The Secret Cardinal by Tom Grace

Author:Tom Grace
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vanguard Press

31

Liu sat in the warden’s office and stared at the tiny fragments clinging to the bottom of his teacup, but the abstract composition revealed no hint of the future. Not that he held any stock in tasseomancy or any other form of divination—he did not believe the future was knowable. Even luck he ascribed not to fate or supernatural whim but to one’s ability to control unfolding events. And Liu’s luck since arriving in Chifeng had been uncharacteristically bad.

The prison was on high alert, the brickyard idled, and the prisoners were locked down in their cells. Fire crews had finally extinguished the blazes at both gates, and mechanics now labored to remove the blackened wreckage and clear a way out.

The prison’s technical staff faced similar difficulties recovering from a crippling attack on the computers that controlled the security and communications network. Unable to establish an encrypted line to Beijing, Liu decided the need to report Yin’s escape far outweighed any potential security concerns, and he risked using his cell phone. The sleek device’s tiny LCD screen displayed two words: No Signal. Until the prison’s physical and electronic links were restored, the facility was quite effectively cut off from the outside world. And every minute that passed put Yin farther out of reach.

Someone rapped sharply at the door.

“Come,” Liu answered, annoyed.

Tang Hui stepped inside, a thin file clasped tightly under his arm. The manager of the prison’s brickyard was a paunchy, middle-aged man with thinning hair matted down by perspiration. Tang’s suit matched the man, gray in color and rumpled.

“You have something to report,” Liu said, more a command than a question.

“Yes, sir. Our phone system should be operational in the next few minutes. Once testing is complete, the line you requested to Beijing will be established. Our security system has been partially restored, and I have staff reviewing feeds from our cameras to see if we have any usable images of Captain Jiao and her accomplices. Also, we have located the file on the prisoner who escaped with Yin.”

“Finally. What took so long? The man was just brought in last night.”

“That was the problem. The paperwork had been processed by the receiving officer but hadn’t yet reached the records department.”

Tang handed the file to Liu. It contained several pages of information about the prisoner—official-looking documentation so perfect it could pass a forensic examination. Yet everything in the file was worthless except for the color photographs and physical description of the man.

Liu studied the two pictures of the prisoner—one head on, the other in profile. The man’s red hair was short, framing an oval face with a slender nose, thin lips, and green eyes. At nearly two meters in height, such a man would stand out in a crowd anywhere in China. The rest of the team that spirited Yin from prison would be far more difficult to spot. As Liu studied the photographs closely, his eyes narrowed with recognition.

The multiline phone on the warden’s desk lit up and emitted a soft electronic purr.

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