FEARLESS FINN'S MURDEROUS ADVENTURE (43 page)

Uncle Sui continued: “When the Triad Red Pole fighters grabbed the twelve Russian thugs their mouths were still full of food, and they were draped around frightened fifteen year old girls. In an instant, the Red Poles cut off the thugs’ pricks and stuffed them in each other’s mouths…so they all died with another man’s prick between their teeth. Then the girls spat on them, and stabbed the stiletto heels of their shoes into the thugs’ eyes.”

“Such barbarity just might explain why my friend’s breasts were sliced off before she was hung upside down in my feckin’ penthouse,” said Finn, obviously controlling his fury. “I’ve sent for a man who’s experienced in reprisals. We’ll need a surveillance team around the clock, with mobile communications, and three vehicles in Macau. As soon as he gets here I’ll let you know what firearms we need. And no more outside help…however well meaning.”

“Is there’s anything I can do to help?” I asked, feeling more responsible than ever for what’s happened to Susie.

Finn looked me in the eye, reached over the table full of tea cups and uneaten sandwiches, and gently patted me on my outstretched hand. “Vinnie, stop feeling this is any fault of yours. It isn’t….OK? And yes, you can help arrange safe passage to Canada, and transport down to Chicago for two males…should what I’m about to do get all fecked up.” Then he turned to Earl. “The same goes for you. But get busy with those zulubar cheques or whatever…we may need the money. I’m going to hold off on everything else until this thing is over…one way or the other…if you don’t mind. Jaysus, to think I came here for a quiet life.”

As we stood up to leave, Uncle Sui handed me a slip of paper. “Commit that number to memory, and then burn it.” The telephone number is written in a weak hand, probably by someone getting old and shaky…him perhaps.

Earl and I left the hotel and hopped a taxi to the Ritz-Carlton. I’ll have to confront him about how Uncle Angelo knew so much about what was going on in China.

Before I said anything, Earl put his hands up – like in the movies when the baddy with the black hat surrenders to the lawman in the white hat. “Yes Vinnie, Sui-Lin was reporting directly back to your Uncle Angelo…on his instructions. Blame it on too many cooks in the kitchen, or everyone just trying too hard to help. Whatever….But involving the Snakeheads was a monumental screw-up. OK?”

I couldn’t agree more. I’ll fill Finn in on the Sui-Lin Rodriguez situation…and let him decide what to do about her.

HONG KONG

I broke my
own rule by involving myself and the Sun Yat Sun with
gweilos
problems. I have only myself to blame for the mess this is going to create.

Finn Flynn is bringing in a Provisional IRA assassin. Do these
gweilos
think we need their help to eliminate twenty overweight Russians? Finn Flynn has proven himself to be a man with balls; he is smart, discreet and fearless – I know these things for myself. But what of his friend? The IRA has its share of hotheads, men who are out of control and willing to kill innocent people in pursuit of their vain victories. I shall demand to meet this friend before he causes mischief here and brings the meddling authorities down on our heads.

If we deal with the Russians quickly – or I should say, if two IRA men revenge Finn’s loss in a timely manner – the Russian prostitutes will be working the Macau Grand Prix motor race for me. I will offer my fullest assistance and cooperation to Finn and his friend. I will supply the weapons, transport and operatives needed to rid us of the Russians. After all, it would be rude not too. Yes?

Yet, many things puzzle me about the killing of the English woman with the big bosoms. How did the Russians learn of Finn Flynn’s involvement with the Russian child? Even if the Snakeheads talked, how could the Russians locate Finn’s home and kill his lady friend so soon after their associates were executed in Moscow? What if it was not the Russians? Could it have been the blood-crazed Protestants from Finn’s own country, seeking vengeance for something he did to them? This is possible.

I know almost nothing about the English woman, but she was married to Fran Cooke – the journalist who put his nose into a hornets’ nest and got stung. He caused a great many people to lose a great deal of money, and those Malay people are so emotional when they lose a great deal of money. If they are responsible for the English woman’s death, that raises two questions. Why kill her when she was no longer with the meddling journalist? And how did they find her?

The 14K Triad also lost out when Fran Cooke exposed the Clarrion Group and George Han. This brings to mind Finn Flynn’s gambling stockbroker friend, Paul Wills. The 14K took over Paul’s gambling debt, but he could not pay them with cash money. For a time, he was paying with insider information on George Han’s share trades; once Han stopped buying shares, Paul was no longer able to pay anything. The 14K is racking up interest on the debt, and Paul owes them over one million dollars. This puts him in great danger. So, what service does he do for the 14K now?

Something does not smell right, and I have always trusted my nose over anyone’s opinion. I shall not mention my thoughts to Finn, Vincenzo or Earl, but I will look for my own answers. My granddaughter, May-Li, speaks with the son of a 14K Red Pole. I will not approach him directly, but May-Li may request a meeting.

But now, let us pin tails to these Russian dogs. My men tell me that when they are not drinking like greedy fish, eating like pigs, or raping their own women, they like to gamble. Our people in the casinos will report whenever one of the Russians enters the building. And those who frequent the underground gambling dens will be easily found. The Sun Yat Sun controls nine out of ten of these; we allow the 14K to run the other ones, and they do not cater for
gweilos
.

———

I met Nakita Sylvina, the daughter of Vincenzo’s woman. She speaks a few words of Chinese and English. I think she is a bright girl who will grow up to be a credit to her mother. My men will keep mother and daughter safe in the Cheung Chau mansion; it was built as a safe haven for a disreputable man.

