按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
one thing； but full…blown paranoia could paralyze you。 You had to know which way to jump at any minute； or； not knowing； sometimes trust。 If trust was gone； only a great black chasm remained； yawning below her； waiting for the moment when she would fall。
The BMW came to an abrupt stop and Tori and Russell were bundled out of the car。 Tori could not shake the odd feeling that they had gone around in circles。 But she knew that the Ginza was not Hitasura's territory； so that was out。 Or was it？
They were helped up a short set of stairs and； kept bent almost double； ushered through what seemed like a tunnel。 Then they were allowed to stand up。 They were pushed backward until they felt something soft behind their legs。 They sat。
At last their earplugs and blindfolds came off。 At the same instant a muffled roar of a diesel engine sounded。 A moment later the unmistakable sensation of motion。
Of course； Tori thought。 A vehicle！ We had been driven in a circle to confuse us； to make us think we had gotten to another part of the city； when all along this van had been waiting around the corner。 As soon as Hitasura's men had determined that she and Russell had not been followed； they had called for the van。
Tori looked around； blinking in the dim light。 They were in what appeared to be a miniature living room。 They were sitting on a sofa upholstered in an Oriental cotton print of blues； greens； and deep yellows。 There was a brass coffee table； Chinese ginger jar lamps on matching mahogany side tables； a pair of dark blue upholstered wing chairs； even a couple of pleasant well…framed landscape prints on the walls。 No windows； however。 It was surprisingly fortable； nonetheless。
〃Where in the hell are we？〃 Russell said。
〃A moving van；〃 a deep rich voice said。 They looked up； saw Hitasura； a tall； slender； dark…skinned Japanese； enter the mobile living room。 〃One of many in my fleet。〃 He smiled warmly。 〃Should the need arise for you to move； one of these vans will handle everything in one load； you here in fort； while below and behind you； your containerized possessions are safely stored； fumigated； and sanitized。〃
Hitasura sat across from them in one of the wing chairs。 It was large enough to acmodate his height。 〃Tori； it is good to see you again。〃 He might have been a handsome man； but there was no moderation to his features。 He had hard eyes； a sharp nose； and an unforgiving mouth。 There was a tea…colored melanin birthmark on the left side of his neck that ran up his jaw and encroached on the lower portion of his cheek。
〃Hitasura…san；〃 Tori said formally； 〃this is Russell Slade。 A friend。〃
〃Mr。 Slade。〃 Hitasura inclined his head。 〃Perhaps you will forgive the melodrama when I tell you that these rather elaborate precautions were necessary。〃
〃What's happened？〃 Tori said； picking up on his tone。
Hitasura sat back； made a bridge with his fingertips。 〃I hardly know where to begin。 It may be a war is brewing； Tori…san； though I hope I am overreacting。'' He looked at her。 〃My only brother is dead。〃
〃How？〃
〃He was murdered；〃 Hitasura said。 〃Much more than that I do not know。 It happened sometime shortly after midnight。 His apartment was broken into。 Some things； perhaps； were stolen； although we can rule out robbery as a motive。 His money and valuables were not touched。〃
Tori said； 〃Have you any idea who's responsible？〃
〃Nothing conclusive；〃 Hitasura said。 The pain was apparent in his dark eyes； in the new lines in his face。 The pressure of being an oyabun was massive。 〃But yesterday morning； early； a woman hurled my brother's mentor； a university professor named Giin； from the parapet of the Nihonbashi。 Giin had been teaching my brother his method of deciphering codes。〃
〃Who killed this man； Giin？ Fukuda？〃
〃That would have been my guess； since Fukuda works for Big Ezoe； and he is my chief rival。 But the odd thing is that Fukuda was busy elsewhere at the time of Gun's demise。〃
〃Another female assassin？〃 Tori said doubtfully。 〃Who？〃
〃You've e back to me at a most propitious time； Tori…san。〃 Hitasura's eyes were burning。 〃I have begun to mobilize all of Tokyo to find out。''
〃We have a fix；〃 Hitasura said with the receiver of the mobile phone to his ear。
〃On who？〃 Tori said。 〃You have no description of the woman who killed Giin； and you can't even say whether it was she who murdered your brother。〃
〃We know where Fukuda is；〃 Hitasura said。 〃Fukuda knows。 We must persuade Fukuda to tell us what she knows。〃
''Who is this Fukuda？'' Russell asked。 ''Did I hear you right？ She's some kind of female Yakuza assassin？ 〃
