WhenOlegKrachevreceivedthemessageaboutthechangeofplan,hebegantoharbordoubtsthathewasdealingwithanamateur.Thewholethingwiththetwo-wayradioshadsuggestedthathiscounterpartwassomeonewhohadnoideawhattheyweredoing.Walkietalkiesusedradiowavesthatcouldeasilybeintercepted,heardorjammedbythepoliceoranyonewithapowerfulscannerandthosewerewidelyavailableintheshopsonNathanRoad.Thedisposablephonethough,suggestedthatwhoeverhewasdealingwithhadusedthetwo-wayradioideaonlytoleadKrachevintobelievingthathewasanamateur.
FromhisKGBdays,Krachevhadknownwheretobuyaguninanymajorcity.HerecalledthatthenearestpointofpurchasewasinChungkingMansions,acrumblingnestofcheaphotels,unhygienicrestaurantsanddodgytailorshops.Itwouldhavetodo.ChungkingMansionsusedtobeaspotonthetouristmap,itscheapacmodationandmyriadvarietyofknock-offretailappealingtoEuropeanbackpackertypeskeentoseeabitofHongKongonthecheapbeforeheadinghomeafterdaysofsmokingpotonthebeachesofThailand.AsChungkingMansions’illegalimmigrantpopulationofIndians,PakistanisandNigeriansgrew,thetouristappealoftheplacehadgraduallyeroded.TheHongKonggovernmenthadmadeseveralattemptsoverthedecadestoteartheplacedownbuttonoavail.TheownerslikedChungkingasitwas.Despiteitscrumblingwalls,drippingairconditionersandleakingpipes,ithadmadethembillionsovertheyearswithverylittlebeingreinvestedintheproperty.Besides,theplaceoccupiedvaluablerealestateonNathanRoad,neartheTsimshatsuiharborfront,landtheywerepreparedtoholdontoatanycostwithouttakingtheriskofredeveloping.
KrachevhadtrawledtheoppressivelyhumidcorridorsofChungkingMansionsscopingoutestablishmentsthathefiguredwouldhaveasidebusinessinarms.HespottedseveralbutdecidedtogowithaPakistanitailorshopcalledSuitYourself.PhotosdisplayedatthefrontoftheshopsuggestedthatseveraldignitarieshadbypassedLondon’sSavilleRowtohaveexquisitesuitsmadebyImranandhissweatshoptailorsatafractionoftheprice.IthadtakenawhileforKrachevtopersuadeoneoftheshop’sattendants,ayounggood-lookingPakistaniwithmoviestareyebrows,thathewasacustomerwhodeservedtheownerImran’spersonalattention.Fifteenminuteslater,KrachevhadavailedhimselfofaChinese-madepistolandsomeroundsatmuchlessthanthepriceofoneofImran’sbusinesssuits.
Krachevwaspleased.Hehadjustprovedthatevensomanyyearsafterthefacthestillknewhowtoplaythegame.Thepistolfelthardandfortingwedgedatthebackofhistrousers,thesmallclusterofbulletsheavyinhispocket.Hewouldnothesitatetouseit.Hisretirementwasatstake.Thequantumchipwouldbehisatallcosts.Lateron,afteralatebutparticularlyfulfillingmealofChickenBhiriani,OnionBhajiandyellowPillafriceatanupscaleIndianrestaurant,KrachevhadpickedupthedisposablephoneattheSundayshopthesellerhadindicated.
Now,hesatinthecoffeeshopinthelobbyofthePeninsulaHotelandwentthroughthevariousscenariosthatcouldoccurthisevening.HewasoccasionallydistractedbyabevyofChinesebeautiesinginandoutofthehotel.Someofthemwereobviouslycallgirls,hereckoned.High-priceprostitutesthatpreyedontheaffluentclientelethatstayedatafivestarhotellikethisone.Oneortwoofthemhadhimthinkingreallyviolentthoughts,hismindexplodingwithimagesofsheetstracedwithredandthesoftwhimperofgirlssubjectedtohisparticularbrandofsex.
Helookedupatoneoftheclocksabovethereceptiondeskandnoddedtohimself.Allhehadtodowaswait.AndOlegKrachevhadbeenwaitingalongtimeforthismoment.
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