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Ariel looked at her。 〃I believe you have the most extraordinary eyes I've ever seen；〃 he said。 〃This afternoon they were turquoise； green； I thought。 Now they are the color of cobalt。〃
Tori laughed。 〃My father used to call me Angel Eyes。 My brother and I had the same eyes。〃
〃Had？〃 Ariel had caught a tone as well as a tense。
Tori put her head down into darkness。 〃My brother's dead。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃
Tori took a deep breath。 〃Well。 He was a wonderful man。 And he was blessed。 Before he died； he flew like an angel。 And like an angel； he saw the whole planet spread out before him。〃 Ariel looked at her quizzically； and she smiled sadly。 〃My brother was an astronaut。〃
Ariel snapped his fingers。''Nunn。 Wait a minute。 Greg Nunn？ The American who died in that joint mission to Mars with the Russians？ What was that； last year？〃
〃Eighteen months。〃
〃Greg Nunn was your brother？〃
〃Yes。〃
It was just a whisper； but it told the discerning listener volumes。 Ariel wisely decided to change the subject。 〃Estilo mentioned that you are retired；〃 he said。 〃From what？〃
What to tell him？ 〃Family business；〃 Tori said。 Not exactly a lie； but not the truth； either。
He grunted。 〃Me； too。 Only I'm still in it。〃 They began to walk。 ''It used to be fun when my father ran it。 I could do pretty much what I wanted。 I never realized how boring the meat business was until my father died and I was obliged to take it over。 Responsibility seemed to drain all the fun out of the work。''
They were at the cemetery's gate； and passing through into me street。 Tori had the feeling that an oppressive weight had lifted from her。 In there； it had seemed as if the very air she had been breathing was humid with the spirits of the dead。 She took one last look at the sad…faced stone angels； as though she could hear their wings rustling in the windswept night。
〃So running the business isn't enough；〃 Tori said； giving him an opening to perhaps talk about why； as Estilo had said； he was really in Buenos Aires。
〃I don't believe I'm in the mood to go back to Estilo's；〃 Ariel said； as if he hadn't heard her question。 〃It's raining； and the climate is not conducive to a party。''
Tori wondered whether by the climate he meant the weather or his state of mind。 Either way； it was all right； she had no desire to wedge herself back into Estilo's ultratrendy crowd。
He took her to Cafe Tortoni； a well…known jazz bar on the Avenida de Mayo。
〃Are you often up late at night？〃
〃Only when I'm traveling；〃 Ariel said。 He shrugged。 〃I don't know what it is； but all my business associates seem to be aficionados of la vida nocturna… night life。〃
Tori had been in love with the night life； twice。 As an underage teenager she had used her beauty to hang out in Los Angeles' most dangerous night spots。 Years later the clandestine late…night clubs of Tokyo； so far away from her native L。A。； had held another form of danger。 But by that time she was an entirely different person； wasn't she？
They drank cane brandy while a black saxophonist made noises in concert with a West Indian snare drummer and a blond； slick…fingered bassist。 It didn't sound much like music； but everyone seemed content to listen to it。
When the set was through； Ariel looked at his watch。 〃It's after midnight。 Are you tired？〃
Tori shook her head。
〃Good。〃 He paid the check； then led her out of the restaurant。 They picked up a taxi on the avenue； and Ariel told the driver； 〃La Manzana de las Luces。〃 The driver shrugged； headed south into the downtown district。
The Square of Enlightenment； between Peru and Bolivar at the intersection of the Avenida Julio Roca； was a treasure trove of historical landmarks。 But the only one Tori could remember offhand was the offices of La Prensa； Argentina's most famous newspaper。
The taxi let them off on Peru； and Ariel stopped in front of number 222。 It had an Italian…designed facade typical of the mid…1880s； though Ariel informed her the building itself was more than a hundred years older than that。
〃This place has belonged variously to two newspapers and the University of Buenos Aires；〃 Ariel said。 〃But by far its most interesting tenant was the General Attorney of the Jesuits； for whom； apparently； it was built。 King Charles the Third of Spain kicked the order out in 1767。 But before then some fascinating goings…on occurred here。〃
〃Like what？〃
〃e on；〃 Ariel said。 〃I'll show you。〃
He led her around to the side of the structure。 Here the narrow alley was dimly lit。 They went down a flight of ancient stone steps so worn they were concave in their centers。 Tori saw that even in the gloom Ariel had no difficulty negotiating them。
