BLOOD DRAGON by Freddie Peters (books to get back into reading .TXT) 📕

to take her to Sichuan. He hadn’t been sure whether it could be arranged so quickly. but it seemed whoever his contact was, their network had managed to help with the formalities.

“I usually deal with people coming out here, and I visit regularly on my own account as well when I lecture, so an extra trip shouldn’t raise too much suspicion.”

“And what is my storyline?”

“You’re a collector – which you are – and I am introducing you to new emerging local artists with a view to purchasing some pieces.”

“Very plausible …”

“As long as they don’t ask why in Sichuan and not in Beijing … it will be fine.”

“And as long as they don’t connect me with my father … I get it.”

“They will, but it will take a few days. You haven’t set foot in China ever since you left so we have a bit of extra leeway.”

“I’m happy for you to pretend you didn’t know I was his daughter.”

“Trust me, if they make the connection, they’ll soon locate the articles I’ve written about him. Anyway, no need to panic … yet.”

“Are you certain you need to come with me?”

“Positive … and I haven’t been to Sichuan for a while.”

“Very well … I’ll meet you at Hong Kong International Airport tomorrow, at 7am.”

Nancy stood up from the seat she had chosen in the hotel’s lobby to make her call. She had half a day to get ready for a trip back to a country she had not visited for over 40 years. She reached her suite, flashed the key card in front of the electronic eye of the door and pushed open its heavy wooden panel.

The maid had drawn the curtains open across the spectacular views of Hong Kong Bay.

Nancy dropped her rucksack in the corridor and strode towards the windows.

A large hand fell over her mouth and an arm wrapped itself around her torso.

“Please, don’t scream … I need to speak to you … about Viro-Tech.”

Nancy slammed her elbow into the man’s stomach. He grunted but only eased off his hold slowly. She freed herself in a sharp move.

“Who the bloody hell are you?” Nancy’s voice shook with anger. She scanned the room for a possible weapon.

“We have a common acquaintance and a common target …” Jack raised his hands to show he was not armed.

“I’m listening.” Nancy retreated towards the bar where she had spotted a few heavy bottles that might do nicely if she had to put up a fight.

“Inspector Jonathan Pole and Jared Turner.”

Nancy frowned and ran a critical eye over Jack.

“I’ve seen you before … you were on the flight from Heathrow to Hong Kong.”

“That’s right.” He gave her an appreciative nod. “Well spotted.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere … you could have picked up those names from a multitude of sources, not necessarily friendly to me.”

“Perhaps Inspector Pole has mentioned a British connection in a particular agency …”

Jack’s bluntness surprised her. “Yet again … no real evidence you are connected even loosely to that agency.” Nancy wondered whether the price MI6 would be asking for the information she had received, was due.

“You’re looking for your father who disappeared 30 years ago on a trip back to mainland China. You have been given information by a couple of contacts at MI6.”

“And there is no free lunch, of course?”

Jack smiled. “There never is in this business, but at least I can tell you a lot more about the Ollie Wilson case. Randy Zhang is now safely on his way back to the US.”

“That’s not going to go down very well with Jared Turner.” Nancy relaxed a fraction.

“He won’t discover that just yet. Still, we haven’t got enough to nail him for what he’s done … We need … I need harder evidence before my government agrees to grab this guy.”

“Viro-Tech is a private company … so unless you can show there is …” Nancy stopped, pondered for a moment and shot Jack a sideways look. “You want to force the US and UK governments to recognise that the research Ollie and Randy were doing is of national interest … in other words, no longer suitable for transfer to an external power.”

It was Jack’s turn to be surprised. “I’m … impressed.”

“I have represented very many different types of interests in my career, Mr …?”

“Jack.”

“Jack … and I’m pretty good at getting to the crux of a matter quickly.”

Jack nodded. “So I’ve been told … but it’s good to see it first hand.”

Nancy straightened up and gave up the idea of throwing a bottle of Scotch or two at Jack. She indicated they should sit down.

“What do you need from me?”

“I believe you are on your way to Sichuan.”

Nancy paused on her way to the couch. “Do I need to be concerned that agencies around the globe are aware of my travel arrangements?”

“Nope. You’re not being tracked by the Chinese … of that I am pretty certain.”

Nancy breathed in slowly. This was not entirely reassuring but it would have to do.

“The only way we are going to convince our respective governments to take the implications of the Viro-Tech research seriously, is to find out details about their planned operation in China.”

Nancy sat down opposite Jack, listening.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not taking a scenic tour round that country. I am in and out as quickly as possible and I am certainly not going to Beijing. The only place I intend to go to is Chengdu.”

“And Chengdu is exactly the place we are looking at.”

* * *

His entire body screamed in pain. He could hear through his helmet someone speaking to him. Pole sat up and raised his visor. He nodded to the man who had crouched near him, trying to help. The comms with his team were shattered. He stood up on unsteady legs.

“Perhaps you should wait until the ambulance arrives.”

“I need to check that woman.” Pole staggered to the scene of the crash. His bike was now trapped underneath the front of one of the buses