wdly。 Wong's sallow skin stretched tautly and contrasted with his panion's suntanned face and neck。 As he stared at her； he seemed to revel in a perverse satisfaction。
〃Excellently done；〃 he informed May Ching。 〃You obtained an incredible supply of information that will be most useful。 Discovering that Miss Lee is working hi cooperation with the Coast Guard； who has our facility under surveillance from across the bayou； has given us the necessary time to remove all immigrants and any evidence of their presence before local authorities and immigration agents can marshal their forces to conduct a raid。〃
〃Fifteen more minutes and all they'll find are abandoned ruins；〃 said the other man。 His eyes were black and vapid； like those of a raccoon。 A scavenger's eyes； bright without warmth。 His hair was long； black and tied in a ponytail that came halfway down his back。 His face portrayed someone who lived high； a party animal； a Las Vegas gambler； a womanizer。 The skin was taut from more than one face…lift。 Nothing done by a surgeon hid the fact that he would never see fifty again。 He was dressed fashionably for a Hollywood lifestyle。
He stepped over to Julia； reached out； took a handful of hair and cruelly pulled her head back until she was staring up at the ceiling。 〃My name is Jack Loo；〃 he said icily。 〃You belong to me。〃
〃I belong to no one；〃 Julia gasped through lips taut from the sudden pain。
〃Not so；〃 said Wong。 〃Qin Shang's orders were to kill you on sight。 But Mr。 Loo made an offer I cannot refuse。 For a tidy sum； I sold you to him。〃
〃You sick beast；〃 Julia flashed at him； fear beginning to spread in her eyes。
〃Do not entirely blame me；〃 Wong said as if wounded。 〃Your future is now in the hands of the Dragon Triad； Qin Shang Maritime's partners in crime； you might say。 We export and the Dragon Triad imports。 We smuggle and sell； they buy； be it drugs； aliens or weapons。 In return； Mr。 Loo； who is their chief executive officer； and his partners provide Qin Shang with stolen luxury automobiles； yachts； consumer goods； high technology； and counterfeit currency； credit cards and government documents for shipment to China。〃
〃A most profitable arrangement for both sides；〃 said Loo； twisting Julia's hair viciously until she screamed。 Then he slapped her hard across the buttocks and began removing the chains。 〃You and I are going for a nice； long ride in my limo。 By the time we reach New Orleans； we'll be on very close terms。〃
〃You will pay；〃 Julia murmured as she was released from the door； her wrists and ankles free of the manacles。 Unable to stand； she sagged into Loo's arms。 〃I am an agent of the United States government。 Kill me and they'll never rest until you're brought to justice。〃
Wong laughed off her threat。 〃You have no one but yourself to blame for your plight。 Qin Shang sent a force of no less than twenty men to track you and Mr。 Pitt down for the purpose of killing you both。 They lost your trail and certainly never expected you to walk through our front door。〃
〃I was stupid。〃
Wong shrugged in agreement。 〃Granted； impulsive behavior is not what makes a good government agent…〃 Wong was suddenly interrupted by the sound of gunfire from somewhere within the building。 He stared at Loo； who removed a portable phone from a pocket of his expensive sport coat and spoke into the receiver。
〃Where is the gunfire ing from？〃 demanded Loo。 〃Are we being raided？〃
〃No； Mr。 Loo；〃 his chief of security answered from the monitoring…systems room。 〃There is no raid。 All grounds and wharf are clear。 The gunfire is ing from a room above the train…loading dock。 We do not yet know who is behind the attack nor his purpose。〃
〃Are there casualties？〃
〃No；〃 answered the security chief。 〃Whoever is shooting is not aiming at our guards。〃
〃Keep me informed！〃 Loo snapped。 He nodded at Wong。 〃It is time to go。〃 He had barely spoken the words when the shooting stopped。 〃What has happened？〃 he inquired； snatching up the radio again。
The security chief's voice came back。 〃We must have hit him。 I am sending a team upstairs to examine the body。〃
〃I wonder who it can be；〃 Wong muttered thoughtfully。
〃We'll know shortly；〃 Loo muttered。 He threw Julia over his shoulder as lightly as if she was a large pillow。 He shook hands with Wong。 〃Good doing business with you； Mr。 Wong。 I suggest you find a new staging depot。 This one is no longer safe。〃
Wong smiled without the slightest expression of agitation。 〃Three days from now Qin Shang Maritime's new operation will be firmly established and the Americans will have bigger problems on their minds。〃
