|
My Kind of Town Don Chapman |
The poison ploy
>> Waikiki
It was how Te-Wu killed the 10th Panchen Lama -- poisoned his food -- although they'd disposed of the body before outside toxicology tests could prove it.
When questioned by diplomats from other countries, Communist officials would say isn't it crazy how healthy people drop dead all the time. Political spin was for politicians. For Fon Du, then a young man earning his stripes with the Chinese secret police, he'd been proud to help dispose of the troublesome lama who dared speak out against China's treatment of Tibet.
Soon, this troublesome Hawaiian boy who claimed to be the second Lama Jey Tsong Khapa would find himself similarly past tense.
And so Fon Du, now a Te-Wu lieutenant assigned to Honolulu, waited downstairs as his agents Zu Lu and Doo Wop, dressed as room service waiters, brought fruits, cakes and a special blend of Darjeeling tea to the young lama "as a gift from the hotel staff." When they cooked it up, it seemed like a good ploy. These fancy hotels were always sending special gifts to special guests -- wine, fruits, chocolates.
But they had not planned on a defensive, obstinate lama insisting they sample their poison gifts. "Well, in that case," Doo Wop said. He poured a second cup for himself.
"No," the lama said as the one in orange pulled a Glock 9mm from the folds of his robes, "please drink from my cup.
"And you," he said to the other, "please sample these lovely melons."
Both waiters went for their guns, but the lama leaped, kicked Du Wop's weapon from his hand and one of the other members of the Free Tibet Warrior Society grabbed it in mid-air and aimed it at Doo Wop, who backed into the suite's foyer with hands raised.
The one in orange robes, meanwhile, hacked Zu Lu's gun hand, but he held it and they wrestled to the floor, and the lama poseur and the other member of FTWS jumped on him and snatched the pistol away before it discharged.
"You, over there with your Te-Wu comrade!" the lama hissed.
The shock on their faces was obvious -- this guy wasn't acting like any Buddha. And how did he know they were Te-Wu? And how had the tables been so quickly turned?
But the Chinese saw a frown cross the imitation lama's face. He had a problem now too -- what to do with them? Disposing of a body, much less two,is not easy in a hotel room, even one this big. And if they didn't return soon, Fon Du would know something was very wrong.
It was at that moment that the elderly Rimpoche Rimshot, seeking a drink of water, chose to exit the room where he was sleeping and practically ran into Doo Wop.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek. His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin. He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com