el.angeleyes-第25节

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　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　that　let　me　see　what　was　in　your　heart。''　He　laughed。　'　'Is　that　all？　〃
　Honno　lifted　her　gaze；　stared　into　his　eyes。　She　took　a　deep　breath；　said；　〃May　I　have　some　tea？〃
　Big　Ezoe　arched　an　eyebrow；　but　all　he　said　was；　〃Yes；　of　course。〃　Depressing　a　toggle　on　his　inter；　he　spoke　quietly　into　the　speaker。　Then；　sitting　back；　he　said　to　Honno；　〃If　you　continue　to　frown　like　that；　you　will　be　old　before　your　time。　I　used　to　hear　my　mother　instructing　my　ex…wife　on　how　to　smile。''　A　laugh　escaped　him。　''Perhaps　I　should　take　you　home　to　meet　my　mother。〃
　The　tea　arrived。　Big　Ezoe　served　it　himself。　When　it　was　poured；　the　first　cup　consumed；　the　refills　steaming；　Honno　said；　''I　need　your　help。''
　Big　Ezoe　seemed　sad。　〃My　hands　are　dirty。　I　am　a　gangster。　You　are　convinced　that　I　had　your　father　murdered。　What　could　I　possibly　assist　you　with？''　He　shook　his　head。　〃You　have　e　to　the　wrong　place。　I　think　it　is　the　police　you　want。　Or　perhaps　theTokuso。〃
　So　he　knows　about　my　marriage　to　Eikichi；　Honno　thought。　She　knew　she　shouldn't　be　surprised。　Information　was　Big　Ezoe's　business；　among　other　things。
　She　steeled　herself。　''Neither　the　police　nor　the　Tokuso　would　be　appropriate　in　this　instance；''　she　said。　''You　are　my　one　and　only　avenue。　I　want　to　do　the　right　thing；　but　I　am　afraid。　I　am　bound　by　giri；　but　I　am　a　woman　in　a　man's　world。　Will　you　help　me？〃
　Big　Ezoe　gazed　at　her　for　a　long　time。　He　was　a　large　man　in　his　early　fifties　who　was　so　muscular　that　he　seemed　to　be　bursting　out　of　his　silk　suit。　He　had　a　wide；　open　face　that；　oddly　enough；　inspired　confidence。　But　there　was　also　an　aggressiveness　about　his　mouth　and　chin。　He　had　bristly；　short…cropped　hair；　a　neat　mustache　with　just　a　hint　of　silver　in　it。　He　looked　more　like　a　law　enforcement　officer　than　a　Yakuza　oyabun。
　He　opened　his　huge　hands。　''Forgive　me；''　he　said；'　'but　why　should　I　help　you？〃
　Honno　was　prepared　for　this。　〃What's　in　it　for　you；〃　she　said；　opening　her　pocketbook。　〃I　understand。〃　She　withdrew　an　envelope　thick　with　yen。　〃I　have　money　here。　As　much　as　I　can　afford。〃
　Big　Ezoe　scowled。
　〃It　isn't　enough？〃　Honno　said　with　a　sinking　heart。
　〃Put　that　away。　I　do　not　take　money　from　nice　young　girls　who　should　know　better。〃
　〃Must　you　make　a　joke　of　everything？〃　Honno　felt　desperation　grip　her。　If　Big　Ezoe　would　not　help　her；　what　would　she　do？　〃Your　help…〃
　Big　Ezoe　came　around　from　behind　his　desk。　〃My　help；　my　dear　Mrs。　Kansei；　is　not　bought。　It　is　earned。〃　He　looked　into　her　eyes。　〃You　said　it　yourself。　You　are　a　woman　in　a　man's　world。　It　is　like　my　mother　used　to　say　to　my　ex…wife：　I　think　you　must　convince　me　that　you　belong　here。　If　I　agree　to　help　you；　I　take　on　an　obligation。　This　is　a　serious　matter　for　both　of　us；　and　I　suggest　you　consider　this　thoroughly　before　you　continue。〃
　〃I　have　already　considered　it；〃　Honno　said。　〃If　you　agree　to　help　me；　I　am　in　your　debt。　You　have　no　concept　of　how　violated　that　makes　me　feel。〃
