XX

The two men occupied exactly the same seats where Jamie and Magda had left the two Russians, but someone had made up the four bunks. They’d also drawn the blinds, leaving the occupants entirely isolated from the outside world.

In this case it wasn’t the physique that made the two men mismatched, but the facial expressions. The intruders appeared to have inherited their DNA from the Buddha. Rounded, plump-cheeked faces sat above dark suits stretched over similarly rounded torsos. Jamie decided instantly that, in the man on the right at least, it would be a fool who assumed that rounded meant chubby or flaccid. He had a flat, lipless mouth, and the unblinking eyes of a cobra stared out from beneath a seaman’s cap of black hair. His hands were clenched in a way that hinted every muscle was ready to explode into the kind of violence you only see in Jackie Chan films. The overall effect was more than chilling. This man had assassin written all over him, and Jamie had a feeling he and Magda might both be dead by now had it not been for the presence of his smiling companion.

In contrast, the second Chinese lay back in his seat with his hands folded across his stomach as if he was in his favourite chair listening to Mozart on the radio. A benevolent smile wreathed his face and his eyes twinkled as if he, and he alone, was privy to the humour of the situation. Jamie saw Magda’s jaw set and before she could make a move he closed the carriage door and steered her to her seat. He had a feeling that as long as the man kept smiling they would be safe, but he had no illusions about how dangerous he could be. It was like sitting opposite a panda with fangs.

‘Jamie, I …’

He laid a hand on her arm. This wasn’t the time for questions. From what he could see, all of Ludmilla and Boris’s luggage was still in place. That made their absence unlikely to be permanent, which he presumed was good news for Jamie and Magda as well as Ludmilla and Boris. Someone had paid them to disappear and that someone was sitting opposite. Now he waited for someone to let them into the secret of why.

At some unseen signal the assassin rose to his feet with his eyes on Magda and nodded towards the door. Jamie felt her bridle and her right fist clenched with the knuckle protruding in a way that suggested she wasn’t going to go quietly. The cheerful man noticed it too and the smile widened. ‘Please, Dr Ross, you will be perfectly safe with Mr Lee, I assure you.’

Her eyes widened at the familiar use of her name. ‘Jamie?’

‘I’m fairly certain these gentlemen don’t mean us any harm, Magda.’

After a moment’s hesitation she nodded and reluctantly followed the assassin into the corridor.

When they were alone, Jamie stared at the man opposite. The Chinese met his expectant gaze with the kind of humour in his eyes you knew would still be present when he put a bullet in you.

‘A remarkable young lady.’ The soft voice was immediately recognizable. ‘Such beauty and such depths of determination. I genuinely fear for Mr Lee’s safety.’ The snub nose twitched as if he’d remembered something distasteful. ‘My apologies for the surprise, Mr Saintclair. But it is always difficult to find somewhere to have a private word on a train, don’t you think?’

‘I’m not sure what we have to talk about, Mr Lim,’ Jamie said carefully. ‘Old acquaintances who turn up unexpectedly can’t always be sure of a warm welcome. Especially when those old acquaintances appear with such increasing and unlikely frequency.’

‘Ah, Mr Lim of fond memory.’ The Chinese chuckled as if his former self no longer existed. ‘It is much too long since your most stimulating, if ultimately frustrating address in Dresden. I assume the other old acquaintance of whom you speak is the dreadful Russian gangster who facilitated your exit from the Lubyanka and introduced you to your highly placed new friend.’ If Mr Lim’s smile had been any wider the top of his head would have fallen off. Jamie opened his mouth to protest, but the other man silenced him with a shake of the head. ‘We — at least I — have no interest in the Russians and their rather uncivilized pursuit of gain. Who would have forecast that Communists would become the greediest of capitalists?’ A twitch of the lips made Jamie wonder if the Russians were the only greedy Communists Mr Lim had in mind. Before he could enquire, the Chinese moved swiftly to the subject that had brought him. ‘My only interest, as it was at our last meeting, is in the most efficient and fruitful exploitation of my country’s resources at home and abroad. For instance, there may be a possibility that the interests of Mr Keith Devlin and myself coincide in certain areas. Would that surprise you?’

Given that Jamie was fairly certain Mr Lim was an official of China’s Ministry of State Security, nothing would surprise him about the man. Nevertheless, Keith Devlin’s name came as a shock. He took time to consider his next words.

‘It’s a little difficult to see how that would be the case.’

