Zero Minus Ten

NINE

INTERVIEW WITH A DRAGON

SUNNI APPROACHED LI XU NAN CAUTIOUSLY AND SUBMISSIVELY HANDED him the card. He looked at it and said something to her. She pointed to Bond. Li’s gaze shifted over to him. It was cold and calculating. Bond could see that he could not believe that the Englishman would have the audacity to make contact with him. Li barked an order to one of his thugs. The large man nodded and walked across the dance floor towards Bond.

When he got to Bond’s table, he said, “Mr. Li say you got big nose. But he also say you got big balls. He will talk to you. Come to table.”

Bond followed the man to Li’s table. The other bodyguard held out a chair and Bond sat across from the Cho Kun of the Dragon Wing Society. Li Xu Nan had neatly cut black hair and cold brown eyes. There was a two-inch scar above his left eyebrow, which managed to put years on his baby-faced features. With the appropriate clothing and posture, Li Xu Nan could pass either for a man of forty or a youngster of nineteen. Regardless of his age, he exuded an aura of self-confidence, charisma, and great power.

Bond spoke in Cantonese. “Mr. Li, I am grateful for this opportunity to talk to you.” He imagined that Li Xu Nan probably did not like to speak English.

“Your card says you would like to interview me for a story about Hong Kong businesses and the handover to China,” replied Li in Cantonese. He had a pleasant voice. “I do not usually do this, Mr. Bond. If you were from a British paper I would have you thrown out of the club. But I have some things I would like to say. My name will be kept out of this?”

“Absolutely, if that’s what you prefer,” Bond said. He produced a small notepad and pen from his jacket pocket. “Let’s begin with your business. I know you’re a successful man here, but I’m not totally familiar with everything you do. Can you enlighten me?”

The man lit a cigarette and offered one to Bond who politely refused. Then Li began to talk. He clearly thought carefully about every phrase before he spoke.

“I am a businessman, Mr. Bond. My father, Li Chen Tam, was also a businessman. I inherited most of my enterprises from him. He came to Hong Kong in 1926 as a young boy, a refugee from the civil wars in China at that time. He worked very hard from humble beginnings. His first business was selling dumplings on the street. He fortunately joined forces with colleagues and created his own restaurant. A little later, he and his partners established a currency exchange operation. He got into the entertainment industry in the 1950s, just when Hong Kong became the holiday spot for American GIs fighting the Korean War. It was with the opening of nightclubs and more restaurants that he made his fortune. By the time he died, he was a millionaire.”

“And all of it is yours, now?”

“That is correct.”

“Are you the only son?”

“I am the only son,” Li said.

“And I suppose your son will inherit from you?”

“I am not married.”

Bond scribbled notes as the man spoke. He played the role of journalist well.

“How do you think the changeover will affect your business?” he asked.

“It is difficult to say. There are optimists who believe that things will remain the same. I hate the communists, but I have to retain a positive outlook towards my own future. We all hope that the mainland Chinese will gain a new perspective on Hong Kong once they are in power.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hong Kong is very capitalist. That goes against the very nature of China’s doctrines. At the same time, Hong Kong offers a tremendous opportunity for China. If they allow Hong Kong to continue in its ways, it could be the first step towards democracy in China. China has promised to keep the structure in place for fifty years. What happens after that? Who knows … If they are happy with the wealth that Hong Kong will undoubtedly bring them, I imagine that nothing will change. On the other hand, China may feel that having a westernized, capitalist port is hypocritical. They might think they have lost face and are selling out to the West. They may crush Hong Kong’s capitalism. That would be a terrible thing.”

“But that’s what would cause China to lose face with the rest of the world, don’t you think?” Bond asked.

“Yes, but they may not care. China has not cared much in the past what the rest of the world thought. As for those of us in Hong Kong … Mr. Bond, do you smell the fear outside? It is there if you sniff hard enough. The people of Hong Kong may be going about their business. They may have accepted the inevitable. What happens on July the first cannot be changed. But they are afraid. We all are. We can only hope that China will keep her promise and allow us to continue as we are.”

“Why don’t you leave?”

“My business is here, Mr. Bond. I cannot take my business with me. I must stay and adjust to whatever happens. I am resigned to do that.”

“Do you believe your businesses will be affected?”

“Not at first, certainly. Whether China allows establishments like this to flourish in Hong Kong remains to be seen. If hostess clubs are banned, then I will turn it into a restaurant. But I also believe that China will find it difficult to institute too many changes within the first fifty years.”

“How so?”

“China will learn that societies exist in Hong Kong that go back centuries. They go back much further than communist China. I would imagine there might be new revolutions, more resistance, and more violence. Tienanmen Square was only the first of what might be many pro-democracy demonstrations.”

Bond decided to get to the heart of the matter. “You’re talking about Triads, aren’t you?”

