"Getting you back into Haikou will be difficult," Le reminded him. "You do not know Colonel Quan like I do. The man is the very personification of tenacity. He will maintain the roadblocks and keep Haikou captive until he finds this man Tang Ro Ji."
"Zhun indicated they got here by some back roads through an old commune. If they made it, why not me?"
Le Win Fo laughed. "I see you do not yet pay Quan his due homage. By now, Colonel Quan has seen to it that such oversights have been corrected."
"If I made it out of Danjia, I ought to be able to negotiate a couple of roadblocks."
Le frowned. "When I was first informed of you, I was told that you were a representative of a firm known as Jade, a Canadian arms dealer. Is that not true?"
"I'm not sure we fooled anyone."
"You still have your credentials?"
Bogner nodded. "Calling cards, identification, passports, papers, the whole nine yards. I've even got an inventory."
Hua's nephew smiled. He glanced across the room at the aging priest. "With Father's blessing, I might have a plan."
Bogner waited while Le consulted with the old man. Then he said to Bogner, "There is an element of risk in what I propose. You should know that we might be playing right into their hands."
"Let's hear it," Bogner pressed.
"How good of an actor are you, Captain Bogner?"
Bogner laughed. "Depends on the role. Like I said, let's hear it."
"How would you be at playing the role of a man at death's door?"
"With a busted nose and a mouth full of loose teeth, I feel like I already am."
"Very well, you will be a man who was in an automobile accident."
Bogner tried to grin, but the effort failed. "Grab a fistful of bandages and let's get going."
It was Le's turn to smile. "We will leave, Captain Bogner, when I am sufficiently convinced that you are hurt enough to merit being transported to a medical center in Haikou." Le turned away, then back again. "One more question, Captain. Is any part of your sense of urgency caused by your concern for the woman, Shu Li?"
"And you say the Dutchman sent you?" Rami asked. He stood in the shadows and became part of the room's darkness.
Tang sat at the small table in the middle of the room. He kept one eye on Shu Li and the other on the black man. Rami made him nervous. He was twice the size of Tang and carried a chromed automatic tucked in the belt of his pants. He wore an undershirt and was barefooted. He was playing classical music on a small transistor radio.
"Before we go too far, let's see the color of your money. Rami don't do shit for nobody until he sees the money."
Tang shook his head. "No money. But I've got something just as good."
"Ain't nothin' as good as money." Rami glowered. "I take it two ways: Singapore dollars or good old American greenbacks. No moneyno deal,"
Tang reached into his pocket, and Rami stiffened. "How about two passports and two sets of papers? You know what they're worth on the street."
Rami put his foot up on the room's only other chair. "You got any idea why I'm here?" he growled. "It sure as hell ain't because Haikou is my idea of paradise. It's because some white boy back in my Army days tried to sell me some bogus dream dust. That weed wasn't worth shit. It was talcum and cornstarch. Know what I did? I hunted that little fucker down and I cut him six ways from Sunday, long and deep. Shit, he probably ain't quit bleedin' yet."
Tang didn't flinch. "These papers are good. Gosling arranged for them. They're the best money can buy."
Rami started to laugh. "Now, what would I want with some bogus papers?"
Tang opened the envelope, unfolded the papers, and laid them on the table. "This could be your ticket out of Haikou."
Chapter Fifteen
At three-thirty in the morning, Le Win Fo had anticipated little in the way of traffic at the roadblock. His people tended to stay off the road when the military was active. He had guessed right; there were only two cars ahead of him at the Shinpo crossingand three guards to conduct the searches. One of the guards had a clipboard and was asking questions; another poked his flashlight into the cars' interiors. The third appeared to have no particular responsibility; he stood beside the squad's PC and smoked a cigarette.
Le could read the fatigue on their faces. They were tired and disgruntled. It had been a long night, and so far, an unrewarding search for Han Ki Po's killer.
Le was driving the orphanage's ancient Volkswagen Microbus. Bogner was lying down, stretched out in the cargo area, covered by an old blanket. Bandages had been applied to his face.
''Get ready," Le Win Fo whispered. "We're next. Look like you're in a lot of pain, but don't overdo it."
Le rolled down the window.
"Name and papers," the guard said. He peered in while the second man danced the beam of his flashlight around the Microbus's interior.
Le Win Fo was again wearing the garb of a priest. He fumbled in the glove compartment for the documents. "I am Father Le Win Fo," he announced, "from Zebo, Father Hua's orphanage. I am taking this gentleman to the Guizhou Medical Center. He has been in an accident."
The beam of light fixed on Bogner, and the guard with the clipboard studied him.
"You have his papers?" the guard asked, gesturing at Bogner.
"His name is Cormea," Win Fo said. "You'll find his papers in the envelope. I believe you will also find they are in order."
"Your passenger is badly hurt?"
"We believe it is a broken nose and some broken ribs," Le said. "And he has been complaining of severe abdominal pain."
The beam of light shifted from Bogner to Le.
"How do you know this man?" the guard asked.
Win Fo braced himself. He was about to play his trump card. "Monsieur Cormea is with Jade Limited. He is in Haikou to do business with your superiors."
The guard, a corporal, still wasn't satisfied. "Identify this man you call my superior." There was arrogance both in his voice and the way he asked the question.
Bogner clutched at his stomach and moaned.
"I refer to Lieutenant Yew," Le Win Fo replied.
"And why would you be involved with Lieutenant Yew in these matters?"
"Because I agreed to act as Monsieur Cormea's interpreter. He is not fluent in Chinese."
To Le it was obvious the corporal was weighing his response. He turned to the guard with the flashlight and there was a brief exchange before he looked back at Le again. He opened the envelope and glanced at Bogner's papers. Le knew that the man couldn't read English, but the corporal was playing out his power game for the benefit of his fellow guards.
"Step out," the corporal said, "you are being detained."
Le shook his head. "This is most unfortunate. You realize, of course, that if this man has internal bleeding he could die."
For the first time, the guard hesitated.
"It is quite obvious," Le said, "that Monsieur Cormea is not the man you are seeking. We were led to believe that the man you are seeking is Chinese."
"How do we know your friend is not an accomplice?"
"Contact Lieutenant Yew," Le challenged. "Tell him you are detaining Monsieur Cormea and Father Le Win Fo…"
The corporal hesitated. Then he stepped back and motioned for the Microbus to proceed.
Bogner felt the Microbus accelerate away from the roadblock and waited until Le gave him the all clear.
"We managed to clear that one, Captain Bogner, but that may not be the last one. I would advise you to maintain your vigil and be prepared to play your role again. Either that, my friend, or be prepared to pray for our safety."