I heard the words and felt a spasm of anger, thinking about Dunkin bleeding out in a cable car in Australia. Thinking about how some people believed they were above the law of combat because they were in a system of government that others feared. Thinking about how those assholes did what they did because they believed they were above it all. But they weren’t.
At the end of the day, we are all flesh and blood. And I could carve that flesh and release the blood, no matter who they called a master.
I leaned forward and grabbed his collar, jerking him to my face and snarling, “I am the killing machine. I am the man you fear in the darkness late at night. I am worse than anything China can envision. And I’m going to kill Chen Ju-Long. With or without you.”
Inside the room, Jennifer leapt up at my rage, running to the patio, but Paul showed no resistance. I released his collar and he sat back.
He considered my anger for a moment, then said, “So you think you stand a chance?”
I smiled. “Yes, I ‘stand a chance,’ trust me. So tell me what’s going on with the guy who met Chen?”
He saw my eyes and made a decision. “The man I followed there is trying to subvert Taiwan’s government. His name is Colonel Rae Ryan Won, of the Republic of China Air Force. He is a liaison to a plethora of different organizations, the linkage between the civilian world and the military. His father was a general and well regarded before he died, but I’m convinced Ryan produced some artificially altered videos which are causing my country to tear itself apart for no reason. I think he’s working with the man in Taipei 101. And that man is working for the PRC.”
I said, “You think those videos that are causing the riots are fake?”
He leaned forward and said, “I know they’re fake. People have been trying to kill me for days, and they did kill my boss. This is the PRC trying to do the same thing they’re doing to Hong Kong, and I’m a threat to them. They’re going to generate unrest until the place is an inferno, and then come in here under the guise of ‘just helping out.’ Ryan is a bad man. Now, why are you on him? Why does the United States care about Taiwan? You’ve been slowly deserting us for decades.”
I said, “Don’t tie me to some diplomatic row over our two countries. I don’t know enough about it. I have no idea about Taiwan.”
I thought about his words and what I knew, saying, “But I believe you’re right, only it’s not just the videos. They’re trying to cause massive unrest here to deflect the national defense of the country. I wasn’t following Ryan. I was tracking Chen Ju-Long because he’s the handler for an American traitor called Jake Shu. That’s who I’m looking for. I followed both of them here from Australia.”
“What do you mean, deflect?”
“My friend who was killed by Chen Ju-Long was working in a company in Australia that has a contract with Taiwan for artificial intelligence. Before he died, he told me his thoughts, which at the time I thought was crazy. Now, not so much. I think this Jake Shu has a program of malware that he’s going to insert into your defense systems. I think he’s going to manipulate your ability to defend yourself. I hadn’t figured out how he would be able to do it, since he’s a nobody computer geek from America, but you just made the link. He’s going to use Colonel Ryan for the penetration.”
Astounded, Paul said, “You think that Colonel Ryan is going to leverage your traitor to debilitate our defenses? You think this isn’t just Hong Kong disinformation for political gain?”
“I honestly don’t know, but I do know the guy is heavily protected by Chinese assets, and they took an incredibly long, roundabout way to get here. They’re protecting him for a reason, and I honestly don’t know why. I do know that your Colonel Ryan is now my only link. Can we work together on this?”
Paul stood up, moving to the edge of the balcony. He finally said, “Yes, we can. I have a GPS tracker on Ryan’s car. If he’s going to link up with your Jake Shu, we’ll know it.”
He glanced over the edge of the balcony, then jumped back, saying, “Shit. The Triads have found me.”
Chapter 81
Confused by his fear, I stood up, saying, “What? Who’s found you?”
“The men who were chasing me last night have found me. They’re in the car down below in the parking lot. Which means they’re also in the hotel.”
He backed up from the rail and said, “I didn’t think they knew who I was. I thought they were just protecting Ryan and chasing me because I was on him.”
He turned in a circle. “Shit, if they know my name—if they tracked me here—they’re the ones who killed my boss. I’m compromised.”
I said, “But their leader is dead. You just told me that.”
He said, “Maybe they think I did it.”
From inside the room, Jennifer said, “Pike, you might want to come see this.”
I entered the room, Paul right behind me. She backed up from the peephole of the door and said, “There’s a maid out here arguing with two thug-looking guys. They want her to let them into Paul’s room.”
Paul leaned forward and said, “It’s Triad. They get in and they’ll find my computer. That can’t happen. It has my clandestine communications with my boss.”
“I thought you said your boss was dead.”
Paul grimaced and said, “He is, and I want that computer. It’s my only proof that I’m working for the NSB. If this whole thing goes bad, it’s my lifeline. My proof I’m not a real Ronin.”
Jennifer went back to the peephole and said, “The maid looks like she’s agreed. They’re going in.”
I said, “Jennifer, pack a go-bag. Our computers, tablets, a pair of socks, whatever else you can cram in there. Contact the team and tell them we’re out of here. I don’t want them to engage. I don’t want them to be identified. Just let them know we’ve left.”
She nodded and I turned to Paul, saying, “Can you fight?”
He smiled. “Oh, yeah. I can fight. What are you thinking?”
“Let them get in, go across the balcony, then kick their ass.”
“Are you serious?”
“Only if you want that computer.”
He started walking back to the balcony and Jennifer said, “She’s unlocking the door.”
We went back through to the balcony and then crossed over the thick wood railing that separated the rooms, crouching outside Paul’s sliding door. I could see the men inside ripping through the room, looking for Paul. One went into the bathroom, leaving the other alone.
I whispered, “Wait here. This one is mine. You take the guy in the bathroom.”
He nodded. “What are you going to do?”
“Get him out here. When that happens, you go in.”
I didn’t wait on an answer, sliding open the door and saying, “Hey, what the hell are you doing in my room?”
The shock on his face was priceless. He drew a gun, screamed something in Chinese, and ran toward me. I raised my hands and shouted, “Whoa, whoa, stop!”
He flew out onto the balcony, still running with the gun held in front, and I grabbed his arms, tripped his legs, then rotated, launching him over my back to the parking lot below. I heard him scream, the sound cut short by the impact.