caldwelndmeilinwerejushreeblocksawayfromheno455miliaryhospiano388huaihairoadheyhadrushedohepeacehoelonhebund,checkedinanddeposiedheirluggagecaldwellhadspenalongimelookingahisfaceinhebahroomwhilemeilinmadesomephonecallshelookedmuchhealhierevenhoughhewasiredhelongedforhefamiliariyofcapsulememoryfoamsomeofhelinesonhisfaceweregoneandhebagsbelowhiseyeshaddiminishedoshadowshealmoslookednormalhehadreurnedoheroomofindmeilincheckingheglocksheyhadboughfromheobnoxiouskidmoziinzhongguancunhawashebeauyofdiplomaicbagsyoucouldbringpracicallyanyhingyouwanedinohecounry,shorofanarmoredank

“dowereallyneedhese?”caldwellhadasked

“le’shopenoye,ifyouarerigh,hisaihasobesoppedaallcosyouhackinohesysemandweransmihehackofoulerheni’supohimyouwouldhavefulfilledyourendofhebargainandyougeyourpasbackhecandecidewhahewansodoahapoinandaggregaeheresourcesodoi,”meilinhadsaidlookingahiminensely

“sure”

inherecenexciemencaldwellhadallbuforgoenabouhahewasverycloseoregaininghawhichhadbeenunfairlyakenawayfromhimandhewasn’anywherenearcuingfouleranysckforwhahehaddoohimcaldwellhoughabouka,allhewaybackhereinlondonheunion,angendwaerloobridgeseemedlikeadisanmemoryhewonderedwhakawasdoingahismomenshehadprobablyspenmosofherimeinglyph’sraileroverdosingonmovies

heywalkedpurposefullydownreelinedhuaihairoadiwascloseomidnighhedeparmensoresandshopshadlongclosedandhedayimecrowdshadhi

edoarickleofmoslyyoungpeopleheadinghomefromedi

ersorkaraokeandnighowlsheadingouforanighonheown

“becarefulinherecadhisisverylikelyarogueoufiofhepwearedealingwihandhey’dprobablysopanohingoproecheirsecre,”meilinsaid,givinghimhafu

ylookagain

“yesyouoo”

“so,wha’shepnofaciononcewegeinhere?”meilinasked

“wesomehowhaveofindhoseserversiamsurewe’llrecognizehemwhenweseehemunlessheyhavesomekindofserverfarmmadeupofidenicalsunmachinesgivenhefachahisissoopsecre,iisverylikelyhaifhereisabackupofheai,iislocaedonheoherserverweneedosomehowgainoperaoraccessoheworkandreyhaofouler”

“youmakeisoundsoeasy”

“ha’sheeasypar,reivelyspeaking”

“heparameershavechangedsomewhasinceweshadalongalk,”meilinsaidseriously

“whadoyoumeanheparameershavechanged?”

“ispokeofoulerbrieflybackahepeacehoelhewansheaicodeandheprocessor”

“wha?”caldwellcouldn’believehisears“youwanusosealfromhep?”

“well,hackingissealinganywayandwewillberespassingonmiliaryproperywhichisjusasbadfoulerreckonshaifwearegoingin,webeergeourhandsonheechnologyasasafeguardincaseanyhinggoeswrongandheaiisreleasedinocyberspace”

“ok,ifwedomanageogeourhandsoni,howdowespiriheprocessorandheaiouofhecounry?”

“leavehaome,”meilinsaidwihawink

heywerealmoshereheycouldseehegaesono388upahead

“ok,wewalkpascasuallyandryoseeifhereareanypguardsonduymyguessishepcewouldbecrawlingwihpbuheywon’bevisiblefromhesreehere’sasouhernsylemansiononhegroundsnofarfromhehospialbuildingsweenerhepoundfrombehindhemansionhereisabackdoor,ifirememberhepnfromhesearchcorreclyiwouldhavelikedocasehejoininmoredeailbuwemayalreadybeooe”

caldwellwasamazedahowefforlesslymeilinwasableoswichfromcharmingyoungwomanoseelyresolvedprofessionalshehadimedhebombshelbousealingheai’sprocessorandiscodeperfecly,informinghimjuswhenhewassoclosehahecouldalmosseeheendshewasjusdoingherjob,hehoughhejuswanedogeouofhepoundalive,oliveoseeanoherdayandohavehisfifeenminueswihfouleraferwardshefachaeiherofhemcouldbedeadinamaerofminueswasnolosonhimherecalledka’swarninghe’sprobablygraningyouyourdyingwish

“ihaveanoheridea,”meilinsaidlookingaheperimeerwallsurroundinghehospial“hopeyouarenoscaredofheighs”

“noreallywhadoyouhaveinmind?”

