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The guard was smart enough to know he was in a no…win situation。 He looked up and down the passageway in hope of finding help。 But he was alone。 Slowly； he acted as if his hold was loosening around the woman's neck while his other hand inched toward a gun in a holster at his hip。
Pitt caught the movement and rammed the muzzle of the Colt into the guard's eye。 〃Not a wise gamble； my friend。〃 He smiled pleasantly； his teeth gleaming in the pale light。
The guard gasped in pain； dropped his hold on the woman and clutched both hands to his eye。 〃Oh God； you blinded me！〃
〃No such luck；〃 Pitt said briefly as he yanked the guard into the chamber by the collar。 He didn't have to order the woman； she had already rushed by him and thrown herself into her husband's arms。 〃The worst you can expect is a bloodshot eyeball for a few days。〃
Pitt kicked the big door closed； crouched down and hurriedly removed the guards' revolvers from their holsters。 Then he searched them for concealed weapons。 The guard he'd knocked unconscious carried a small 。32…caliber automatic strapped to his pants belt behind his back； the other had a bowie knife stuffed in one boot。 Then he checked them for size to see which one came closest in height and weight。 They were both considerably shorter； but one nearly matched his chest and waist measurements。
As he began to switch clothes； Pitt spoke to the hushed horde who stared back at him as if he was some kind of deity。 〃Do any of you speak English？〃
Two people made their way toward him。 One was an elderly man with a long white beard； the other an attractive woman in her mid…thirties。 〃My father and I can speak English；〃 she said。 〃We both taught languages at Chungking University。〃
Pitt swept his hand around the chamber。 〃Please tell them to bind and gag these men and hide their bodies as far away from the door as possible； where they can't be easily found。〃
The father and daughter nodded。 〃We understand；〃 he replied。 〃We will also caution them to remain quiet。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Pitt； as he stripped off his wet suit。 〃Am I correct in saying that you have all been treated badly by the smugglers who are extorting you for more money？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered the woman； 〃all you say is true。 We were subjected to unspeakable conditions during the voyage from China。 After we arrived in the United States； we were brought here by the enforcers from Qin Shang Maritime； where we were turned over to an American…Chinese crime syndicate。 It is they who are extorting us for more money by threatening to either kill or force us into indentured slavery if we do not pay。〃
〃Tell them all to take heart；〃 said Pitt solemnly。 〃Help is on the way。〃
He finished dressing； grinning when he noticed that a good three inches of socks showed between the guard's shoes…two sizes too small…and the bottom cuffs of the trousers。 While the guards were dragged to the other end of the chamber and bound； Pitt slipped one revolver and the Colt automatic inside his pants and buttoned the shirt over them。 Next he adjusted the holster containing the second guard's revolver at his side。 Then； with a quick look of encouragement to the poor wretched immigrants； he stepped into the passage； quietly closed the door and locked it。
Twenty feet to the left of the door the passage ended in a tangled mass of old rusty machinery that filled it from floor to ceiling。 Pitt went right and came to a stairway ascending to a corridor that opened onto a series of rooms with huge copper pots that had corroded over the decades until the once…bright metal had changed to a patinated green。
Pitt entered one of what had been the sugar cane cooking rooms and peered through a long row of dusty windows。 Below him was a vast storage and shipping terminal。 A pair of railroad tracks ran between two loading docks before stopping at a concrete barrier。 Broad doors on one end of the floor were spread open to acmodate three freight cars that were being backed down a slope by a diesel…eiectric lootive painted in the blue and orange colors of the Louisiana & Southern Railroad。
Next to the building near the railroad tracks； Pitt could see a parked pair of white stretch limousines； their drivers talking together while watching with interest as the train rolled past。
It became startlingly clear to Pitt that the immigrants he'd just left were about to be loaded on the freight cars。 Acpanied by a growing knot in his stomach； he also observed that the loading docks were manned by nearly a dozen guards。 After seeing all there was to see； he sat down below the window； back to the wall； and considered the situation。
Stopping the smugglers from boarding the immigrants onto the train looked grim。 Stalling them was a tactic that lay open； but what good would delaying the inevitable do？ He might take out four or five of the guards before they recovered from surprise and blasted him； but where were the percentages in that？ There was almost no hope of terminating the departure； but there was a slim chance of bringing it to a standstill； at least for the next few hours。
Pitt removed his small arsenal and studied the two 。357 magnum revolvers； the bowie knife and his steadfast old Colt。 The six…shot revolvers gave him twelve rounds。 Many years ago he had redesigned the grip on the Colt to hold a twelve…shot magazine。 The revolvers were loaded with hollow…point cartridges； excellent for stopping power and producing extreme tissue damage in man and animal； but not efficient for what Pitt had in mind。 His 。45 packed Winchester 185…grain Sil…vertips； which were not as brutal on flesh but had better penetration。 He had twenty…four chances to stop the train's departure。 Only one lucky shot would do it。 The problem was that although he had more than enough killing power； he was woefully short in the metal…piercing department。 His intent was to strike a vital part of the diesel engines and electric generators； shutting down all power to the drive wheels。
