Black shook his head.
“Well, that’s comforting, I guess,” McCutcheon said. “They at least took me serious and sent someone.”
“Since it looks like the general isn’t here, what else can you tell me about him?” Black asked.
“I know he’s involved in some activities he shouldn’t be, the kind that get you killed if you’re not careful.”
“That should be the least of his concerns,” Black said. “He’s on the run for good reason.”
“All I know is that over the past few weeks, I’ve seen guys here from a local gang that’s known for its involvement in fixing soccer matches. Gambling is a big problem in Hong Kong as you might well imagine. A bunch of retired people with loads of expendable income looking for ways to spend it and do so in a way that’s entertaining.”
“Do you know where these shady characters hang out?” Black asked.
“They’re part of a gang known as Long Zi. From what I’ve heard, they have a place down at the docks. It’s how they get their illegal money in and out of the country. If you ask around, someone will point you in the right direction.”
“I appreciate your help and your continued service to your country,” Black said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to find the general soon and bring him to justice.”
“What did he do, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Black eyed the man carefully. “He’s done enough to warrant some agency sending me halfway across the world to look for him and take him back to Washington.”
“Good luck catching your man.”
Black watched McCutcheon return to his condo and shut the door behind him before a series of six clicks echoed in the hallway, presumably from all the deadbolts he used as a safety measure. While Black didn’t want to admit it, he recognized that he saw a possible glimpse into his future in McCutcheon: old, tired, and paranoid, living in a foreign country and wanting to disappear.
Black dismissed the thought as he eased back into the stairwell and headed toward the docks. McCutcheon might have been old, but his instincts were still sharp as a tack. However, Black wondered why McCutcheon was never mentioned in the official report given to the Phoenix Foundation.
The fifteen-minute walk down the docks gave Black time to think about how he might approach his inquiry into Fortner’s whereabouts. It’d have to be handled delicately, especially since no one even knew Black’s itinerary. Blunt’s orders specified that Black not communicate with the team until Fortner was in custody. And Black didn’t argue, given how likely it was that Fortner had someone at the Pentagon and CIA feeding him information on the agency’s approach to apprehending him. Before leaving for Hong Kong, even the mission prep meeting with Blunt was held offsite just to ensure that someone hadn’t planted an undetectable bug in the conference room.
When Black reached the docks, he asked a couple workers where he might be able to find Long Zi. After several scowls without even a word uttered, Black wondered if should continue his search or set up surveillance on Fortner’s condo instead. Black was almost resigned to a stake out when he was approached by a worker.
“I hear you are looking for Long Zi,” the man said.
Black nodded. “That’s right. Do you know how to find them?”
“They’re not the kind of people you want to deal with. Trust me. You’re better off leaving and keeping your mouth shut if you know what’s best for you.”
“Let’s just say that I don’t know what’s best for me,” Black said. “Could you at least point me in the right direction?”
The man sighed. “If you’re that stupid, just don’t say I didn’t warn you when they’re beating you senseless.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
The man chuckled. “If you say so. Now, if you’re that determined to find Long Zi, they’ll be at dock number seventy-eight. But don’t expect to find anyone there before ten o’clock at night. Because of the nature of what they do, the daylight isn’t the best time for them to conduct their business.”
“Thank you for your help, sir.”
“You may thank me now, but I doubt you’ll thank me later,” the man said before he spun on his heels and walked away.
Black smiled. He couldn’t wait to find Fortner.
* * *
JUST AFTER 10:30 P.M., Black approached Long Zi’s office located at dock number twenty-seven. He gnawed on a toothpick, turning it around in his mouth before knocking on the door. After half a minute, a towering burly man sporting a tank top to show off a variety of tattoos on his rippling biceps answered.
“We’re not available,” the man said as he tried to slam the door.
Black had planted his foot inside.
“You’ll move your foot if you know what’s good for you,” the man said with a snarl.
“Not until you tell me where General Fortner is,” Black said.
“Who?”
“The American general,” Black said. “You know who I’m talking about.”
“No, I don’t. And I’m not going to ask you again to move.”
Black peered behind the man and noticed several tables with stacks of money being counted by various workers. Not a single one of them even looked in Black’s direction, intently focused on their task.
With a swift move, the man punched Black in the stock. However, Black was able to get his hands in a defensive position to soften the blow. Then he unleashed several hits on the man, first up high and then down low. Saving the throat for the final flurry of punches, Black drew back and regretted that he didn’t deliver the hit sooner. The man kicked Black in his knees, sending him staggering backward onto the docks. Black stumbled over a pile of ropes and nearly lost his balance.
Once he regained his footing, Black rocked back and forth before exploding into a sprint toward the man. However, Black never made it as he was blindsided by another one of Long Zi’s gang members.
Black fell to the ground, his face pressed against the wooden planks by the