This disreputable man made his fortune off the misfortune of others – by loaning money to poor people and forcing them to repay him ten times the amount they borrowed. My Mountain Master predecessor suggested to this man that he invite the Sun Yat Sun to wet our beaks in his pool of prosperity. He foolishly refused, believing that his mansion fortress was beyond our reach.

I was ordered to persuade this dishonourable man to reconsider his decision. I took three Red Pole fighters in a junk and visited him in Cheung Chau. We easily convinced his gatekeeper, a cowardly type, to admit us to the property. When the moneylender refused to listen to reason we wrapped him in the curtains from his windows, carried him to the harbour, and dragged him on board our junk. With the aid of dentists’ tools I persuaded him to sign legal papers transferring his gold at the Po Sang Bank, his savings in the OTB in Sheung Wan, and his mansion in Cheung Chau to a company controlled by the Sun Yat Sun. He also agreed to pay us a monthly due, but then he disappeared.

The Sun Yat Sun took over his outstanding loans and developed his business. We grew it into a legitimate finance company with shares listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This outcome guaranteed my accession to the position of Mountain Master.

Thanks to the foolish man, our Triad has a source of legitimate money, and a mansion on the island – where a Russian mother and daughter may stay in safety. No men alive will convince my gatekeepers to admit them without my knowledge and approval. My gatekeepers would rather die.

———

Finn has requested a very public killing, to send a message back to Moscow not to send replacements to Macau. I will agree to this, but not for the reason he thinks. Once the Russian pimps are dead, the Sun Yat Sun will step in and take control of the girls. I want the girls so frightened that they will accept the protection of the Sun Yat Sun…then, they will be ours.

We will supply Finn Flynn with hand guns, small arms and automatic rifles from an Israeli shipment that went astray on its way to South Africa. I was able to acquire part of the arms shipment in exchange for a consignment of sophisticated electronic equipment that lost its way
en route
from Tokyo, Japan to Silicon Valley in the US.

What could Russians killed by Israeli weapons have to do with the IRA or the Sun Yat Sun? The answer must be ‘nothing at all’.

———

Walking on the bund tonight, I see the first preparations under way for the Macau Grand Prix. It is our equivalent of the Monaco Grand Prix, but with less powerful cars. My people will offer security to the racing teams, the dignitaries from the world of motor racing, and the television crews. Expensive cars and equipment can go missing so easily…if the correct people are not taking care of everything.

The bund is changing. Not so long ago it was pleasant to stroll along the broad half-moon walkway that circles the bay of Macau. Now the bund is almost gone, destroyed by the greedy Hong Kong property developers.

The Portuguese colonists built the bund as a reminder of home. It was somewhere to parade each evening and show off their fine clothing…and to present their daughters to the young civil servants strutting like peacocks in their tight pants and silly hats. It was very formal; there were chaperones, and the young
senhors
were careful not to be too familiar in case they might offend the young ladies’ families.

The same young
senhors
weren’t so respectful, or reserved, when it came to young Chinese girls. Where were their Portuguese manners when they took these children and made them pregnant, compelling them to give birth to half-caste babies wanted by neither the Portuguese nor the Chinese? Beautiful as these children are, they were ugly reminders of rape to the Chinese, and embarrassing mementos to their Portuguese fathers.

I was the first Mountain Master to permit the descendants of these ‘half-and-half’ people to join the Sun Yat Sun. Membership in a Triad gives the Macanese face in the community, and perhaps this is why they are so loyal and obedient. I will pick only from the Eurasian Macanese Red Pole fighters to join Finn Flynn; prying eyes could mistake some of these boys and girls for Europeans.

———

In less than fifteen years Hong Kong and Macau will once again be under the foot of Peking, and Triad societies may not survive under Communist rule. I wish to develop new relationships, and form fresh partnerships, with people of influence in other parts of the world.

My beloved Sun Yat Sun has shown the hand of friendship to the Kurdish people, who will soon control the supply of heroin to Europe. But these are not sophisticated people, and it will be generations before they quell their fervour and settle down to a good life of criminality, influence and wealth.

The American Mafia, however, is an organisation we could do business with right now. Vincenzo is my gateway to the US Mafia. When the Russians are dead he will return to his powerful family – people whose friendship I wish to cultivate. I have shown him the hand of friendship, and I gave him my private telephone number to show respect….I also want him to contact me before trying to enter the Cheung Chau mansion.

LANTAU ISLAND, CHEUNG CHAU ISLAND and TAIPEI

It surprised me
when Uncle Sui gave me a telephone number I can reach him at without going through Eddie. I suppose it’s an honour; maybe he trusts me more than he used to. The whole business of getting Nakita Sylvina out of Moscow probably taught us all a little more about each other.

I called Uncle Sui to ask how I should go about visiting the girls in Cheung Chau. “Vincenzo, I would prefer if you do not make that trip until after the Russians are dealt with. My Red Pole guards are on high alert. They might make a fatal mistake if a
gweilo
were to attempt to enter the grounds.” When Uncle Sui said that I was a little upset, or pissed off, as Finn would say. But I can’t argue with Uncle Sui, especially since he’s the one protecting people he hardly knows. So I agreed to no contact until after the Russians have gone back to Saint Nicholas…or wherever Russian scumbags go when they die.