are already imperiled by political unrest and the vicissitudes of the weather.”
“United Bamboo ain’t a philanthropic organization, babe,” Jimmy Cao stated, lapsing into English again. “The motive is profit and profit is the motive. The white serpent of good fortune ought to know that.”
Zhou Zhi slid a slab of a hand into his jacket and brought out a tri-folded brochure. “The Blue Lotus invested in Cryptozoica Enterprises because you presented what seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a large piece of a legitimate and self-perpetuating tourist and pharmaceutical venue. We were fools to expand our base in such a way.”
He slapped the full-color Cryptozoica brochure down on the table in front of Bai Suzhen. She did not so much as glance at it. She knew it by heart—she had actually designed the logo and had final approval over the copy. She had even chosen the color scheme.
Although she understood Zhou Zhi’s issues, she had little sympathy for them. Over the last five years, the White Snake triad had drawn the majority of its profits from legitimate businesses in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney. The Blue Lotus and Ghost Shadow triads still employed the old ruthless Tong tactics of murder-for-hire, extortion, houses of prostitution, gambling dens and drug trafficking.
“The nightclub makes no money,” Lady Hu stated almost sorrowfully. “Nor does the brothel. The housing development produces no rent revenue. Obviously there are no tourists. You hold the mortgage on a very expensive aircraft that does not make flights. We have been patient, but now it’s time to sell everything and get on with our normal business practices.”
Jimmy Cao blew another stream of smoke and said in English, “Cryptozoica, my ass…like we’re the goddamn Disney Corporation or some stupid shit like that. We invest in casinos and whorehouses, not tourist destinations.”
Although it wasn’t easy, Bai Suzhen managed to maintain her composure. “People still live on Little Tamtung. They have no other means of making a living or anywhere else to go. Most of them are refugees from countries devastated by the tsunami. They came to Tamtung to make new lives, working for Cryptozoica Enterprises.”
Zhou Zhi chuckled. “Like the American pilot who got you into this shit in the first place…what do they call him? Tombstone Jack? He sure as hell buried your reputation with United Bamboo.”
For a moment, the world seemed to fall utterly still and silent. To Bai Suzhen, it was as if all the air had been pumped out of the room, leaving only a vacuum.
Voice steady, head held high, her face not betraying the rage that filled her, she said softly, “I will not tolerate disrespect from you, Zhou Zhi.”
“I have my sources of information,” Zhi retorted. “Maybe I don’t know how reliable they are about you and the American, but I know he’s more to you than a business associate.”
“Your sources of information are not only unreliable,” stated Bai, “they are liars. I met Kavanaugh when he flew relief missions after the tsunami. I met many Americans then…many Australians, many Englishmen engaged in the same work. They all came to the White Snake club to see me dance.”
“But you set only one of them up in business,” Lady Hu pointed out.
“Not just me—Howard Flitcroft, too. Kavanaugh showed respect for our triad’s influence in the area by coming to me. He dealt with us honorably and so we entered into an arrangement. It was not personal.”
“Not personal?” echoed Jimmy Cao incredulously. “The man brought you a crazy story about finding an island full of mud that cured diseases and yo u fucking bought into it! The fountain of youth, my dick.”
“ShÎo luō suō!” Lady Hu hissed venomously. “Watch your language!”
Jimmy Cao brayed out a scornful laugh.
“He brought me a story,” replied Bai Suzhen. “And he brought me proof. I saw the material, I read the scientific
“United Bamboo ain’t a philanthropic organization, babe,” Jimmy Cao stated, lapsing into English again. “The motive is profit and profit is the motive. The white serpent of good fortune ought to know that.”
Zhou Zhi slid a slab of a hand into his jacket and brought out a tri-folded brochure. “The Blue Lotus invested in Cryptozoica Enterprises because you presented what seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a large piece of a legitimate and self-perpetuating tourist and pharmaceutical venue. We were fools to expand our base in such a way.”
He slapped the full-color Cryptozoica brochure down on the table in front of Bai Suzhen. She did not so much as glance at it. She knew it by heart—she had actually designed the logo and had final approval over the copy. She had even chosen the color scheme.
Although she understood Zhou Zhi’s issues, she had little sympathy for them. Over the last five years, the White Snake triad had drawn the majority of its profits from legitimate businesses in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney. The Blue Lotus and Ghost Shadow triads still employed the old ruthless Tong tactics of murder-for-hire, extortion, houses of prostitution, gambling dens and drug trafficking.
“The nightclub makes no money,” Lady Hu stated almost sorrowfully. “Nor does the brothel. The housing development produces no rent revenue. Obviously there are no tourists. You hold the mortgage on a very expensive aircraft that does not make flights. We have been patient, but now it’s time to sell everything and get on with our normal business practices.”
Jimmy Cao blew another stream of smoke and said in English, “Cryptozoica, my ass…like we’re the goddamn Disney Corporation or some stupid shit like that. We invest in casinos and whorehouses, not tourist destinations.”
Although it wasn’t easy, Bai Suzhen managed to maintain her composure. “People still live on Little Tamtung. They have no other means of making a living or anywhere else to go. Most of them are refugees from countries devastated by the tsunami. They came to Tamtung to make new lives, working for Cryptozoica Enterprises.”
Zhou Zhi chuckled. “Like the American pilot who got you into this shit in the first place…what do they call him? Tombstone Jack? He sure as hell buried your reputation with United Bamboo.”
For a moment, the world seemed to fall utterly still and silent. To Bai Suzhen, it was as if all the air had been pumped out of the room, leaving only a vacuum.
Voice steady, head held high, her face not betraying the rage that filled her, she said softly, “I will not tolerate disrespect from you, Zhou Zhi.”
“I have my sources of information,” Zhi retorted. “Maybe I don’t know how reliable they are about you and the American, but I know he’s more to you than a business associate.”
“Your sources of information are not only unreliable,” stated Bai, “they are liars. I met Kavanaugh when he flew relief missions after the tsunami. I met many Americans then…many Australians, many Englishmen engaged in the same work. They all came to the White Snake club to see me dance.”
“But you set only one of them up in business,” Lady Hu pointed out.
“Not just me—Howard Flitcroft, too. Kavanaugh showed respect for our triad’s influence in the area by coming to me. He dealt with us honorably and so we entered into an arrangement. It was not personal.”
“Not personal?” echoed Jimmy Cao incredulously. “The man brought you a crazy story about finding an island full of mud that cured diseases and yo u fucking bought into it! The fountain of youth, my dick.”
“ShÎo luō suō!” Lady Hu hissed venomously. “Watch your language!”
Jimmy Cao brayed out a scornful laugh.
“He brought me a story,” replied Bai Suzhen. “And he brought me proof. I saw the material, I read the scientific
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