called Tsim Sha Tsui. A five-star property, the Peninsula opened in 1928 and proudly wears its old-world colonial charm.
Past the fleet of fourteen green Rolls-Royce extended-wheelbase Phantoms at the front of the building, past the huge ornate lobby and a short hallway, an elevator whisks patrons to the top of the hotel. Here, the ultramodern and chic Philippe Starck — designed Felix restaurant serves modern European cuisine in front of floor- to-ceiling windows that look out over Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island. A small bar sits at the top of a spiral staircase overlooking the restaurant, and here four Americans sat together in a back corner, sipping bottled beer and looking out over the lights.
Chavez said, “You said this morning that the FastByte situation was complicated. What did you mean by that?”
Yao took a swig of his Tsingtao. “FastByte Twenty-two’s real name is Zha Shu Hai. He’s twenty-four years old. He’s from the mainland, but he moved to the USA as a child and became an American citizen. He was a hacker when he was a kid, but he got a security clearance and was hired by a government contractor to do penetration testing of their systems. He figured how to break in, tried to give the information to China, and then was caught and sent to prison.”
“When did they let him out?”
“They didn’t. He was doing time at a federal correctional institution — that’s minimum security — in California. He was on work release, teaching computer skills to senior citizens, and then one day…
“He split?” asked Chavez.
“Yep. The Feds canvassed his home and all his old known contacts, and he never turned up. Escapees just about always return to their old life, even if it is just making contact with family, but Zha did not. The U.S. Marshals Service came to the conclusion that the Chinese helped get him out of the U.S. and back to the mainland.”
Biery was confused. “This isn’t the mainland.”
“No, it’s not. It’s a surprise that he’s turned up here, but there is one thing even more surprising than that.”
“What’s that?”
“He’s now with the Fourteen-K.”
Chavez cocked his head. “Fourteen-K? The Triads?”
“Exactly.”
Ryan was surprised Ding knew about this organization. He had never heard of 14K. “A gang?”
Chavez said, “Not like a gang in the States. Here, just admitting you are a member is against the law. Isn’t that right, Adam?”
“Yeah. Nobody admits they are Triad in HK. Just being in management will get you fifteen years in jail.”
Ding explained for Ryan and Biery: “There are over two and a half million members of the Triads around the world. The actual name of the organization is San He Hui, the Three Harmonies Society. The Fourteen-K are just one of many offshoots, but they are the most powerful around here these days. There are probably twenty thousand members of Fourteen-K here in Hong Kong alone.”
Adam said, “I’m impressed.”
Chavez waved the compliment away with a hand. “In my business it pays to know who the agitators are when you go into a new territory.”
“So,” Ryan asked, “FastByte Twenty-two is a member?”
“I don’t think he’s a member, but he definitely associates with them.”
“If he isn’t a member of the Triads, what is his relationship with them?” Ryan asked.
“It might be some sort of a protector-protected relationship. A guy like him can print money. He can sit at his computer and then, within a couple of hours, steal the credit card numbers of ten thousand people. The kid is worth his weight in gold as far as his ability to conduct cybercrime, so the Fourteen-K could be watching over him due to his value.”
Chavez said, “How good are the Fourteen-K guys at protecting him?”
“They keep a couple of enforcers around him twenty-four-seven. There are Fourteen-K on him when he goes to work; when he gets off work, they guard his office and they hang outside of his apartment building, too. He does like to go shopping, out to the clubs at night, and he does this primarily in Fourteen-K bars and neighborhoods, and always with goons by his side. I’ve done my best to watch him to see who he moves with, but, as you can see, I am a small operation here. I thought I was doing a good job keeping my distance, but just the other day it became clear they burned me.”
“Any idea how?” Ding asked.
“None at all. One morning he just had more security and they were most definitely hunting for a specific threat. They must have made me the evening before.”
Ding said, “It sounds to me like you need a couple new bodies in your operation to help you watch him.”
Yao raised his eyebrows. “You volunteering?”
“Absolutely.”
Yao asked, “Have you done any surveillance work?”
Ding smiled. “I’ve done a fair bit. Ryan’s helped me out once or twice. He enjoys it.”
Jack nodded. “It’s in my blood, I guess.”
“I imagine it would be.” Ryan still detected a hint of suspicion from Adam Yao. The guy was clearly a dialed- in observationalist. He said, “Just out of curiosity, what sort of surveillance, I mean, other than this situation here, does Hendley Associates get itself involved with?”
Ding said, “Typical business-intelligence stuff. I can’t really go into it.”
Adam seemed to accept this, and then he looked at Gavin Biery.
“Mr. Biery, will you be joining us?”
Chavez answered for him: “Gavin will stay here at the Peninsula and support us.”
Adam Yao reached into his pocket and pulled out his iPhone. He punched up a photo, and then passed the phone around.
“Zha Shu Hai,” Yao said.
His spiked hair, jewelry, and punk rock clothing surprised Ding and Jack. “Not exactly what I expected,” said Ding.
“I was picturing a younger Chinese version of Gavin Biery,” admitted Ryan.
Everyone, Gavin included, laughed.
Yao said, “Lots of hackers in China think they are counterculture rock stars. The truth is, even the civilian ones like Zha usually work for the Chicoms, so they are pretty much the opposite of counterculture.”
Ryan asked, “There’s no way he could be working for the Chicoms, is there?”
Yao shook his head. “Being here in HK and not on the mainland, and moving around under the protection of the Triads, those are two pretty big strikes against the theory that this kid is shilling for the PRC.”
Ryan had to admit that Yao’s logic seemed sound on that point.
With that settled, Yao finished his beer. “Okay, guys. We can pick Zha up when he leaves the Mong Kok Computer Centre tomorrow evening. With three of us, we might catch a break and get some pictures of his contacts.”
Everyone agreed.
“First, though,” said Adam, “we need to do some dry runs through the city, just to get a feel for how we will work together. Why don’t we meet early to do some practice tails for an hour or two?”
“Good idea,” said Ding, then he drained his beer and called for the check.
As the men headed out through the restaurant, a young American dining with an attractive female stood and quickly rushed over toward Jack. Ding put himself between Ryan and the man and held a hand up to stop him.
The diner said, a little too loudly, “Junior?”
“Yeah?”
“Big fan of your dad’s! Great to see you! Man, you’ve grown up.”
“Thanks.” Jack smiled politely. He did not know the man, but Jack’s dad was famous, meaning Jack himself was recognized from time to time.
The guy had been smiling himself, but the small and tough-looking Hispanic man giving him the stink eye had
