ThegrayBrixsuitcasewasnexttoCaldwell’sleftleg,sandwichedbetweenhimandthesameoldcouplehehadopenedtheelevatordoorsforearlier.Theoldmanhadaglassylook,whiletheoldladyappearedtobeassharpastheycame.Herhairwasjetblack,suggestingsomekindofdyejobormedicalprocedurethatheldgrayhairsincheck.Caldwellcouldjustaboutseethetinytouchscreenonthesuitcase.Thegreenlightthatindicatedthatthecasewaslockedontoitsownerwasblinking.TherewasatogglebuttonontheBrix’touchscreenthatread:MANUAL.Caldwellprayedthathislefthandwasnotvisiblefromwherethebikergirlwasstanding.Hepressedthebuttononthescreengentlywithminimalmovementinhisshoulder.
TheelevatorstoppedatB2.Theoldcouplewalkedslowlyoutintoanundergroundparkinglot.Theoldladywaspushingtheluggagecart.SheturnedroundandgaveCaldwellalookthatsaidshehopedhecouldgethimselfoutofhiscurrentpredicament.Theoldboylookedasthoughhehadforgottenwheretheyparkedthecar.CaldwellrealizedthatB3wasthenextandlastbasementfloor.Hehadtomovefast.
ThelightontheBrixwasnowred,thetogglebuttonreadAUTOMATIC.CaldwellthankedGodforsimpleuserinterfacesandthefactthattheBrix’scameraanditsscanningdevicewerefacingtheotherway,towardsthefamily.HepressedtheAUTOMATICbutton.Thecamerapoppedupquietly.IttookasnapshotandthelaserdidtheswipethingofthelittleChineseboy.
“Lookdad,”theboysaidinCantonese,pointingatthesuitcase.Thebikergirlwhippedherheadaround,themuzzleofthegunstillpressingpainfullyintoCaldwell’sribcage.Thelaserhaddisappearedanditlookedlikeshecouldn’tseethecamera.
“What,son?Matyea?”thefatheraskedinCantonese.
“Ohnothing,”theboyreplied.CaldwellthankedGodforlimitedattentionspans.Assoonasthelaserdisappearedtheboyhadlostinterest.Thegreenlightwasonagain.TheBrixhadalockontheboy.
TheliftstoppedatB3.Thedoorsopened.ThegirlgrabbedCaldwell’sarm,signalingtohimtolettheChinesefamilygooutfirst.Theysteppedoutoftheliftonebyone.Theboywaslast.Ashesteppedout,theBrixstartedfollowinghim.Thebikergirl’seyesopenedwidewithsurprise.Shelungedoutoftheelevator,tryingtograbthehandleoftheBrix.Shehadnowayofknowingiftheconsolewasinhisknapsackorinthesuitcase.Thatwasherbiggestmistake.
Caldwelltwistedhisbodyandviolentlyslammedtheimpostor’sarmagainstthesideoftheelevatordoors.Shescreamedinagonyasherelbowmadecontactwiththemetallicedgeofthedoors.Hergunslidtothefloor.Theelevatordoorswereclosingagain.BeforeshecouldturnaroundCaldwell’slegwasalreadyinmotion.Itmadecontactwithherleather-paddedmid-riffandshewentflyingoutintotheparkinglot.Thefamilystoodtheretransfixed,lookingatthegunonthefloorasCaldwellmadeagrabforit.Thestunnedgirlwasgettingup.Therewasasoundofrunningfootstepsingfromtheleftofthecarparkbuthewassafe.Theliftdoorsclosed.
CaldwelljabbednervouslyattheB2buttonandalltheotherbuttonsrightuptothedeparturelounge.Theimpostor’sinstinctswouldbetoguessthathewouldheadforthedepartureloungeandtrytominglewiththecrowds,findtheHYDRAagentsorheadouttothetaxistandsoutsidethearrivalsarea.Herinstinctswouldbewrong.Hewasalreadytryingtosecond-guessthemovesoftheothergirlinleather,ostensiblytherealAgentHsu.HehadnoticedfromthesignwhentheyfirstgotintotheliftthatthemotorcycleparkinglotwasonB1.HewasguessingthatassoonastherealAgentHsusawtheelevatordoorscloseshe’dheadforhermotorcycleonB1,readytogivechase.Itwasalongshotbutitwouldhavetodo.ThefemaleimpostorwasprobablyJapanese,themotorcyclegearnothingbutanelaboratedisguisefortheJapanesegirltoimpersonatetherealAgentHsu.TheHYDRAagentshadnotseenthroughtheruse.
