“ Sounds wonderful ,” Richard replied . “ I ’ ll have two boxes .”
Richard waltzed down the street , holding his boxes in a protective manner . He took a moment to appreciate how close his apartment was to the liquor store . As he walked in a gentle breeze followed him . He hadn ’ t remembered opening the window . Confused , he walked over to find some misplaced folders thrown behind the table . Just as he bent to pick them up , the heavy glass of a champagne bottle hammered into his head . Richard ’ s body slammed into the blue tiled floor , creating a loud thump . Two men in suits watched his chest rise and fall as they stood over his quite limp body .
The two men rampaged his house , pulling out old telegraphs and receipts . The house was a total pigsty . Richard ’ s eyes started to flutter . He was still on the cold floor . His eyesight was blurry but he could make out two pairs of brown leather shoes walking towards him .
“ Rise and shine , Richard .”
One of the pair of shoes ’ owners bent down to speak to him , his brown moustache creating shadows on his pale skin . Richard started to get up , the back of his head pulsating , each throb felt like a rock being thrown at his skull . With great effort , he lifted his sore body into a chair helped by the two suited men .
“ We know who you are , Richard ,” the moustachioed man said . “ Who the hell are you ?” Richard slurred his words , his brain still foggy .
The two men smirked . “ I am Jack Williams and this is my colleague Edward Taylor . We work for MI-6 or you may know us as the Secret Intelligence Society .”
Richard ’ s brain was racing as the information settled in his mind .
“ What in the bloody hell do you want from me ? What the are you doing in my bloody apartment for heaven ’ s sake ? I haven ’ t done anything . I am a simple man . Please find your business elsewhere .”
Mr Williams turned a crimson shade of red , his nostril slightly flaring as he took deep breaths , trying his hardest to remain calm .
“ Look , Richard cut the bull ; we all know the little business that you have here , the opium , the women , the alcohol . We also know your connections in India and that you deal with Du Yusheng , the head gangster of Shanghai . We have all the evidence to prove it so cut the innocent act . You ' re screwed and there is no point in trying to deny it .”
It was as if a tornado had ripped through Richard ’ s mind . They knew his business , his secrets , his guilty pleasures . Panic crawled through Richard ’ s body like a snake . Questions filled his brain , so many questions , yet he couldn ’ t speak . Every time he opened his mouth his words would be sucked down his throat like a vacuum sucking up the dust in an old basement .
The two suited men sat , their faces now expressionless , they waited for a response from Richard but he just sat there . Finally , Mr Taylor spoke .
“ Because of all your businesses , the drugs , women , etcetera , we have to arrest you . Deport you from Shanghai , back to Britain really . There you will be arrested , life sentence . What you are doing is criminal behaviour and the British Empire will not stand one of our own so involved in this filth .”
Richard sat and processed this , he looked as if his life was slowly draining from his eyes . In many senses it was . He would be arrested , rotting in jail , for the rest of his life . No family , no friends , but most importantly no booze , no drugs and not the woody taste of his sweet cigars .
“ There must be something I can do , something I can pay . Please . I beg of you ,” Richard pleaded in a surprisingly emotionless tone .
“ There is nothing you can pay ,” Mr Taylor answered hastily . “ However , there is one thing you can do .” “ What ? Please ? I ’ ll do anything .” Edward Taylor seemed to roll his eyes at that comment . Jack nudged him lightly and continued .
“ So , as you ' re probably aware the British and the communists aren ’ t the best of friends . In fact , they ’ re a problem and we ' d like to ‘ minimise ’ this problem .”
Richard ’ s head was still throbbing , he held it in his hands looking fed up . “ What does this have to do with me ?” he asked , frightened to hear the answer .