Pitt sighed； rose to his knees； took the revolvers in both hands and menced firing； aiming at the louvered sides of the lootive。
JULIA HAD NO IDEA OF HOW LONG SHE HAD BEEN UNCONSCIOUS。 The last thing she remembered was the soft face of a woman； a very beautiful woman； dressed in a red Oriental…silk sheath dress slit up the sides； tearing Julia's blouse from her shoulders。 As the haze lifted she became aware of a fiery； burning sensation that coursed through her body。 She also discovered that her hands and feet were in manacles with chains running around her waist and snaking through the bars of a gate； brutally pulling her arms out of their sockets； leaving her toes barely touching the floor。 The chains were worked tight and looped over the door； making it impossible for her to move even fractionally。
Only the cool； damp air that touched and tingled her bare skin gave her relief from the searing fire flowing in her veins。 She slowly came to realize that her clothes were gone and she was dressed in little else but her bra and panties。
The woman； who looked Eurasian； stared at Julia from a nearby chair。 She sat with her legs curled under her and smiled a catlike smile that sent a shiver running through Julia。 Her hair was shiny black and fell in a long cascade down her back。 Her shoulders were broad； her breasts nicely rounded； her slim
waist neatly merging with trim hips。 She wore makeup with skill and her nails were incredibly long。 But it was her eyes that drew Julia's interest。 The scientific term was heterochro…mia。 One of her eyes was nearly black while the other was a light gray。 The effect was hypnotic。
〃Well？〃 she said sociably。 〃Wele back to reality。〃
〃Who are you？〃
〃My name is May Ching。 I serve the Dragon Triad。〃
〃Not Qin Shang？〃
〃No。〃
〃Not very sporting of you to drug me；〃 Julia whispered angrily； fighting off the internal torment raging inside her body。
〃I suspect you did no less to Lin Wan Chu； the cook on board the Sung Lien Star；〃 said May Ching。 〃Where is she； by the way？〃
〃She's being treated better than I am。〃
May Ching casually lit a cigarette and blew the smoke toward Julia。 〃We had quite a chat； you and I。〃
〃I was interrogated？〃 Julia exclaimed。 〃I don't remember。〃
〃You wouldn't。 The very latest in truth serums。 Not only does it reverse the mind to a child of five； but it makes the body feel as if your blood turned into molten lava。 Between the madness and the agony； no man or woman； regardless of how strong…willed； can refuse honest answers to intimate questions。 By the way； just so you won't feel unduly embarrassed； it was I who undressed and searched you。 Clever hiding places for your little automatic and knife。 Most men wouldn't have thought to look between your legs and inside your biceps。 Being a woman； however； your radio was exactly where I thought it would be。〃
〃You're not Chinese。〃
〃Only on my mother's side；〃 answered May Ching。 〃My father was British。〃
At that moment Ki Wong entered the room with another man whose facial features were also Eurasian。 They both stood in front of Julia； staring at her lewdly。 Wong's sallow skin stretched tautly and contrasted with his panion's suntanned face and neck。 As he stared at her； he seemed to revel in a perverse satisfaction。
〃Excellently done；〃 he informed May Ching。 〃You obtained an incredible supply of information that will be most useful。 Discovering that Miss Lee is working hi cooperation with the Coast Guard； who has our facility under surveillance from across the bayou； has given us the necessary time to remove all immigrants and any evidence of their presence before local authorities and immigration agents can marshal their forces to conduct a raid。〃
〃Fifteen more minutes and all they'll find are abandoned ruins；〃 said the other man。 His eyes were black and vapid； like those of a raccoon。 A scavenger's eyes； bright without warmth。 His hair was long； black and tied in a ponytail that came halfway down his back。 His face portrayed someone who lived high； a party animal； a Las Vegas gambler； a womanizer。 The skin was taut from more than one face…lift。 Nothing done by a surgeon hid the fact that he would never see fifty again。 He was dressed fashionably for a Hollywood lifestyle。
He stepped over to Julia； reached out； took a handful of hair and cruelly pulled her head back until she was staring up at the ceiling。 〃My name is Jack Loo；〃 he said icily。 〃You belong to me。〃
〃I belong to no one；〃 Julia gasped through lips taut from the sudden pain。
〃Not so；〃 said Wong。 〃Qin Shang's orders were to kill you on sight。 But Mr。 Loo made an offer I cannot refuse。 For a tidy sum； I sold you to him。〃
〃You sick beast；〃 Julia flashed at him； fear beginning to spread in her eyes。
〃Do not entirely blame me；〃 Wong said as if wounded。 〃Your future is now in the hands of the Dragon Triad； Qin Shang Maritime's partners in crime； you might say。 We export and the Dragon Triad imports。 We smuggle and sell； they buy； be it drugs； aliens or weapons。 In return； Mr。 Loo； who is their chief executive officer； and his partners provide Qin Shang with stolen luxury automobiles； yachts； consumer goods； high technology； and counterfeit currency； credit cards and government documents for shipment to China。〃
〃A most profitable arrangement for both sides；〃 said Loo； twisting Julia's hair viciously until she screamed。 Then he slapped her hard across the buttocks and began removing the chains。 〃You and I are going for a nice； long ride in my limo。 By the time we reach New Orleans； we'll be on very close terms。〃
〃You will pay；〃 Julia murmured as she was released from the door； her wrists and ankles free of the manacles。 Unable to stand； she sagged into Loo's arms。 〃I am an agent of the United States government。 Kill me and they'll never rest until you're brought to justice。〃
Wong laughed off her threat。 〃You have no one but yourself to blame for your plight。 Qin Shang sent a force of no less than twenty men to track you and Mr。 Pitt down for the purpose of killing you both。 They lost your trail and certainly never expected you to walk through our front door。〃
〃I was stupid。〃
Wong shrugged in agreement。 〃Granted； impulsive behavior is not wh