AttheNewChinaCapitalAirportinBeijing,CaldwellandMeiLinsailedthroughimmigrationwithoutahitchexceptthatanimmigrationofficertookalotofconvincingthattheconsolewasindeedaputer.Caldwellhadtoswitchitonandlogontocyberspacebeforethemanwasconvinced.He’dneverseenanythinglikeitbeforeandmadeapointoftellinghiscolleaguesthatitwastheweirdestandcoolestputerhehaseverseen.MeiLinhadexplainedtoCaldwellthatthefirstthingtheyneededtodoinBeijingwastogettheirhandsonsomeguns.ThiswasnotHongKong.Thingsweregoingtostartgettingdangerous.
“Believemewewon’tgetfarinBeijingwithoutbeingarmed,ifonlytoheightenourpowersofpersuasion.Thegunspeaksauniversallanguage.IfyougetcaughthackinginBeijingoraccessingforbiddenareas,theconsequencescanbedireindeed.Agunmaybeyouronlyhopetogetyourselfoutofyourpredicament,”sheexplained.Sheknewtheperfectplacetogetsomeweapons.Youcouldevenrentthembythehour.
“Perfect,”Caldwellsaid.Hewasnotsurehereallymeantit.
Afteralongtaxiride,mostofitonaspankingnewringroad,theycheckedintotheZhongguancunContinentalHotel,ablackobeliskbanginthecenterofZhongguancun,Beijing’sversionofSiliconValley.MeiLininformedCaldwellthatZhongguancunwasjustashortwalkawayfromTsinghuaUniversity,BeijingUniversityandawholebunchofotherscienceparksatChina’scuttingedgeoftechnology.
EverythinginBeijingwasbuilttogiganticscale,makingCaldwellfeeltotallyLilliputian.Thereweregovernmentbuildingsthatfilledtheentirehorizon,hulkinggreatmonolithsthatwereatoncemodernandtraditional.ThearchitecturewasafreneticfusionofEastandWest–ultra-modernarchitecturewithChinesecharacteristics.Therewerepagoda-likeskyscrapersthatdisappearedintoacidrainclouds.Thecurvedroofsofofficeblocksmodeledonancienttemplesreflectedsunlightinabilliondifferentplaces,shiningtestamentstoNewChina’splaceintheworld.
BeijingtodaywaslikeNewYorkorLondonthreeorfourdecadesago,excepteverythingwasgrander,bigger,gaudier,wackierandcrazier.InLondonorNewYork,corporatelogosdominatedthesky,perchedontopofthosecities’greatestconcreteandglassphallicsymbols.InBeijingcorporatebrandsnotonlycoveredeverything,atnighttheyfilledthepollutedyellowskies.Theentireheavensbecameaflickeringcinemascreenpayinghomagetothecorporatebrands.
MeiLinhadoptedforatwobedroomsuite,sayingthatshedidnotfeelsafeinZhongguancun,thetechnologyWildWestofBeijing,whereawomancouldbedraggedkickingandscreamingthroughthelobbyofafivestarhotelandnobodywouldbataneyelid.Caldwellhadnoplaintsalthoughhewasalittleapprehensiveabouthavinghersoclose.ThecloserMeiLingottohimtheharderitwasgoingtobetoplanhisfutureafterFoulerhadgivenbackwhatwastakenfromhim.TherehadbeenanoddsilenceonthematteroftheirrelationshipbutCaldwellreckonedthatMeiLinprobablyconsidereditallathingofthepast.
Nevertheless,hehadnodoubtinhismindthathe’dfalleninlovewithheralloveragainanddespitehisreservationstherewasnopointindenyingit.Hewonderedwhetherheshouldletherknowatdinnertonighthowhefelt,ifonlytogetitoutoftheway.He’dratherhaveitoutintheopenthanlingering,withsomanyimportantthingsatstake.
SoatdinneroverfusioncuisineCaldwellsaidtheunspoken.
“MeiLin,Ihavesomethingtotellyou.”
“Yes.”
