crew…cut heads。
On the far side of the roof the entrance to Ginny Fu's tenement jutted like an ancient funnel。 The door was ajar。 He went down。
〃Halloa； Gregy；〃 Ginny Fu said； breathlessly opening her front door for him。 She was dressed as he had ordered in a drab coolie outfit with a big straw conical hat hanging down her back； her face and hands dirtied。 〃How I look？ Like film star； heya？〃
〃Greta Garbo herself；〃 he said with a laugh as she ran into his arms and gave him a great hug。
〃You want jig…jig more 'fore go； heya？〃
〃Nyet。 Plenty of time in the next weeks。 Plenty； heya？〃 He set her down。 He had pillowed with her at dawn； more to prove his manhood than out of desire。 That's the problem； he thought。 No desire。 She's boring。 〃Now； you understand plan； heya？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 she said grandly。 〃I find go…down 7 and join coolies； carry bales to ship。 Once on ship I go door opposite stairway； go in and give paper。〃 She pulled it out of her pocket to show that she had it safely。 On the paper was written in Russian； 〃Cabin 3。〃 Boradinov would be expecting her。 〃In 3 cabin； can use bath； change to clothes you buy and wait。〃 Another big smile。 〃Heya？〃
〃Excellent。〃 The clothes had cost little and the buying saved any baggage。 Much more simple without baggage。 Baggage would be noticed。 Nothing about her should be noticed。
〃Sure no need bring anything； Gregy？〃 she asked anxiously。
〃No； only makeup things； woman things。 Everything in pocket； understand？〃
〃Of course；〃 she said haughtily。 〃Am I fool？〃
〃Good。 Then off you go。〃
Once more she embraced him。 〃Oh thanks holiday； Gregy … I be bestest ever。〃 She left。
The meeting with Koronski had made him hungry。 He went to the battered refrigerator and found the chocolates he sought。 He munched on one； then lit the gas stove and began to fry some eggs。 His anxiety began to return。 Don't worry； he ordered himself。 The plan will work； you will get possession of the tai…pan and it will be routine at police headquarters。
Put those things aside。 Think of Ginny。 Perhaps at sea she won't be boring。 She'll divert the nights； some of the nights； the tai…pan the days until we dock。 By then he'll be empty and she'll vanish into a new life and that danger will be gone forever and I'll go to my dacha where the Zergeyev hellcat'll be waiting and we'll fight； she calling me every obscenity until I lose my temper and tear her clothes off； maybe use the whip again and she'll fight back and fight back until I fight into her and explode； explode taking her with me sometimes； Kristos how I wish it was every time。 Then sleeping； never knowing when she'll kill me in my sleep。 But she's been warned。 If anything happens to me my men will give her to lepers on the east side of Vladivostok with the rest of her family。
The radio announced the seven o'clock news in English。 〃Good morning。 This is Radio Hong Kong。 More heavy rain is expected。 The Victoria Bank has confirmed officially that it will assume all depositor debts of the Ho…Pak and asks depositors to line up peacefully if they require their money on Monday。
〃During the night there were numerous land and mud slides throughout the Colony。 Worst hit were the squatters' settlement area above Aberdeen； Sau Ming Ping； and Sui Fai Terrace in Wan…chai where six major landslips affected buildings in the area。 In all； thirty…three persons are known to have lost their lives and many are feared still buried in the slides。
〃There are no new developments in the foul murder and kidnapping of Mr。 John Chen by the Werewolf gang。 Rewards of 100；000 for information leading to their capture have been posted。
〃Reports from London confirm that this year's harvest in the USSR has again failed。 。。。〃
Suslev didn't hear the rest of the broadcast。 He knew the report from London was true。 Top…secret KGB forecasts had predicted the harvest would once more be below even that necessary for subsistence。
Kristos； why the hell can't we feed ourselves？ he wanted to shout； knowing famine； knowing the bloatedness and pains in his own lifetime let alone the ghastly tales his father and mother would tell。
So there's to be famine once more； tightening the belt once more； having to buy wheat from abroad； using up our hard…earned foreign currency； our future in danger； terrible danger； food our Achilles' heel。 Never enough。 Never enough skill or tractors or fertilizers or wealth； all the real wealth going for arms and armies and airplanes and ships first； far more important to bee strong enough to protect ourselves from capitalist swine and revisionist Chinese swine and carry the war to them and smash them before they smash us； but never enough food for us and our buffer lands … the Balkans； Hungary； Czechoslovakia； Poland； East Germany； the Baltic lands。 Why is it those bastards could feed themselves most times？ Why is it they falsify their harvests and cheat us and lie and steal from us？ We protect them and what do they do？ Brood and hate us and yet without our armies and the KGB to keep the filthy scum revisionist dissidents in thrall； they'll foment rebellion … like East Germany and Hungary … and turn the stupid masses against us。
But famine causes revolution。 Always。 Famine will always make the masses rise up against their government。 So what can we do？ Keep them chained … all of them … until we smash America and Canada and take their wheatlands for ourselves。 Then our system will double their harvest。
Don't fool yourself； he thought； agonized。 Our agricultural system doesn't work。 It never has。 One day it will。 Meanwhile we cannot feed ourselves。 Those motherless turd farmers should 。。。
〃Stop it；〃 Suslev muttered aloud； 〃you're not responsible； it's not your problem。 Deal with your own problems； have faith in the Party and Marxist…Leninism！〃
The eggs were done now and he made toast。 Rain spattered the open windows。 An hour ago the all…night torrent had ceased； but across the street and above the opposite tenement there were the dark clouds。 More rain there； he thought； lots more。 It's either god…cursed drought or god…cursed flood in this cesspit！ A gust caught one of the sodden； cardboard makeshift lean…tos on the roof and collapsed it。 At once stoic repairs began； children barely old enough to walk helping。
With deft hands； liking neatness； he laid himself a place at the table； humming in time with the radio music。 Everything's fine； he reassured himself。 Dunross will go to the party； Koronski will supply the means； Plumm the client； Roger the protection； and all I have to do is go to police headquarters for an hour or so； then leisurely board my ship。 On the midnight tide I kiss my arse to Hong Kong； leaving the Werewolves to bury the dead。 。。。
The hackles of his neck rose as he heard the screech of an approaching police siren。 He stood； paralyzed。 But the siren whined past and went away。 Stoically he sat and began to eat。 Then the secret phone rang。
72
7：30 A。M。：
The small Bell helicopter swung in over the city； just below the overcast； and continued climbing the slopes to ease past the Peak funicular and the multiple high rises that dotted the steepness。 Now the chopper was almost in the bottom layer of cloud。
Warily the pilot climbed another hundred feet； slowed and hovered； then saw the misted helipad in the grounds of the Great House near a great jacaranda tree。 Immediately he swooped to the landing。 Dunross was already waiting there。 He ducked low to avoid the swirling blades； got into the left side of the bubble and buckled on his safety belts and headphones。 〃Morning； Duncan；〃 he said into the mouth mike。 〃Didn't think you'd make it。〃
〃Nor me；〃 the older man said； and Dunross adjusted the headphone volume to hear better。 〃Doubt if we'll be able to get back； tai…pan。 The overcast's dropping too fast again。 Best leave if we're leaving。 You have control。〃
〃Here we go。〃
Gently Dunross's left hand twisted the throttle grip and increased the revs smoothly and eased the lever up； while his right hand moved the control stick right； left； forward； back； inching it in a gentle tiny circle； seeking and feeling for the air cushion that was building nicely … his left hand controlling speed； climbing or