ericlustbader.the ninja-第74节

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　it　revealed　itself　as　housing　a　plex　data　centre。　Nicholas　thought　it　more　resembled　a　console　of　a　747　than　it　did　anything　else。　There　was　a　bank　of　four　phones；　each　colour…coded；　a　telex；　a　NYSE　ticker；　the　set　of　TV　monitors　for　the　now　obligatory　interior　surveillance　system　and　a　number　of　other　gadgets　whose　functions　totally　eluded　him。
　Tomkin　was　on　the　phone。　He　waved　Nicholas　to　a　plush　chair　in　front　of　the　desk。　Nicholas　looked　down。　The　left　armrest　contained　its　own　phone。　He　lifted　the　receiver；　pressed　an　unlit　button　for　a　clear　line；　dialled　Justine's　number　in　West　Bay　Bridge。　He　let　it　ring　six　times　before　he　hung　up。　She　might　just　be　out　on　the　beach。　On　an　impulse；　he　tried　her　city　number。　No　answer。
　He　got　another　line；　asked　Frank　for　Abe　Russo's　extension；　dialled　it。　When　he　got　the　construction　foreman　on　the　line；　he　asked　him　for　a　list　of　all　oriental　men　currently　working　on　the　tower　project。
　That'll　take　some　time；'　Russo　said　shortly。　'I　got　a　lotta　work。　I　don't　know　…'
　'Let　me　put　it　this　way；'　Nicholas　said　slowly。　'If　we　don't　get　these　names；　this　project　may　be　halted　…　permanently。'
　'Okay。　I'll　get　it　right　up　to　you。'
　'I　appreciate　your　assistance；'　Nicholas　said。　'And；　Abe。　I　want　you　to　do　this　all　yourself。　Don't　involve　anyone；　is　that　clear？　And；　listen；　when　you've　got　the　list；　I'm　going　to　want　to　see　all　the　men　on　that　list。　Think　about　how　you're　going　to　do　that　without　giving　them　any　advance　notice。　No　leaks；　all　right？　Good。'　He　hung　up；　suppressed　a　desire　to　try　Justine　once　more。
　Tomkin　was　on　the　phone　for　another　ten　minutes。　During　that　time　there　was　no　movement　in　the　office。　In　the　brief
　silences；　Nicholas　could　hear　the　gentle　hiss　of　the　central　air…conditioning。　Frank　was　immobile　near　the　closed　doors。
　Nicholas　got　up　and；　skirting　the　conversation　pit；　went　back　to　the　library。　There　was　an　old…fashioned　rolltop　desk　to　one　side　that　he　hadn't　noticed　before。　On　it　he　saw　several　pictures　in　silver　frames　that　looked　Mexican。　There　were　a　number　of　colour　shots　of　the　same　women　at　ages　varying　from　perhaps　sixteen　to　late　twenties。　One　was　Justine；　the　other；　he　surmised；　must　be　Gelda。　They　were　both　quite　beautiful　in　very　different　ways；　yet　they　seemed　linked　by　a　hidden　quality　that　defined　both。　He　saw　only　one　photo　in　which　the　sisters　appeared　together。　It　was　a　black　and　white　shot；　torn　at　one　corner。　The　two　girls　stood　on　a　lawn。　In　the　background　he　could　just　make　out　the　corner　of　a　building；　brick…faced；　ivy…covered。　It　appeared　to　be　part　of　an　estate　house。　They　were　ten　and　seven　year　old。　Justine　held　up　a　painted　egg。　At　her　feet　was　a　tiny　wicker　basket。　She　was　smiling　at　the　camera。　Gelda；　a　step　behind　her；　taller　and　a　good　deal　heavier；　had　been　caught　looking　off　to　her　left。　There　seemed；　even　at　that　young　age；　a　peculiar　gulf　between　the　two；　as　if　one　had　no　cognizance　of　the　presence　of　the　other。　They　might　have　been　pasted　together　from　different　pictures　for　all　the　relationship　they　bore　to　one　another。
