precious beyond measure.”
“I’ve never heard of any such find,” Malone said.
“That’s because I resealed the repository. Mao was not interested in manuscripts. The past was unimportant to him, except as it could be used to further his Revolution. Mao was a Legalist, not a Confucian—if you understand the difference.”
“Benevolence versus oppression,” Cassiopeia said.
Pau nodded. “It is a debate China has engaged in for a long time.”
“And which are you?” Malone asked.
“I have served many a Legalist.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“I am for what is best for China. That has always been my concern.”
Still not an answer, so he tried, “Why did you reseal the library?”
“To prevent Mao from destroying what was inside.”
“And what was that?”
“Thoughts that contradicted Mao’s.”
“You’re good at not answering questions.”
Pau smiled. “I intended to return and explore the repository further, but circumstances changed and I was never able. What’s important is what else I found in that repository.”
Malone waited.
“A path into Qin Shi’s tomb.”
TANG WATCHED AS LEV SOKOLOV CONSIDERED WHAT HE’D JUST said. The Russian remained bound to the chair, but the bucket had been removed. The rodents had viciously clawed his skin and blood oozed from nasty- looking wounds.
“You will do as I say?” he asked Sokolov.
Tape remained across the scientist’s mouth, so all he could do was nod.
He pointed to the chest. “You’re going to need antibiotics, and quickly. No way to tell how many diseases you have been exposed to. I suggest you not disappoint me.”
A furious nod of the head signaled that would not happen.
His satellite phone vibrated in his pocket. Any interruption had to be vital, so he checked the display.
Viktor Tomas.
He fled to the hallway outside and answered.
“I have some things to tell you,” Viktor said.
He listened to what was happening in Belgium, then said, “You were right about Cotton Malone. I should have listened.”
“He’s uncontrollable.”
“You don’t like him much, do you?”
“He’s trouble.”
“Are Malone and Vitt with Pau right now?”
“They are.”
This was not part of the plan. “I must know what comes of that meeting. Can you learn that?”
“I’m waiting for the information right now.”
MALONE SAW THAT CASSIOPEIA’S PATIENCE HAD EVAPORATED. He realized that her concern was Sokolov’s son and that they currently had nothing to offer Karl Tang, so he tried asking Pau, “What did you see inside the emperor’s tomb?”
“I can tell you that the reports of plunder were wrong. It was a virgin site. Untouched.”
“And no one was told?” he asked. “Not even your good buddy Mao?”
“The times, Mr. Malone. Those things were not then important. Mao’s Cultural Revolution caused countless amounts of Chinese history to be lost forever. The gangs broke pianists’ hands, burned books and paintings, forced surgeons to clean bathrooms, teachers to wear dunce hats. Mao wanted great disorder so as to achieve a greater order, through him. It was a time when we willingly destroyed our heritage. The terra-cotta army discovery eventually helped change such foolish thinking, but that was a few years off. At the time of my discovery, I chose to keep what I saw to myself.”
“But not anymore,” Cassiopeia added.
“I must return to China—”
“Unnoticed,” Malone said.
Pau nodded. “You have a way. I’m in need. But you have needs, too. Inside Qin’s tomb are hundreds of lamps, filled with oil. I even lit one.”
Their host led them back to the silk map on the opposite side of the room and pointed to its center. “That is Xianyang, Qin’s capital. The First Emperor’s tomb was built here, nearby. If you can get me to Xi’an, I can deliver the oil sample you seek.”
Malone studied the map more closely. He wished he could read the lettering on both its surface and in the surrounding border. “Are these ancient designations?”
Pau nodded.
“If we get you there, can you get back inside Qin’s tomb?” Cassiopeia asked.
“The library repository I located was refound just a few days ago, discovered adjacent to Pit 3 at the terra- cotta museum.”
“Then they found the way into the tomb,” Malone said.
“My reports are that those who found the chamber have been concentrating on the manuscripts. They have not found the entrance, and they will not. I concealed that passage well.”
“How do you know all this?” Malone asked.
“Karl Tang told me, just a short while ago. We spoke on the phone. He mentioned the manuscripts, but nothing about the entrance passage.”
That information piqued his interest.
“And why are you talking to Karl Tang?”
“We were once allies, but not any longer. I must return to China immediately. In return, I’ll show you the entrance to the tomb and provide a lamp filled with oil from the time of Qin Shi.”
“Where’s the dragon lamp?” Cassiopeia asked.
“Minister Ni Yong has taken it back to China. He came here, after you, in search of it, too. Since it’s unimportant, I let him have it.”
“He doesn’t know about the oil?”
Pau shook his head. “I did not tell him.”
“And you’re still not going to tell us why that oil is so important to Karl Tang,” Cassiopeia asked.
“I will. Once I’m in China.”
“Tell me this,” Malone said. “And your seat on the plane is dependent on a really good answer.” He paused. “How were you and Tang once allies?”
“We are both of the
Yes, he had.
He found his cell phone and said, “I need to make a call.”
Pau motioned at the windows and the lit courtyard beyond.
Malone stepped outside and dialed Stephanie. She listened to his report and his request, spoke a moment with Ivan, who was there with her, then said, “We can make it happen. Bring him along.”
“Lot of trust we’re placing here.”
“I know,” she said. “One more thing, Cotton. Robin Hood from the museum, the one who tried to spear Cassiopeia. When they examined the body they discovered something interesting that’s now even more relevant.”
But he already knew. “He was a eunuch, too.”