〃That's right；〃 Tori said。
The anonymous moving van rumbled through the streets of Tokyo。 Hitasura was on the mobile phone； getting the latest information on the citywide search for his brother's murderer。
〃But I thought the Yakuza had no use for women；〃 Russell said。
〃Generally speaking； that's true；〃 Tori said。 〃But Fukuda is an exception。〃
〃In many ways；〃 Hitasura added。 He had cradled the phone receiver。 〃Fukuda has a…oh； shall we say； a history in Yakuza lore。〃
Tori grunted。 〃What Hitasura…san means is that she broke her way into Yakuza society。 Forcibly。 She made the Yakuza oyabun notice her； and accept her。〃
〃Some；〃 Hitasura corrected。 〃Others will never accept a woman doing a man's job。''
〃Better than most men can do it；〃 Tori said。
Hitasura glowered at her； then abruptly laughed。 〃Tori…san； too； is an exception。 I do not hold her sex against her。〃 He said this in a tone of voice that indicated he should be congratulated for his insight。
''If I read Hitasura…san's thinking right；'' Tori explained； ''he feels sure that if there is another female assassin working； she had to have been trained by Fukuda。 Fukuda is the key。''
〃Wait a minute。〃 Russell looked from one to the other。 〃Even if you manage to capture her； what makes you think that this highly trained assassin is going to tell you anything？〃
Hitasura glanced at Tori。
Russell said immediately； 〃What am I missing？〃 He looked at Hitasura； but the oyabun turned away。 〃Tori？〃
Ton said nothing。 Instead； she took his hand in hers； placed the flat of it over her left hip。 It was an extraordinary gesture； full of echoes of the past： their meeting in the library in L。A。 when he had e to re…recruit her； and had touched her there。 How does it feel？ But there were also intimations of the future； an intimacy about which neither of them was at the moment able to speak。 It was in some sense a tribal gesture； a tremor of intent； primitive； powerful； a symbol full of meaning； in a land posed of meaningless symbols。
''Fukuda broke your hip？''
It was a whisper； but Tori winced； as if she were experiencing again the bright blue…white…green flash searing her eyes； singeing her brows and fuzz of hair on her arms； feeling anew the weird sense not of falling； but of floating in the subway tunnel far below the streets of Tokyo。 Feeling nothing for an instant； and then as if the percussion is hitting her all over again； the agonizing； teeth…grinding pain as the shock dissipates。 Then the extreme heaviness of her own body； as if it now weighs tons。 Crashing to the tracks； the shining steel coated with a hot； sticky substance； dark； running out of her in a stream。 And Fukuda pausing a moment in the semidarkness of the subway tunnel； her face alight with triumph。 I told you not to get in my way； but you didn't listen。 You took from me something that was very precious。 Now that you'II pay with your life； perhaps you will understand just how precious。 The gloating is cut with her rage and her hate。 You backed the wrong horse。 Sooner or later； we'II take Hitasura down； just as we've taken you down。 No big thing。 Easy does it。 Then she had disappeared； and in her place was the rumbling of the oning train； sweeping around a curve； its startlingly brilliant headlight firing the steel tracks； the light racing toward Tori； who lay on the tracks； immobile 。 。 。
〃Tori！ Tori！〃 Russell was shaking her。 〃Are you all right？〃
White…faced； Tori turned her head toward him。 〃No；〃 she said； her voice a hoarse whisper。 Her eyes locked with his。 They were dark； swirling with emotion。 〃I've e full circle； Russ。 I beat death once。 Now I see I've got to do it all over again。''
EIGHT
ARKHANGELSKOE/STAR TOWN/MOSCOW/TOKYO
〃rade； have you heard the latest news？ They've done it again。〃
〃Who's done it again？〃 Valeri said。
〃White Star；〃 the young man with the strawberry birthmark said。 〃Their elite cadres are better armed； more well…trained。 White Star is no longer merely a ragtag guerrilla organization made up of disparate dissident minorities。 They are a full…fledged army now。 And elements of this new army have attacked the Kyshtym Industrial plex。 It is entirely destroyed！〃
Valeri Bondasenko was sitting on the bench overlooking the large birch tree； outpost of the forest on the other side of which were the grounds of Arkhangelskoe。 On one side of him was the young man with the strawberry birthmark； on the other； his daughter； silent； imperturbable。 At their backs； up the sloping incline； bulked the almost Victorian exterior of the insane asylum。
''Is that so？'' Valeri said。 ''I had heard the story diff