　〃Now　you　insult　me。　You　have　a　peculiar　methodology　for　asking　for　help。〃
　〃I　am　obligated　to　carry　out　a　samurai's　dying　wish；''　Honno　said　fiercely。　〃He　was　a　friend。　He　was　honorable；　and　I　helped　him　the　with　honor。　Now　he　has　asked　a　service　of　me；　and　I　am　bound　by　honor…his　honor　as　well　as　my　own…to　carry　it　out　for　him。　I　know　I　haven't　the　means　to　acplish　this　on　my　own。　That　is　why　I　am　here。''
　〃A　samurai；　you　say。〃　Big　Ezoe　pulled　at　his　lower　lip。　He　appeared　intrigued。　〃Are　you　saying　that　you　were　Kakuei　Sa…kata's　second　at　Sengakuji？　You　pulled　the　blade　across　his　belly　when　he　could　not？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　see。〃　He　was　wreathed　in　thought。　〃A　Yakuza　taking　up　the　fallen　banner　of　a　samurai。　Now　that　is　a　fascinating　situation。〃
　〃You　will　help　me；　then？〃
　Big　Ezoe's　eyes　focused　on　her　again。　〃You　know；　Mrs。　Kansei；　I　had　a　feeling　you'd　be　back。　A　year　ago　you　walked　in　here　and　pointed　a　gun　at　my　head。　That　was　something　I　thought　I'd　never　see　a　woman　do。　Maybe　you　were　too　dumb　to　know　better。　On　the　other　hand；　you　were　smart　enough　not　to　try　to　pull　the　trigger。　Had　you　tried；　my　men　would　have　killed　you。　And　now　。　。　。〃
　〃I　will　do　whatever　I　have　to；〃　she　said。
　〃Will　you？　I　wonder。　I　question　whether　you　have　any　notion　of　what　your　boast　might　entail。〃　Big　Ezoe　looked　at　her　thoughtfully　for　a　moment；　then　he　laid　her　pistol　in　the　flat　of　his　hand。　〃Who　knows　where　this　path　will　lead　you；　or　what　may　be　required　of　you　along　the　way？〃　He　came　around　from　behind　his　desk。　〃It　is　not　for　a　small　matter　that　a　samurai　takes　his　own　life。　You　are　about　to　take　your　first　step　into　the　darkness。　Unknown　forces　undoubtedly　lie　in　wait。　Powerful；　malignant　forces；　I　suspect。　You　must　be　prepared　to　defend　yourself　against　them。〃　He　hefted　the　pistol；　curled　his　finger　around　the　trigger。　〃What　do　you　think　now？　It　is　not　too　late　to　change　your　mind。''
　Honno　took　out　the　key　Kakuei　Sakata　had　mailed　her。　She　showed　it　to　Big　Ezoe　and　said；　〃This　is　where　we　begin。〃
　
THREE
VIRGINIA　COUNTRYSIDE/MACHINE…GUN　CITY

　Russell　Slade　picked　Tori　up　in　his　custom　armor…plated　limousine。　It　was　still　dark　outside；　even　the　birds　barely　awake。
　In　his　arrogance；　he　had　been　at　the　Los　Angeles　airport；　waiting　for　her　to　call。　Russell　had　one　of　these　cars…　bulletproof；　capable　of　running　at　150　mph；　filled　with　the　most　advanced　munications　center　imaginable…in　Washington；　New　York；　and　Los　Angeles。　They　were　a　necessary…one　could　say　vital…part　of　his　work；　a　mobile　office　where；　more　often　than　not；　he　ate　and　slept　while　missions　were　running。　Russell　had　an　almost　pathological　dislike　for　being　in　one　place　for　too　long。　He　had；　no　doubt；　picked　up　this　peculiarity　from　Bernard　Godwin；　who　had　survived　a　KGB　assassination　attempt　in　his　hotel　room　in　Bonn。　Russell　detested　hotels；　principally　because　it　was　virtually　impossible　to　arrange　decent　security　inside　them。　There　were　far　too　many　personnel　to　vet；　too　many　passageways；　deliveries；　passkeys；　people　going　in　and　out　at　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night　to　make　even　a　token　stab　at　keeping　a　room　safe。