　'Nicholas？'
　Nicholas　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　side　of　the　desk。　Tomkin　stood　up；　came　round。　He　wore　a　fox…coloured　silk　suit；　deep　yellow…and…white…striped　shirt　with　solid　yellow　collar　and　cuffs　and　a　brown　silk　tie。　He　extended　a　hand。　It　was　thick；　the　back　dark　with　curling　hair。　He　wore　a　ring　of　white　gold　or　platinum　on　his　right　ring　finger；　his　left　hand　bore　no　jewellery　at　all。
　'Glad　to　see　you；'　he　said。　His　blue　eyes　seemed　to　have　a　touch　of　grey　to　them　today。　'I　was　wondering　when　you'd　show　up。　What　did　you　find　out？〃
　'I　beg　your　pardon？'
　'Information；　Nicholas。'　He　formed　the　words　slowly　as　if　trying　to　capture　the　attention　of　a　retarded　child。　'You　went　out　to　West　Bay　Bridge　because　you　thought　the　ninja　might　be　there。　At　least；　that's　what　you　told　me　over　the　phone。〃
　'He　wasn't　there。'
　'Is　Justine　all　right？'
　'Perfectly。'
　'I　don't　like　your　tone　of　voice。'
　'You're　not　paying　me　to　like　my　tone　of　voice；　merely　to　protect　you。〃
　'I　have　been　wondering　how　you　were　doing　that　from　Long　Island。　Remote　control；　I　suppose。'
　Nicholas　laughed　shortly。　His　eyes　were　steely。　'Let's　cut　the　crap；　Tomkin。　You　don't　have　to　like　me；　just　be　cooperative。　Otherwise；　I　can't　do　my　job。〃
　'But　I　do　like　you；　Nicholas。　Whatever　gave　you　the　idea　that　I　didn't？'　Affable　now；　he　guided　Nicholas　down　into　the　living　area。　They　sat　on　the　couch。　It　was　chocolate　brown　and　luxuriously　fortable。
　'Surely　you're　not　surprised　to　find　that　I'm　…　curious；　shall　we　say　…　about　your　methodology。　After　all；　Frank　here　never　leaves　my　side。　He　gives　me　a　great　deal　of　fort。'
　'Frank　is　useless；'　Nicholas　said；　'when　it　es　to　the　ninja。　He'll　get　through　Frank　as　if　he's　not　there。'
　Tomkin　smiled　thinly。　'He　may　get　through　Frank　but　if　he　does；　he'll　do　so　with　a　couple　of　。45　bullets　in　him。'
　Nicholas　shrugged。　'If　you　choose　to　take　this　matter　lightly　…'
　'I　assure　you；　I　am　not　taking　this　lightly。　At　all。　Else　I　would　not　have　hired　you；　understand？　Now'　…　he　slapped　his　thick　thigh　…　'tell　me　what　you're　up　to。'
　'I'm　expecting　Abe　Russo　any　minute。'
　'What　the　hell　we　need　him　up　here　for？　He's　got　his　hands　full　keeping　to　our　deadline。'
　'The　ninja's　hall…mark　is　infiltration；'　Nicholas　said　quietly。　'He　won't　try　to　kill　you　by　。。。　remote　control；　as　you　say。'　He　grinned。　'He's　got　to　e　right　up　to　you　…　do　it　himself　from　arm's　length。　When　Abe　gets　here；　we'll　find　out　if　he's　in　the　tower　building。'
　'Here？　But　how？'
　〃The　most　likely　probability　is　as　a　worker。　He'd　be　anonymous；　have　the　run　of　the　place。　It's　only　logical。'
　At　that　moment　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door　and　Frank
　let　Abe　Russo　in。　He　carried　a　sheaf　of　puter　printout　paper　in　one　hand。　His　clothing　was　rumpled　and　he　wiped　a　stray　lock　of　sandy　hair　from　his　forehead。
　'Here　it　is；'　he　said；　dropping　the　paper　on　the　coffee　table　in　front　of　them。　'I've　circled　all　the　oriental　males。　There's　thirty…one　of　'em；'　he　continued　as　they　both　began　to　look　over　the　list。
