The Call of the Thunder Dragon Read Online Free Page A

Indian membership was
finally passed by a vote of 29 for and 14 against. The clubhouse
now hosted many events and for a decade had stood as a living
testimony to the rich culture and history of its members and of
Assam as a whole. cccxxxi
    Falstaff cheered as
the natural features of the landscape and the man-made shapes on
the ground started to match his scant map. The rivers coming
together, the railway, the manicured club grounds, the historic tea
research station and a football pitch. cccxxxi
    The clubhouse was more
than a haven of colonialistic idealism. White, clean, painted with
fine, thin lines of yellow and gold. Decorated with hunting
trophies, and pictures of hunters standing over dead tigers. Then
there were the sporting headlines framed, with photos of the races;
mounted golf clubs and balls rusting and fading from disuse; next
to polished plaques declaring the winners accomplishments. Even if
most locals could never afford membership; among the neatness, the
green potted plants and club’s lists of presidents and pictures,
were acknowledgements of Indians, Sikhs and even Assumes, winning a
fair share of races, golf trophies and cricket games. cccxxxvii
    Abe and Ono watched
Falstaff and his woman from their table across the room.
cccxlii
    Gibbs drove the saloon
rather predictably straight to the Thengal Manor House next to
Jorhat railway station. The best and longest established hotel in
Jorhat. cccxliii
    Falstaff and Zam found
the Manor House as promising as to be expected from a place of such
high reputation. Starting off as a hostel for British tea planters
coming out to oversee the escalation of tea production. The Manor
soon found itself catering to the wealthy plantation owners
themselves, who expected finer dining. Then came more of the
plantation managers they employed and the rich sultans and princess
keenly sharing the rising tea profits. The Manor catered to them
all. cccxliv
    Next morning Falstaff
rose early. He brushed the worst of the dust from his trousers and
pulled them on, along with a clean shirt and leather slippers and
went for a walk around the hotel He quickly found the lounge.
cccxlix

Chapter Ten
– Breakfast in Pyjamas ccclvi
    Zam awoke to find her
‘John-di-di’ gone. She had slept deeply and was refreshed. Still
drowsy he lay still waiting, her eyes closed, expecting for
Falstaff’s warm embrace, the squeeze of his strong arms. She opened
her eyes and turned to find him absent. ccclvi
    Once back in their
room Zam sat, dejected on the chaise longue. “You could have woken
me!” ccclviii
    Goemon carried on
raking leaves, patiently waiting. After the narrow escape of the
day before when he had almost caused the plane to crash by
accident, he had been thinking about consequences. ccclx
    Maka received a note
later that morning. It was from Ono Itchi, they were not expecting
a show from Falstaff until the afternoon. Maka should do his best
to arrange that Gibbons and, if possible, the mechanics were kept
away from the aircraft. Whatever happened it must not be refuelled?
ccclxi
    Abe was at a loose
end, with nothing to do his fears were growing. Ono Itchi had told
him directly to wait where he was. The assassin apparently didn’t
want him involved. After sitting for most of the morning in their
hotel room, he decided to try to find Goemon, the last member of
the paratroopers with whom he’d arrived. ccclxii
    Tendai, derived from
Sanron Sect one of six Nara sects imported from China and Asia.
Sanron having presence Assam and Thailand. 559
    Kempeitai (Military
Police Corps, of the IJA) it was in fact the Tokubetsu Koto
Keisatsu, or Tokkō when shorted; a police force est. 1911 Japan to
control political groups & ideologies deemed to be a threat to
public order. A civilian counterpart to the military's Kempeitai
and Tokkeitai (Corps of Special Police, the Naval Secret Police).
559
    Zam and Falstaff
planned to spend the rest of the morning exploring Jorhat city, one
of the most important