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ve had all week；〃 Mars said； 〃is that support for the United States' resolutions in the U。N。 is at an historic low。 Perhaps we will be able to isolate America； after all。〃
Irina； testing the atmosphere； scented an absence of defenses。 The time seemed right to expose herself； and see if he suspected anything。 〃Where is all the bad news ing from？〃 she said casually。
〃From right here；〃 Mars said； flipping a page。 〃Right here。〃
Irina knew his files would probably be of interest to her…that is to say； to Valeri…but she was smarter than to try to gain access to them。 That would be tantamount to suicide。 Irina yawned。 〃How do you mean？〃
Mars closed the cover of the file； raised his gaze。 He regarded her for some time； smoking slowly； almost indolently。 Irina was afraid that he already knew about her。 But how could he？ It was impossible； she told herself。
Then Mars opened another file； began to scan it； and Irina realized that he had not been looking at her； but through her。 She relaxed。
〃Hafnium。〃
Irina blinked。 What language was he speaking？ 〃What？〃 Mars repeated the word without looking up。 〃It's a high…tech metal used to make control rods for certain types of nuclear reactors； especially those installed in submarines。〃 He turned over a page； as if he were reading directly from the file。 〃We need hafnium。 We never have enough。 But the Western alliance； CO〃…Irina knew he meant the Coordinating mittee for Multilateral Export Controls…〃forbids its member nations to sell us any because it's classified a strategic metal； suitable for military purposes。''
Mars lit another Turkish cigarette from the butt of the one he had finished。 ''It has taken us years； but we have found a reliable source in the West for hafnium。 That is； until CO found out about it and cut off the supply at its source： Japan。 At least； that's what we believed； since the hafnium supply line ceased to function shortly after the source was shut down。〃
He rose； poured himself more coffee and vodka。 Back at his desk； he sat sipping and smoking for so long that Irina became convinced that he had forgotten his train of thought。
At last she said； 〃What happened to the hafnium meant for delivery here？〃
〃Ah。〃 Mars put his cup down。 〃At first we assumed that it had been confiscated by the Tokyo police and handed over to the Tokuso； the Tokyo District Special Prosecutor's Office。 That's standard operating procedure there。 A week later； however； we received a reliable report… which we were later able to verify from an independent source…that the last shipment of hafnium had gone out before the raid； and we were discreetly asked for payment。 The trouble was； we had never received the hafnium。''
Irina sat up。 〃You said the supply line had ceased to function。〃
Mars threw the file to one side； got up； came over to the bed。 〃In a sense； that's true。〃 He looked down at her。 〃When we sent people back down the pipeline to trace the whereabouts of that last shipment； they found only death。 Each link had had his tongue neatly cut off； jammed down his throat。 To asphyxiate is far from pleasant； but to die in that way is monstrous。〃
Irina shuddered。 But the fact was； she was fascinated。 〃Do you know what happened to the hafnium？''
〃That is； as the Americans say； the six…hundred…million…dollar question。〃 Mars sat beside her。 He was staring at her nakedness； and she could clearly see the effect she was having on him。 She could feel his tension like a song in the darkness。 ''It was logical to assume that terrorists from another nation had seized the hafnium； but inquiries were made； and this avenue of speculation eventually came to a dead end。 That was three weeks ago。〃
〃Then where is it？'' Irina closed her fingers around the thickening snake between his thighs。 She leaned over； kissed his nipple。 〃You know； don't you？〃
〃I do；〃 Mars said thickly。 〃And I don't。〃 He closed his eyes。 〃The hafnium is here； inside Russia。〃 his breath quickened。 〃But oddly； frighteningly； we do not know who has it。〃
Honno Kansei had promised herself that she would never see Big Ezoe again； but converging events now dictated that she must。 Karma。
Big Ezoe inhabited a large； almost warehouselike space on the eastern edge of Tokyo。 Honno knew that he must be very rich to be able to have so much room around him。 That was unsurprising； since Big Ezoe was oyabun； overlord； of Tokyo's most powerful Yakuza family。 The Yakuza were gangsters； turning the shadowed alleyways of Tokyo into their own private underworld。 But they were also close…knit families of gamblers； eternal losers when it came to tossing the dice of heaven； and thus； among the Japanese； they had attained something of the status of myth。