“IthinkIamstillinlovewithyou.Ijustwanttohavethisoutintheopensothatitisnotanissue.Ihaveneverinmylifemetanyonewhomakesmefeelthewayyoudoandthatdayatthebusstopallthoseyearsagostillhauntsme.Yet,IamnotevensureIamcapableofhavingarelationship,evenifyouwereinterested.”
MeiLinsaidnothing.Shejuststaredatherplateandpushedhersalmonsteakwithlobstersauceandblackbeansaroundwithherfork.
“Let’sdrinktoyou,”shesaidshortly,pickingupherwineglass.
“Tous.”
“Tous.”
Therestofdinnerwasspentinsilence.Notanunfortablesilence,yetasilenceallthesame.Caldwellfeltabitstupidforbringingupthattouchysubject,buthealsofeltrelievedthathehadbroughthisfeelingsoutintheopen.Thelastthinghewantedwasthatkindofdistraction.NowhecouldconcentrateonthinkingabouttheTsinghuaproblem.”
“Maybewetakeawalk,”MeiLinsuggested.
“Goodidea,Imayhavehadtoomuchtoeat.”
Theywalkedalongthebrightly-litstreetsofZhongguancun,marvelingatthelights,theholographiclogosofmajorITconcernsdancinginthesky.TheZhongguancunarchitectshadgonecrazyinamachogametoseewhocouldbuildthemostoutrageousbuilding.Caldwellwasparticularlyimpressedbyatwo-towerglassbuildingshapedlikeadollarsignandthesymbolfortheNewChinaYuan.Despitetheblisteringcoldandtheheavinessintheair,CaldwellthoughtBeijingatnightwaseasilythemostromanticcityintheworld,puttingParisandBudapestintheshade.Whenamaninanill-fittingsuitonastreetcornerthrustaruddy-facedChinesebaby,wrappedinasilverblanket,inhisfaceandoffereditforsale,Caldwellchangedhismindaboutthat.
“Whatdoeshemean,fiftythousandNewChinaYuan?He’snotreallyofferingthebabyforsaleishe?”CaldwellaskedMeiLin,lookingbackasthecuteruddyfaceofthebabygrewsmaller,apinkblobinthedistance.
“I’mafraidheis.Probablyaclonedbabystolenfromoneofthenearbyhospitals.Theysellthemtocouplestheyseeonthestreetwithoutchildren.Hemusthavemistakenusforonesuchcouple.”
“Yeah,butonastreetcorner?Yikes!”Caldwellexclaimed,thinkingaboutKat.
“Chinaisacountryofparadoxes,starkextremes.Youshouldknowthat.”
“Iguess.”
“YourparentsspentalotoftimeinBeijing,right?”MeiLin.
“Yes.BesidesXian,itwasmostlyBeijingandHongKongduringtheholidays.Whataboutyou?”
“MyparentsdiedwhenIwasveryyoung.Ineverreallyknewthembutmygrandfathersaidtheywerethemostperfectparentsanyonecouldhopefor.”
“I’msure.Otherwisehowcouldtheyhavehadadaughterlikeyou?”Caldwellconcludedthatthatwaseasilythecorniestlinethathehadeveruttered.MeiLinblushedslightlyandloweredhereyes.Caldwellnoticedthatshehadstraightnaturallylongeyelashes.
“Sowhatistheplanfortomorrow?”Shewasdeliberatelychangingthesubject.
“IthinkwegetourselvessomeweaponsandcheckoutthisTsinghuaplace.IsuggestthatifwecanlocateWangLinorLiJin,he’llprobablyleadusstraighttothelabswherethisputerissitting.”
“ManyoftheDepartmentofComputerScienceandTechnologyclassesareopenlectures.WejustneedtogetanIDonthisWangLinkidandtailhim.LiJinisprobablydead,liketheprofessor.”
“SowhatiftheserverIsawwasphysicallyremovedtoanotherlocation?”
“Don’tyouworryaboutthat.We’llfindoutforsuretomorrow.Ithinkwebetterheadbackandgetsomesleep.We’vegotalongdayaheadofus.”
