按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
s in your bladder； however rude and ill…mannered the fornicating dumblehead is！ 〃In a month Black Beard will grant you a holiday；〃 he said with finality。 〃I will see to it。 With your 10；000 profit you can take a passage on a flying machine 。。。 No！ Better to bring her here；〃 he added as though it were a fresh thought。 〃You will bring her here。 You should see Manila and Singapore and Bangkok and visit our captains there。 Yes； bring her here in a month； your 10；000 will pay for the ticket and pay for everyth… 〃
〃No。 I won't。 I won't do it。 And I don't want drug money！ I'll never take drug money and I counsel you to get out of the drug trade immed… 〃
The whole junk was suddenly floodlit。 Everyone was momentarily blinded。 The searchlight was to starboard。
〃Haul to！〃 came the order in English over the loud…hailer； then repeated in Haklo； then in Cantonese。
Wu and Goodweather Poon were the first to react and in a split second they were in motion。 Wu swung the tiller hard to port away from the Marine Police patrol boat and gunned both the engines to full ahead。 Poon had leapt down the gangway to the main deck and now he sliced the cargo line and the wake of bales vanished as the bales sank into the deep。
〃Haul to for boarding！〃 The metallic words ripped through Paul Choy who stood paralyzed with fright。 He watched his father reach into a nearby sea locker and bring out some crumpled PRC peaked soldiers' hats and shove one on。 〃Quick；〃 he ordered； throwing one to him。 Petrified； he obeyed and crammed it onto his head。 Miraculously all the crew were now wearing the same kind of hat and a few were struggling into equally drab and crumpled army tunics。
His heart stopped。 Others were reaching into sea lockers and bringing out PRC army rifles and submachine guns as still others went to the side nearest the police boat and began shouting obscenities。 The boat was sleek and battle gray with a deck gun； two searchlights now and her riding lights on。 She lay a hundred yards to starboard； her engines growling； keeping pace with them easily。 They could see the neat； white…clad sailors and； on the bridge； the peaked British officers' caps。
Four Fingers had a loud…hailer horn now and he went to the side； his hat pulled well down； and he roared； 〃Go fornicate yourselves； barbarians！ Look at our colors！〃 His hand stabbed toward his masthead。 The PRC marine flag fluttered there。 Aft on the stern was a fake Canton PRC registration number。 〃Leave a peaceful patrol alone 。。。 you're in our waters！〃
Poon's face was split into a malevolent grin。 A PRC automatic pistol was in his hands and he stood at the gunnel silhouetted in the light； the cap pulled well down to preclude identification by the binoculars he knew were raking the ship。 His heart was racing too and there was a sick…sweet…sour bile in his mouth。 They were in international waters。 Safety and PRC waters were fifteen minutes away。 He cocked the gun。 Orders were quite clear。 No one was boarding tonight。
〃Haul to！ We're ing aboard！〃
They all saw the patrol boat slow and the cutter splash into the sea and many aboard lost their initial confidence。 Four Fingers squeezed the throttle forward to get the last fraction of power。 He cursed himself for not seeing the police boat or sensing their presence earlier but he knew that they had electronic devices to see in the dark whereas he had to rely on eyes and nose and the sixth sense that so far had kept him and most of his people alive。
It was rare to find a patrol boat so close to Chinese waters。 Even so； the boat was there and though his cargo was gone； there were guns aboard and so was Paul Choy。 Joss！ All gods defecate on that patrol boat！ Goodweather Poon was partially right； he told himself。 The gods will decide if it was wise or not to bring the youth aboard。
〃Go fornicate yourselves！ No foreign devil es aboard a patrol boat of the People's Republic of China！〃 All the crew cheered enthusiastically； adding their obscenities to the din。
〃Haul to！〃
The old man paid no attention。 The junk was headed toward the Pearl River estuary at maximum speed and he and all aboard prayed that there were no PRC patrols nearby。 In the searchlight they could see the cutter with ten armed sailors on an intercept course but it was not fast enough to overtake them。
〃For the last time； haul tooooo！〃
〃For the fornicating last time leave peaceful PRC patrol to their own waters。 。。。〃
Suddenly the patrol's sirens started whoopwhoopwhooping and she seemed to jump forward from the violent thrust of her engines； a high churning wake astern。 The searchlight still kept them centered as she charged ahead and cut across the junk's bow and stayed there； her engines growling malevolently； barring the path to safety。
Paul Choy was still staring at the battle gray； sharp…nosed craft with its deck gun manned and machine guns manned； big； with four times the power they had； the gap closing fast with no room to maneuver。 They could see the uniformed sailors on her deck and the officers on the bridge； radar aerials sweeping。
〃Get your head down；〃 Wu warned Paul Choy who obeyed instantly。 Then Wu ran forward to the bow； Goodweather Poon beside him。 Both had automatic machine guns。
〃Now！〃
Carefully he and his friend sprayed the sea toward the patrol boat that was almost on them； taking extreme care that none of the bullets splashed the deck。 Instantly the searchlight went out and at once； in the blinding darkness； the helmsman put the junk hard to starboard and prayed that Wu had chosen correctly。 The junk slid around the other ship with a few yards leeway as the other craft gunned ahead to get out of the way of the bullets。 The helmsman heaved her back on her course and her dash for safety。
〃Good；〃 Wu muttered； knowing he had gained another hundred yards。 His mind carried the chart of these waters。 Now they were in the gray area between Hong Kong and PRC waters； a few hundred yards from real safety。 In the darkness all on deck had kept their eyes tightly shut。 The moment they felt the searchlight again； they opened their eyes and adjusted more quickly。 The attacker was ahead and to port out of machine gun range but still ahead and still in the way。 Wu smiled grimly。 〃Big Nose Lee！〃 His chief deckhand came promptly； and he handed him the machine gun。 〃Don't use it till I order it and don't hit one of those fornicators！〃