Li Xu Nan smiled slightly. He spoke softly in Chinese to his bodyguard. The Cantonese went very quickly, but Bond caught the word “girl” in the sentence. Had he got Sunni in trouble? The bodyguard got up and went to the bar. “I have ordered you a fresh drink, Mr. Bond, and one for myself.”

“Thank you.”

“Chiang Kai-shek was a Triad member, did you know that?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“I do not know much about Triads, Mr. Bond. I do know that the government of Taiwan was built on the backs of Triads resisting communist rule. Triads came into existence resisting an oppressive regime in China, many, many years ago.”

“So it’s your contention, then, that Triads will become more powerful after the takeover? Aren’t Triads outlawed in China, just as they are in Hong Kong? Don’t you think they will crack down on organized crime?”

The bodyguard came back with the drinks. Li Xu Nan looked uncomfortable. He didn’t like the way the conversation was going. “Organized crime, Mr. Bond? I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Li said.

“Come on, Mr. Li. You know that Triads today are not involved in patriotic activities. They’re criminals.”

“There are some Triads that have lost the honour of their ancestors, that is true, I suppose.”

A strange answer, Bond thought. “I understand that Triads are instrumental in illegally getting people out of Hong Kong.”

“That is probably true,” Li said. “But is that really so bad? The British government has made it virtually impossible for a Hong Kong national to live anywhere else. Britain turned her back on the people who have lived under her rule for a hundred and fifty years. That is outright betrayal. If people want to leave, they should be able to. You speak of losing face. England has lost face with us. What was done may have been honourable towards China—handing back a territory that was rightfully theirs. But not allowing the Hong Kong people an escape route was most dishonourable.”

“Triads are involved with prostitution, too, aren’t they?”

“I wouldn’t know about that.” The man was becoming angry.

“Come come, Mr. Li. I know what goes on here in this very club.”

Li slammed his hand down hard on the table, startling his men. The force of the blow knocked over all the drinks. Bond remained calm.

“What is this?” Li demanded. “Did you come to talk about me and my businesses or about Triads? I know nothing about Triads! Go and talk to the police if you want to know about Triads! I resent the inference that what goes on here in my club has anything to do with a Triad. You have insulted me!”

“Forgive me, Mr. Li,” Bond said. “Please accept my apologies. I merely thought you would have some insight into how these organizations have infiltrated the entertainment industry. I shan’t take up any more of your time.” Bond stood and bowed slightly, with respect. “Mr. Li, I would like to ask you one more question, if I may.”

The Cho Kun of the Dragon Wing Society stared hard at Bond in disbelief. The gweilo had the audacity to continue speaking!

Through his pretence of humility, Bond stared back at Li. Both men knew that their façades had been torn away. The bodyguards were unsure what to do.

Bond finally spoke. “Mr. Li, recently there has been some violence in Hong Kong. Terrorist acts have been committed against British citizens, and one on some visiting officials from Beijing. What is your opinion of the nature of these attacks?”

Li stood slowly, his face flushed with anger. “I know nothing about those attacks. They were unfortunate and tragic. I hesitate to speculate on who might be involved with those incidents. This interview is over. You are lucky that I do not take away that notebook. Mr. Bond, my name had better not appear anywhere in your story.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Li?”

Li leaned forward and whispered in English, his voice laced with menace. “Mr. Bond, I allow you to leave with your life. You are now in my debt. You have your story. Now leave!”

Bond gave a slight bow of his head. “Thank you, Mr. Li.” He stood up and walked away from the table. He walked around the dance floor to the club’s exit. Sunni Pei was walking towards him, carrying a small tray of drinks to a trio of Chinese businessmen. She held out her hand and said a little too loudly, “Thank you for coming. We hope to see you again soon!”

Bond shook her hand and felt a small piece of paper. He palmed it and said, “Thank you, Veronica. I’ll be back.” She smiled nervously, then went on to serve the drinks as Bond left the Zipper. The neon lights from the street were blinding at first after the darkness of the club.

He unfolded the note and read: “Help me! Meet me on the street behind the club in five minutes! Please!”

Bond looked around to see if anyone was watching. He ripped the note into bits and let them scatter on the street, then walked round to the back of the large building. He waited in a small nook in the wall near an employee entrance. In precisely five minutes, Sunni came out of the door. She saw him and rushed to him, her eyes full of fear.

“James!” she said. “They think I told you that Li Xu Nan is Cho Kun of a Triad. This is considered a betrayal.”

“So you are a member of the Triad?”

She nodded. “They will kill me. You don’t understand.”

“No, Sunni, I do understand.”

“Please, can you hide me in your hotel until I can figure out what to do? I beg you!” She was truly frightened.

“Come on,” he said, taking her hand. They rushed out of the alleyway and into the street.