125 Red Russian (2/2)

”I wonder what Harper and the rest are doing now.”

”I don't,” said Olga. ”I don't want to think about bullshit.”

And she stood on her pedals and overtook Jake and settled in the lead. Jake didn't protest; he turned his head to look at Li Yang, and winked.

They entered the town proper immediately afterward, and there were actually people walking on the pavement, there was traffic, there was life! They stopped to ask directions from an elderly couple. Reassured, they kept going. Their route took them right through the center of the town and Li Yang was amazed to see a couple of stores that were open. However, there was a long lineup in front of each of these, and after a hurried conference they decided they wouldn't be stopping.

The street they were on ended at a big, eight-lane freeway. Like all the other freeways they'd seen, it was littered with abandoned cars. They carried their bikes across as a preventive measure against punctures, and found themselves looking at another golf course.

It was much bigger and lusher than the golf course they'd seen earlier. Screens of trees ran across it at all angles, but in spite of that they were able to make out a group of big white buildings in the distance.

”This must be the hotel,” said Jake.

”It IS the hotel,” said Olga. She moved forward with her bike.

”Stop,” said Jake. ”We'd better not go through golf course grounds, not with out bikes. Let's go along its boundary, this way.” He pointed.

”Why can't we go across the golf course? Is it like a sacred burial ground for rich Americans?”

”You got it almost exactly right,” Jake told her. ”Except maybe for the burial part. Okay, let's go.”

He led them for nearly a kilometer down the lane that ran alongside the golf course. It turned out they'd made the right decision. They came to a road that ran towards the buildings they'd seen.

A group of people was cycling along that road, riding in their direction. As they drew closer Li Yang saw both men and women; there were seven or eight of them altogether. They all wore baseball caps with some kind of logo in front. A girl was leading the group, and some of her hair escaped from under the cap on one side and was fluttering in the breeze created by her movement.

Li Yang had just noticed the girl's hair was red when Olga yelled:

”Irina!”

The red-haired girl slammed her brakes on and there were shouts and curses as the cyclists behind her collided with one another. One man fell off his bike and landed to the side of the road, from where he proceeded to curse Russians in general and their road manners in particular.

Olga and Irina took no notice. They dropped their bikes and ran to each other and embraced as if they were long-lost sisters reuniting after decades of separation. Jake and Li Yang stood astride their bikes, looking on and grinning foolishly. The man that fell off his bike got to his feet and stopped cursing and started throwing hostile glares. There was muttering among Irina's group. Occasionally, Li Yang heard what they were saying.

”Who are those guys?” asked a female voice.

”That one over there is Chinese,” said someone observant.

”They look scruffy. What are they doing here?”

”Maybe we should tell them to fuck off where they came from.”

”No,” Irina said loudly, freeing herself from Olga's embrace and turning to face the group. This is my best friend.” She pointed at Olga.

”This is my best friend,” she repeated, ”And she's brought a couple of her friends with her. She's also brought something that all of us will enjoy very much. You know what I mean?”

”You mean drugs,” said a deep male voice with utmost certainty.

”I mean very good drugs,” Irina corrected him. Li Yang felt the group's glances at him become less hostile, even friendly.

”Why don't you all go on to town,” said Irina. ”I'll take them to see Terry, and ask if they can stay tonight.”

”Terry will bite your head off,” said the guy who had fallen off his bike.

”He won't. Otherwise, I'll bite his head off, next time,” Irina said mysteriously.

It was obvious to Li Yang that the group knew well what Irina was talking about. There were grins and a couple of titters. One of the girls in the group looked cross, though.

”See you guys later,” said Irina, and walked up to her bike and picked it up. The group moved off, one by one, throwing curious glances at Olga, Li Yang, and Jake as they went past. Li Yang smiled so much his face was beginning to hurt.

Finally they were all gone, and Li Yang looked at Irina and saw that she was examining him and Jake critically.

When he caught her eye, she said:

”You guys have to clean up a little before I show you to Terry. Follow me.”

And she got on her bike and rode off with Olga by her side.

”New World indeed,” said Jake. ”Foreign broads are pushing us around. Fuck it. Let's go.”

They pushed off and rode after the two girls.

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