“You sure it’s a good idea?” she asked. “Maybe you should just ignore it.”

“I thought of that, but Oskar does do some legitimate work. You didn’t see these people in the factory. They’re like slaves, working sixteen hours a day, probably more.”

“They may be upset at you catching them.”

“Naw, I’m not worried about them. They’re not gangsters or dope dealers. This could be a chance to improve their lives. I feel pretty comfortable with it. If my hunch is right, we’ll probably end up in Duwa’s office talking to him for a while.”

“Where’s his office?”

“Top floor at the back.”

“How many workers in the place?”

“I’d guess about a dozen on the lower level and about two hundred on each of the two levels above.”

“So let me do the math,” said Tina. “Randy and I, plus Pom and one of his guys makes four. So if everyone in there decides they don’t appreciate your return visit and you end up in trouble, it will take us about twenty seconds to get to the building, then all we have to do is fight our way past four hundred people while we climb up a set of stairs to the third level and across a factory floor.”

“Sounds about right, except it’s not one set of stairs. The ceilings are really high. Each level has two long flights of stairs separated by a small landing. So you’re looking at four sets.”

“Having small landings makes me feel better. It will give us a place to rest on our way. Of course, they might immediately cut you both to pieces and toss you out the window to feed all the stray dogs I’ve seen running around.”

“Do you know how to sew?”

“Yeah, why?”

Jack smiled. “Well, if we’re in pieces, you can put us back together.”

“Yeah, I think they tried that with Humpty Dumpty,” replied Tina, sarcastically. “It didn’t turn out so well.”

“I once heard from a good informant that Humpty Dumpty was pushed. I should probably mention that to Major Crimes.”

Upon returning to the factory, Jack and Stew had the taxi stop about a block away and told him to wait. Once they were out of the taxi, Jack said, “My idea is to head in and waste no time going up to Duwa’s office. If kids are working, we’ll see them on the way. Once we reach Duwa, I am sure we can calm the situation if things turn ugly. He’s a businessman and we’ll be able to reason with him.”

“Hope so,” replied Stew.

The bottom of the factory erupted into a lot of yelling as Jack and Stew went in and headed straight for the stairwell. More yelling and a couple of workers appeared on the stairway at the second level, but Jack and Stew pushed past them to look. There were many children, some as young as eight or nine years old, gawking at them from where they sat at sewing machines, while other children were scurrying around and trying to hide behind piles of clothing.

Jack and Stew then raced up to the third level. The building was in pandemonium and when they arrived at the top of the stairs, several workers stood in the doorway and raised their hands to block their entry. Jack could see that it was more of a gesture and in the yelling and confusion, they appeared uncertain as to what to do. He simply pushed past them with Stew close behind.

Once on the factory floor, Jack and Stew boldly walked to Duwa’s office at the rear. It was then that a nervous secretary told them that Mr. Duwa was gone for the day.

Jack and Stew glanced at each other and turned as a mob of angry men approached while shouting at them in Myanmarese. Several were carrying long-handled steel pipes used for truck jacks, while others were waving wooden slats taken from damaged pallets.

“God, no!” screamed Stew, staring open mouthed at the pointed ends of nails protruding from some of the slats. “They’re going to kill us!”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Randy, Tina, Pom, and a young man who worked for Pom, all sat in one car a short distance down the alley from the factory. Tina was in the driver’s seat and had the car running, while Randy sat beside her and monitored the transmitter taped to Jack’s chest.

Randy had the option of using an earpiece connected to a receiver and a recorder, but he had pulled out the earpiece in this instance to allow everyone to hear.

The yelling and uproar came through the receiver clearly when Jack and Stew entered the factory. More screaming and the pounding of feet running on steps could be heard as Jack and Stew ascended the stairs.

“I can’t hear what they’re saying!” exclaimed Tina.

“I’ll turn it up,” said Randy. “I can hear Jack panting … or maybe it’s Stew Pot. Jack said something about kids and going up to the third,” he added, as he strained to make out what was happening over the din.

More yelling ensued when Randy said, “Sounds like Duwa isn’t there. Maybe they’ll have to come back when —”

Randy was interrupted by Stew Pot’s cry of terror.

“Christ,” said Tina, throwing the car into drive.

“Not yet!” yelled Randy, as he caught a glimpse of Pom pulling out his gun while telling his subordinate to do the same.

“What do you mean, not yet?” yelled Tina. “They’re in trouble! We gotta get in there!”

“Jack hasn’t given the code word yet.”

“Are you kidding me?” yelled Tina. “Maybe he forgot, or is too damn scared to remember!”

“No, I’ve worked with Jack,” said Randy, trying to keep the tension out of his voice so everyone would calm down. “He wouldn’t forget. If he wants us, he’ll let us know. Everyone shut up so I can hear.”

“Hello, did we catch you at a bad time?” asked Jack, looking at the angry mob in front of him. “Does anybody speak English?”

“You come to steal our jobs!” yelled a heavy-set man, shaking a steel pipe in the air.

“You think I am here to steal your jobs?” Jack furrowed his eyebrows as if confused.

“Our children’s jobs!” the man responded.

“Just a minute, we will see,” said Jack, as he walked over to a sewing machine that a worker had vacated after sewing one sleeve on a shirt. Jack sat down and the crowd gathered around him, while arguing with each other.

Jack ignored them and after a couple of failed attempts, where he bunched too much fabric under the needle, he finally sewed a stitch and stood up.

“Maybe I steal your jobs,” said Jack, sounding optimistic, as he tried the shirt on. His arm came up short and the crowd realized he had sewn the sleeve shut. “No, your job is too hard,” said Jack, frowning. “I can’t steal it.”

It brought a couple of smiles and a few people lowered their clubs, but not all.

“Our children’s jobs,” persisted the man. “I know. You see and you tell people, no give money to buy clothes.”

“What is your name?” asked Jack.

“Why?” said the man defensively. “My name no important. Jobs is important.”

“My name is Jack,” he said, sticking out his hand. “And this is my friend Stew.”

The man refused to shake hands and said something to the others, who brandished their clubs again.

“Oh, God,” moaned Stew.

“Why do you think we came back?” asked Jack.

“To see our childrens working,” replied the man angrily.

“I already knew children were working,” said Jack. “The height of all the empty stools told me that.”

Jack waited as the man translated to the others and he saw several people look at the vacant stools and nod.

“So why do you think we came back if we already knew?” asked Jack.

The man frowned and spoke to the group. Most shrugged in response. “So why you come back?” asked the man.

“To help your children,” replied Jack.