el.angeleyes-第100节

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　And　in　that　instant　of　hesitation；　Tori's　right　hand　blurred　upward；　her　hardened　heel　smashing　into　the　base　of　his　nose　with　such　force　it　drove　the　cartilage　in　one　piece　back　through　his　sinuses；　into　his　brain　cavity。
　Hitasura's　expression　was　one　of　dismay。　It　was　frozen　on　his　face　as　his　upper　torso　tumbled　backward。　His　head　hit　against　the　leg　of　one　of　the　chairs；　but　he　was　past　caring。
　Koi　came　over　to　where　Tori　sat　with　her　back　against　the　glass　panel。　Koi　stared　down　into　Hitasura's　face；　then　she　knelt　beside　Tori。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　〃He's　dead；　isn't　he？〃　Tori's　voice　seemed　far　away。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Another　part　of　me　gone。''　Tori　closed　her　eyes。　Her　heart　was　pounding　furiously；　and　no　amount　of　prana　would　slow　it。　〃I　didn't　want　to　hurt　him。　I　never　came　to　hate　him。〃　Then　she　looked　up　into　Koi's　face。　〃This　killing　must　stop。〃
　Koi　nodded；　reached　over；　picked　Tori　up。　She　put　her　hand　beneath　Tori's　jacket；　her　blouse。　〃Wearing　this　Kevlar　vest　was　a　risk；〃　she　said。　〃What　if　he'd　aimed　his　first　shot　for　your　head？〃
　Tori　said；　as　they　stepped　over　Hitasura's　body；　〃Then　that　would　have　been　me　lying　there。　It　would　be　all　over。〃
　Tori's　knees　buckled；　and　Koi　caught　her。
　〃Now　you　must　repay　me　for　helping　you；〃　Koi　said。　〃There　is　something　I　must　do；　and　I　fear　I　cannot　do　it　alone。〃
　Sengakuji。　The　resting　place　of　history's　revered　heroes；　the　splendid　forty…seven　ronin。　The　place　where　Kakuei　Sakata　had　purified　his　spirit；　where　he　had　regained　his　honor　by　mitting　seppuku；　ritual　suicide。
　In…ibuki；　Koi's　soft　abdominal　breathing；　changed　to　yo…ibuki；　the　hard；　aggressive　breathing　of　battle　and　stress。　Wordlessly；　she　pressed　the　translations　of　Sakata's　ledgers　into　Tori's　hands；　then　knelt　on　the　carpet　of　grass。
　Among　the　gaily　waving　flowers　her　white　garb　stood　out　starkly。　She　hoped　that　this　one　spot　of　purity　among　the　vibrant　colors　would　remain　in　Tori's　memory　as　it　had　in　hers　from　the　day　of　Sakata…san's　death。　She　could　still　remember　the　wind　whipping　his　loose　white　leggings；　the　glare　of　sunlight　on　his　blade　at　the　instant　before　he　reversed　it；　plunging　it　into　his　lower　belly。
　Tori　bent　down；　closed　her　hand　over　Koi's　where　it　clasped　the　short　killing　sword。　〃Don't　do　this；〃　she　said　urgently。　〃I　beg　you　to　reconsider。　There　are　alternatives。〃
　〃For　you；　perhaps；〃　Koi　said；　〃but　not　for　me。　I　see　now　that　I　have　trod　too　long　and　too　heavily　down　one　path。''
　''But　you　have　a　friend　now；''　Tori　said。　''Your　life　is　already　changing。〃
　But　Koi　was　already　shaking　her　head。　〃An　illusion。　A　pleasant　one；　I've　no　doubt　you　think；　but　also　a　treacherous　one；　for　no　matter　how　much　I　may　fight　against　the　violence　inside　me；　it　will　overtake　me。　If　not　today；　then　tomorrow　or　the　day　after。　My　spirit　is　unclean。　It　longs　to　be　purified。〃
　She　turned　her　head　toward　Tori；　and　Tori　could　see　the　tears　in　her　eyes。
　〃Oh；　my　dear；〃　Tori　whispered。
