and on his forehead where he had been wearing the wraparound. Lo Ying was a good man. A bit dull, maybe, but fair and reliable, unlike most of the pan chang he'd encountered up here. "Okay," he said. "But I was glad of the extra shift. We've not much, Wang Ti, baby Jyan, and I, but IVe ambitions. I want better for my son."
Lo Ying looked at him a moment, then nodded his head. "I've watched you often, Chen. Seen how hard you work. And I've wondered to myself. Why is Chen where he is? Why is he not higher up the levels? He is a good man; a good, strong worker; reliable, intelligent. Why is he here, working for me? Why am I not working for him?"
Chen laughed shortly, then looked up, meeting Lo Ying's eyes. "I was not always so, Lo Ying. I was a wild youth. A waster of my talents. And then . . . well, a wife, a son—they change a man."
"Ah, yes. So it is."
A girl came and took their order, then returned a moment later with two bulbs of Yoo Fan Te beer. Lo Ying handed one to Chen, then toasted him.
"To your family!"
"And yours, Lo Ying!"
He had told no one of his past. No one. Not even Wang Ti. For in this, he knew, he was vulnerable. One careless word said to the wrong person and he would be back there, below the Net. Back in that nightmare place where every man was for himself and men like Lo Ying were as rare as phoenix eggs.
Lo Ying put his beer down and wiped the froth from his wispy moustache. "Talking of work, I've been meaning to ask you . . ." He looked sideways at Chen. "As you know, Feng Shi-lun is up for a pan chang's job. I happen to know he'll get it. Which means there's a vacancy as my assistant."
Lo Ying fell silent, leaving unstated the meaning of his words. Chen took a deep draft of his beer, studying the old Han beggar on the label a moment. Then he wiped his mouth and looked up again. "You're offering me the job?"
Lo Ying shrugged. "It's not up to me, Chen, but. . . well, I could put a word in higher up."
Chen considered a moment, then looked directly at him. "How much would it cost?"
"Two hundred yuan."
Chen laughed. "I haven't twenty! Where would I find such money?"
"No, you don't understand me, Chen. I'd lend you it. Interest free. I'd"—he hesitated, then smiled—"I'd like to see you get on, Chen. You're worth a dozen of those useless shits. And maybe someday..."
Again, it was left unsaid. But Chen had grown used to the ways of these levels. Favors and bribes—they were the lubricants of this world. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. You pay squeeze, you move up. Refuse and you stay where you are. It was the way of the world. But Lo Ying was better than most. He offered his help interest free and with only the vaguest of strings. Chen looked at him and nodded. "Okay, but how would I repay you? My rent's eight yuan. Food's another six. That leaves eleven from my weekly pay to see to clothing, heating, light. I'm lucky if I save five yuan a month!"
Lo Ying nodded. "That's why you must take this opportunity. Pan chang's assistant pays thirty a week. You could pay me the difference until the debt is cleared. You say you've twenty?"
Chen nodded.
"Good. Then that's one hundred and eighty you'll need from me. Thirty six weeks and you're free of obligation. Free . . . and five yuan better off a week."
Chen looked at him, knowing how great a favor Lo Ying was doing him. If he went to a shark for the money it would be two years, maybe four, before he'd be clear. But thirty-six weeks. Nine months, give or take. It was nothing. And he would be one step higher.
He put out his hand. "Okay, LoYing. I'm grateful. If ever—"
"Yes, yes—" Lo Ying smiled, then turned. "Look, here's our food."
They dug in, looking at each other from time to time and smiling.