Tang shrugged. "As you said, Pau killed them."

"But you ordered the murder of the pilot."

Tang said nothing.

"You have no conception of what troubles China."

"But I do. This nation needs a firm hand."

He shook his head. "You are a lunatic."

His fate seemed sealed.

And more gunfire from the mountains signaled that Malone and Vitt were likewise in deep trouble.

Ca.s.siopeia felt the boards beneath her feet vibrate from the rush of water. Malone had gone across first, saying that if the bridge held him it would surely hold her. The extra weight had also broken the rhythm, reducing the nerve-racking sway. They were now suspended in open air, halfway across, with zero cover, moving from shadows to sunlight. She spotted a trail on the far side, leading across loose gravel into more trees. A figure, maybe five meters high, carved in the rock face beyond the trail-a Buddhist image-told her they were in the right place.

"This bridge has seen better days," she said as Malone turned back toward her.

"I hope it has at least one more left."

She gripped the twisted ropes that held the span aloft, forming a makeshift railing. No sign of any pursuers. But a new sound rose over the rushing water. Deep ba.s.s tones. Far off, but growing louder.

She caught the first glimpse of a shadow on a rock wall, maybe two kilometers away, where the gorge they were crossing met another running perpendicular. The distant shadow grew, then was replaced with the distinct shape of a helicopter.

And it wasn't a transport. An attack aircraft, equipped with cannons and missiles.

"That's not here to help," she said.

Then she knew. The soldiers had herded them to this spot.

The pilot started firing.

Tang heard the rapid burst of cannon fire and knew what was happening. The Pakistanis had used one of their Cobras. He'd told them that an aerial intrusion into the mountains would not, at least this time, be viewed unfavorably. On the contrary, he wanted the task done right and thought the bridge might offer the perfect venue. He could only hope that Viktor had teamed with Malone and Vitt, and all three were crossing.

If not, the soldiers could finish the job.

"I will be the next premier of this nation," he said to Ni. "China will retake its superior place in the world. We will also retake Taiwan, the southern lands, Mongolia, even Korea. We shall be whole again."

"That kind of stupidity is what has brought us to where we are now."

"And you are the brilliant leader who can save us? You could not even see that you were being manipulated. You are fatally nave."

"And the world will simply sit by and allow you to do as you please?"

"That's the interesting part. You see, knowing that oil is infinite comes with a great advantage. Keep that information close, use it wisely, and we can orchestrate the collapse of more than one foreign power. The world fights over oil as children fight over sweets. They battle one another both physically and economically to satisfy their needs. All we have to do is direct the fight." He shook his head. "The armies of the world will not be a problem for China. You see, Minister, a single piece of knowledge can be more powerful than a hundred nuclear weapons."

He motioned for the door.

"Now, before you leave this world, the master thought you might like to see something. Actually, he thinks we both will find it of interest, since it is something I have not seen, either."

"Then by all means. Let's see what the Hegemon wants to show us."

Ca.s.siopeia dove belly-first to the bridge boards, staring past her feet at Cotton as a steady procession of cannon fire came their way. The helicopter roared toward them, its blades slicing through the limpid air. Rounds found the bridge, ripping wood and rope with a savage fury.

Anger filled her eyes and she found her gun, came to her knees, and fired at the copter's canopy. But the d.a.m.n thing was surely armor-plated and moving with the speed of a hummingbird.

"Get the h.e.l.l down," he yelled.

Another burst of cannon fire annihilated the bridge between them. One moment the wood-and-rope construction existed, the next it was gone in a cloud of debris. She realized the entire span was about to collapse.

He sprang to his feet.

No way he could get to her, so he wisely tried to negotiate the final six meters on his side of the divide, clinging to the ropes as the bridge dropped away beneath their feet.

The helicopter zoomed past, toward the opposite end of the gorge.

She grasped the ropes, too, and as the bridge separated, each half swinging toward different sides of the gorge, she clung tight and flew through the air.

Her body slammed into rock, rebounded, then settled.

She held on tight and risked a look to the other side. Slowly, Cotton was pulling himself upward, negotiating the remaining few meters to the top.

Rushing water and the thump of chopper blades filled her ears.

Another look across the gorge and Cotton had found the top, standing now, staring at her. She clung with both hands to the other half of the bridge as it dangled against the tawny face of the gorge. Clattering scree prevented any foothold.

The helicopter executed a tight turn within the gorge, arching upward, and began another run their way.

"Can you climb?" he screamed over the noise.