If the Yakuza inhabited an almost mythical underworld； then Big Ezoe was their Charon； for he had so many fingers in a multitude of legitimate pies that surely he had ferried more unsuspecting souls across the River Styx into the dangerous land the Yakuza controlled than anyone else。 One of those unfortunates had been Honno Kansei's father。
Honno could never be certain； but she suspected that Big Ezoe had killed her father。 Not directly； perhaps； but what did that matter？ Honno's father had been an inveterate gambler。 Nothing she or her mother could say had any effect on him。 He gambled at the Yakuza parlors and lost。 And when； at length； he had lost so much that he could not possibly repay them； he had slipped…or； Honno suspected； was pushed…off a crowded curb into the path of an oning bus。 He had ended up beneath the wheels with his back broken and his blood running in a river along the gutter。 He had died before the ambulance could get him to the hospital。
As Honno approached Big Ezoe's place； she could remember vividly their first…and only…meeting。 She had walked meekly into the place； asked politely to see Big Ezoe。 When she was refused； she said； 〃Tell him that Noboru Yamato's daughter is here to repay his debts。〃
Three minutes later she was shown into Big Ezoe's office。 He had a huge smile on his face。 Honno had stood in front of him； drinking in the sight of the man she believed to be her father's murderer。 Then； her heart hammering painfully in her chest； she had pulled out a small pistol； aimed it at Big Ezoe's head。
Big Ezoe never ceased to smile； not even when she said； 〃You broke my father's back and his spirit。 Why are you smiling at me？〃
Big Ezoe said； 〃To show fear in the face of death would be shameful。〃
And it was at that moment that Honno had understood the full ramifications of what she was about to do。 And； simultaneously； she knew that she could not do it。 As much as she mourned the unnecessary death of her father； she could not avenge it in this way； by taking the life of another。 She had lowered the gun； placed it on Big Ezoe's desk。
Now； just a year later； desperation had driven her to return here； the last place on earth she wanted to be。 It sickened her to have to e here； but Big Ezoe had a power she needed。 He was a monstrous creature and； like a mythical dragon； an unpredictable one。
As Honno entered the warehouse； she had a sense of displacement； as if she were returning to the past and； in so doing； everything else was about to be lost to her。
A garden had grown up in her absence。 A skylight had been installed in the center of the high ceiling； and below it a perfect square was displayed： a pebble stream with a steep rock bank on one side； a grouping of ferns； hostas； a dwarf maple on the other side。 A mini…stand of emerald…green moso bamboo filled one corner； creating asymmetry； the tension a counterpoint to the repose that was essential for contemplation。
Honno was taken past the garden； down the warren of corridors； into Big Ezoe's office。 He regarded her silently as she was ushered in； left alone with him。 The room was filled with rarities： antiques both delicate （a translucent Chinese celadon vase） and earthy （a magnificent suit of seventeenth century samurai armor）； a wood…block print of the Great Wave by Hokusai； tran…scendant with power； hanging above a monumental black stone Noguchi fountain that gleamed magically with an endless rippling of water that appeared as black as the stone。
Honno took this all in； thinking。 How could a man as base as he is have the good taste to surround himself with elements of such ethereal beauty？
It was a long time before Big Ezoe moved。 When he did； it was to open a drawer； reach inside； and place on the desk the pistol Honno had aimed at him one year ago。
〃I suppose；〃 he said； 〃that you've returned for this。〃
Honno stared at the gleaming face of the pistol。 Big Ezoe had carefully turned the barrel away from her。 She saw in the bits of chrome and steel the mirror of her past； and the wound of her father's death seemed fresh and raw again。
〃If the hate is still inside you；〃 Big Ezoe said placidly； 〃you have another chance to act on it。''
But Honno saw only another chance at damnation。 〃You keep it；〃 she said thickly。 She regained control of herself slowly and painfully。 〃Perhaps you'll find some use for it。〃
Big Ezoe nodded。 〃As you wish。〃 his huge hand covered the pistol； and he opened the chambers for her to see。 〃It wasn't loaded； but you thought it was。 And