　The　only　thing　in　Russell's　favor　was　that　he　had　not　gloated；　but　had　accepted　her　presence　as　a　natural　occurrence；　which；
once　Tori　took　the　time　to　think　about　it；　said　as　much　about　him　as　she　wished　to　know。
　She　had　plenty　of　time　to　think　on　the　flight　back　to　Washington。　Russell　had　his　own　private　jet；　of　course。　There　were　so　many　antihijacking　devices；　the　Mall　was　obliged　to　order　a　727　instead　of　a　far　smaller　Lear　jet。　She　wanted　to　sleep；　but　every　time　she　drifted　off；　she　was　back　in　the　same　dream　cycle；　in　Ariel's　house　on　Russian　Hill；　on　the　couch　when　the　explosion　hit；　the　pain　recalled　from　the　other　explosion；　the　one　that　had　ripped　apart　her　hip；　when　she　had　stared　into　the　hideous　eyes　of　death　。　。　。
　She　snapped　awake　each　time；　her　heart　hammering　in　her　ears。　She　sat　up　straight；　watched　Russell　sitting　across　from　her　as　he　sent　and　received　faxes　from　the　Mall's　situations　room；　buried　far　beneath　the　emerald　Virginia　hills。　When　she　had　known　him；　he　had　smoked；　but　now　he　confined　himself　to　gnawing　at　the　cap　of　a　plastic　pen。
　Somewhere　over　Ohio　or　Missouri　they　were　served　sandwiches　and　coffee；　for　which　Tori　was　grateful。　She　had　no　wish　to　return　to　her　nightmare　landscape；　locked　in　an　endless　circle　of　fear　and　pain。
　When　they　were　finished　eating；　Russell　said；　〃You　still　hooked　into　Japan's　version　of　la　Famiglia？'
　Tori　did　not　care　for　his　sarcastic　tone；　she　thought　of　him　sitting　in　his　limousine；　so　arrogant；　so　certain　that　she　would　call　him　and　capitulate　that　he　hadn't　bothered　to　board　his　plane。　She　had　the　urge　to　hit　him　in　the　face；　instead；　she　concentrated　on　her　plan。　Somewhere　near　dawn　she　had　e　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was　a　way　in　which　she　could　get　everything　she　wanted　for　herself：　reinstatement　in　the　Mall　on　her　own　terms；　and　revenge　on　Russell　Slade　for　severing　her。　What　she　would　do　to　Slade　would　be　a　far　better…and　more　fitting…fate　for　him　than　a　mere　broken　face；　although　the　picture　of　Slade　with　his　jaws　wired　together　did　have　a　certain　charm。
　She　smiled。　〃If　you're　talking　about　the　Yakuza；　yes；　I　still　have　my　contacts。〃
　Russell　nodded；　almost　as　if　she　had　passed　some　kind　of　test。　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃Because　the　Yakuza　are　involved　up　to　their　bushy　little　eyebrows。〃
　〃Are　you　talking　about　Ariel　Solares's　murder？〃
　Russell　pushed　the　swivel　light　away　from　him；　pressed　the　tips　of　his　fingers　against　his　eyelids。　His　face　had　retreated　into
the　shadows。　Outside；　the　clouds　streamed　by　below　them；　rent　asunder　by　their　screaming　passage。
　〃Remember　the　Yakuza　assassins　you　and　Solares　overheard　in　the　Argentine　tunnels？〃　he　said。　〃Well；　they're　just　a　tiny　part　of　what　is　ing　our　way；　and　I'm　afraid　they've　got　something　particularly　nasty　in　store　for　us。〃
　Tori　said；　〃If　the　Japanese　are　involved　in　a　big　way；　I　can　see　why　you　came　to　see　me　yourself。　You　need　my　expertise。''　She　peered　into　his　face　with　mock　concern。　〃That