A Stacked Deck

by S. H. Linden

part 6 of 10

Faust’s Hotel Room

The night was balmy and Faust had opened the glass door that led to the balcony. He was reading a newspaper but the TV was also on. Intermittently he watched the news of the prime minister’s arrival, the world news and sports. A telephone rang and Faust answered in Chinese.

“Yes... ?”

“The boat is ready and in the water, “ Sven said.

“That was fast.”

“We aim to please. Take care of yourself, pal.”

“You do the same, my friend.” Faust hung up the phone and went to the bar. He was starting to make a drink when he heard a light knock on his door. He pulled a gun out from under a magazine and moved quietly to the door. “Who is it?” Faust said in Chinese.

“It’s Mai Ling, Faust. Open up.”

Faust opened the door, but he looked peeved. “How in the hell did you find me?”

“What my father knows, I know.”

Faust let her into the room.

“Bad news, Faust. The CIA knows about the contract.”

“How do you know this?”

“Father has a contact at the CIA. He found out that they’ve brought in two men from America to kill you.”

Faust made a hard laugh and went back to the bar to finish making the drink.

“It’s even worse: The Triads know too,” Mai Ling continued. “Father says they think you are a problem.”

“How do you know all this?”

“Father called me not more than a half-hour ago. He said you are in danger of being killed after the hit. He told me to warn you.”

“Wonderful! Now the next thing I need to hear is that BOFAD’s taking out a newspaper ad in the South China Morning Post saying, I’m doing this because I want to be a martyr!” Faust went to the closet and got his jacket. “I’ve got the see your father. Where is he?”

“He’s in Macau... Club Lisboa. The Triads called a meeting and father went there to relieve their minds about you. He said he told them that you were a professional, and they had nothing to fear about leaks to the police or government officials.”

Faust headed for the door. “Please take me with you,” Mai Ling said.

Faust shook his head, no.

“It would look more natural if you took me there. We could be having a night out...”

Faust hesitated for a moment then agreed. “Okay. But get ready for a bumpy ride.”

* * *

The Night Boat Ride To Macau

The racing boat was on its way to Macau. The sea was calm; Faust was at the wheel and Mai Ling was by his side. Mai Ling sat in silence enjoying the night air, while Faust listened to the boat engine as it hummed its song of high speed and destruction for anything that crossed its path.

“I should have my head examined.” Faust said.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because the Triad meeting was business. If your father had wanted you there, he would’ve taken you.”

“You didn’t mind having me along the other night... “

“Mai Ling, I hope you’re not getting any ideas about the other night? It was just what it was and nothing more.”

Mai Ling turned away from Faust and looked out at the water. She was hurt.

Faust watched her for a while and began to soften up his cold attitude. “All right, goddamn it! To tell you the truth, the evening made me feel uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable? About an evening of love making? Why?”

“Because I felt vulnerable. In my kind of business that can be dangerous. Can you understand that?”

Mai Ling looked disappointed. “Then the whole evening you were just play acting?”

“No. I wanted you,” Faust said, almost sadly. Faust slowed the boat down a bit so that there was less engine noise. He reached out to Mai Ling and gently stroked her hair. But he had a serious look on his face. “Mai Ling, there’s a dark side to me that you don’t see. I’m a dead man that roams the world killing people for money.” Faust made a hard laugh. “It’s a trade my government taught me, except they didn’t expect me to live this long.”

“It makes me sad to hear you say that.”

The island of Macau appeared on the horizon. Its gambling dens and snake temples had brought tourists there for years. Now, the racing boat was taking Mai Ling and Faust for a different reason: was the contract alive or dead?

“You know... I remember you as a kind man, once upon a time,” Mai Ling said sadly, as she tried to straighten her hair that had become wild from the wind.

“Was I? Wars tend to erase the good parts of a man, sometimes.”

“You don’t remember when we were being shelled by the Khmer Rouge, and I started crying because I was scared, and you picked me up and sat me on your knee and made funny faces until I started laughing?”

