“After entering the Hung gates I shall be loyal and faithful and shall endeavour to overthrow Ch’ing and restore Ming by coordinating my efforts with those of my sworn brethren even though my brethren and I may not be in the same profession. Our common aim is to avenge our Five Ancestors.”
The Vanguard called out, “Will you swear to obey the oaths?”
“We swear to obey!” the recruits replied.
“Those who obey will be prosperous to the end. Those who do not will die as laid down in the oaths.”
During this recitation, the large yellow paper at the front of the altar was held up high, and then set on fire. The ashes were placed in the large bowl, to which was added rice wine, sugar, and cinnabar.
An official entered the room carrying a live chicken and a china bowl. He passed in front of each recruit, allowing them to touch the chicken’s head and the bowl. The Vanguard, who was holding the long sword, said, “The lotus flower signifies wealth and nobility. Loyally and faithfully we perpetuate the Hung family. The wicked and treacherous will be broken into pieces, in the same manner as this particular lotus flower.” That said, the Vanguard took the china bowl, tossed it in the air, and deftly smashed it to pieces with the sword. The official then handed over the chicken to the Vanguard, and helped him tie its legs together. They placed the chicken’s head on a chopping block, with the bowl of ashes, wine, sugar, and cinnabar on the floor next to the block.
“The chicken’s head sheds fresh blood. Here there is loyalty and righteousness. We will all live long lives.”
The Vanguard stood and, with great ceremony, cut off the chicken’s head with one swift blow of the sword. There was an immense amount of blood, and the headless body jerked grotesquely as if it was still struggling to get away. The Vanguard took the head and dipped it into the bowl, mixing the blood with the other ingredients. The carcass was then taken away, and the recruits all held up their left hands, palm upward. The Incense Master approached them, holding a needle and red thread.
He said, “The silver needle brings blood from the finger. Do not reveal our secrets to others. If any secrets are disclosed, blood will be shed from the five holes of your body.”
The Incense Master then pricked the middle finger of each recruit’s left hand, and added their blood to the bowl’s mixture. Each recruit touched the mixture with the pricked finger, then placed the finger in their mouth to taste the substance. “It is sweet,” they all said, one by one. Next, the Incense Master poured a little of the mixture into cups and handed one to each recruit.
“After drinking the Red Flower wine, you will live for ninety-nine years. When nine is added to this number, you will live for one hundred and eight years.”
Bond’s stomach turned as each recruit drank from their respective cup.
The Incense Master then formed a signal with his left hand, designating the recruits’ ranks in the society. The recruits stood and bowed to the Incense Master, the Dragon Head, the Vanguard, and to each other.
The entire assembly stood and recited, “Old and new brothers gather here tonight. Loyalty and faithfulness will ensure us longevity. Wicked and treacherous will perish like the incense sticks.”
Officials began to dismantle the altar as the chant continued: “The city is being dismantled from East to West, from the South gate to Peking city. No firecrackers are fired in celebration, the metropolis is reduced to ashes.”
The ceremony was over. The entire rite had taken a little over two hours. The recruits joined the ranks of the other members as Li Xu Nan, the Cho Kun, the Dragon Head, stood and addressed the society.
“We will gather again in three days to perform the final phase of the initiation ceremony—in which your faces shall be cleansed. We welcome our new brothers to the Dragon Wing. We have one more piece of business to conduct tonight. One of our Blue Lanterns has broken her oaths. We must decide her fate.” He turned to the Vanguard. “Bring out the traitor.”
The Vanguard motioned towards a door. Two officials brought in a girl. She was blindfolded, and her hands were tied behind her back. Bond’s heart jumped into his throat. It was Sunni!
“Our sister here has betrayed the society, not only to a stranger, but to a gweilo. She has sought refuge with the enemy. She has sought to leave the fraternity. What must we do with her?”
The group shouted, “She must die!”
Li stood for a moment in silence. He walked around Sunni, who was now on her knees on the floor. He inspected her as if he was evaluating prized livestock.
“I agree with my younger brothers,” he said, “but we shall wait. The traitor may be useful in an enterprise valuable to the society. For the time being, she will be kept in isolation.” He nodded to the two guards, who pulled Sunni up and led her out of the room. It took every ounce of Bond’s strength not to burst through the dilapidated ceiling and attempt to rescue her.
Li Xu Nan and Scarface stood side by side in front of the Triad and gave the hand signs for their ranks. Scarface said a final prayer and dismissed the group. The meeting was over. The members left silently and, after a few minutes, Li, Scarface, and the official who was the Vanguard were alone. They took off their robes.
Scarface took the metal briefcase from behind the altar. He handed it to the Vanguard, who apparently was the Chan So, or Treasurer, of the organization.
Li said, “This month’s earnings. Make sure it is properly distributed. The families of our brothers who were killed at the girl’s residence must receive special consideration.”
The Vanguard bowed. “Yes, Cho Kun.” He took the case and left. Bond watched as Scarface extinguished the rest of the lighting, and he and Li walked out of the Lodge.
Bond waited a full ten minutes before moving. He had to find Sunni. He crawled forward, so that he was directly above where the altar had been. There was a loose board there through which he could drop. He pulled it up, then jumped down to the floor below. He waited a few seconds to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then he moved towards the door where they had taken Sunni and stepped through it.
He was met by myriads of swords, all pointing at his chest.
FOURTEEN
BEDTIME STORY
ZERO MINUS SIX: 25 JUNE 1997, 1:00 A.M.
The speed with which Bond was disarmed was startling. He felt as if he was moving in slow-motion and that everything else was happening too fast. The Triads with the choppers marched him to the adjacent building, one that was obviously still in use. One of them unlocked the door and roughly shoved Bond inside. He was led down a hallway to a locked, steel door. Behind it was a dark staircase leading to a basement. Bond was pushed inside, and the door slammed and locked behind him.
Bond crept down the stairs in the dim light to a small, bare room containing a narrow bed and a toilet. It was, to all intents and purposes, a jail cell.
Sunni Pei was sitting on the bed. When she saw him, she jumped up and ran to him. “James! My God, James!” she cried, then fell into his arms and held him tightly.
Bond stroked her hair and embraced her. “It’s all right, Sunni. We’ll get you out of this.”
“They’re going to kill me, James, I know it!” She said this with anger and spite, not with the tears he had expected. “And after all I’ve done for them!”
She released him and led him to the bed.
“I told you before that they’ve merely used you,” he said. “They never made you a full member.”