Hwang Sok-Yong - The Shadow of Arms

“My brother graduated from college like you, sir,” Cuong proudly continued. “He lived in Hue for a long time.”

Pham Quyen guessed he had solved the problem of the draft for about ten thousand dollars with his brother’s help and now was taking it easy. Pham Quyen shook his hand.

“Too bad there’s no factory in Vietnam where he can work as a technician.”

Thinking the man must work for a useless engineering facility, Pham Quyen opened the door on the Land Rover and looked inside.

“Now that the car’s found an owner, it must be in good spirits, too,” Thach said. Pham Quyen looked back at the two brothers.

“This car, whose is it?”

“Yours, sir. You can drive it away right now.”

Cuong urged Pham, pressing him on the back. Actually, from the moment he first set eyes on the car, Major Pham had been thinking how much the general would like it. He was well aware of the general’s vanity. His white silk scarves, the ivory baton wrapped with snakeskin, all of it from the Kalashnikov automatics down to the Czechoslovakian and Polish pistols reflected such tastes. The general despised the olive drab sedan he had been issued for its mundane lack of personality, and he preferred to ride in a new model Jeep with camouflage netting over it.

Pham Quyen calmly asked, “When did I buy this car?”

“It’s a gift, for free, sir. A souvenir in anticipation of future business together.”

“But it must have cost a million piasters, no?”

“Our deals already have surpassed twenty times that. By the end of the year it’ll be fifty times. And as you said earlier, we are to have the cinnamon monopoly, that alone will be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Cuong checked his watch.

“It’s getting late. You should hurry home. We, too, need to close for the day.”

“All right. I’ll have the office use this car.”

Pham Quyen nonchalantly kicked the tires a few times, trying their firmness. Thach spoke. “We thank you for introducing us to good friends, sir.”

Pham Quyen looked up to find the two headaches. They were in front of the warehouse and came to a salute upon seeing Major Pham.

“Uh, . what are those two doing here?”

Cuong replied, “With your introduction we tried out a deal with them. It’s now been two weeks and the business results are outstanding. They’re already among the most trustworthy dealers in Le Loi market. I handed them over to my brother here, sir.”

“They’re sharing my office,” Thach said.

Pham Quyen frowned.

“That’s not good at all. You realize that they are CID agents?”

Cuong laughed loudly. “What a thing to say. Where are we, anyway? This is Le Loi market, the most famous one in central Vietnam. Here the merchants trade with devils and the honorable Buddha alike. Do you know how the saying goes around here? The color of money tells all. That’s it. Whether red or blue, the only meaning is that it’s a five- or a ten-dollar note. Over there in that other alley, the American side is frequenting old man Huyen’s shop. Whatever information they gather and whatever inquiries they make, we don’t concern ourselves with it. Le Loi market is like a pipkin in which medicinal concoctions are blended, anything that comes in here turns black and melts away.”

“That sounds plausible. Where are they getting the goods?”

“Turen, sir. It’s like child’s play.”

“How come your younger brother, Thach, is giving them space?”

Cuong gave a quick glance at the two men standing back there and, in a lowered tone, said mischievously, “To keep the other merchants guessing, sir. We know about lots of things. And if we have friends like them sharing our office, then the other traders won’t take us lightly. Now old man Huyen will have to be wary of us. Thanks to the circumstances, my brother is enjoying some fringe benefits.”

“I see. Typical of you to look at it that way. I’ve also just hatched a good idea about those two.”

“What’s that, sir?”

“It’s a military secret.”

Cuong and Major Pham broke out laughing, patting each other on the back. The two men sauntered up toward them. Toi was talking to Thach about something. Ahn Yong Kyu approached Pham Quyen and said, “Major, if you’ll give us a ride we’ll come along with you. If not, we can go separately in our car.”

Pham Quyen looked puzzled and asked, “And where are you going?”

“To your new residence, sir. Miss Oh invited us for dinner. We’re friends.”

“Go on, get in my car,” Pham Quyen responded in a haughty tone.

“Yes, but we’ve got something to carry.”

Ahn whistled to Toi, who went inside the warehouse and came back out with a large wrapped box.

“It’s an oven, sir. A gift for Miss Oh.”

“Ah, that’s nice.”

Thach rushed over and pulled the zipper on the back flap all the way up, then helped load the box. Yong Kyu and Toi climbed in the back of the Land Rover. It was roomier than it looked from outside, and the space could have comfortably held another two people. Cuong and Thach stepped back and looked on proudly as Pham Quyen drove out through the front gate. Unlike the back entrance, the front alley was rather wide and it soon opened onto the main avenue near the inter-city bus terminal.

“It’s a fine car,” Toi said.

“Feels a bit dull, though,” said Pham Quyen. Looking at Yong Kyu in the rearview mirror, he asked, “Having a good time?”

“Thanks to you.”

“Are you taking deliveries at Turen every day?”

“No, sir. Just Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”

“How much so far?”

“Oh, a few thousand, not so much.”

“Enough to pay for the pass and the use of the conex box, I suppose.”

They drove along Doc Lap Boulevard past the Grand Hotel and sped along the beach road. From that point on a residential district began. On both sides of the street were tall trees with trunks that it’d take three men linking arms to encircle. They passed by a tennis court nestled in a forest clearing, made a right turn at a main road and headed up a sloping grade. Houses were scattered among the trees and the breeze off the sea had a briny edge. The vista to the left looked down on Son Tinh, the far end of Da Nang Bay and the ragged peaks of Bai Bang were also visible.

They came into a residential compound for high-ranking US officers and foreign civilians. The car pulled to a stop in front of a stairway carved out of stone. On either side of the steps there were blooming orchids, hyacinths, African lilies, mescals and white and yellow irises. It was a one-story house with white plaster walls. The long leaves of a palm tree hung down in front of the picture window in the living room. Oh Hae Jong, who had been watching for them for some time, came out. She was wearing a casual dress with fluffy sleeves in the style of the Philippines. Yong Kyu nodded at her.

“How are you? It’s a nice place.”

“Ah, I’ve just finished arranging things. I find it easier to stay in a hotel.”

She was not wearing any makeup and had an apron around her waist. It was becoming on her. Pham Quyen’s expression became much more relaxed than it had been when he spoke to them earlier.

“Now, gentlemen, have a seat. I’ll be back after a quick shower.”

They sat down on the sofa and Hae Jong brought them drinks.

“Are you planning to settle in Vietnam, then?” Yong Kyu asked.

“Why shouldn’t I? Now I have a nationality and a passport, too,” she replied in a teasing tone, glancing at Yong Kyu out of the corner of her eyes. He remained silent.

“I’m practically married to Major Pham. I went to see his family a few days ago. They’re all very good people.”