“I’m sorry... I don’t remember things like that anymore.”

“You said to father, when a shell hit close by: No child should ever be in this position! Send her to Hong Kong so that she can hear a bird sing once in a while!”

“I said that?”

“Yes... “

Mai Ling gave Faust a tender kiss on the cheek. “I suppose you’ve never known that I’ve loved you since that day?”

“Ah... the sweet thoughts of youth.”

“You are making fun of me.”

“I didn’t mean it to sound that way. I’m sorry, Mai Ling.” Mai Ling snuggled up to Faust, but he was ill at ease by her advances.

“Please turn around. Let’s go back to America and get away from all this madness.”

“It’s too late, Mai Ling. The kind of man you want isn’t on this boat.”

“Then change! If not for me, then for your sake... Can’t you see? You’re in a crooked game! The deck is stacked against you!”

“I can’t stop now. I’ve given my word; I’ve taken their money.”

The island of Macau was now straight ahead. Mai Ling grabbed Faust and gave.him a searching look. “It’s the challenge that turns you on, isn’t it? Russian roulette’s your game. You don’t need me, you need the action!”

Faust smiled but didn’t answer.

* * *

A Hong Kong Water Taxi

The water taxi was crowded with eager gamblers. Tony Janeway and Nino La Marca were watching the boat’s wake and enjoying the night air.

“Can you believe we’re working for a spook like Ticky?” Janeway said.

Nino made a stroke across his neck, like Ticky is a dead man.

Janeway chuckled. “Wait until he pays us, will you?”

As the water taxi docked at the Macau pier, the sound of the water taxi’s boat whistle and the gangplank dropping caught their attention. The gambling crowd rushed off the boat and headed for the casinos. Janeway and Nino waited until the crowd was almost gone before they started to get off. But, just as they were leaving the boat, Nino spotted something. It was Faust’s racing boat slowly passing the water taxi and docking in the area where private yachts docked.

Faust jumped out of the boat and tied it off. He helped Mai Ling off the boat and the two of them headed for the casino Club de Lisboa.

Nino pointed to Faust and Mai Ling. He was smiling now about their good luck.

“That bastard... He always knew how to pick women,” Janeway said in an admiring tone of voice.

* * *

Club Casino De Lisboa

Faust was walking quickly, pushing people out of the way as he went deeper into the club.

He grabbed Mai Ling violently and ducked behind a column. “What’s wrong?” Mai Ling said, surprised at Faust’s action.

“We’re being followed.”

“We are... ? How do you know?”

“Because I saw the men that Ticky Snyder hired. They were on the water taxi.”

“How did you know the CIA chief was Ticky Snyder?”

“That’s my business.”

Janeway and Nino entered the casino and looked for Faust and Mai Ling, but the crowd was too thick for a clear view. Finally the crowd eased up and Faust spotted them near a cashier’s cage. “You see that man over there... ? The one in the Hawaiian shirt?

“Yes...”

“His name is Tony Janeway. We were in the same outfit in Nam. He’s not a particularly nice fellow. The other guy standing next to him, in the black shirt... ?” Mai Ling nodded her head. “His name is Nino LaMarca. Crack shot. Tough as nails. Loyal beyond reason.”

A shiver ran through Mai Ling. “La Marca is a good man to have as a friend when you’re in trouble,” Faust said. Then he forced Mai Ling to look at him. “These men are killers, Mai Ling, and they’re out to get me. Go away.”

“Do you think something will happen here?”

“I have to be ready if it does. Now beat it!” Faust pushed her away and started walking deeper into the club.

Mai Ling looked hurt. For a long moment she stared at Faust, trying to figure him out, then shaking her head, she left him and walked to a gaming table.

Faust walked to a cashier and bought a thousand dollars worth of chips. Then he headed for a nearby blackjack table, where he managed to squeeze in and put some chips down. The dealer gave Faust his cards.

