Chapter 29

TheHYDRAaircrafttoucheddownatHongKongInternationalAirportjustafternoon.Caldwellstaredoutoneofthewindowsastheplaneskiddedtoahalt.He’dneverseensomanyaircraftinoneplacebefore.Therewerehundredsofthemwithmanylandingandtakingoffsimultaneously.Therewereplanesthatlandedandstoppedabruptly,planesthattookofffromastationaryposition.Theyjustshudderedandshotupverticallyintothesky.Therewerehybridplanesthattookofflikeahelicopter,thenthey’dsproutwings,therotorswouldfolddown,andthey’dshootofflikeajetfighter.Amazingly,mostoftheairlinelogoswerefamiliartohim.Inhispreviouslifehehadprobablybeenafrequentflier.

“ThankyouforflyingHYDRAAir,”thetwoEurasianstewardessessaidinstereoovertheinter.Caldwellwonderedwheretheyhadsequesteredthemselvesformuchoftheflightandconsideredtheremotepossibilitythattheyhadactuallyflowntheplane,ifinfactithadbeenpilotedbyhumans.

Caldwellcouldn’tputhisfingeronitbutsomethinginhimhadchangeddramatically.He’deoutoftheoperatingroomabitgroggyandbadlyinneedofsomeshut-eye,thedullthrobofamigrainelingeringintheresomewhere,butotherwisefeelingthathewasstillthesameperson,exceptfortheconstantbarrageofimagesflashinginhishead.He’dtakenanapandfoundhimselftheprotagonistinastringofvividnightmares.He’dawokentoanemptyloungeandheadedtotheshower.Hefeltmuchbetterafterhisshower,shaveandachangeofclothing.ThesuitthetwoSiuJeshadbroughtonboardforhimfittedwellandwhenCaldwellhadlookedathimselfinthemirrorhehadseenafacethathedidn’tpletelyrecognize.

Whilestillintheoperationroom,forthat’swhatitwaseventhoughtheprocedurewasnon-invasive,hehadsolvedthreeprogrammingalgorithmsthathadbeenbotheringhimforawhile.Thesewerealgorithmsthatwouldhavemadehisbotsmuchsmarterandlesspronetorebootsorsystemfailures.Hewashappywiththataspectofthings.Hewouldneedhisbraincellsfiringonallcylinderstoextricatehimselfunscathedfromhiscurrentpredicament.Hefelttheurgetoholdaguninhishandandfireit.Hehadnoideawhyhehadthosethoughts,hejustfeltthem.Itwasasthoughthatactwouldfillsomedeepholeinhispsyche.WhatsurprisedhimmostwasthathecouldthinkinwhathefiguredwasCantonese.HehadheardthelanguagebeforeinthenumerousChinatownsscatteredacrosstheUnion.Andnowinhissomewhatrefurbishedmind,thesoundsoftheChineselanguagewerecoalescingintoarecognizablepatternofsorts.

TheSiuJesemergedtoopentheaircraftdoors.

“Neideisikgongchungmanma?”CaldwellaskedthetwinsinCantonese,surprisingevenmyself.DidtheyspeakCantonese?

“Ganhaila!”theyexclaimed,likehewasaskinganidioticquestion.Thatwasgoodenoughforhim.HecouldspeakatleastsomeCantonese.Caldwellwonderedwhatelsewasgoingonintheuncharteddepthshismind.Ms.Levinhadexplainedtohimthatshehadimplantedtwotinychipsnon-invasively.OnewasaminisculeGPSchipthatplottedhiswhereaboutsonadigitalmapaccessiblesomewhereinLondon.ItprobablyhadFouler’sfingerprintsalloverit.TheotherwasaHongKongIDchip.