CaldwellguessedthattheYakuzaprobablyhadsomekindofmini-vanwithdarkenedwindowsidlingsomewhereintheparkinglot,waitingforthegirlandthetwoJapanese.ItwasaYakuzathing,themoreintimidatingthevehiclethebetter.AgentHsu,therealone,wasprobablythisverymomentbeltingitdownonherbiketothelowerlevelsandifhishunchwascorrectshewouldjustaboutbearrivingonB2.
TheelevatordoorsopenedonB2.Caldwellsteppedoutoftheelevatorexpectingtoheartherevvingsoundofamotorcycleengine.Allhecouldhearwasadistantwhinelikethesoundofthosedriver-lesstrainsthattransportedpassengersbetweenterminalsatinternationalairports.Thenthestrangest-lookingvehiclecamescreamingroundthecornerfromthelevelabove.ItwasaswideasthreemotorcyclesplacedsidebysideandthegirlwhowasprobablyAgentHsuwasonit.OrwasittheJapaneseimpostor?Itwashardtotell.Thevehiclewascuttingthroughtheairdefyingthelawsofgravity.ThegirlspottedCaldwellandthevehiclecametoanabrupthalt.Fourexhaust-likesquaretubesunfurledverticallyandblastedawholelotofdustawayfromtheconcretefloor.
“Quick.Hopon,”theriderinstructed.
Caldwellstillwasnotsurewhichgirlitwasbuthetookachance.Therewasenoughspacebehindthegirlforthreepeopletositonebehindtheother.Caldwelljumpedaboardthevehicle,whichhenoticedwashoveringatleastthreeinchesoffthegroundandsheflooreditbeforehe’devengotonproperlyanddidasharpu-turnalmostonthespot.Caldwellbarelyhadtimetoregainhisbalancebeforethegirlshotbackupthewindingtunnel.Thevehiclecutacrossawholelotofcars,mostofthemelectricmodels,andafewvehicleswiththewordPOLICEwrittenonthem.Theywereskimmingthecurvedtunnelsallthewaytotheexit.ThebikethingflewoutintotheopenairandthenextthingCaldwellknew,theywereoutsideheadingfortheairporthighwaywiththesunbeatingdownuponthemlikesomeonemessedwiththethermostatofaradiatorandturneditontoohigh.
“Suninwinter?”CaldwellaskedoverAgentHsu’sshoulderastheybelteditdownthehighwayleavingatrailofluxuryelectricsandhybridsintheirwake.Ifanyonewasfollowingthem,theywouldhaveahardtimecatchingup.TheroadlookedlikesomebodyhademptiedallthecarshowroomsinNewChinaontoit.Noneofthecarslookedliketheyweremorethanafewyearsoldandmostwerethelatestmodelswithbodypanelsthatchangedcolorlikechameleonsandchangedshapetoachievebetteraerodynamics.Therewereafewsportsmodels,whichtheycouldn’tmatchforspeed,sleekbullet-shapedphallicsymbolsthatcutthroughthelighttrafficleavingtheothersbehind.Thegirlwasdoingagoodjobofkeepingup.
“Youbetterbelieveit.Youhavenoideahowcloseyoucametoahorribledeath,”shesaid,swoopingdownlowsothatiftheYakuzaweregivingthechasetheywouldn’tbevisible.Shesoundeddifferentfromtheothergirl.ShehadaBritishaccentwithaslighttraceofMandarin.Caldwellfoundhervoicestrangelyforting.
“TrustmeIbelieveit.What’sthecodeword?”
“PERFECTVISION2020,”thegirlsaidwithoutskippingabeat.