　The　tears　ran。　〃It's　not　me　I　think　of　now；　but　others　I　no　longer　wish　to　harm。　You。〃
　With　that；　Koi　plunged　the　blade　to　the　hilt　into　herself。
　〃Koi！〃
　Koi's　lips　rounded　and　a　tiny　〃Oh！〃　escaped　her　bloodless　lips。　She　drew　her　elbows　in。　Her　whole　body　was　shaking。　With　an　effort　that　Tori　found　unimaginable；　she　dragged　the　buried　blade　from　left　to　right；　cutting　herself　open。
　The　stench　was　appalling。　Steam　came　from　her；　like　a　mist　over　spectral　fields。　She　slumped　over　the　buried　blade；　her　bloodied；　white…knuckled　fists。　Blood　crawled　down　her　thighs；　soaking　into　the　grass。
　〃It　grows　dark；〃　Koi　whispered。　〃Don't　go。〃
　〃I'm　here；〃　Tori　said。　Despair　and　helplessness　mingled　inside　her。　In　her　mouth　was　the　nauseating　taste　of　fresh　blood。
　〃It　grows　darker　still。　But　the　mountains　。。。　the　mountains　are　alive　。　。　。　with　light。〃
　Death　came　to　Koi　like　a　cloud　obscuring　the　moon；　a　film　covering　her　staring　eyes；　seeing　their　mysterious　mountains；　alive　with　a　light　only　she　could　see。
　It　took　a　long　time　to　fill　Russell　in；　but　after　what　had　happened　in　the　pachinko　parlor；　it　was　no　longer　in　Tori's　interest　to　remain　in　Tokyo；　so　Tori　locked　herself　in　with　him　in　the　main　cabin　of　their　727　and；　as　the　jet　took　off；　went　over　everything　she　had　been　told　and　had　discovered　a　step　at　a　time。
　She　told　him　about　the　coalition　of　Michita；　Yen；　and　Hitasura　that　Bernard　had　created。　She　told　him　about　Hitasura　having　Ariel　Solares　murdered　because　Ariel；　like　Tom　Royce　before　him；　had　begun　his　own　investigation　of　the　clandestine　affairs　within　the　clandestine　affairs　of　Mall　Central。　She　even　detailed　her　own　unwitting　role　in　playing　watchdog　to　Hitasura　and　in　helping　Bernard　e　up　with　Kunio　Michita；　a　far　better　and　more　powerful　business　partner　than　Tok　Murashito　had　been。
　It　was　good　for　her　to　have　to　explain　everything　to　someone　else。　She　had　had　so　many　shocks　in　so　short　a　time；　she　needed　to　talk　about　these　things　out　loud　in　order　to　make　sense　of　them。　Still；　it　surprised　her　how　calmly　Russell　took　the　revelations。
　〃You　were　right　on　target　with　Bernard；〃　Tori　said。　〃It　tears　me　apart　to　think　how　he　used　both　of　us。　How　I　hate　him　now。〃
　Russell　was　quiet　for　some　time。　Then　he　said；　〃I　wish　you　could　learn　to　respond　with　your　brain　and　not　with　your　heart。　This　is　a　time　to　consider　objectively　what　has　happened。〃　He　sat　forward。　〃Think；　Tori。　Bernard　put　together　this　bizarre　coalition　of　Michita；　Yen；　and　Hitasura　for　a　reason。　He　saw　what　no　one　else　did：　an　unprecedented　opportunity　to　seize　what　appears　to　be　the　ultimate　chance　to　free　the　minority　peoples　of　the　Soviet　Union。''
　Tori's　face　was　pale。　〃I　never　suspected　a　thing。　My　God；　all　along　Bernard　never　retired　from　the　Mall。　He　had　his　own　agenda　hidden　away　from　even　you；　the　director　he　appointed　in　his　place。〃
　〃You're　quite　right；〃　Russell　said。　〃Hidden　agendas　are　Bernard's　stock…in…trade。〃
　Tori　stared　at　him。　〃How　long　have　you　known？〃
　Russell　gave　her　a　thin　smile。　〃Not　long　enough。〃
　〃I　can't　wait　to　bury　the　bastard！〃
　〃Tori；　it's　no　good　hating　Bernard。　He　is　what　he　is；　a　man　totally　obsessed　with　freeing　enslaved　peoples。〃
