Then reality set in, and he knew the worst was yet to come.

LO HAN STARED DUMBSTRUCK AT THE MONITORS INSIDE THE mobile security vehicle revealing the black catamaran suddenly making a wide swing around the lake and homing in on the yacht, ramming the beautiful vessel square amidships. The resulting explosion rocked the security vehicle, temporarily knocking out the surveillance systems. Lo Han ran outside and down to the shoreline to witness the disaster firsthand.

There will be a heavy price to pay, he thought, staring at the yacht as it sank under the lake in a cloud of steam. Qin Shang was not a man who easily forgave. He would not be pleased when he learned that one of his four yachts had been destroyed. Already Lo Han was mentally creating ways to blame that stupid Chu Deng.

After he had demanded that Chu Deng investigate the mysterious light, there had been no coherent communication from the black boat and its crew of enforcers. He had to believe that they were drunk and had passed out in a stupor. What other explanation could there be? What reason for purposely committing suicide? The last thing to cross his mind was the specter of an outside source who was responsible for this disaster.

Two of his guards came running up to him. Lo Han recognized them as the men from his water patrol.

"Lo Han," one of the men panted, out of breath after running nearly four hundred yards out and back through the passageway to the floating log hut.

He stared at them angrily. "Wang Hui, Li San, why aren't you men on the water with your craft?"

"We couldn't reach them," explained Wang Hui. "The door was locked. Before we could force it open the hut was on fire, and we had to escape back into the tunnel or be burned alive."

"The door was locked!" Lo Han bellowed. "Impossible. I personally instructed that no lock be installed."

"I swear to you, Lo Han," said Li San, "the door was barred from the inside."

"Perhaps it became blocked from the explosion," offered Wang Hui.

"Nonsense—" Lo Han broke off as a voice came over his portable radio. "Yes, what is it?" he snapped.

The quiet, competent voice of his second in command, Kung Chong, came through the earpiece. "The two men who were late in relieving the cell-block security guards ..."

"Yes, what about them?"

"They have been found bound and beaten on the vacant second level of the building."

"Bound and beaten," blurted Lo Han. "There is no mistake?"

"It looks like the work of a professional," stated Kung

Chong flatly.

"Are you saying our security has been infiltrated?"

"It would seem so."

"Launch an immediate search of the grounds," demanded Lo Han.

"I have already given the order."