“ilooksquiedarkinhepoundhereisnoalooflighbeingemiedfrominsideireckonwecangainaccessohewallfromhakvbuildingoverherewihlesschanceofdeecionheymaybemonioringallheenrancesfromheinsidebuheycan’monioreverysecionofhewalndheyareworkinginhedark”

“soundslikeapn”

meilindraggedcaldwellinohelobbyofanearbybuildinghareadkvingianpurplecharacersasmallcrowdofsylishlydressedyoungpeoplesaaroundonimpossiblelookingdesignerchairswaiingforheirnumbersobecallediappearedhahekaraokewasfullmeilinwasleadinghimuphesairsohekaraokeroomswhenabowiedwaierriedosophem

“hekaraokeisfullyouhaveoakeanumber,”hebowiedwaiershouedaferhem

“wealreadyhavearoomasshole,”meilinsaidwihfeignedarroganceandconinuedpullingcaldwelferherhewaierwasusedosuchouburssofrudenessfromhekv’sdrunkenclieneleanddecidedolehemaerres

heywalkeduphecarpeedsairwayohesecondfloorandcorridorsofseel,designedandlighedoresemblesomehighechfabricaionunihediscordansoundsofpeoplewarblingoverloudmandarinandcanonesepopmusicsurroundedhemherewereafewsmarlydressedpeopleinhecorridorsalkingonmobilephonesasmalrmyofwaiershoveredaround,waiingforheoccupanswihinheroomsoordermoredrinks,food,pyingdiceorwhaeverelsepeopleakaraokefelacravingforhereseemedobeadiscoonheflooraboveascaldwellcouldhearheavybasspoundinghroughheceiling

meilinpulledcaldwellinohedieswashroombeforehecouldproesfashionablydressedshanghaigirlsaendedoheirmakeupinfronofgianmirrors,whileoherswashedheirhandsoradjusedheirminiskirsbeforecaldwellcouldaverhiseyeshecaughsighofagirlsquaingdowninahalfopencubicledoingherbusiness

“whahehell?”afemalevoiceproesedbehindhem

“givemeabreakhaven’hadashaginwelvemonhs,”meilinrepliedasshedraggedcaldwellinoanempycubicleandlockedhedoor

“wayogogirl,”anohervoiceencouraged

meilinboledhecubicledoorshuandopenedheoilewindowacoolbreezeblewinohecubicle,washingovercaldwell’sfacehepeeredouofhewindodipidaedmansionsoodnearbyherewerelighsoninheopfloorwindowsandcaldwellhoughhesawheadsmovingabouabousixfeebelowhecouldjusmakeouheopofheperimeerwallcaldwellcouldswearhesawarawihahumanearaachedoisbackscurryalonghewalnddisappearinohedarkness

“howdidyouknowhahiscubicleonhisflooroverlookedhepound?”caldwelsked,impressed

“whenyou’vesakedouasmanybuildingsasihave,especiallyinhighrisehongkong,youdevelopaninsincforbuildingpns”

“ifyousayso,”caldwellconceded

hehospialpoundwasdarkexcepforhelighsfromhemansionwindowsherewasamuchbiggercluserofbuildingsafewhundredmeersawayheopfloorofhergesofhemalsohadlighsonbuheycouldbarelybemadeoumeilinfumbledinherrucksackforapairofbinocurssherainedhemonhehouse

“here’saciviyinoneofheupsairsroomsuniformedpherearepparolsinhegroundsi’sdarkbuyoucanjusaboumakehemou,maybeabouwelveorsoheirlevelofalernesssuggessheyareexpecingpany,”meilininformedhimmaeroffaclyherewasamoioninhewashroomasagroupofgirlsspeakingheshanghaidialeccameingigglinghysericallycaldwellcouldcachonlyafewwordsandhawasbecausehey’dobviouslyhadonedrinkoomanyandwerespeakingahighdecibel

“ishagoodorbad?”heasked

“weshouldbeableohandleihereisablindspobehindhehouseheyseemobefocusingheiraenionsonheareasaroundhegaeshere’sabunchofmiliary4x4sinfronofhehousei’dwagerha’swereheserversare,inhemansionhere’saheavyseoldermaninhere”

“hemajorgeneral?”

“couldwellbeokle’sgowai”

“wha?”

“heyareleaving”

“leaving?”

“yes,someofhemaleasakealook”meilinhandedhebinocursoverocaldwellwhorainedhemonhemansion

“yes,iseehem”hehadhebinocursaimedahefronofhemansionhalfaminueeragroupofabouenmenwalkedouhefrondoorinseadofclimbinginohe4x4s,heymovedsraighpashevehiclesowardshemaingroupofhospialbuildingssomeofhepmenwerecarryingweapons

“heyarenoleavingheyareheadingoheoherbuilding”caldwellkephebinocursonhepmenhecouldseeheheavyseoldermanhewassmokingacigaree,heglowingendofwhichwasdancinginhedarknessheauhoriyofhiswalk,heeboraemiliaryuniformwihhedecoraedepauleesandhewayheohermensurroundedhimsuggesedhaheprobablywashemajorgeneralheponhepnehadbeenalkingaboumajorgeneralwang

herewerefourmenwalkinginfronofhemajorgeneralbucaldwellcouldn’makehemouproperlywoofhemlookedlikeheywerelimpinghenheighformaionofhegroupdispersedalileandcaldwellrealizedhahreeofhemenwerenowearingmiliaryuniformaallheywerebeingheld,orraherpushedalong,bywouniformedpheywerewearingbusinesssuis

“ohmygod!”