With one eye looking at his cards, and the other wandering the big gaming room looking for Janeway and Nino,

Faust started playing blackjack. He was one cool customer. In the meantime Janeway and Nino made their way to a cashier’s window. Janeway laid down five hundred dollars and got back chips. He gave Nino two-fifty, then started scanning the big room. Janeway spotted Faust at the blackjack table and pointed him out to Nino.

“We’ll find Ticky later. Be ready. He may make a scene here.”

Back at the blackjack table, Faust watched Janeway and Nino move to a blackjack table that was directly opposite to where he was playing.

Janeway gave Faust a cold, hard smile.

Faust did the same to Janeway. Eventually, some people blocked their vision.

Faust won a hand and picked up his chips and moved to Janeway’s table. He squeezed in next to him. “I have a feeling we know each other,” Faust said.

“You talking to me, faggot?”

Nino smiled at the line.

“Okay, if that’s how you want it, “Faust said laughing, while staring into Janeway’s eyes.

“How much is Ticky paying you?”

“So you heard. Seven-fifty and lunch money.”

“Chump change. I’ll double it if you lay off me.”

Janeway gave Faust a wry smile, then looked at his cards. “I heard the Rouge caught you, Nino. You come out okay?” Faust asked.

Nino made no response.

“He can’t speak anymore, Brett. They cut his tongue out.”

That bit of news affected Faust. He tried to put his hand on Nino’s shoulder, but Nino backed away and shook his head no.

Janeway slowly put his hand in his jacket pocket. Faust casually put his hand on top of Janeway’s wrist and forced Janeway’s hand to stay in the pocket. It became a strength game and Faust won.

With his other hand Faust pulled out a snub-nosed ‘38, which he hid from the others at the game table and placed it right in the middle of Janeway’s stomach. “Don’t even think about it, Tony. And tell Nino not to think about it, either.”

The two men made eye contact for a long while. They both knew what the other was capable of doing.

Then Faust turned away and casually headed for the back entrance of the casino, using the thick crowd as a shield.

“Once a slick bastard... always a slick bastard,” Janeway said to Nino.

Nino shrugged. In essence he had said “Yes.”

“Come on. Let’s pick up his broad. Maybe she knows where he’s staying.”

Janeway and Nino walked to the table where Mai Ling was now playing blackjack. They squeezed in on either side of her and both gave her winning smiles. The dealer was dealing out hands.

Mai Ling turned to Janeway and smiled wannly. “Would you be so kind as to advise me on this hand?”

“You trust my judgment?,” Janeway said.

“I have the feeling you know how to play the game.”

“Yeah... you’re right. I know how to play the game.”

* * *

In Back of the Casino

People were milling about enjoying the night air. Faust was on the pier and spotted China Chong, Elton Green and George Chang and some of the Triad leaders. They were standing in front of a large yacht. Faust lit a cigarette, making sure that China Chong noticed him. The others, not knowing what Faust looked like, stepped aboard the yacht.

“I’ve changed my mind, feel lucky tonight,” China Chong said to Elton Green. “I’ll take a water taxi back.”

“Let’s hope this operation feels the same way. China, there is no need to see each other again. If you need to get in touch with me, George Chang will be liaison.”

China Chong nodded that he understood. Green motioned for the yacht captain to move the yacht out to sea, and climbed aboard.

When the yacht was heading towards Hong Kong, China Chong came over to Faust and shook his hand.

“Now that the whole world knows about the contract, are there any other problems,” Faust asked.

“Yes. After the hit, the Triads want you dead.”

“I thought so. What did the BOFAD man have to say about that?”

“He said it was up to them. He didn’t care one way or the other.”

“I see. It’s the money that counts, is that it?”

“Sadly, yes. Be careful, Faust. The Triads mean what they say.”

“Well, two can play that game. You better get out of Hong Kong, China. I have a feeling that the stakes have been raised, and I’m calling.

* * *

To be continued...