Tommy exited the train with the rest of the passengers after it had reached Shigatse, the last station on the line. An intense, throbbing headache that made him feel as though his brain was trying to exit his skull forced him to sit down and rest. He had already taken three painkillers that a doctor in Xining had provided him, but they didn’t seem to have any effect. The mind-over-matter exercises he had learned in prison didn’t seem to do any good either. He took another painkiller and massaged his temples.
As he stood to continue his journey, his phone rang. It was Happy.
“Where are you?” Happy asked in full Dragon Head mode.
“I just got into Shigatse. I’m on my way to a hotel where Brig might be staying.”
“Shigatse? I thought he was in Lhasa.”“
“He was. I missed him by a couple of hours. He’s picked up a traveling companion, which may complicate things.”
“You sound like shit.”
“I’m alright. Just tired.”
“Should I send Yellow?”
“By the time he arrives, Brig will either be dead or returning to Hong Kong with me.”
“Okay. Let me know when you find him. I don’t need to tell you how important it is that you persuade him to help us.”
“I’m well aware and well armed. If I can catch him, I’ll turn him. Have you tried calling?”
“Yes. From three different phones. It looks like he’s turned his phone off for now. I’ll keep trying.” As they ended their conversation, Tommy lamented that their relationship seemed to be one of “boss to subordinate” and not “father to daughter.” However, he supposed that with all that had happened, that should be expected. There would be time to reconnect once he got back home. But first, Tommy had to find Brig.
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