el.angeleyes-第54节
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''You seemed more than willing to believe your friend several nights ago。〃
Honno considered this。 It occurred to her that several nights ago seemed more like a lifetime ago。 She looked at Big Ezoe； said； 〃He wants to sell back the Sakata ledgers he stole from me。〃
〃Yes；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃And no。 I think he wants…needs…money very badly。 His debts in my gambling houses have mounted of late。 But I also think he's too smart to give up the ledgers for one score。 He's had a chance to decipher Sakata's code。 That's why it took him this long to surface with an offer。 Now he knows what the ledgers contain； and he has no doubt discovered that they're far too valuable for him to give up。〃
〃What does he plan to do？〃
〃Figure it out；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃It isn't so difficult。〃
Honno thought for a moment。 〃He's going to try to take our money and give us nothing…or； perhaps； just a little…in return。〃
Big Ezoe said； 〃Like all amateurs； Giin believes that he can outsmart the professional。 That's a proven fact。 Why else would he e back night after night to my gambling houses？ He has set up a meeting for eight this morning； in the center of the Nihonbashi bridge。 I will bring him the money； and he will give me one deciphered page from the ledgers。 Then； when I'm satisfied as to their value； he'll give me an address where I'll supposedly find the entire ledgers； along with the rest of the decoded pages。 Only they won't be there； and he'll begin the process of bleeding me dry。〃
〃But that's so terribly dangerous for him。〃
〃It certainly is；〃 Big Ezoe said； 〃but in a way he doesn't yet begin to suspect。 He's chosen to deal with me。 That's because he knows me…or； at any rate； he thinks he does。 In fact； he's very close to the edge； and in danger of falling a long； long way。
〃You see； Mrs。 Kansei； what Giin hasn't counted on is you。〃
''You loved Giin； once；'' Big Ezoe said in the tone one would use when beginning a fairy tale。 〃But now your warrior spirit has shown you that it wasn't Giin you loved at all； but an image of Giin。 An image your own needs； desires； and misconceptions created。 Just as they created the Eikichi Kansei you thought you had married。 There； too； the truth was something altogether different。〃
Honno and Big Ezoe were in his limo； on their way to Nihonbashi。 They passed through a city that looked as if it were waking up from a long； troubled slumber。
〃What do you plan to do？〃 Honno said。
〃I？〃 Big Ezoe looked at her。 〃I plan to do nothing at all。〃
The limo pulled into the curb； and the driver got out。 In a moment Honno's door was opening。 The driver handed her a slim attache。 It came as no surprise to this new Honno。 She emerged into the busy street。
She said； 〃What is in the case？ 〃But； really； it was a question to which she already had the answer。 She could hear Fukuda saying。 Whatever you want to be in there； and the warrior with Honno's voice repeated the answer out loud。
Behind her； she heard Big Ezoe's voice saying； 〃I will remain here until the matter is resolved。〃
Without a backward glance； Honno walked onto the bridge。 Centuries ago the Nihonbashi had been the starting point of the Tokaido； the main road between the capital…Edo； now Tokyo… and Kyoto。 She recalled as a child seeing the stylized rendition of the Nihonbashi in a woodblock print by Hiroshige。 Perhaps it was at that moment； engulfed by the beauty of the artist's work； the point where myth and reality converged； that she had fallen in love with Tokyo。
Eight o'clock。 Giin was at the center of the bridge's are； waiting。 Behind him all of Honno's beloved Tokyo was arrayed like a set of runes whose meaning she had at last begun to decipher。
He saw her ing and his face went white。 He turned to run； then he hesitated； his greed gaining the upper hand； and he turned back。 And Honno was already there。
〃Why did you run？〃 she asked turn。 〃Why did you steal the ledgers？〃
''You don't understand；'' Giin said hurriedly。 ''I need money。 Desperately。〃
'' You could have asked me for money。''
He laughed。 ''Don't be absurd。 I need a great deal more than you could ever have。''
〃How do you know that？〃 She saw Giin pause。 〃You should have asked。〃
Giin gave her a tentative smile。 He bobbed his head。 〃Yes。 I suppose I should； now that I think about it。 But it was such a shock to see you； and I…well； I found myself so smitten again。 It didn't matter that you'd married。 I wanted everything to be perfect this time。 For you； only for you； Honno。 That's why I need the money。 I need to get this behind me…this emergency… and then everything will be perfect。〃
