"We have to get you to the estate, Professor," Mei urged, her eyes constantly scanning the tree line. "The Dragon's Well compound is secure. It's the only place we stand a chance of defending you."
"Ah, the estate," Zhou mused, looking at his bright red bicycle. "It is only a fifteen-minute pedal from here, through the old tea terraces. But no cars can reach it directly. It's designed for privacy."
He gestured to the bicycle. It was a sturdy, old-fashioned model, painted a conspicuous, bright red.
"A bicycle, Professor?" James asked, genuinely baffled. "Surely that is a tactical disadvantage? It's rather... visible."
"Precisely," Zhou said, his eyes twinkling behind the thick lenses. "Visible, but unexpected. They will be looking for a black sedan or an unmarked van. They won't expect the target to be escaping on a delivery bike." He held out the microchip. "Now. Place the chip where it belongs. I have prepared a compartment."
Zhou pulled up the leather seat of the bicycle. Beneath it, nestled in the frame, was a small, perfectly sized recess.
James, recognizing the elegance of the deception—hiding a priceless artifact in plain sight—carefully placed the caddy-wrapped chip into the compartment. The professor snapped the seat back down. The microchip was now the heart of the bright red bicycle.
"Now, the distraction," Zhou said. He pulled a second, identical, but empty Earl Grey Caddy from the bicycle's saddlebag. "I anticipated your attachment to the item, Agent James. This one is ceramic, but the appearance is identical."
James stared. "You thought to bring a decoy tea caddy?"
"My dear boy," the professor said, climbing onto the bike with surprising agility. "When one is dealing with global espionage and historical archives, one must always account for human eccentricity. Especially yours."
"I am touched," James murmured, genuinely moved.
"Mei," the professor instructed, "you take the front. James, you take the rear. We will be an unconventional convoy. And James, I suggest you employ your newly acquired silk blanket as a rudimentary camouflage. It might amuse them to see it."
Mei did not smile. She simply drew her knife, gave James a sharp look, and took the lead. The professor began to pedal, the bright red bicycle a surreal spot of color disappearing into the misty, green hills.