　'What　are　you　looking　for？'　Tomkin　said。　'You　know　his　name？'
　Nicholas　shook　his　head。　'Even　if　I　did；　he'd　never　use　it　here。〃　It　was　a　long　shot　to　expect　to　find　the　name　Hideoshi　on　this　list　but　it　would　have　been　foolish　to　have　ignored　the　obvious。　'This　it？'　he　said　to　Russo。
　The　other　nodded。　'Yeah。　Every　one。　Twenty…five　are　on　the　day　shift；　the　rest　are　on　at　night。'
　'All　twenty…five　here　today？'　Nicholas　asked。　'None　called　in　sick？'
　'None　sick。　They're　all　here　as　far　as　I　can　tell。'
　'And　no　one　knows　about　this？'
　'Not　a　one；'　Russo　said。　'I　worked　on　it　alone。'
　'Okay；'　Nicholas　said。　'Let's　go。'　He　stood　up。
　'What's　happening？'　Tomkin　said。
　Nicholas　rolled　up　the　paper　into　a　tube。　I'm　　going　to　see　all　of　these　men　face　to　face。　Every　one's　a　candidate　for　our　ninja。'
　Russo　took　him　through　the　labyrinth　of　the　building　and；　one　by　one；　the　men　on　the　list　were　interviewed　and　crossed　off　the　list。
　The　thirteenth　name　was　Richard　Yao。　Russo　didn't　know　precisely　where　he　was　working　at　this　time　of　day；　so　they　sought　out　his　unit　foreman。　They　found　him　supervising　the　welding　going　on　in　one　section　of　the　bottom　of　the　atrium　lobby。　He　was　a　heavy…set　man　with　almost　no　hair　and　close…set　eyes。
　'You　just　missed　him；　Abe。'　He　took　a　thick　cigar　stub　out　of　his　mouth；　used　it　to　point　over　his　shoulder。　'He　split。'
　'What　for？'　Russo　asked。
　'Said　he　was　sick。'　He　put　the　cold　stub　back　into　his　mouth。　'Didn't　look　too　good　neither。'
　'How　long　ago　did　this　happen；'　Nicholas　said。
　'Oh；　I'd　say　fifteen　…　maybe　twenty　minutes　ago。　Like　I　said；　you　just　missed　him。'　He　looked　at　Russd。　'Anything　wrong？　He's　a　good　worker。'
　Russo's　eyes　flickered　briefly　in　Nicholas's　direction　before　he　shook　his　head　negatively。　〃Thanks；　Mike。　You　need　another　man　down　here？'
　'I　could　use　one。'
　'Okay。　I'll　see　to　it　then。'
　On　the　way　back　up　to　the　top　of　the　tower；　he　said；　'What　do　you　think；　Mr　Linnear？'
　'I　think；'　Nicholas　said；　'that　we　have　our　man。'
　'Well；　hey；　give　me　this　for　a　sec　…'　He　took　the　sheaf　of　paper　from　Nicholas's　grasp；　leafed　through　　the　accordion　sheets。　'Here！'　His　forefinger　stabbed　at　the　sheet。　'Here's　his　address；　547　…　hey；　wait　a　minute　I　That　address　is　too　far　west。　It's　a　phony！'
　'I'm　not　surprised。'
　The　doors　opened　and　Nicholas　sprinted　down　the　corridor；　leaving　the　other　behind；　staring　at　him。　He　pushed　past　Frank。　Tomkin　was　on　the　phone；　behind　his　desk。　He　put　a　palm　over　the　moudipiece。　'Well；'　he　said；　'what　gives？　Did　you　find…'
　But　Nicholas　was　already　at　the　verge　of　the　desk；　his　fingertips　moving　quickly　but　surely　around　the　rim　of　die。　top。
　'What　the　hell　…'
　'Hang　up；'　Nicholas　said。　He　was　circling　the　desk；　probing。　His　fingertips　never　left　the　surface　of　the　oiled　wood。
　Tomkin　stared　down　at　Nicholas's　hands　as　if　they　were　disembodied　entities。　He　lifted　the　receiver　to　his　ear；　mumbled　a　few　words　and　hung　up。
　'Good；'　Nicholas　said；　still　moving。　'I'd　like　to　talk　to　you　…'
　'About　what　happened　downstairs。　Yeah。　Yeah。'　His　blue　eyes　were　open　wi