WhilehewasknockedoutshehadtakenthelibertyofrunningtheIDchiphecarriedinhispocketagainsttheUnionidentificationdatabase.Shehadtoldhimhehadalistofminoroffencesaslongasherarmandthattheauthoritieshadbeentryingtotrackhimdownwithoutsuccess.Caldwellhadobservedthatherarmswerenotthatlongandthatherlegswouldbeabetteranalogy.She’dblushedvisiblyandbusiedherselfpackinguphercontraptions.FoulerhadinstructedhertowipetheslatecleanonhisnewHongKongchip.Anythingelsethatwentontherewasnottheirproblem.Fairdeal,hethought.Caldwellfeltlikehewasbetrayinghisanti-systemidealsbutSevenLevinhadassuredhimthatifhemadeitbackalive,havingthechipsremovedwouldbetheleastofhisproblems.Fromthewayshesaidit,CaldwellreckonedSevendidnotratehischances.

HewasescortedthroughtheimmigrationcountersbyAgentJonesandAgentJackman.Ms.LevinandtheSiuJeshadstayedonboardwiththepilotwhoCaldwellhadn’tseenthroughouttheflight.

“HelloMr.Caldwell,welebacktoHongKong.Iseeyou’vebeenawayforawhile,”afreckledyoungChineseimmigrationofficerobserved,ashisputerautomaticallypickedupCaldwell’sdetails.Caldwellwastakenabackandstartedfeelingaroundinhispockets.WeretheyreadingthepassportchipthatMs.Levinhadgivenhimfromhispocket?

“Noneedforapassportchip,sir,”theofficersaid,correctlyreadinghisaction.

Attheluggagecarousel,hekepthiseyesopenforthetwoYakuzawhohadkilledGlyphinLondon.Hisheightenedsenseofawarenessfeltweirdandfamiliarallatonce.EventhetwoHYDRAagentslookedathimwithanewfoundrespect.Caldwellwonderedwhetheritwassomethinginhiseyesthatwasmakingtheagentsresponddifferentlytowhatwasessentiallythesameperson.Theyseemedtobesaying:“Youarenolongerapunk.Youarenowoneofus,atleastforthetimebeing.”

TheypickedupthesuitcaseHYDRAhadpreparedforhim,agraphitegrayBrixheavyontechnology,fromtheluggagecarousel.AgentJonesorderedCaldwelltostandstill.HeplacedtheBrixonthefloorandplayedaroundonalittletouchscreendisplayonthefrontofthesuitcase.Asmallcamerapoppedoutfromthetop,swiveledroundandalaserbeamshotoutandproceededtorapidlyscanCaldwell’sbody.Thewholethingcouldnothavelastedmorethanasecond.ThenthesuitcasebeepedandagreenlightflashedandAgentJonesgesturedforthemtokeepwalking.Astheywalkedoutintothearrivalarea,CaldwellturnedroundtoseetheBrixfaithfullyfollowingthem,thesuitcase’sowner-recognitionsensorsperpetuallytrainedonhimlikethecrosshairsofasniper.

Thearrivalsloungewaschockfullofpeople.PeopleofallracesbutthevastmajoritywereChinese,thecitizensofNewChina.ItwasimmediatelyapparentthatNewChinawasthetechnologycenteroftheworld,atleastintermsofmassiveadoption.Nearlyalltheteenagerspackedjukeboximplants,headmounteddisplaysandhadhairthatchangedcolordependingonhowthelightstruckthem.Theirclotheswereinvariablyastronautsilveroratranslucentmaterialthatchangedhuewiththeflickofabutton.Aerodynamicputer-controlledtrainersthatmorphedinrealtimedependingontheamountoffrictiononthefloorandthedynamicsofthewearer’slegswereinabundance.Theoldergenerationwerelessflamboyantinmanywaysbutmadeupforitwithmoregoldandjadejewelrythanyou’dfindinatypicalUnionhighstreetjewelrystore.

TheentireUnionwasagiantlie.AliedesignedtopreventanexodusofpeopletoNewChina.FromwhatCaldwellhadseensofar,theUnionwaslightyearsbehindNewChinaintermsoftechnologyandrelatedfashions.Itshowedonthefacesofthetouristswhomadetheirwayintothearrivalsarea,eyeswideopen.NewChinahadone-uppedtheworldbycausingamassivebraindrain,suckingmassivetalentpoolsfromtheknowledgeeconomiesoftheWest.