“wha?”

“hejapanesehey’vebeencapuredbyhepicanrecognizehosewoanywhere”caldwellhandedhebinocursbackomeilin

“shi,heyaregoingobekilledle’smove”meilinsaid,pcinghebinocursinherrucksacksheslippedbackwardshroughheopenwindow,suspendedherbodyonhewindowsilndjumpedonoheperimeerwall,crouchinglikeacashesignaledforcaldwellofollowhewenhroughlegsfirs,usingheoile’sflushankforsupporcaldwellfelmeilin’shandsgrasphislegsandhelehimselffall,rusingherhewasonheperimeernexohershepausedandwaiedherewasnohingbusilenceheyhadn’beenspoedmeilinsaredcrawlingalongheperimeerowardshebackofhemansion

afewminueserheycouldalmoslookhroughheupsairsfrenchwindowsofhemansionherewereacoupleofpinherewihheirbacksohem,workingapuererminalsmeilinjumpeddowninoheundergrowhbehindhehouseandcaldwellfollowedhebackdoorohehousewaslockedmeilinfishedinherpockeandremovedalockpickshesaredpickinghelocksecondser,heywereinsidewhalookedlikeadisusedsorageroomilluminaedbylighfromhefronfoyermeilinpeeredroundhei

erdoorandsignaledhaallwasclearheyemergedinoheempyfoyerabovehemanornaesaircasewihpeelingpainworkcoiledupwards

“weneedobequickhoseguyscouldbebackaanyime,”meilinwhisperedheywalkedgingerlyuphesaircaseoacarpeedndinghedooroheroomheyhadbeenlookinginowasopencaldwellcouldhearhewhirofpuingequipmenbeforehecouldgaherhiswisabouhim,meilinwasalreadyinsidehepeeredinoheroofhemwassiingaaerminalheoherwassandingnearbywihhisbackohem,hisheadpariallycoveredbyavirualrealiydispymeilinwasnowhereobeseencaldwellwasabouorereawhenhesawhegoggledpsuddenlycolpseheoherp’sheadsnappedowardshenoisebubeforehismouhcouldopenmeilinhadalmosreachedhimhemansaredorisebumeilin’srighhandwasalreadyinmoioncaldwellheardasnapandhemanslidohefloor

caldwellmovedinoheroomoherigh,onaworkop,sahewoserversfromsinghuauniversiyproecivefoamsillcoveredheedgesofheserverscaldwellcheckedhescreenswhilemeilinlookedaroundheroomhemonioraachedooneofheserversread:ransferpleeheaihadbeenransferredoheworkcaldwellsainfronofheserverswhilemeilinperusedhepsmamoniorsseinhewallhejumpedfromonekeyboardohenexinanefforosaveime

“hisisiallrighhesemoniorsuphereshowhesausofhework,”meilinsaid

“yeahheaiseemsobegonejuscheckinghelogsandheoherserver”

“isayspopuionis2011andhesedosiamguessingarehepopuionbos?ais?”meilinasked

“aisprobablybuwhyhave2011ofhemseemsabilikeoverkillome,”caldwellsaidashepulledupheserverslogsmeilinconinuedlookingahemoniors

“buwhywouldaishavevialsigns?hearbeas,bloodpressureeceera?”

“couldjusbehewayheyhavebeenbeled”

“idon’hinksoihinkhesearerealhumanshosepeoplewesawinhevirualpudong,”meilinobserved

“whywouldheybemonioringvialsigns?unlessshiha’swhyheychoseadisusedhospial,”caldwellspecued

“iamlisening”

“herearelighsoninoneofhemainhospialbuildingsibeherearerealsubjecsinherehumans,people,wiredoheworkindefinielyha’swherehagroupofphaveakenheyakuza”

caldwellcouldn’believewhahewassayingbuhebeauyofhepnmadeperfecsensehowbeeroesheaihanopiiagainsrealhumans?realpeople,expers,whowereru

ingrealimesimuionsinhisvirualeconomyandcouldreacoanyaempsaconrolinhesamewayhumanswouldhey’dhaveobejackedinfullimeforheesoberealisicheywereprobablyinhahospial,aachedoinravenousdrips,spendingweeksifnomonhsonlinebuhey’dhaveobebiologicallyco

eced,abioinerfaceofsomekindorsomehinghainpuedsraighinohereina,inerfacingdireclywihhebrainhey’dbeseeingwhahepuersawandreacingashoughheywereparofheworkhumaninpusysems

“here’ssomeoneing,”meilinhissed