***
CaldwellandMeiLinenteredthegrubbyZhongguancuncybercafethroughgrime-stainedplasticdoorflaps.Theestablishmentwasinthewindowlessbasementofoneofthelastfewbuildingsinthevicinitythathadn’tfallenvictimtotechnologyindustry-fuelledpropertydevelopment.Therewasnosignage,nothingtoindicatethepresenceoftheestablishment.Theproprietor,alonghairedteenagehippiewithawispymoustache,askedthemwhattheirpleasurewas.Hecouldn’thavebeenmorethanseventeenyearsold.
“Heyman.Howyoudoing?American?Yeah?Noproblem.WegotVRsuitsman,state-of-the-art,totallyimmersiveman.Publicorprivatebooth?Wegotsexsuits,therealdealwithfullbodyimmersion.Betterthantherealthing.WegotX-tacymanfromXyberia.Thelatestversionworkswondersonyourstateofmind.Wegotthebestdigitalstuffman,non-addictive,totallynosideeffects.Justaputersimulatedhighthatwillblowyourmind.”Thewordseruptedfromtheboy’sthinlipsinrapid-firefashion.
“Wearenotinterestedinthat.Wearelookingforsomeshooters,”MeiLinsaid.
“Hey,takeiteasy,”theboysaid,hissharpsingle-liddedeyesdartingaroundthecybercafe.“Thereareeyesandearseverywhere.”
“Wedon’thavetimetomessabout.”
“Hey,Ilikethelady.IamnotsayingIhaveanythingtoofferyoubutfollowme.It’stooloudinhereIcan’thearverywell.”Morefurtiveglancesaroundthehalf-emptycybercafe.Acoupleofpatronswerefastasleepattheirterminals.Theylookedliketheyhadpulledonetoomanyall-nighters,burnedtoomuchmidnightoil.
Theyfollowedhimupanarrowflightofstairsthroughadoorwaywithastainedredvelvetcurtainintoabadly-litroom.AtanymomentCaldwellexpectedtheboytopulloutanoldshoeboxfromoneofthedustycupboardsliningthewalltoonesideoftheroomandofferthemanancientNORINCOfirearm.Insteadtheboy’shanddisappearedintohisshirtpocketandhepulledoutadevicewhichhequicklyranalongtheirbodies.Hecheckedthereadoutonthedevice.
“Unionisteh?Honkiechickeh?JustneedtobesureyouarenotfromtheNewChinaPoliceorthePLA.Can’tbetoocarefulinthistown.Thereareeyesandearseverywhere.”
Thescannerdisappearedintohispocketasquicklyasithadappeared.Hewavedhishandalongasectionofthewall.Themotionwassofastthathisfingerswerejustablur.Adoorsetflushwiththewallslidopen,torevealshelvesofammunitionthatwouldhavemadeasmallcountryproud.
“Stepwithmeintomyboudoir,”theBeijingteenagersaidwithamockbow.Theyfollowedhiminandthewallclosedbehindthem.Whentheboybowed,Caldwellnoticedfromthebackofhisearsthathewaspackingsomeheavydutywetware.ItwasnothinglikethepersonaljukeboximplantsfavoredbythekidsintheUnion,thisthinglookedlikethegrillsonaHarleyDavidson,onlyflesh-colored.
“Coolwareyou’vegotthere,”Caldwellplimented.
“Ohthis,”theboysaid,bothhandsinstinctivelygoingbehindhisears,lovinglymassagingtheroughflesh-coloredgrills.“LatestCybernautfromJapan,madeunderlicensebyGreatWallComputronics.Costafractionofwhatitdoeselsewhere.Thisthingisthebee’sknees.Allthemusic,youneed,allthesoftwareyouwantrightthereinyourhead.Savesyouawholelotofconsoletime.”
Thereweregunsalloverthewalls.Inthemiddleoftheroomwasastackofsteelstorageunitsthatlookedlikeovergrownfilingcabinets.Theboywalkedthroughtheroompullingoutthesesteeltrays.Andinsidehangingonhooksorarrangedinfelt-linedrecesses,heldinplacewithheavy-dutyVelcro,wasallmannerofweaponry,manyofwhichCaldwellhadneverseteyesonbefore.Oneofthemimmediatelycaughthiseye.ItwasthesameweaponthattheYakuzahadusedinThePuzzlebackintheUnion.TheoneAgentJonesandAgentJackmanhadconfiscatedthatmorningintheDocklands.
