“Emergency!” Jed shouted and waved at the two ambulances, noting that one of the Chinese soldiers had already started a fast jog toward the two stationary rigs. The blue lights came to life, and both ambulances accelerated in their direction. Grayson was already jogging west, headed for the edge of the park, his hand firm on the arm of his charge, free hand inside his jacket. Jed watched the pair intently, Grayson’s head on a swivel, as the two ambulances tore across the grass in their direction.

Separated from the group of agents and soldiers crowded around Dr. Zhao, Jed took a knee beside Weider, who lay sprawled on the ground. The German’s eyes were glazed beneath half-closed lids. His breaths came in punctuated, raspy gasps and beads of sweat speckled the man’s forehead. Wondering if Weider might have been given the drug too, Jed checked for a pulse at the neck and found it strong and regular.

Someone behind him shouted in Chinese. “Fashêngle shênme? Ta shòushangle ma?”

Jed looked up, surprised to see that the sharp, crisp Chinese came from none other than Hyeon, who was decked out as a Hong Kong EMS first responder.

“No Chinese,” Jed said, shaking his head. “English?”

“What happened to him?” Hyeon said, his accent thick and believable as he knelt beside the German and pulled a stethoscope from his bag.

“He collapsed,” Jed said in English, reminding himself to keep the German accent thick but believable. He glanced over at the other group, relieved that none of the Chinese security were paying any attention to him, their full attention on Dr. Zhao, who was being treated by two other medics. “Food poisoning?”

He watched as Hyeon listened to the German’s lungs and then took his blood pressure.

“He having a heart attack,” Hyeon said, feigning broken English and motioning to a second man, who brought a stretcher over, jogging beside the wheeled device that bumped along the grass. “We treat him in ambulance. Must go to hospital fast.”

Jed helped lift Weider onto the stretcher, taking his feet as Hyeon and the other “medic” lifted at the shoulders and head. Hyeon and his partner ran the stretcher toward the ambulance, which sat idling with the rear doors open. Jed glanced at Grayson, who still escorted his Russian scientist by the arm to the underpass below.

“Four is descending to the car. We’ll have him off the X before the ambulances depart,” Nisha said in his ear. “Stand by.”