Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans Page B

known about those accounts?”
    Florian glanced over at Tara, who smiled darkly. “They have ways of getting into your head.”
    â€œIt’s done, Giacomo,” Hatch said. “Everything is gone. Except you, of course. You’re still here. Now, I could easily remedy that and shoot you right now, but where would the fun be in that? So I propose a challenge. You are a fugitive from nearly every civilized country and now you have no money to run. Oh, and I put a million-dollar bounty on your head. Let’s see just how long you can survive. Florian, call Interpol. Inform them that a known fugitive has entered your bank.”
    Wyss blotted his forehead with a handkerchief. “Please, Admiral Hatch . . .”
    â€œWrong answer,” Hatch said. “Torstyn . . .”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œHelp Mr. Wyss understand how much I dislike being disobeyed. He still has one hand with flesh.”
    â€œPlease, no,” Florian said, lifting the phone. “I’ll call right now. I’ll alert Interpol immediately.” He pushed a button on his phone. “Connect me with security.”
    Hatch turned to Schema. “It’s pathetic, isn’t it, how quickly loyalties turn? You really can’t trust anyone these days. Now, if I were you, and thankfully I’m not, I would run. And joining the others isn’t in your best interest. I’ve already sent guards to the Metropole to collect them.” Hatch grinned. “Some of the EGGs and I have a bet on how long you can resist capture.” He flourished a hand. “It’s a game of sorts.” He turned to Wyss. “If you please.”
    Wyss spoke into the phone. “This is Florian Wyss of Bank of Geneva. I would like to report a known fugitive who has been seen in our bank. Yes. Immediately.” He hung up and looked at Schema. “I am very sorry.”
    â€œYou will pay, Hatch,” Schema said.
    â€œYes, so you’ve said,” Hatch said. “But I’m still waiting for the bill.” His dark gaze turned to amusement. “Now please hurry. If you’re captured today I’ll lose the bet. And you of all people should know”—he leaned forward and his voice dropped—“that I hate to lose.”
    An alarm sounded. Schema glanced once more at Florian, then turned and ran out of the building.
    Hatch laughed. “That went well.”
    Wyss used his bandaged hand to blot the sweat from his forehead. “I’ve done everything you asked. You’ll release my wife and daughter now?”
    Hatch looked at him quizzically. “Of course not.”
    Florian blanched. “But you said that if I cooperated . . .”
    â€œYes, I did,” Hatch said. “Allow me to explain. There is a fable about a man who comes to a riverbank and is about to cross when he sees a viper. The viper says to the man, ‘I would also like to cross the river. Would you please carry me across?’ The man replies, ‘No, you’re a viper. You’ll bite me and I’ll die.’ ‘Don’t be foolish,’ the viper says. ‘If I bite you, we’ll both drown.’
    â€œThe man, convinced by the snake’s reasoning, puts the viper on his back and swims across the river. As he reaches the opposite bank the viper bites the man and slithers off. As the man lies dying he says, ‘I carried you across. You said you wouldn’t bite me.’ ‘Sorry,’ the viper replied. ‘I’m a viper. It’s in my nature.’ ”
    A broad smile crossed Hatch’s face and he leaned forward. “Thanks for the lift, Florian, but I can’t really help myself. It’s in my nature.”
    â€œWhat will you do with my family?”
    â€œYour wife and daughter will be held as GPs.”
    â€œWhat are GPs?”
    â€œThey’ll find out soon enough. Unfortunately, you won’t. Now, if