With Wong in the lead； they left the office together and hurried down a circular staircase that opened onto a wide corridor leading past empty storage and equipment rooms last used when the sugar mill was in operation。 They were halfway down the corridor when Loo's beeper went off on his radio。 〃Yes； what is it？〃 he said irritably。
〃Our security agents stationed throughout St。 Mary Parish report a small fleet of Coast Guard boats entering Bayou Teche； and a pair of helicopters with government markings just now passing over Morgan City； headed in this direction。〃
〃How long before they arrive？〃 asked Loo。
〃The helicopters；〃 said his security chief； 〃fifteen； maybe eighteen minutes。 Add half an hour for the boats。〃
〃All right； close down all systems and follow the plan for evacuation and dispersal of all personnel。〃
〃Shutting down now。〃
〃We should be in our limos and on the road in less than three minutes；〃 said Loo； shifting Julia to his other shoulder。
〃More than enough time to put a safe distance between us and the mill；〃 Wong acknowledged。
When they reached a doorway leading to stairs that dropped to the basement shipping terminal； they heard the shouting of voices but no sounds from the lootive。 Then the voices died and it became clear that something was very； very wrong。 They burst through a doorway onto a landing high above the loading dock。 Wong； ahead of the rest； stopped and froze in shock。
The freight cars had been loaded with the immigrants and their doors shut and locked。 But the engine sat idle； with blue smoke curling up through bullet holes on the panels covering the diesel engines and electric generating partment。 The engineers stood looking at the damage； their expressions reflecting helplessness and bafflement。 The security guards who worked for the Triad had already climbed into a truck that quickly drove off toward the main highway the instant it was loaded。
Suddenly Loo realized why the unknown assailant did not shoot at the guards。 Fear and confusion swept over him as he understood that the train was not going anywhere。 Three hundred immigrants and a cargo of illegal goods worth nearly thirty million dollars was going to be captured and confiscated by United States government agents。 He turned to Wong。 〃I'm sorry； my friend； but because the transfer of goods was not able to take place； I must hold Qin Shang responsible。〃 〃What are you saying？〃 demanded Wong。 〃Simple；〃 explained Loo。 〃I'm saying the Dragon Triad is not paying for this shipment。〃
〃Qin Shang Maritime delivered as agreed；〃 Wong said thickly。 If Loo and the Dragon Triad reneged on their deal with his boss； Wong knew that he would be held responsible。 Failure of this magnitude meant death when one was in the employ of Qin Shang。 〃The goods and property were turned over and placed in your hands。 You will be held accountable。〃
〃Without us； Qin Shang cannot do business in the United States；〃 Loo said smugly。 〃The way I see it； he is powerless to do anything but accept the loss。〃
〃He is far more powerful than you think；〃 said Wong。 〃You are making a grave mistake。〃
〃You tell Qin Shang that Jack Loo is not afraid of him。 Valuable friends are not to be cast off like old clothes。 He is too wise not to accept a minor defeat that he can recoup in a week。〃
Wong gazed ferretlike at Loo。
〃Then our little deal is off concerning Miss Lee。 She reverts back to me。〃
Loo considered that for a moment； then he laughed。 〃Didn't you say Qin Shang wants her dead？〃 〃Yes； that is true；〃 Wong said； nodding。 Loo lifted Julia above his head with both hands。 〃The drop from here onto the steel rails of the track bed is thirty feet。 Suppose I fulfill Qin Shang's wish to kill Miss Lee and make reparation for our financial differences。〃
Wong glanced down at the steel rails lying directly below and between the rear of the last freight car and the concrete stop barrier。 〃Yes； you make an excellent point。 I think Qin Shang might be appeased for his loss。 But please make it now。 We can no longer afford to waste time。 We must leave quickly。〃
Loo extended his arms and tensed。 Julia screamed。 Wong and May Ching were waiting in sadistic anticipation。 None of them noticed a tall； curly…haired man in an ill…fitting security uniform who had stepped silently down the stairs behind them。 〃Forgive me for interrupting；〃 said Pitt； jamming the muzzle of his Colt against the base of Loo's skull； 〃but if anyone so much as scratches their nose； I'll blow their gray matter into the next parish。〃
They all turned instinctively toward the strange voice；