Robert Ludlum - The Bourne Supremacy

'What do you make of it?' asked Marie, raising her leg over her knee and holding tissues she had taken from the ladies' room against the flat of her right foot . 'Do you trust this Teng?'

'Yes, I do,' replied Catherine, her expression bewildered. 'I can't understand it. He's obviously being extra cautious – but there are extra risks for himself – and I don't know why. As I told you back at the Mandarin that computerized missive about me said "Government control". Those two words are not taken lightly in Hong Kong. What in the world is he doing? And why?'

'Obviously, I can't answer you,' said Marie. 'But I can make an observation. '

'What is it?'

'I saw the way he looked at you. I'm not sure you did. '

'What?

'I'd say he's very fond of you. '

'Fond... of me?'

'It's one way to put it. There are stronger ways, of course. '

Staples turned away and looked out the window. 'Oh, my God,' she whispered.

'What's the matter?'

'A little while ago, back at the Mandarin, and for reasons too unreasonable to analyse – it started with a foolish woman in a chinchilla stole – I thought about Owen.'

'Owen?

'My former husband. '

'Owen Staples? The banker, Owen Staples?'

'That's my name and that's my boy – was my boy. In those days one stayed with the acquired name. '

'You never told me your husband was Owen Staples. '

'You never asked me, my dear. '

'You're not making sense, Catherine. '

'I suppose not,' agreed Staples, shaking her head. 'But I was thinking about the time Owen and I met a couple of years ago in Toronto. We had drinks at the Mayfair Club and I learned things about him I never would have believed before. I was genuinely happy for him despite the fact that the bastard nearly made me cry. '

'Catherine, for heaven's sake what's that got to do with right now?'

'It's got to do with Teng. We also had drinks one evening, not at the Mandarin, of course, but at a cafe on the waterfront in Kowloon. He said it wouldn't be good joss for me to be seen with him here on the island. '

'Why not?

That's what I said. You see, he was protecting me then just as he's protecting me now. And I may have misunderstood him. I assumed he was simply looking after an additional source of income but I may have been terribly wrong. '

'In what way?'

'He said a strange thing that night. He said he wished things were different, that the differences between people were not so obvious and those differences not so disturbing to other people. Of course, I accepted his banalities as a rather amateurish attempt at... at statecraft, as my former husband phrased it. Perhaps it was something else. '

Marie laughed quietly, as their eyes locked. 'Dear, dear Catherine. The man's in love with you. '

'Christ in Calgary, I don't need this!'

Wenzu sat in the front seat of MI6 Vehicle Two, his patient gaze on the entrance of the Apex agency on Bonham Strand East. Everything was in order; both women would be in his custody within a matter of minutes. One of his men had gone inside and spoken to the dispatcher. The agent had proffered his government identification and was shown the evening's records by the frightened employee. The dispatcher, indeed, had a reservation for a Mrs. Catherine Staples but it had been cancelled, the car in question assigned to another name, the name of a chauffeur from the hotel. And since Mrs. Catherine Staples was no longer leasing a car, the dispatcher saw no reason to call Police Control Four. What was there to say? And no, certainly not, no one else could pick up the car as it was reserved by the Mandarin.

Everything was in order, thought Wenzu. Victoria Peak would feel an enormous sweep of relief the moment he reached the sterile house with his news. The major knew the exact words he would say. The women are taken – the woman is taken. '

Across the street a man in shirtsleeves entered the agency door. He appeared hesitant to Lin and there was something... A taxi suddenly drove up and the major bolted forward, reaching for the door handle – the hesitant man was forgotten.

'Be alert, lads,' said Lin into the microphone attached to the dashboard radio. 'We must be as quick and as unobtrusive as possible. No Arbuthnot Road can be tolerated here. And no weapons, of course. Ready, now!'

But there was nothing to be ready for; the taxi drove away without disgorging anyone.

'Vehicle Three' said the major curtly. 'Get that license number and call the cab company! I want them in radio contact. Find out exactly what their taxi was doing here!

Better yet, follow it and do as I tell you. It could be the women. '

'I believe there was only a man in the back seat, sir,' said the driver.

They could have ducked below the seat! Damned eyes. A man, you say?'

'Yes, sir. '

'I smell a rotten squid. '

'Why, Major?'

'If I knew, the stench would not be so strong. '

The waiting continued and the immense Lin began to perspire. The dying sun cast both a blinding orange light through the windshield and pockets of dark shadows along Bonham Strand East.

'It's too long,' whispered the major to himself.

Static erupted from the radio. 'We have the report from the cab company, sir. '

'Go on!'

The taxi in question is trying to find an import house on Bonham Strand East, but the driver told his fare that the address must be on Bonham Strand West. Apparently, his passenger is very angry. He got out and threw money into the window only moments ago. '

'Break away and return here,' ordered Lin, as he watched the garage doors opening across the street at the Apex agency. A car emerged, turning left, driven by the shirtsleeved man.

The sweat now rolled down the major's face. Something was not in order; another order was being superimposed. What was it that bothered him? What was it?

'Him' shouted Lin to his startled driver.

'Sir?'

'A wrinkled white shirt, but trousers creased like steel. A uniform! A chauffeur! Swing around! Follow him!'

The driver held his hand on the horn, breaking the line of traffic as he made a U-turn while the major issued instructions to the back-ups, ordering one to stay at the Apex agency, the others to take up the new chase.

'Aiya!' screamed the driver, jamming on his brakes, screeching to a stop as a huge brown limousine roared out of a side street blocking their way. Only the slightest contact had been made, the government car barely touching the left rear door of the large automobile.

'Feng zi!" yelled the limousine's chauffeur, calling Lin's driver a crazy dog as he jumped out of his sedan to see if any damage had been done.

'La/7 Lair shrieked the major's driver, leaping out, ready for combat.

'Stop it!' roared Wenzu. 'Just get him out of here!'

'It is he who does not move, sir!'

Tell him he must do so! Show him your identification!'

All traffic came to a stop; horns blared, people in cars and in the streets yelled angrily. The major closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration. There was nothing he could do but get out of the car.

As another did from the limousine. A middle-aged Chinese with a balding head. 'I gather we have a problem,' said Lee Teng.

'I know you!' shouted Lin. The Mandarin!'

'Many who have the taste to frequent our fine hotel know me, sir. I'm afraid I cannot reciprocate. Have you been a guest, sir?'

'What are you doing here?'

'It is a confidential errand for a gentleman at the Mandarin, and I have no intention of saying anything further. '

'Damn-damn! A government directive was sent out! A Canadian woman named Staples! One of your people called us!'

'I have no idea what you're talking about. For the last hour I have been trying to solve a problem for a guest who's attending the ball at Government House tonight. I'd be happy to furnish you with her name – if your position warrants it. '