“Howcouldthoseagentshavebeensolax?”
“Nottheirfault.Wegenerallydon’thaveanyproblemswithdrop-offs.Usuallythecodeisgoodenoughattheairport.Justincasetherearemunicationinterceptiondevicesorcamerastakingphotographs.TheJapanesegetuseverytimewiththedisguisestuff.They’vemasteredittoatee.Apparentlytheyareevengrowingidenticalcopiesofenemyagentsinlabsthesedays.Ofcoursethisjusthappensatthehighestlevelsofthebiz.Itisstilltoocostly.”
“Sothat’swhatIam,adrop-off?Growingcopiesofagents?Sothatgirlcouldhavebeenacopyofyou?”
“Unlikelyforsuchalow-profilekidnapjob.Thatexplainswhyshekeptherhelmeton.IwasdelayedbywhatInowknowwasaprankcallpurportingtobefromHQ.”
“Youknowwhattheywant,right?”
“Iguesstheywantedtheconsolebutnowtheyknowyouareheretheyalsowantyoudead.”Shesaidthisinaverymatter-of-factway.HerblackhairwasstreamingoutbehindherandCaldwellwasgettingafairbitofitinhisface.Thesmelloffloralshampoobroughtbackrecentlyacquiredmemories.TheywerestilloutsideHongKongIslandproperandtherewasalotoffamiliar-lookinggreenery.
“IlostmyBrix,”Caldwellsaid.
“Don’tworryaboutit.There’snothingintherethatwillhelpthemorthatyoucan’tgetinHongKong.”
“ButIgotmyselfagun.”
Sheturnedaroundbriskly,aswirlofblackhairandgrayeyes,butshewastooquickforhimtoseeherfaceproperlythroughthevisor.
“Wheredidyougetthat?”AgentHsuasked.
“Fromthegirl.Yourimpersonator.”
“Goodtoseeyouaretakingcareofyourselfalready.”
“FromwhatIheard,you’retheonewho’sgoingtobetakingcareofme.
Herlithebodytensedupandshesaidnothingastheyblastedthroughatunnelandemergedafewminutessmack-bangintoacityscapethatblewhismind.
***
InaweirdkindofwayHongKongfeltlikehome.Thememoriescamefloodingbackbuttheycouldn’tmatchthepanoramicvistaofglass,steelandconcretethatexpandedbeforehiseyesastheysloweddownintoheaviertraffic.Alothadchangedovertheyears.Thatmuchwasclear.Thebuildingsstillsoaredintothecloudsandweredenselypackedalongtheharbor.Manyofthemwerenew,theglassandsteelsymbolsofNewChina’seconomicmight.TherewasagrandeurtothemthatbeatanythingHongKonghadpreviouslybeenfamousfor.Thesebuildingweresymbolsofglobaldominance.Thetopsofmostofthemwereinvisible,meltingintothecloudslikethestickincandyfloss.
“What’sthathugebuildingwiththewindowcleaningrobotsclimbingupthesides?”CaldwellaskedAgentHsuastheywovethroughwhatwasrapidlybeingatrafficjam.
“ThatisthenewBankofNewChinabuilding.Thosearenotwindow-cleaningbots.Theyaremaintenancebotsmakingnano-scalerepairstotheexteriorofthebuilding.”
Theystopped.Anelectricvanwastooclosetocarsintheotherlane.Caldwelltooktheopportunitytolookbehindthem.Therewasnothinguntowardhappening.HenoticedthatsomeofthecarsweredriverlessMercedesBenzS-Classmodels.
“Thosedon’teoutintheUnionforatleastanotherfiveyears.”
“Well,thisisHongKong.Thingsmovealongveryfasthere,exceptfortraffic.”
“Yeah,Icanseethat.Thesethingshelpthough.Whatarethey?”
“Hoverbykes.InventedbyapanyinNewChina.CurrentlybeingtestedbyenforcementagencieshereandinShanghai.TheHongKonggovernmenthasgivenspecialpermissionandreleasedanewordinance.Thisisthefirsttimethathoveringvehicleshavebeenusedonpublicroadsanywhereintheworld.”
