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“Thank you, Ch’ang Hao,” she said. “Your debt to me is fulfilled.”
“I am aware of that. I do not need you to tell me the nature of my obligations. May I
trouble you for transport away from this place?”
“Sure thing, if you promise not to kill me while I’m driving. Let’s get this trunk into the
van.”
Ch’ang Hao helped her lift the steamer trunk in, and then he climbed into the backseat.
Marla got into the driver’s seat in time to hear Cole introduce himself. Ch’ang Hao
introduced himself with his customary courtesy.
“Are you going after the Chinese guy again?” Marla asked, pulling away from the curb
and driving toward the freeway.
“I owe him a debt of pain,” Ch’ang Hao said. “A far greater one than I owe you.”
“I should tell you,” Marla said, “your former master is the one who kidnapped Rondeau.
He demanded that I bring you back to him in exchange for Rondeau’s life.”
Ch’ang Hao considered that. “Do you intend to do as he asks?”
“No. I doubt I could take you against your will even if I wanted to. I just wanted you to
know, your old master might be dead. I had to come get you, and now I’ve got to go
deal with Mutex posthaste, so I sent a friend to rescue Rondeau. Assuming things went
well, he probably had to kill the Chinese guy.”
“No,” Ch’ang Hao said. “My old captor still lives. I would know if he died.”
Marla drove in silence for a while. “Shit,” she said at last. “Shit. That means B failed.
Which means both he and Rondeau are most likely dead.”
“I am sorry for your loss, Marla,” Cole said.
“Rondeau seemed an honorable man,” Ch’ang Hao murmured.
“Yeah,” Marla said. This was more than a personal loss, though. B had told her that
Rondeau was crucial to her success, and that without him, defeat was assured. If there
was ever a time to give up, this was it.
But no. The future wasn’t fixed. There were strong possibilities, yes, and maybe the
odds were astronomically against her without Rondeau, but that didn’t mean she should
give up. When there was only one game in town, that was the game you played, even if
the odds were against you. “I’m sorry, too. But you know who’s going to be really
sorry? Mutex. If I hadn’t had to deal with him, I could have gone to save Rondeau. And
once I turn Mutex into a splatter on the ground, I’m going to help you out, Ch’ang Hao,
and we’re going to kill the Chinese guy together. If that’s all right with you.”
“I respect your wish for vengeance,” Ch’ang Hao said, “and you are welcome to join
me. He is our common enemy. Any outstanding business between us will be dealt with