Honno seemed not to have been listening。 〃You're still gambling。〃
〃But I do not！ I told you…''
〃Why are you lying to me？〃
〃I swear…〃
〃You've always lied to me。〃
〃'Honno； what's happened to you？〃
〃Nothing；〃 she said。 She lifted the attache case that contained nothing。 〃Money；〃 she said。 〃To give you your perfect ending。〃
Giin nodded uncertainly。 He handed a sheet of paper to Honno。 〃The information contained in the ledgers is fantastic。 I can hardly believe it's true。 But it must be。 Every entry is cross…referenced several ways。 Look。 Times； places； numbers of meets； amounts transferred。 The ledgers detail an entire network of bribes； extortion； a web of corruption so wide it's almost inconceivable。〃
〃But to what end？〃
Giin's smile widened。 He sensed that for all this woman's new strangeness； he had regained the upper hand。 〃Ah； that will have to remain a mystery until I have the money； and you get the balance of the decoding。''
〃I want it all now。〃
〃Huh？〃
〃I want everything you've decoded；〃 Honno said。 Without warning； she reached out； brought Giin toward her with such fierceness that his teeth raided。 〃You'll tell me now； before the transfer of money； as an act of contrition for lying to me； and for stealing what is mine。〃
〃You're mad；〃 Giin said。 〃Absolutely mad。 I've made my deal。〃
〃You'll tell me what I want to know；〃 Honno said。 〃Or I'll kill you right here； right now； as a public lesson； a reminder to those who lie and cheat and steal。〃
〃I don't…〃
〃Your particular obsession has ended right here。〃 Honno stuck her forefinger into that soft spot just below Giin's sternum。 He winced； collapsed into her。 Saliva drooled out of his gasping mouth。
〃You've caused too many people far too much pain；〃 Honno told him。 The finger jammed inward again； and Giin's eyes opened so wide she thought the eyeballs would pop out。 〃I'm the one； little Honno； who you thought so little of； who you condescended to。 I am going to put an end to it。〃
Once more the finger moved； curling upward toward his heart。 〃To your own suffering as well； since you are obviously incapable of helping yourself。 You're just spiraling deeper and deeper into deceit and self…delusion。〃
Honno brought Giin so close against her she could hear the frightened beating of his heart。 Her wa was fully expanded； and there was a peculiar triumph burning like a fire inside her。 She thought of Fukuda and transformations。 Was she； Honno； fully transformed by the warrior spirit？ Not yet。 But soon。
〃I 'm going to break your back；'' she said。 ''Not kill you； not yet。 You thought I was still trapped by your spell； that you could con me yet again with your soft voice and your honeyed words。 But I know what you are now； you have no effect on me。 And I want what I want。〃
〃But I don't know。〃 Giin's voice was filled with pain and tears。 〃I've； oh no； over the years I've lost my abilities to decode。 Age was playing 。 。 。 playing tricks on my mind。 So I found a protege。 He did the decoding。 He。 。 。 he has everything you 。 。 。 you want。〃
〃Name；〃 Honno said； tightening her hold。 〃Address。〃
Giin told her； his head lolling on her neck like an infant。 And Honno； the warrior； was abruptly disgusted by his weakness…just as she had been disgusted by her father's weakness； she realized。 All these years she had been too much the good girl； the Honno her parents had raised her to be； to question her own emotions； to recognize her disgust。
With a cry； Honno's arms contracted。 She heard the snap…snap snap！ like twigs breaking underfoot as Giin's vertebrae popped。 Then she threw him over the side of Nihonbashi； the symbol of a beginning； into the sluggish waters of the Sumida； over whose pristine surface the moon had dreamily cast its light just last night。
Then the warrior had picked up the empty attache case and walked calmly back toward the waiting limo。 In her mind's eye she could see the lone cryptomeria； and now； truly； she understood all the layers of its existence。 Just as the curve of its trunk softened the pitilessly hard edges of the city surrounding it； its strength lent meaning to her suffering。 The cryptomeria was proof that purpose could be found in the thickest fog； the darkest night； the deepest pain。 And with that； the past melted away； and only the future； shining and limitless； remained。
The city…her Tokyo…pulsed on all around her； its myriad streets radiating out in every direction； beckoning。 But the warrior had already chosen her path。 The one that had led her to what she wanted most： freedom。
SEVEN
MACHINE…GUN CITY/TOKYO
Estilo was all for killing Cruz
