el.angeleyes-第57节

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　one　of　my　concerns　in　West　Germany。　I　transship　the　hafnium　down　here；　and　they　oversee　the　soft　cell；　making　sure　it's　stuffed　into　the　coke。''
　〃But　don't　you　know　what　the　Japanese　are　doing　with　the　coke？〃　Tori　said。　〃They've　made　a　supercocaine；　one　that　kills　in　a　matter　of　months。''
　〃So？　Tori；　you　know　me　better　than　that；〃　Estilo　said。　〃I'm　a　businessman；　pure　and　simple。　I'm　motivated　by　profit；　not　ideology　or　politics。　I　thought　you　understood　that。〃
　The　real　horror　was　that　Tori　did　understand。　She　had　known　all　along　what　Estilo　was；　and　what　he　was　capable　of。　They　had　bee　friends　despite　that　knowledge。　What　did　that　say　about　her？
　〃Isn't　hafnium　used　as　some　kind　of　damper　in　nuclear　reactors？〃　Russell　said。
　〃I　sell　hafnium；〃　Estilo　said。　〃I　don't　research　it。〃
　〃Who　are　you　selling　it　to？〃　Tori　asked。　〃Which　Japanese？　Bastard；　tell　me。〃
　〃There's　something　else　I　'd　like　to　know；''　Russell　said。　''Was　it　you　who　ordered　the　hit　on　Ariel　Solares？〃
　〃Ariel　was　a　friend　of　mine；〃　Estilo　said　stiffly。　〃I　still　mourn　his　passing。〃　He　sounded　as　if　Russell　had　insulted　him。
　〃If　you　didn't　kill　him；〃　Russell　said；　〃who　did？〃
　''You　know；　I　should　kill　you　both；''　Estilo　said。　〃That　would　be　the　smart　move。　The　businessman　in　me　says　I　should　get　rid　of　you　two　before　you　do　me　more　damage　man　you've　already　done。''　He　looked　at　Tori。　''But　you　are　my　schatzie；　and　I　could　never　harm　you。〃
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　Tori　said。　〃What　you're　doing　is　despicable：　you'll　sell　anything　for　a　profit　with　no　thought　of　the　consequences。〃　
　〃Forgive　me。〃　
　〃Never。〃
　〃But　I　forgive　you；　schatzie。〃　Estilo　looked　at　her　sadly。　〃That　is　the　difference　between　us。　I　accept　you；　Tori；　all　of　you。　The　good　and　the　bad。　I　am　the　true　friend　you　never　had　before；　but　of　course　you　can't　see　that。　Perhaps　in　time　。。。〃　He　shrugged；　said　to　one　of　his　men；　''They　have　a　personal　jet　waiting　for　them　at　the　airport。　See　they　get　there；　and　that　nothing　happens　to　them　at　Immigration　or　Customs。　See　them　off。　And；　Tori；　when　you　get　to　Japan；　which　I've　no　doubt　you'll　do；　go　see　your　old　Yakuza　friend；　Hitasura。〃　
　〃What　do　you　know　of　Hitasura？〃
　〃Wrong　question；〃　Estilo　told　her。　〃It's　what　does　Hitasura　know？〃
　Tori　stared　at　him　a　long　time。　So　many　emotions　were　running　through　her　she　did　not　know　where　to　begin　to　prehend　them。　She　knew　that　Estilo　had　protected　her　and　Russell；　and　he　had；　in　a　major　way；　helped　them　with　their　mission。　Then　why　couldn't　she　forgive　him　for　having　a　part　in　the　supercocaine　smuggling？　Or　was　it　simply　that　he　had　lied　to　her　about　his　business　dealings？　Could　her　hurt　stem　from　something　so　personal　as　that？
　Estilo　said；　〃Adios；　Senor　Slade。　Auf　wiedersehen；　schatzie。　I　have　much　to　do　now。　I　must　see　that　justice　es　to　this　pig　Cruz；　and　I　will　see　that　Sonia　is　given　a　proper　burial。〃　He　took　one　last　look　at　Tori。　''Perhaps　you'll　say　a　prayer　for　her。''