‘But why? Mr Devlin has mining interests across the globe. The Chinese government has mining interests across the globe. In certain areas it is true that these interests compete, and we are, shall we say, friendly rivals, but in other regions it is perfectly possible for us to be partners.’ He paused as the train thundered through a long tunnel. Jamie had time to reflect that if this had been a film the lights would have gone out and when they flickered back on again one of them would have added a knife to their list of unwanted accessories. Mr Lim’s smile never faltered. ‘China is the largest consumer of iron ore on the planet, Mr Saintclair, but most of the world’s iron ore deposits lie outside China. For that reason it is essential for us to pursue global partnerships, which we have done successfully for many years. We have interests from the Arctic to the Antarctic and on almost every land mass between.’

‘I thought mining was banned in the polar areas.’

‘Of course,’ Mr Lim nodded gravely, ‘but the ban will be reviewed in 2048. Who knows what will happen then? You would be surprised by the nations who wish to work with us in these areas, but I digress. My point was that it makes sense for Mr Devlin to work with China. Our current greatest need is copper, and the Panguna Mine on Bougainville has the potential to be the world’s largest copper producer. Ideally, we would like to have overall control of the mine, but for political reasons this is currently not possible. Therefore, we see a partnership as the best way forward. We would even be happy for him to retain the rights to the mine’s gold deposits. You see, we would like very much to work with Devlin Metal Resources to see the mine reopened.’

‘I can understand that,’ Jamie conceded. He could also see why Australia and China’s other Pacific neighbours wouldn’t want to see her in control of a massive strategic resource on their doorstep. ‘But I don’t know what it has to do with me. Given your obvious knowledge in other areas, you will know I am employed by Mr Devlin in a purely freelance capacity. My main interest is in the recovery of stolen art, Mr Lim. Not in mining or resources.’

The Oriental huffed. ‘What is art, once it has been created, but a commodity; a resource to be bought and sold? For instance, what if there was a man — perhaps in Germany, perhaps not — who had access to several billion dollars’ worth of artworks stolen during the Second World War? An art dealership specializing in the return of such works would surely be interested in the name of that person, or his location?’

‘That is just speculation, Mr Lim,’ Jamie protested. ‘Pure fantasy. Those rumours have been going the rounds for years.’

‘True, but—’

‘In any case, if such a person existed, why would anyone offer his name to the hardly venerable or even, let us admit, particularly well-esteemed Saintclair Fine Arts?’

‘Perhaps because the not particularly well-esteemed Saintclair Fine Arts has something to trade.’

‘I’m sorry, I can’t see how that would be the case.’ Jamie felt a little like he’d just been pushed into a minefield wearing a blindfold.

‘You are seeking a certain … artefact, for Mr Devlin.’

‘I can’t talk about my commission. I’m sure you understand that, Mr Lim.’

‘Oh, don’t be coy, Mr Saintclair.’ The smile was a grin now. ‘Mr Devlin pays for the world’s best experts to safeguard his communications and his information technology network. But the world’s greatest experts in these fields do not work for corporations, they work for governments. Specifically the governments of the United States, China and the Russian Federation. I see a blink of patriotic outrage that I do not mention the United Kingdom. Surely you are aware that since the Second Gulf War your GCHQ has been nothing but an out-station for America’s National Security Agency? There are even several isolated colonies of United States settlers in your country, working under United States rule of law, paying American taxes and shopping at Walmart. They carry guns on British soil and they pay American prices for their gas. But once more I digress. So Mr Devlin upgrades his communications security, and we, the Americans and the Soviets circumvent it. All of us spy upon our friends and our enemies alike. It is a game, of which Mr Devlin is well aware he is an integral part. You will find the artefact, and Mr Devlin will arrange the exchange, is that not how it works?’ Jamie didn’t trust himself to speak as the Chinese agent’s voice turned serious for the first time in their conversation. ‘But I want you to consider this, Mr Saintclair. What if Mr Devlin’s motives for the Bougainville exchange are not what he wishes you to believe? What if they are not in the interests of, let us call it, the world community? In that situation, possession of the artefact might be embarrassing, or even dangerous.’

‘Now you’re talking in riddles. If you have something to say, why not just say it.’

Lim shook his head solemnly. ‘No, this is something you must work out for yourself. I’m aware you do not trust me, and you are quite right not to do so. In this affair you cannot afford to trust anyone.’ The Chinese stood up in a single fluid movement that was a better illustration of his capabilities than his bulk. ‘Perhaps we will meet again, Mr Saintclair, perhaps not, but bear in mind what I have said. You will come to a fork in the road. Take one road and there will be perils; take the other to find rewards. Only one man can decide.’

The door opened as he reached it, and Mr Lim stepped out past Magda Ross with a polite bow. She ignored him and virtually threw herself into the carriage.

‘What was all that about?’ she demanded.

‘I’m not sure.’ Jamie stared at the closed door. ‘But I doubt if it’s going to make things any easier.’

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