He didn’t see the blow coming, just felt the explosion of pain as Pike slapped him. It felt like he had been hit by a piece of lumber. “And I’m very sorry about all your damned lies,” the American said in a defiant tone. “Is that why you are here? Scared I’m going to rewrite the story? This isn’t over. And you’ve got nothing on me.”

Shan tried to rub the numbness from his cheek with his shoulder. “There’s the matter of the dead man on the train,” he suggested.

Pike’s eyes sparked, then he went very quiet. “Not on me. The fool attacked me. He smashed the controls on that cargo chamber door. He could have gotten out the rear door when the train stopped up in the mountains and run back on board the same as me if he wanted. I even called out to him to come with me. I’m sorry his bad judgment killed him. I only wanted to speak with him.”

“Somewhat urgently, I take it, considering that you flew from Lhasa just to take a train back to Lhasa.”

“I don’t talk with Chinese police,” Pike growled. “Chinese police are the problem, not the cure.”

“You have me confused with Public Security,” Shan said.

“Right. Special investigator for the governor of Lhadrung, who must be a Party boss. Which makes you worse than Public Security. You can operate totally in the dark. One of those secret watchers who throws citizens into prison for just muttering the Chairman’s name in a cynical tone.”

“The Chairman is a tyrant who is turning my country into a massive internment camp.”

The words stopped Pike for a moment. A bitter smile crossed his face. “That’s what happens when you install security cameras every fifty feet. What was the number I heard recently? The People’s frigging Republic has five hundred million cameras, with more every day. Boggles the mind.” He turned toward the woman. “I have to pack,” he said to her in a disappointed tone. “I can’t come back now.”

The woman wasn’t listening. She stepped toward Shan and picked up the table lamp. Shan tensed, thinking she was going to hit him with it, but she just leaned in with the lamp, looking at the top of his wrist then his neck. “A convict,” she declared.

“No way, kiddo,” Pike said. “Not with that badge.”