IntheUnioncorporateadswereubiquitous.AtHongKongInternationalAirport,theywereomnipresent.Therewerescreensintheglassrailingsdisplayingstockpricesandotherdata.Holographicprojectorsembeddedintheescalatorsprojectedlife-sizemoviestarsfloggingtheirlatestSimFlicksamongthepassengers.Theentireceilingofthearrivalshallwasanadvertisementforsomenewthemepark.Itwasalivehigh-resolutionreal-timeviewofthepark’smajorattractions.Someforeigntouristswerealreadygesturingwithexcitementattheceiling.Getthembeforetheyevenleavetheairport,Caldwellthought.

Therewassomethingaboutingoutintothearrivalsareaofanairport,anoddfeelingofdisplacement,whichspookedhim.Itwasprobablythefacesofthepeoplemeetingarrivingpassengers,thewaytheylookedatyoumentallyfiguringoutwhichpartoftheplanetyouwerefrom,whetheryouweretheretocontributetotheeconomyorbeadrainonit.TherewasarecurringpatterninthedepthsofallthoseeyesthatCaldwellfounddisturbing.InHongKong,takethatarrivalshallfeelingandmultiplyitbytenandyou’dstillhavenoideawhatitwaslike.

CaldwellnoticedthatasignificantnumberofHongKong’syoungwomenweredressedinsee-throughtrousers,skirtsandtops.ThemostdaringofthemwerestandingtheregivingCaldwell,andeveryoneelsewhocaredtolook,aglimpseoftheirfluorescentG-stringsandtheirWonderBras.Iftheydidn’tlikethewayyouwerelookingatthem,they’dpressabuttonontheirhipsandthetrouserswouldclouduplikewaterdoeswhenyouaddmilk.HongKongwasanorchestraofcolors,attitudeandpuredriveandtheairportwasitsshowroom.

Amidthisseaofexcitement,Caldwell’smindcametofocusontwoeventsondifferentsidesofthehall.OnewasthetwoJapanesefromThePuzzleinLondonlookingupanddownthearrivalshall.Caldwellfiguredtheyweresecondsawayfromspottinghim.HeturnedawayfromthemeventhoughheknewthatwiththetwoHYDRAheavieswalkingnexttohim,hisentouragewouldbeeasytospot.TheotherthingthatcaughtCaldwell’seyes,fornoreasonhecouldfathom,wasawomaninatightblackleathermotorcyclerider’sbodysuit.Sheprobablystoodoutbecauseherhelmetwasonandtherewasdatascrollingpastonthedarkvisor.

ThewomaninblackturnedandlookedinCaldwell’sdirection.OneoftheYakuzahadalsospottedhimandasCaldwellacknowledgedthatfact,theJapaneselookedhimstraightintheeyes.TheYakuzaseemedunsureofwhetheritwashimornot.Mustbethesuit,Caldwellthought.ThenastheJapanesestartedmovingforwardgesturingtohisassociate,hiseyesregisteredonthetwoHYDRAagents.ThedisfiguredYakuzahadalsoseenthemandhestoodtheregivingCaldwellhismostmenacinglook.LikeIamgoingtogooverandgiveyoutheconsolejustbecauseyouareugly,Caldwellthought.HewasabouttotapAgentJackmanontheshouldertopointouttheJapanesemenwhentheystoppedsuddenly.Thewomaninthebiker’soutfitwasstandinginfrontofthem.

“AgentJackman,AgentJones,IamAgentHsu.Hopeyouhadagoodtrip,”saidahoarsevoiceinperfectEnglish,withsomevariationofanAsianaccent.

“Codephrase?”thetwoagentsaskedsimultaneously,eschewingsmalltalkaswastheirhabit.

“PERFECTVISION2020”

“OK.He’sallyoursAgentHsu,”saidAgentJackman.ThemanseemedtobeinahurrytoridhimselfofCaldwell.