“Whatisthisone,er,what’syourname?”Caldwellenquired.
“CallmeMozi,”theboysaidmatter-of-factlyashepulledthegunfromitsholdingplace.
“ThisbabyiscalledTheTube.JapaneseimportnamedaftertheundergroundinLondon.Socalledbecausethesetinyself-propelledbulletsarelikemini-rocketswithaspecially-coatedhead.Cangostraightthroughsolidrock,likethetubeinLondon,right?Bulletswilldrillstraightthroughaman’sskull,beforehecanevenblink,withoutslowingabeat.”
“ThatIknow.Myfriendwaskilledbyoneofthese,”Caldwellsaid,moreforhisownbenefitthananything.”
“Isthatthetruth?”wonderedMozialoudasthoughCaldwellhadtoldhimsomefar-fetchedcockandbullstorybuthewasgivinghimthebenefitofthedoubtanyway.“FlavorofthemonthwiththeYakuzaIgather.YourfriendYakbyanychance?”
“Isthatthetruth?”Caldwellrepeated,observingthegunandignoringtheboy’sspotonreferencetotheYakuza.Theweaponconsistedofalongtube,halffiberglass,halfpolymer,withastubbyhand-carvedcrystalstock.Thebullets,allthirty-sixofthem,werehookeduptotheoutsideofthetubebyanintricatelatticeofspringsandcoilsthatseemedtoabidebytheirownlawsofphysics.Theywereencasedwithathincoveringofsturdytranslucentpolymer.Thisgunhadbeenfiredbefore.Thepolymerhadgoneallmilkylikethewindscreenofacaratacarwash.Atthebackofthebulletsweretheseminipropulsionunitslikeyouhaveonascudmissile.CaldwellhandedthegunbacktoMozi.
MeiLinwalkedovertoatrayofdiminutivehandguns.Shepickedupapactpistolwithapolymerframe.Thegunwassmallandalmostdisappearedpletelyinherpalmwhensheclosedit.
“PolymerframeminiGlockpistol,namedafterAustrianentrepreneurGastonGlock.Syntheticpolymerisstrongerthansteel,thetraditionalmaterialforthesethings,butitseighty-sixpercentlighterandthemanufacturerclaimsitisvirtuallyindestructible.Kindoflikethehard-onIusuallywakeupwithinthemorning.Likesaidhard-on,theGlockchangedhandgunhistorybecauseitoperatedonpletelydifferentprinciples,”Moziexpounded.Caldwellcouldswearthekidwasreadingthespecsofsomedatabaseinhishead.
“Haha.OK,whywouldyouremendthis?”MeiLinasked,amusedattheboy’sloosetongue.
“YouarereferringtotheGlockormyhard-on?Oh,Igetit.Glocksoffergreatreliabilityandaccuracy.YoucanchoosedifferenttriggerpullsandthetriggeristheonlythingyouneedtooperatethegunsofolkslikeourUnionfriendherewontblowtheirloadbymistake.Thepullonthisbabyisconsistenteverytimeyousqueezethetrigger.Itslikehavingthesameorgasmeverytime,”Moziexplained,lookingatMeiLinsuggestively.
"Mozi,dude.Canyoucutthedirtystuffout?"Caldwellimplored.Helikedtheboy’ssenseofhumorbutforsomestrangereasonhedidn’tappreciatethefactthatitwasaimedatMeiLin.
"IcancutitoutbutIwont.ThatshowIspeakman.Takeitorleaveit.Besidesthecuteladyfindsitfunny,doesn’tshe?"Moziasked,grinningcheekilyatMeiLin.
“Sure.SoyoureckonweshouldtaketheGlocks?”
“Absolutely.No-brainer,really?Thisthinghasthreeautomaticsafeties.Whenyoupullthetriggerthesafetiessequentiallydisengage,re-engagingautomaticallywhenthetriggerreturnstoitsposition.SomereckontheGlockisthesafestpistolonthemarket,kindoflikesayingDurexisthesafestcondomonthemarket.There’sgottobesometruthtoitbuthowdoyouproveit?”MoziflashedMeiLinanaughtygrin.Caldwelldecidedthattherewasnopointsayinganythingtotheteenager.