She shook her head.

"Do it," he yelled.

She craned her neck his way. "Get out of here."

"Not without you."

The Cobra was little more than a kilometer away. Its cannon would start firing any second.

"Climb," he screamed.

She pulled herself up, but the next handful of hemp she grabbed gave way.

She plunged downward.

Into the rushing river.

SEVENTY-SIX.

Ni followed Tang through the complex of buildings. Galleries of red and yellow connected the various wings. Ornate pillars, their golden decoration uneffaced by time, held the high ceilings aloft. Incense burners and braziers warmed the halls. Finally, they entered a cavernous three-storied chamber.

"This is the Hall for the Preservation of Harmony," Tang said. "The most sacred site for the Ba."

It was different from the other buildings, even more elaborate, with alternating red and yellow galleries up three levels. A forest of pillars spanned its perimeter on three sides, with graceful arches in between. An a.r.s.enal of swords, knives, lances, bows, and shields decorated the ground level along the edges, and half a dozen copper braziers blazed with glowing charcoals.

Sunlight seeped from windows in the upper galleries. At the far end, on a raised terrace, the wall, reaching up thirty meters, comprised hundreds of diagonal bins br.i.m.m.i.n.g with scrolls. Silver lamps dotted the remaining three walls between the levels, but remained unlit. Light came from electric lanterns dangling from the ceiling.

"Inside those shelves is the acc.u.mulation of our knowledge, written on silk, preserved for the Hegemon to consult," Tang said. "Not translations or secondhand accounts. The actual words."

"Apparently, the Ba is well financed," he said.

"Though we are ancient in origin, we are recent in reincarnation. The eunuchs from the time of the last emperor, in the early part of the 20th century, ensured that we were properly endowed. Mao tried to appease them, but many brought their wealth here."

"Mao hated eunuchs."

"That he did. But they hated him more."

"It's a shame I won't live to see you fail."

"I don't plan to fail."

"No fanatic ever does."

Tang stepped close. "You lost the battle, Minister. That's what history will record. Just as the Gang of Four lost their battle. Several of them died from the effort, as well."

Behind Tang, on the far side, a section of the towering wall hung open, the panel cleverly concealed among the shelves.

Pau Wen emerged from the doorway that the panel revealed.

"Ministers," Pau called out. "Please, come."

Ni saw that Tang did not appreciate the interruption, so he decided to twist the knife. "Your master calls."

Tang glared at him. "That is precisely what is wrong with China. It has forgotten fear and respect. I plan to reacquaint the nation with both."

"You may find it difficult, keeping a billion and a half people afraid."

"It has been done before. It can be done again."

"Qin Shi? Our glorious First Emperor? He barely ruled twelve years, and his empire disintegrated at his death." He paused. "Thanks to a scheming eunuch."

Tang seemed unfazed. "I will not make the same mistakes."

They walked in silence across the long hall, perhaps fifty meters in length and half that wide. Short steps led up to a raised floor.

"I was unaware that there existed a door in the wall," Tang said.

Ni caught the irritation in the words.

"Only the Hegemon and a select few brothers know of this chamber," Pau said. "You were not one of those. But I thought now a good time to show you both the Ba's most precious possession."

Malone stared down at the water, spewing between rocks as it bounded down from the mountains.

He waited for her to surface.

But she never did.

He focused on the roaring gush, which surely carried in its formidable current silt and more rock along with a swish of foam. He wanted to leap after her, but realized that was impossible.

He would not survive the fall, either.

He watched, disbelieving.

After all they'd been through the past three days.

She was gone.

On the opposite side of the gorge movement caught his eye. Viktor emerged from the rocks and approached the cliff edge.

Malone's anger boiled to rage. "You sorry b.a.s.t.a.r.d," he yelled. "You set us up. You killed her."

Viktor did not reply. Instead he was hauling up the remnants of the bridge, tying the rope he'd brought to its tattered end.

"Go," Viktor yelled. "Get up there. I'll go after her."

Like h.e.l.l, he thought.

He found his gun.

Viktor tossed the bridge back over the edge. The rope found the water, its end dipped into the churning river. His enemy stared across, as if to say, Are you going to shoot me or let me try to find her?

The helicopter was swooping around for another pa.s.s.

Malone leveled the gun.

Cannon fire roared through the gorge. A deadly hail of heavy-caliber rounds pinged off stone just yards away, approaching in an ever-widening storm.

He dove for cover as the chopper zipped past.