　〃I　wish　there　was　some　way　I　could　help　the　nationalist　movement　inside　Russia；〃　Tori　said。　〃It's　Bernard's　methods　I　disagree　with；　not　his　goals。〃
　〃So　often　said。〃　Russell　kept　her　close。　〃But　it　just　goes　to　prove　that　Bernard's　as　human　as　the　next　person。　He's　made　mistakes…grave　ones；　like　allowing　Hitasura　to　run　his　own　supercoke　smuggling　operation　under　Mail　auspices。〃
　Tori　turned　away；　looked　out　at　the　clouds　streaming　by　below　them。
　〃Russ；　how　can　you　defend　him　after　what　he's　done　to　us？　He　took　our　trust　and　our　love；　and　in　return　manipulated　us。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　something；〃　Russell　said。　〃Bernard　is　a　master　of　using　all　the　resources　available　to　him。　At　first；　that's　what　I　thought　he　was　doing　here。　But　now　I'm　not　so　sure。　You　see；　he　made　a　point　of　telling　me　how　angry　he　was　not　only　that　Ariel　Solares　was　murdered；　but　that　it　was　done　with　such　a　bang　we　heard　it　all　the　way　back　in　Virginia。　He　said　they　wanted　to　embarrass　us；　that　there　could　only　be　one　response　to　that。〃　Russell　made　sure　she　was　listening。　〃But　Bernard　knew　all　along　who　had　ordered　Ariel's　death：　Hitasura。　'Go　for　the　jugular；'　Bernard　said。　Jesus；　he　wasn't　kidding。　He　made　sure　that　every　step　of　the　way　it　was　my　idea　to　bring　you　back；　but　I　could　see　how　he　planted　that　idea；　how　he　manipulated　conversations　so　that　I　would　take　that　extra　step　to　ensure　that；　one　way　or　another；　you'd　e　back　to　the　Mall。　I　didn't　know　why　then；　but　I　do　now：　he　knew　that　you　were　the　only　one　who　could　take　care　of　your　old　friend　Hitasura　for　him。''
　〃Go　on。〃
　〃But　Bernard　also　must　have　known　that　for　you　to　get　close　enough　to　Hitasura　to　terminate　him；　you'd　have　to　have　learned　enough　to　implicate　him…Bernard。　So　you　were　a　two…edged　sword；　Tori。　On　the　one　hand；　you　were　the　only　agent　skilled　enough　to　bring　Hitasura　down。　On　the　other；　you　would　e　away　knowing　enough　to　send　Bernard　away　for　a　very　long　time。〃
　〃That's　why　Bernard　ordered　you　to　terminate　me！〃
　Russell　shook　his　head。　〃You're　still　not　thinking　clearly。　I　said　Bernard　told　me　to　terminate　you　under　certain　circumstances。　He　didn't　order　me　to　do　it；　and　further；　he　knew　that　I　couldn't　possibly　hurt　you。　You　see；　Bernard…who　knows　everyone's　weak　spots…knew　before　I　did　that　I　was　in　love　with　you。〃
　Tori　said　nothing　for　a　time。　At　last　she　put　her　head　into　her　hands。　〃I　can't　think。　There's　too　much…〃
　〃This　is　your　time　in　the　corrida；　Tori。''　And　when　she　lifted　her　head　to　look　at　him；　Russell　said；　〃The　bull　is　so　close　upon　you　you　can　feel　his　hot　breath。''
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃Yes。〃
　Russell　took　her　hands　in　his。　〃This　is　the　time　when　you　must　think　for　yourself。　Think　not　as　Bernard　wants　you　to　do；　but　for　yourself。〃
　She　knew　he　was　right　in　everything　he　said。　And　yet　a　stubborn；　obtuse　part　of　her　was　still　mitted　to　hating　Bernard　Godwin　for　his　betrayal　of　her　trust。
　She　said；　〃Whether　he　asked　you；　told　you；　or　ordered　you　to　terminate　me；　makes　no　difference。　Bernard　still　wanted　me　dead　in　order　to　protect　himself。