Suddenly the darkness split and the parrang of the deck gun deafened them。 A split second and a vast spout of water burst from the sea near their bow。 Wu was shocked and he shook his fist at the ship。 〃Fornicate you and all your mothers！ Leave us alone or Chairman Mao will sink all Hong Kong！〃
He hurried aft。 〃I'll take the tiller！〃 The helmsman was frightened。 So was Paul Choy； but at the same time he was curiously excited and vastly impressed with the way his father manded and the way everyone aboard reacted with discipline instead of as the motley ragtag bunch of pirates he had imagined them to be。
〃Haul to！〃
Again the gap began closing but the patrol boat kept out of machine gun range and the cutter kept out of range aft。 Stoically Wu held his course。 Another flash then another and parrang parrannng。 Two shells straddled the junk rocking her。
〃Fornicate all mothers；〃 Wu gasped； 〃all gods keep those gunners accurate！〃 He knew that the shots were only to frighten。 His friend the Snake had given him assurances that all patrols were ordered never to hit or sink a fleeing junk carrying PRC colors in case the colors were real； never to forcibly board unless one of their own seamen was killed or wounded。 〃Give them a burst；〃 he called out。
Obediently but with great care； the two men on the bow sprayed the waters。 The searchlight never wavered； but suddenly it went out。
Wu kept his course firm。 Now what？ he asked himself desperately。 Where's that fornicator going？ He searched the darkness； his eyes straining to see the patrol boat and the promontory he knew was nearby。 Then he saw the silhouette to port aft。 She was bearing down fast in a swirling rush to e up alongside with grappling hooks。 Safety was a hundred yards ahead。 If he turned from the new danger he would parallel safety and stay in international waters and then the ship would do the same again and shepherd him into open seas until his ammunition was gone or the dawn came and he was lost。 He dare not make a real battle for he knew British law had a long arm and the killing of one of their seamen was punished with hanging； and no money or high friends would prevent it。 If he held his course the ship could grapple him and he knew how adept and well trained these Cantonese seamen were and how they hated Haklos。
His face split into a grimace。 He waited until the patrol boat was fifty yards astern； ing up very fast； the siren whooping deafeningly； then grimly he turned the tiller into her and prayed the captain was awake。 For a moment the two ships hung in the balance。 Then the patrol boat swung away to avoid the collision； the wash from her props spraying them。 Wu wheeled starboard and slammed all throttles forward even though they were already as far forward as they could go。 A few more yards were gained。
He saw the patrol boat recover quickly。 She roared around in a circle and came back at them on a different tack。 They were just within Chinese waters。 Without hope Four Fingers left the tiller and picked up another submachine gun and sprayed the darkness； the barking thwack thwack thwack and the smell of cordite making his fear more intense。 Abruptly the searchlight splashed him； its light vicious。 He turned his head； blinded； and blinked； keeping his head and cap well down。 When he could see again he pointed the automatic directly at the light and cursed obscenely； frightened that they would grapple him and tow him from safety。 The hot barrel shook as he aimed for the light； his finger on the trigger。 It would be death if he fired and prison if he didn't。 Fear spread through him and throughout his ship。
But the light did not swoop down as he expected。 It remained aft and now he saw her bow wave lessening and her wake waves lessening and his heart began to beat again。 The patrol boat was letting him go。 The Snake had been right！
Shakily he put down the gun。 The loud…hailer was nearby。 He brought it to his mouth。
〃Victory to Chairman Mao！〃 he bellowed with all his might。 〃Stay out of our waters； you fornicating foreign devilllls！〃 The joy…filled words echoed across the waters。 His crew jeered； shaking their fists at the light。 Even Paul Choy was caught up in the excitement and shouted too as they all realized the patrol boat would not venture into Chinese waters。
The searchlight vanished。 When their eyes had adjusted they saw the patrol boat broadside； making hardly any way； her riding lights on now。
〃She'll have us on their radar；〃 Paul Choy muttered in English。
〃Wat？〃
He repeated it in Haklo； using the English word； radar； but explaining it as a magic eye。 Both Poon and Four Fingers knew about radar in principle though they had never seen one。 〃What does that matter？〃 Wu scoffed。 〃Their magic screens or magic eyes won't help them now。 We can lose them easily in the channels near Lan Tao。 There's no evidence against us； no contraband aboard； no nothing！〃
〃What about the guns？〃
〃We can lose them overboard； or we can lose those mad dogs and keep our guns！ Eeeee； Goodweather Poon； when those shells straddled us I thought my anus was jammed shut forever！〃
〃Yes；〃 Poon agreed happily； 〃and when we fired into the darkness at the fornicators 。。。 all gods fornicate！ I've always wanted to use those guns！〃
Wu laughed too until the tears were running down his face。 〃Yes； yes； Old Friend。〃 Then he explained to Paul Choy the strategy that the Snake had worked out for them。 〃Good； heya？〃
〃Who's the Snake？〃 Paul Choy asked。
Wu hesitated； his small eyes glittering。 〃An employee； a police employee you might say； Profitable Choy。〃
〃With the cargo gone the night's not profitable at all；〃 Poon said sourly。
〃Yes；〃 Wu agreed； equally sourly。 He had already promised Venus Poon a diamond ring that he had planned to pay for from tonight's transactions。 Now he would have to dip into his savings； which was against all his principles。 You