“Soundsgood,”MeiLinsaidexaminingtheGlock.
“There’smore.Thetriggersystemisoneofthekillerapplications.Thereisnothingtocock,nohammer,noexternalsafetytodisengage.ThemetalponentsofGlocksusedtobetreatedwithTenifer.MetalfinishedwithTeniferbeesashardasadiamond.ThinkofTeniferasViagraforguns.OfcoursetheseGlocksareall-polymer.Gothroughcustomsvirtuallyundetected,”Mozicontinued,clearlyrelishingthefactthathewasgettingonCaldwell’snerves.Caldwelldidn’tquitelikethelookoftheGlocks.Theideaofactuallyshootingsomeonewithonehadsuddenlylostitsappeal.
“Doyouhaveanysoundguns?”Caldwellenquired.
“Youguysjustfoolingaroundright?ThoughtyouguysweregoingtocausesomeseriousmayheminBeijing?”Moziasked,hiscoolblackeyesjumpingfromCaldwelltoMeiLin.
“Look,doyouhaveasoundgunornot?”Caldwellinsisted.TherewasnowayhewasgoingtokillanyoneinChina.
“Wedon’tdosoundguns.Thoseareforpunk-asswimpsman.Wedon’tdothatshit.”
Caldwellsmiled.Theboyhadalotofspunkandyoucouldn’thelpbutlikehim.
“Berettathen.Somethingsmall,thatcaneasilybeconcealed,”Caldwellconceded.
“Nowwearetalking.WegottheBerettaMiniCougar,apactpistol,NATOqualified,fiberglass-reinforcedtechnopolymer,chrome-platedbarrelblahblah.Notaseasytogetthroughcustomsthoughandnotasidiot-proofastheGlocks.”
“OKwe’lltaketheGlocksthen,”MeiLininterrupted.
“OK,whateveryousay.Yourcall.GastonGlockwouldbepleasedwithyourchoice.”Mozishrugged,grabbedtwoGlocksfromoneofthetraysandrummagedinanothertraybelowforsparemagazines.
“Theseholdfifteenroundseach.Willyoubeneedinganymoreammo?”MoziaskedMeiLin,whotookoneoftheGlocksfromhim.
“Anothersixtyroundswillbefine.Weneedthegunsforforty-eighthours,”MeiLinsaid,expertlyremovingtheemptymagazinefromthehandgunandreplacingitwithaloadedone.Mozieyedhersuspiciously.
“NocandoontheGlocks.Needtopayoutrightforthese.Justtossthemwhenyou’redone.Thehutongkidswillusethemfortargetpracticebeforepoppingtheirparents.”
“Howmuch?”
“Foryouguys190,000NewChinaYuaneach,includingbullets.”
“Willgiveyou80,000NewChinaforboth,includingbullets,”MeiLincountered.
MozibrieflyconsideredMeiLin’sofferbeforebreakingintoasmile.
“Youdriveahardbargain.Canseeyou’vedonebusinesswithusbeforeMs”
“Neveryoumind,”MeiLinsaid.ShecountedouteighttenthousandnotebillsandhandedthemtoMozi.Thenotesdisappearedintothedepthsoftheteenagegundealer’sbomberjacket.MeiLinplacedtheGlocks,thesparemagazinesandthebulletsinherbag.Moziwavedhispalmacrossanothersectionofwallandthedoorslidopen.Hiddensensorsinthewall.
“ImusttellyousomethingMs.,”saidMoziastheyheadedbackdownthenarrowstairsintothebrightlightsandwhitenoiseofthecybercafe.
“What?”
“Youareamightyfinewoman.Icouldteachyouathingortwoaboutlovemaking.”
“Icouldteachyouathingortwoaboutmanners,”MeiLinsaidaffablyastheywalkedoutintothecoldmorningair.Caldwellcouldswearshewasenjoyingtheattention.
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