Lehmann shook his head. "Kampfer's an old German word, from before the City. It means 'fighter.' "
"Ah . . ." Karr nodded again. "I should have known. He looks a fighter."
Lehmann gestured to the empty chair. "You want to sit down?"
Karr stiffened slightly. "No. I'd prefer to stand. What I have to say won't take long."
"As you wish." Lehmann sat back a little. "So . . . What does your Master want?"
"Peace. An understanding. And some token of your . . . loyalty."
"My loyalty?" Lehmann considered that, then nodded. "And in return?"
"Li Yuan will promise to keep his armies in Africa and not bring them home."
"I see." Lehmann spread his hands on the table, the pale fingers like stilettos. "And when does the great T'ang want my answer?"
"A week from now."
Lehmann nodded, then, changing the subject, leaned toward Karr. "You killed him, didn't you?"
"Who?"
"DeVore. And Berdichev too. I've seen the tape."
Karr stared at Lehmann, astonished once again. No one had access to that tape. No one but Li Yuan. So either he was lying, or ...
"You're good," Lehmann said, his pink eyes filled with respect. "They say Tolonen's a fool, but he knew what you were, neh? A killer. A natural-born killer. In that we're alike, neh, Gregor Karr? Very alike." * * *
VISAK ESCORTED Karr back to the gate. There they blindfolded him again and pushed him toward the waiting sedan. Yet even as he climbed between the curtains, he felt something being pushed into his left hand-—felt someone close his fingers over it. He held it tightly, recognizing from its shape and texture what it was. A message. Someone had passed a message on to him.
He sat there, silent, as the sedan swayed toward its destination, conscious of the two guards watching him from the seats facing him.
He could smell them, hear their breathing. After a while he let himself relax, relieved now it was over and lulled by the movement of the carriage. Even so, he was worried. Lehmann had known far too much.
Moreover, he had been too relaxed, too blase, about the whole thing.
Why, even Li Yuan's request for some token of loyalty had barely brought a flicker of reaction.
Things were wrong. Things were badly wrong.
They left him at the pickup point just below the City's roof. Pulling
off the blindfold, he opened his hand and, unfolding the paper, read the brief note.
It was from Visak. He wanted a meeting, tomorrow, at noon. Karr nodded. It was as just they'd thought—as their sources inside Leh-mann's organization had told them—things were not as rosy as they seemed. If Visak wanted a meeting . . .
He folded the note and pocketed it. Then, knowing that time was of the essence, he reached up and pulled down the trapdoor, reaching for the ladder, hauling himself up into the access tunnel.
On the roof his cruiser waited.
TWO hours later he was at Baku Spaceport, transferring to one of Tsu Ma's own cruisers for the twenty-minute flight north along the shore of the Caspian.
Karr sat to the right of the craft, directly behind the pilot, staring out of the cockpit window toward Asia, a sense of deep foreboding growing in him. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that Lehmann had spies within Li Yuan's household. And maybe more than spies. Maybe trained assassins, waiting to be triggered.
The next few days would be critical; he understood that now. Reading the secret briefing Rheinhardt had had prepared, he had realized just how near the brink they were. One thing—one single, crucial incident—could throw them into war, and having seen what had happened on Mars and in North America, that was the last thing any of them wanted.
Yes, and yet war is coming. . . .
Best, then, perhaps, to do as Li Yuan proposed and bring the armies home from Africa, whatever answer Lehmann gave them. Best break their word of honor than let the world slip into darkness.
He closed his eyes, feeling giddy. Marie . . . My darling May . . . It pained him to think what might happen to them. Yes, but they were better off in Tongjiang than Europe, that was certain.
He sighed heavily, opening his eyes again. Down below, the perimeter of Tsu Ma's estate came into view. There was a brief exchange of codes—the high-pitched chatter of computer language—and then silence.
The final days, he thought, remembering the man's pale hands spread on the table like demonic spiders. These are the final days. . . .
They circled the palace, then descended onto a crowded overspill pad to the northeast of the main palace buildings. Rheinhardt greeted him as he stepped down from the cruiser.
"Come," he said, hurrying him along the path toward the palace. "The ceremony has already begun, but Li Yuan wants to see you at once." He stopped, looking at Karr closely. "Is it good news or bad?"
Kan let the General read the doubt in his eyes and saw the shadow of it reflected back at him. They walked on, silent now, each lost in his own thoughts, brooding on the war to come.
LI YUAN was waiting for them in one of the small halls in the Eastern Palace, a place of shadows and dampness, bare stone and high, echoing ceilings. Tolonen was with him and his Chancellor, Nan Ho. They watched Karr cross the floor to them, their faces apprehensive.
"Well?" Li Yuan asked as Karr rose from his knees.
"He says he will give his answer within the week."
"Ah . . ."
Quickly he told them what had happened, leaving nothing out, not even the wording on the banner over the gate. When he had finished there was a long silence. Li Yuan turned away, pacing between the looming pillars, the hem of his silks whispering on the stone flags.
Finally, he looked to Tolonen. "Do you still think you are right, Knut? Even after what you've heard?"
Tolonen pushed out his chin, uncomfortable at being put on the spot. "I still think we should wait, Chieh Hsia. Let's hear his answer before we act. Things look bad, I admit. His arrogance"—the old man shook his head—"you should have crushed him when you could. Now . . ."
"You think it too late?"
Tolonen looked down.
"And you, Master Nan?"
Nan Ho lowered his head. "Nothing 1 have heard changes my mind, Chieh Hsia. We must crush the man. The only question is when."
"And you, Colonel?"
Karr stared back at his T'ang a moment, surprised to be asked his opinion. Recollecting himself, he bowed his head, averting his eyes.
"I ... I was not sure before today, Chieh Hsia. I thought we could avoid war. Now I know that it is a certainty. Li Min prepares for it. Our delay is to his advantage. And I sense something more. I sense some deeper game of his. He is like DeVore, that one. Shifting, elusive."
Li Yuan waited, then, when Karr said no more, nodded. "Thank you, Colonel. Your first duty as Ssu-li Hsiao-wei will be to investigate the possibility that Lehmann has infiltrated our palace at Tongjiang. Until that is completed, we shall stay here with our cousin, Tsu Ma. 1 shall send for your wife and daughter, if that eases your mind. If there's to be any nastiness, it would be best if they were not there to see it, neh?" Karr bowed low, grateful for his T'ang's concern. "Then go at once. The sooner done, the—" Li Yuan stopped, staring past Karr toward the doorway. Karr turned. It was Tsu Ma's secretary, Chiang K'o.
"Forgive me, Chieh Hsia," Chiang said, kneeling and bowing his head, "but news has come from Europe. It appears that the Ebert Mansion has been attacked."
Tolonen stepped forward. "Attacked? How do you mean attacked? Is anyone hurt?"
Chiang looked to the Marshal. "The report mentions six dead and several injured."
"Aiya!" The old man looked to the ceiling, his face deeply pained. "Jelka and the boy . . . are they . . . ?"