“ThanksAgentJackman,I’lltakeitfromhere.Youboyshaveyourselfagoodtripback.”Thegirl’saccentwasdifficulttoplace.ItwasdefinitelyOriental.Caldwell’seyesremainedtrainedontheJapanese.

“IthinkyoubetterdistractthoseJapanesebeforeyougo.Usethatsoundgunthingifyoumust,”Caldwellsaid,noddinginthedirectionofthetwoYakuza.

“Leaveittous.Later,”AgentJonessaidasthetwomenretreatedthroughthecrowdstowardswheretheJapanesewerestanding.Caldwellwonderedwhytheyhadn’tmadetheirmove.

“TellFoulerI’llbeseeinghimsoon,”Caldwellsaidtonooneinparticular.Thesuitcasewasidlingbehindhim.HewatchedthetwoagentsmovedecidedlytowardstheYakuza.TheywereasufficientdistanceawayfromtheYakuzanottofreakhimoutalthoughhelookednervous.ThetwoYakuzastartedtomoveawayfromtheapproachingagents.

“Comewithme,”thewomansaid.HervisorwasstilldownandsomethinginCaldwellwonderedwhytheagentshadn’tidentifiedhervisually.Theyprobablynevermetherbeforesovisualidentificationwasunnecessary,thesecurecodephrasebeingenough.PERFECTVISION2020.Whatthehelldidthatmeananyway?Caldwellwastootightlycoiledtomakesmalltalk.Somethingdidn’tseemright.HekeptturningaroundtocheckthemovementsofthetwoJapanesebutacrowdofmainlandtouristshademergedwavingbrightlycoloredflagsandobstructinghisview.CaldwellfollowedthegirlthroughthecrowdswiththeBrixtailingthemobediently.Agroupofchildrenracedpastonelectric-poweredsneakers.Oneminutetheywerethere,thenexttheywereablurweavingbetweenthecrowds.

Caldwellandthewomaninbikergeararrivedatabankofelevators.Asignindicatedthattheelevatorsledtotheundergroundcarparks.Hewonderedwhetherthewomanwasalsosomekindofclone.Shedidn’tseemlikethetalkativetypeeither.TheelevatordoorsopenedandtheywalkedinfollowedbyaChinesefamilythatseemedtohavejustflownin.TheywerechatteringawayinCantoneseandCaldwellwasonceagainamazedthathecouldunderstandwhattheyweresaying.TheywerehappytobebackinHongKongafteralongtripvisitingrelativesintheUnitedStates.

ThewomanpressedtheCLOSEbutton.ThedoorsbegantocloseshutbuttherewasanelderlyChinesecouplewithaheavyluggagetrolleyatthedoor.CaldwellpushedtheOPENbuttontoletthemin,hisfingersbrushingthegirl’sglovedhandsintheprocess.Hecouldfeelthegirltenseupslightly.Clone?Theoldcouplesaunteredin.ThewomanpressedtheCLOSEbuttonagain.Sheseemedinarushtogetoutoftheairport.Caldwelldidn’tblameher.WiththeYakuzahangingaround,aquickexitmadesense.

Asthedoorsclosed,hesneakedonelastlooktoseewhethertheHYDRAagentshadinterceptedtheYakuza.AgentJoneshaddisappearedashadtheyoungerJapaneseandthedisfiguredone.CaldwellcouldonlymakeoutthebroadexpanseofAgentJackman’sbackandheseemedtobetalkinganimatedlywithagirlinblackleather.Shewasholdingsomethingroundunderherarm.Itlookedlikeamotorcyclehelmet.Shewasgesticulatingwildly.Thenbothofthemturnedroundandlookedtowardstheelevator.Theelevatordoorsclosed.Caldwellturnedtohisrighttolookatthewomaninthebiker’sgear.Shehadmovedincloseandhadsomethinghardandcoldstickingagainsthisribs.Hedidn’tneedadegreeinrocketsciencetoknowthatitwasagun.