“Cool.Hardtodrive?”Caldwellwassurprisinghimself.GettingoutofthedepressingUnionhadmellowedhimoutsomewhat.Hewasactuallyhavingaconversationandnothatingit.
“It’seasierthanridingamotorcycle,that’sforsure.Basically,youhavetwopedalsoneoneitherside.Leftpedaldecelerates,rightpedalaccelerates.Hitbothpedalssimultaneouslythevehicleestorest.It’salmostinstantaneous.Thethrustsjustcanceleachotherout.”
“Whataboutonthesteeringbar?Thoselooklikeamotorcycle’saccelerator.”
“Theseactuallycontrolthedirectionofthethrusters.Pushbothforwardandthethrusterspointbackwardsandholdinthatposition.Pushbackabouthalfwayandyoucanbasicallyhoverwiththeelectricenginestillrevving.Pushallthewaybackandthethrusterspointallthewayforwardallowingyoutoessentiallyridebackwards.”
“Canyougostraightupwards?”
“Youcan.Youjustoverridethehoverwiththisredbuttonhere.Therearestrictlawsagainstitonpublicroadsthough.Thesethingswerenotdesignedtobeusedinthatway.SafetyOrdinance.”
“Isee.Sowherearewegoing?”
“TheMansion,HYDRAHQinShekO.That’sthesouthsideofHongKongIsland.It’salotquieter,awayfromallthis.”AgentHsu’shelmetnoddedtowardsoningtraffic.
“IrememberShekO.There’sabeach,”Caldwellsaid,vaguememoriesofweekendsinShekOrising.
“Right.Gladtohearyouhaven’tforgotteneverything,”shesaid.Caldwellthoughthedetectedanoteofsarcasminhervoice.”
“That’salongstory.”
“Theyalwaysare.”
Thestreetswerebrimmingwithpeople.Theywereonthewalkways,thepavementsandthealleys,thestreetsjam-packedwithretailsignageinEnglishandChinese.Theywerevisiblethroughhundredsofcorporateofficewindowsthatwentverticallyupwardsasfarastheeyecouldsee.ThedifferencebetweencorporatedronesinHongKongandthoseintheUnionwasthattheoneshereseemedmuchmoreincontroloftheirlivesandtheirdestinies.Therewasaspringinthestepofthepeopleinthestreet.Thestreetswerealivewithadeterminedhumanityactivelygoingaboutthebusinessofacquiringwealthatanycost.
“Energeticplaceisn’tit?”
Theywereonthemoveagainandpickingupspeedastheygotonagiantfreeway.Caldwellhadneverseensomanycorporatelogosinhislife.AlmosteveryotherbuildinghadoneandhundredsofthemwerebuiltintothebarrenhillsofthePeak.Atnightthecitymustbespectacular,Caldwellthought.Hevaguelyrecalleddazzlingbrightlightsandanarrayofcolorsfillingthenightsky.
“HongKonghasalwaysbeenthatway,evenmoresonow.Thepeopleherearesomeofthemostadaptableintheworld.Youshouldknow.Youwerebornhere.”
TheyovertookawholestringofMercedesvehiclesandabunchofthosemorphingbulletsportscars.AgentHsuwaschewinguphugechunksofthecityatanalarmingrate.Caldwellheldoncloselytohertrimleather-boundbody.
“Beenreadingmyfilehaveyou?Bytheway,whatisyourfirstname?IamnotgoingtocallyouAgentHsuduringthisentiretrip.It’snottheeasiestsurnametopronounceeither,”hejoked.
“AtnightthecityesalivelikeaChristmastree,”shesaidignoringhisattempttobeefamiliar.Maybehewasbeingtooforward.TherewasawholeloadofChineseetiquettethatheneededtorelearnquickly.
“Hey,didn’tmeantobesoforwardandwaskiddingaboutthename.”
“WellifyoumustknowMr.Caldwell,thenameisMeiLin.HsuMeiLin.”Sheraisedhervisorandturnedaround.ForthefirsttimeCaldwellgotagoodlookatherface.Healmostfelloffthehoverbykewithshock.
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