They followed in silence as the sedan turned right on Jordan Road and merged into Cascoigne. They were surprised when the next turn put them on Princess and were even more surprised when the car they were following turned into the grounds of Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

“Maybe one of them is sick,” one of the men said.

“We’d better be more careful here,” another said. “Occasionally there are police.”

The driver slowed as Marissa and Tristan’s car did. When Marissa and Tristan pulled to the side of the road and parked directly in front of the hospital’s main entrance, the driver pulled up directly behind.

The men watched as Marissa and Tristan got out and walked into the hospital. They glanced around for any police. Seeing none, they got out of their car. Standing in the sunlight, they searched again for signs of the police, but there were none to be found.

“I suggest we use their car,” one of the men said.

The others nodded.

All three lit cigarettes, then walked ahead.

Freddie had rolled his window down and had picked up the morning’s South China Morning Post. He loved the gossip columns. As he was reading he suddenly felt a cold piece of metal pressed against the base of his skull, just behind his right ear.

Afraid to move quickly, he turned only his eyes to the right. He had an idea what had been pressed to his head. He saw that he was right: it was a gun.

Looking up, Freddie found himself looking into the face of a youthful Chinese man with a cigarette clenched between his teeth. Behind him were two others.

“Please get out of the car,” the man with the gun said. “Slowly and quietly. No one will be hurt.”

Freddie swallowed with difficulty. He knew that these men were triad foot soldiers. Knowing how easily this type of man killed, Freddie was terrified. At first he couldn’t move, but a nudge with the barrel of the gun helped. Slowly, he climbed from the car.

“Please walk back to the other car,” the man with the gun told him. Freddie walked. When he reached the other car, the man told him to get inside. Freddie did as he was told. The man with the gun got in beside him. Ahead, Freddie saw the other two get into his sedan.

Arriving at Kai Tac Airport always filled Willy with happiness. Although he felt himself to be Australian to the core, having been born in Sydney, his father and mother had come from Hong Kong. Willy had always had a great affinity for the colony. Besides, he still had family there.