The colonel muttered under his breath then spoke to the pilot and switched his headphones back to the radio channel. Moments later he was speaking in a low voice to his office. Shan heard him curse, then Tan turned with his hand over the microphone. “Larung Gar. He came from the Larung Gar campaign. Thirteen months ago.”

“Meaning just before Huan brought him those six prisoners from Larung Gar. Why would the hail chaser confront that very convoy? Too many coincidences.” He recalled Ko’s description of the old lama Tsomo who had died on National Day. What had the warden shouted when Tsomo crossed into the forbidden perimeter zone. Not again, you bastard! “Who sent those prisoners to the 404th?” Shan answered his own question. “Public Security. Huan and his friends had unfinished business with them. Or,” he added, “considered them a threat to their plans.”

“There had to be a trial,” Tan said, “a tribunal verdict, to send them to hard labor.”

“We should get the—” Shan began, but Tan was already back on the radio, asking Amah Jiejie for the records of the six inmates.

“How do we get Ko out of the 404th?” asked Shan when he had finished.

Tan held up a hand then pointed downward. He already had a plan. They were landing at the hospital helipad.

Dr. Anwei, the doctor who had tried to save the old Tibetan janitor, seemed to sense there was some other motive than the unannounced review of the 404th’s infirmary that Tan had suggested, but he seemed to savor the chance to leave the hospital and before they left, he darted into an office and appeared with a clipboard and a stack of forms. As one of Tan’s utility vehicles drove up with two of his soldiers, Shan followed the doctor and began to climb inside.

Tan put a restraining hand on his arm. “No. The warden will be suspicious if you are there. I am going because I am so angry at these damned medical bureaucrats,” he said with a mischievous nod toward a grinning Anwei, “that I had to go to keep him in line. The computerization of all prison activity is to be completed soon,” Tan stated in a louder, stage voice, “meaning bureaucrats from Beijing will be routinely reviewing everything we do. I will not have the 404th embarrass us by poor record keeping.” He turned to Shan. “We will find your son. If he needs medical attention, we will see that he gets it. The helicopter will take you back to Yangkar.”