Chen picked up the drive. It felt heavier than it looked. "And the price?"
Chen sat at the corner table, the only one where the overhead fan didn't squeak. He wasn't there for the food, though the "Royal Feast" special—a bowl of steaming wonton noodles topped with gold-leafed brisket—sat untouched before him. He was there for the data. "In the old days, we traded in jade," a voice rasped. Chen picked up the drive
Suddenly, the door kicked open. Men in sharp suits—government censors or rival syndicates, it didn't matter—flooded the narrow room. Chen didn't blink. He grabbed his bowl, threw the hot broth toward the nearest suit, and vaulted over the counter. we traded in jade