Necropolis

Jamie stared in wonderment. Even Han Shan-tung looked quietly impressed.
    He reached the top. He climbed off the ladder and stood on the balcony. Nobody spoke. Shan-tung hurried to the side of the room and took a staircase that also led up. Matt waited for him. There was a single wound on his right palm, the result of his false start, but otherwise he was unharmed.
    The Master of the Mountain reached him. He was holding a bandage. He bowed low, then handed it over. "I apologize for questioning you, Matthew," he said — and he sounded completely sincere. 'You are indeed one of the Five, and it is my honor to be able to help you."
    Matt took the bandage and wrapped it round his hand. At the same time, he noticed an altar on the far side of the balcony, hidden from the room below. There were several gold bowls, incense sticks, two crouching Buddhas, and, between them, a jade figure of a young girl, slim with long hair falling in waves around her shoulders.
    "That is Lin Mo," Han Shan-tung said. "It is the answer to the question that you asked me earlier. Lin Mo is the name of a young girl in Chinese legend. She was born in Meizhou, in the eastern Guangdong province. She had the power to forecast the weather. And she grew up to become the goddess of the sea, very important to the sailors who explored these uncharted waters. She is still worshipped in Macao."
    He moved over to the altar and bowed in front of it.
    "This figure is very precious to me," he continued. "It is Ming dynasty. From the seventeenth century. It is said to be a true representation of Lin Mo, copied from an earlier work."
    Matt recognized the face. He remembered the picture he had seen in the newspaper. "It's Scarlett, isn't it?" he said.
    "The girl that you know as Scarlett was also born in Meizhou. It was always our belief that she was the reincarnation of Lin Mo. And it is true, yes, that in appearance the two are identical."

    "So you're going to help us."
    Shan-tung nodded. "You must leave very soon," he said. "Come now with me to my study and we will make the final preparations."
    He led Matt over to the staircase, and the two of them made their way down. Richard and Jamie were waiting for him.
    "That was quite a trick," Richard muttered through clenched teeth.
    Jamie said nothing. He rested a hand briefly on Matt's shoulder. He was glad that it hadn't been him.
    They followed Shan-tung back down the corridor and into a study that also overlooked the garden. It was an austere room with a large desk, a few shelves of books, and little else. His whole manner had changed. He was still in command, a man who was used to being obeyed instantly, but he was being a little quieter about it. Had he really expected Matt to climb the sword ladder? He seemed shaken by what he had seen.
    He took out a map and laid it on his desk. Matt glanced at his watch, wondering how long this would take. It was already ten o'clock.
    "The Old Ones may control the city," Shan-tung said, "but if they have underestimated the size and extent of the Triads, then they have made a fatal mistake. I have a thousand foot soldiers that I can place at your service. If called to do so, they will not hesitate to lay down their lives for you. That is our way.
    The man who commands them is called Lohan. His rank is 438, which we also call Incense Master. He will meet you when you arrive in Hong Kong."
    "How do we know we can trust him?" Richard asked.
    "Very simply, Mr. Cole. He is my eldest son. You will recognize him because his face is scarred." Shantung drew a line with his finger, starting on his left cheek and crossing his mouth. "A man was sent to kill me with a jian, a Chinese sword. Lohan got in his way. If it were not for him, I would be dead. This is where you will meet…"
    His finger stabbed down on the map, at a point close to the waterside.
    "I have a legitimate business delivering fireworks to Kowloon. There is a warehouse next to the Salisbury Road, and it is there you will be taken. Scarlett was also there before she was captured. You don't need to worry — the location is still secure.
    "We are trying to discover where Scarlett is being held prisoner, but so far we've had no luck. It is possible that she is here." He pointed again, this time to a street on the other side of the water. "This is The Nail. It is on Queen Street, and it is the headquarters of the Nightrise Corporation. If the girl is there, Lohan will lead an assault on the building. You will be with