"A statement?" For once Karr looked nonplussed. "Are you saying that we have until twelfth bell tomorrow to find the culprits?"
Yen T'ung snapped his fingers. At once another of his assistants opened the case he was carrying and handed a scroll to the Third Secretary. With a flourish, Yen T'ung unrolled the scroll and read.
"We have been informed by our Security sources that the four-man Triad assassination squad responsible for the murder of the Hsien L'ing of Hannover, Shou Chen-hai, was, in the early hours of this morning, surrounded by forces loyal to the T'ang, and after a brief struggle, subdued and captured."
"I see," Karr said, after a moment. "Then we're to let things drop?"
"Not at all, Major Karr. Your investigations will continue as before. But from henceforth any discoveries made will be screened by my office. I have the authority to that effect right here." He took a document from another of his assistants and handed it across.
Karr studied the authority a moment, noting that it was signed by the T'ang's Chancellor, Nan Ho, and countersigned by Tolonen, then looked up again. "Then we're to paint black white, is that it?"
Yen T'ung was silent, a fixed smile on his lips.
"And the guard Leyden's account?"
Yen T'ung raised an eyebrow in query.
"We have a witness who saw exactly what happened. His account—"
"Will be screened by this office. Now, if you will excuse me, Major Karr, there is much to be done."
Karr watched the Third Secretary and his retinue depart, then sat back heavily, looking up at Chen.
"Can you believe that? The arrogance of the little shit. And they've got it all worked out beforehand. Every last little detail."
Chen shook his head. "It won't work. Not this time."
"Why not? The T'ing Wei are pretty good at their job, and even if you and I don't like what they do or the way they go about it, it is necessary. Terrorist propaganda has to be countered. It softens public opinion and that makes our job easier."
"Maybe, but this time I've got a feeling that they're up against people who are better at this than they are."
Karr narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Chen hesitated, then said what had been on his mind all along. "Wang Ti. She knew about Shou Chen-hai. When we were getting ready this morning, she commented upon him—on his corruption. It was most unlike her. Usually she has nothing to do with such tittle-tattle, but it seems that the rumors were unusually strong. I suspect someone seeded them long before the assassination. And then there are the pamphlets."
Karr nodded. Yes, it would be hard to counter the effect of the pamphlets. In the past they had been circulated on a small scale, but reports were coming in that millions of the things had been distributed throughout the Lowers. All of which spoke of a much larger scale of activity than before. And the assassination itself was far more subtle, far better planned than previous Ping Tiao attacks. Far more audacious. Whoever was behind all this had learned a great deal from past mistakes. Chen had gone to the door. He pulled it shut, then turned, looking back at Karr. "So what now? Where do we begin?"
Karr lifted the pamphlet. "We begin with this. I want to know how much of it is true and I want to know how our friends the terrorists got hold of the information." "And the two women?"
Karr smiled. "We've got good descriptions on both of them from several sources—Leyden, the wives and servants, the three guards who tried to intercept them at the elevator. We'll get one of our experts to run a face match and see what comes out of the computer files. Then we'll dig a little deeper. See what turns up."
"And then?"
It seemed an innocuous question, but Kan- knew what Chen meant. If they got to the girl, what would they do? Would they kill her? Would they hand her over, to be tortured and disposed of at the whim of the T'ing Wei official, Yen T'ung? Or was there something else they might do? Something that was not strictly by the book?
Karr sat back, sighing heavily. "I don't know, Chen. Let's find her first, neh? Then we'll decide."
IT WAS A DARK and empty place, echoing silent, its ceiling lost in the blackness overhead. They were gathered at one end, a single lamp placed at the center of the circle of chairs. There were nine of them, including Ywe Hao, and they spoke softly, leaning toward the lamp, their faces moving from darkness into light, features forming from the anonymity of shadow. Just now the one called Edel was speaking.
"Is there any doubt?" he said, looking across at Ywe Hao as he spoke. "There are many who have heard the guard's story. How she killed my brother—shot him in the back—and spared the guard."
"So you say," said Mach, his long, thin face stretching toward the light. "But have you witnesses to bring forward? Written statements?"
Edel laughed scathingly, moving back into shadow. "As if they'd come here! As if they'd risk their names on paper to satisfy a Yu court!"
"No Yu, even?" Mach insisted. "Or is it only your say-so? Chi Li here denies your charge. Without proof it is her word against yours. Your dead brother has no voice here."
"Send someone. Get proof."
A woman leaned forward, one of the Council of Five. Her face, etched in the light like a woodcut, showed strong, determined features. Her voice, when she spoke, was hard, uncompromising. "You know we cannot do that. You know also that you broke our strictest orders by going yourself." "He was my brother*." "We are all brothers." "Not all, it seems. Some are murderers."
There was a moment's silence, then Mach leaned forward. "You asked for this hearing, Edel. As was your right. But you have made accusations without supporting evidence. You have brought the reputation of a good and proven comrade into question. She has answered your charges fully and still you persist. Such, one might argue, is your duty as a brother. But do not add insolence to the list of things against you."
Edel stood. His voice boomed, echoing in the dark and empty space. "So it's wrong to want justice, is it? Wrong to want to unmask this murdering bitch?"
His finger pointed unerringly across the circle at Ywe Hao, who kept her head lowered, the lamplight shining in the crown of her dark, neat hair. This tableau held for a moment, then without another word, Edel sat back again, putting his trembling hands on his knees. From the fierce look of hatred in his eyes there was no doubting he believed what he said.
"Chi Li?" asked the woman, looking at her. "You stand by your account?"
Ywe Hao looked up, the lamp's light catching in her dark, liquid eyes. "Vasska was a fool. Erika and I barely got out alive. There was a patrol at the elevator he should have secured. We had to shoot our way out. Erika was badly wounded. These are facts. If I could, I would have killed him for that. For risking others' lives. But I didn't. Shou Chen-hai killed him. Killed him before I could get to him."
So ran the official Security report, given to the media. Edel had done nothing, provided nothing, to seriously counter this. His evidence was rumor, hearsay, the kind of romantic legend that often attached itself to this kind of event. The Five made their decision and gave it.
"I find no case proven," said Mach, standing. "You must apologize, Edel, or leave the Yu. That is our law."
Edel also stood, but there was no apology. Instead he leaned forward and spat across the lamp at Ywe Hao. It fell short, but at once Veda, the female Council member, stepped forward and pushed Edel back. She spoke quickly, harshly now. "That's it. You have proved that there's no place for you here. Go! And remember. Say nothing. Do nothing to harm the Yu. The merest word and we shall hear of it. And then . . ." She raised one finger to her throat and drew it across. "So be silent, and go."