Chapter 38

WhenOlegKrachevreceivedthemessageaboutthechangeofplan,hebegantoharbordoubtsthathewasdealingwithanamateur.Thewholethingwiththetwo-wayradioshadsuggestedthathiscounterpartwassomeonewhohadnoideawhattheyweredoing.Walkietalkiesusedradiowavesthatcouldeasilybeintercepted,heardorjammedbythepoliceoranyonewithapowerfulscannerandthosewerewidelyavailableintheshopsonNathanRoad.Thedisposablephonethough,suggestedthatwhoeverhewasdealingwithhadusedthetwo-wayradioideaonlytoleadKrachevintobelievingthathewasanamateur.

FromhisKGBdays,Krachevhadknownwheretobuyaguninanymajorcity.HerecalledthatthenearestpointofpurchasewasinChungkingMansions,acrumblingnestofcheaphotels,unhygienicrestaurantsanddodgytailorshops.Itwouldhavetodo.ChungkingMansionsusedtobeaspotonthetouristmap,itscheapacmodationandmyriadvarietyofknock-offretailappealingtoEuropeanbackpackertypeskeentoseeabitofHongKongonthecheapbeforeheadinghomeafterdaysofsmokingpotonthebeachesofThailand.AsChungkingMansions’illegalimmigrantpopulationofIndians,PakistanisandNigeriansgrew,thetouristappealoftheplacehadgraduallyeroded.TheHongKonggovernmenthadmadeseveralattemptsoverthedecadestoteartheplacedownbuttonoavail.TheownerslikedChungkingasitwas.Despiteitscrumblingwalls,drippingairconditionersandleakingpipes,ithadmadethembillionsovertheyearswithverylittlebeingreinvestedintheproperty.Besides,theplaceoccupiedvaluablerealestateonNathanRoad,neartheTsimshatsuiharborfront,landtheywerepreparedtoholdontoatanycostwithouttakingtheriskofredeveloping.

KrachevhadtrawledtheoppressivelyhumidcorridorsofChungkingMansionsscopingoutestablishmentsthathefiguredwouldhaveasidebusinessinarms.HespottedseveralbutdecidedtogowithaPakistanitailorshopcalledSuitYourself.PhotosdisplayedatthefrontoftheshopsuggestedthatseveraldignitarieshadbypassedLondon’sSavilleRowtohaveexquisitesuitsmadebyImranandhissweatshoptailorsatafractionoftheprice.IthadtakenawhileforKrachevtopersuadeoneoftheshop’sattendants,ayounggood-lookingPakistaniwithmoviestareyebrows,thathewasacustomerwhodeservedtheownerImran’spersonalattention.Fifteenminuteslater,KrachevhadavailedhimselfofaChinese-madepistolandsomeroundsatmuchlessthanthepriceofoneofImran’sbusinesssuits.

Krachevwaspleased.Hehadjustprovedthatevensomanyyearsafterthefacthestillknewhowtoplaythegame.Thepistolfelthardandfortingwedgedatthebackofhistrousers,thesmallclusterofbulletsheavyinhispocket.Hewouldnothesitatetouseit.Hisretirementwasatstake.Thequantumchipwouldbehisatallcosts.Lateron,afteralatebutparticularlyfulfillingmealofChickenBhiriani,OnionBhajiandyellowPillafriceatanupscaleIndianrestaurant,KrachevhadpickedupthedisposablephoneattheSundayshopthesellerhadindicated.

Now,hesatinthecoffeeshopinthelobbyofthePeninsulaHotelandwentthroughthevariousscenariosthatcouldoccurthisevening.HewasoccasionallydistractedbyabevyofChinesebeautiesinginandoutofthehotel.Someofthemwereobviouslycallgirls,hereckoned.High-priceprostitutesthatpreyedontheaffluentclientelethatstayedatafivestarhotellikethisone.Oneortwoofthemhadhimthinkingreallyviolentthoughts,hismindexplodingwithimagesofsheetstracedwithredandthesoftwhimperofgirlssubjectedtohisparticularbrandofsex.

Helookedupatoneoftheclocksabovethereceptiondeskandnoddedtohimself.Allhehadtodowaswait.AndOlegKrachevhadbeenwaitingalongtimeforthismoment.