Emperor Red [antikvár]

GOD OF WAR"First you will see Marshal Kung."Simon was tired and cramped. "Kung?" he repeatedstupidly."Marshal Kung," said Miss Chao. Kung! Named after China's god of war. Kung, the defiant Red Marshal who had told the Russians to go to hell. Now at last the excitement throbbed in Simon's throat. Kung had taken the bait! This Kung who controlled the nuclear switch at Lop-nor, whose rockets could reach across the Pacific to Los Angeles. Kung the one Marshal of China's ten who might soon become the new Chairmanhad finally made contact!EMPEROR REDchapter One"You killed Simon Wingate." The girl in the wet raincoat was quite firm about it."You just accused me of being Wingate."'Take your choice.""If I were this man, then I would not be dead. Therefore nobody killed me. Hence I am not a murderer.""You could destroy yourself now.""In what way? Rope? Knife? I carry no gun."The girl shivered. "Can I take this off?""Of course."She allowed him to slide the coat from her shoulders. He might have noticed the ominous weight in one pocket. Later he would swear he had. Now he was distracted by the fragrance of her body.She said, "This weather's like hot ice.""Hong Kong in Jime . . . very treacherous.""Treachery, surely, is an act of hvmian will and not divine whim?""Mmmm. Can I fix you a drink?""I never drink on duty.""You said this visit was informal."She laughed as if each chuckle might be taken down and used in evidence against her. "You caught me there."He retreated to the kitchen and blew dust from a bottie. "Rye's all I've got. Okay?"Waiting for her answer, the man peered into the bay. A gunboat was shepherding a swarm of junks into the typhoon shelter. Red flags flickered. The wind tore at the shutters."Sorry." He bolted the window. "What was that?"". . . with ginger ale if you have it."She was reflected in the chipped mirror over the sink. The man rinsed the glasses, his thoughts shuttlecocking between1