A moment later she heard what she suspected was the grate of an old key in an even older lock。 A stained wood…plank door creaked inward on iron hinges。 A musty darkness loomed。
〃Is this okay？〃 Tori asked。
〃Do you like to take chances？〃
She heard his voice as a disembodied whisper； and did not answer。
〃Watch your step；〃 Ariel said； reaching back and taking her hand。 He pulled her inside； closed the door behind them。
He led her through absolute blackness。 She heard the squeal of another door opening； Ariel's voice whispering； 〃Now duck your head。〃
There were more steps； and the chill mineral dampness that bred mold and lichen wafted over her。 The steps were very steep and quite narrow。 The rich scents of limestone and earth enveloped her； Tori thought。 It's like smelling one's own grave； and for an instant she felt the hairs stirring at the base of her neck。
〃These tunnels date back to the eighteenth century。〃 Tori wondered why he was still whispering。 After all； down in the bowels of the earth who could overhear their conversation？
〃These tunnels are something of a tourist attraction nowadays；〃 Ariel continued； his lips brushing her ear。 〃The tourists are told that these tunnels were built to aid in the defense of the city during wartime。 But the truth is the Jesuits built them in order to smuggle in contraband。 The king had decreed that Buenos Aires； like the other Spanish colonies； could trade only with Spain。 But at the behest of the clever Jesuits； ships of other nationalities moored in the port； pretending to work on repairs while the priests off…loaded their cargo into these secret tunnels。〃
Ariel snapped on a flashlight； and Tori could see the arched ceilings； the branching corridors。 Along the sides of the tunnels were modern lights within protective metal grills above the equally modern concrete walkway。
He led her around a turning； into a small chamber； down another steep flight of stone steps。 Here the tunnels seemed older； cruder； or perhaps merely in a state of disrepair。 The air was closer； mustier； and there were no modern lights； no concrete walkway。 Loose stones ground beneath their feet。
Ariel stopped them abruptly。 He squeezed her hand as he played the beam of the flash over a heap of pale bones。 With a start； Tori saw that she was staring at a grisly jumble of human skeletons。
〃Here is all that's left of the disappeared；〃 Ariel whispered。 〃At least some of them； poor bastards。 Dumped here to rot beneath the city。〃
〃What…〃
Ariel's hand went over her mouth as he snapped off the flashlight's beam。
Sounds…faint； indistinct…wafted toward them from some unknown direction。 Ariel stood very still； he seemed scarcely to be breathing。
The sounds came swiftly closer。 Tori strained to hear what they were。 As they neared； the sounds resolved themselves into male voices； then words； and Tori thought。 My God； they're speaking Japanese。
〃Perhaps Rega could have been of some further use；〃 one voice said。
〃his use was at an end；〃 the other said。 〃Given half a reason； he would have betrayed us。〃 A laugh。 〃Besides； it felt good to put the gun against the back of his neck； pull the trigger； and boom！ Like snuffing out a candle in a church。 In that instant； you know something significant has happened： the law has been transgressed。〃
〃I am a Shintoist；〃 the first voice said。 〃God and the devil mean nothing to me； like the blink of an eye seen in a mirror。 All illusion。〃
〃I am Catholic；〃 me second voice said； 〃so I understand the meaning of punishment…and of sin。〃
〃I don't understand。 How can you be a Catholic and a sinner？〃
That laugh again。' 'I cannot be redeemed if I haven't sinned； so these days I do my best to ignore the law。 Also； as you must suspect； there is a measure of personal pleasure for me in violation。〃
〃Let's get on with it；〃 the first voice said。
It was impossible to say just how close the voices were。 Perhaps they were around an unseen corner； perhaps much nearer than that…tunnel acoustics being treacherously unpredictable。
Tori suspected that Ariel was thinking the same thing。 She thought he wanted to get out of there but was afraid of being seen or heard。
Suddenly a light snapped on； and Tori and Ariel were caught in its piercing beam。 Tori could make out the blossom of two black figures； faceless； on me move。
〃Hey； look！〃
〃Who the fuck 〃
The glint； dark and evil； of machine pistols。
〃Madre de Dios！〃 Ariel breathed。 He grabbed her hand； pulled her out of the circle of light。 They began to stumble