　''For　her；''　Tori　said　as　she　and　Russell　were　led　away。　''But　not　for　you。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　be　alone？〃
　Tori　looked　up　at　Russell　standing　over　her。　The　727；　at　35；000　feet；　was　whispering　along。　〃Yes。〃　But　when　he　turned　away；　she　reached　out　for　him。　〃No。　Sit　with　me。〃
　She　put　her　head　back；　sighed。　It　was　good　not　to　be　alone；　to　put　an　end　to　the　solitude…the　isolation　she　had　imposed　on　herself　from　the　moment　they　had　taken　off　from　Machine…Gun　City。
　〃Next　stop；　Tokyo。〃　Russell　looked　at　her。　〃I　hope　we　haven't　been　sent　by　Scylla　into　the　maw　of　Charybdis。''
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　Russell　shrugged。　〃If　Estilo　is　any　yardstick　by　which　to　judge　your　friends；　this　Yakuza　oyabun　of　yours；　Hitasura；　might　be　waiting　to　blow　our　heads　off。''
　〃If　Estilo　wanted　that　for　us；　he'd　have　done　it　himself。〃
　〃Speaking　of　Estilo；　Tori；　why'd　he　do　it？　From　the　moment　you　called　him　from　my　office；　he　must　have　known　what　you　and　I　were　looking　for。　He　was　it；　or　part　of　it；　anyway。　Why　did　he　allow　us　to　get　so　close；　find　out　about　his　operation。　And　even　more　interesting；　why　did　he　get　involved　himself？〃
　〃I　don't　pretend　to　have　all　the　answers；〃　Tori　said　wearily。　〃But　Estilo　knows　me。　He　knew　once　I　sunk　my　teeth　in；　I　wasn't　going　to　give　up；　and　I　think　he　wanted　in　some　way　to　ensure　my　protection。　He　figured　if　he　was　along；　he　could　do　that。　Also；　Estilo　was　in　a　fundamental　way　lying　to　us　when　he　said　he's　nothing　more　than　a　businessman。　Underneath；　he's　the　last　of　the　adventurers。　There　are　those　who　think　the　world's　gotten　too　small　for　people　like　him。　He　gets　a　kick　out　of　making　fools　of　them　by　slipping　through　the　international　cracks　they　don't　know　still　exist。〃　She　shrugged。　〃But　maybe　I'm　wrong。　He　went　with　us；　protected　us；　exposed　his　operation　to　us。　But　God　knows；　it's　clear　now　that　I　never　fully　understood　Estilo。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　you　understand　him　all　too　well；〃　Russell　said。　〃Mainly；　because　you　two　are　so　much　alike。　You're　wrong　about　only　one　thing。　Tori。　Estilo's　not　the　last　of　the　adventurers。　You　are。''
　Tori　turned　her　head；　stared　out　the　window　at　the　colorlessness　at　35；000　feet。　She　looked　upward；　past　the　intense　blue　of　the　shell　of　Earth's　atmosphere；　and　thought。　What　did　Greg　see　in　the　darkness　up　there？　What　did　he　think　when　he　looked　behind　him　and　saw　the　totality　of　home？
　〃There's　something　else；''　Russell　said；　and　she　turned　back；　away　from　the　home　of　the　angels。　〃Why　in　hell　did　Estilo　tell　us　about　the　hafnium？　What　sort　of　devilish　game　is　he　playing？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Tori　said。　〃But　knowing　Estilo　as　I　do；　he　told　us　because　he　wants　us　to　know。〃
　〃Perhaps　he　was　lying。　It　could　be　the　pellets　are　something　other　than　hafnium。〃
　〃No。　That　isn't　Estilo's　way。　He　merely　would　have　kept　his　mouth　shut。　Those　pellets　are　hafnium；　you　can　bet　on　it。〃
　Russell　opened　his　hand；　smiled。　In　it；　wrapped　in　a　small　plastic　envelope；　was　a　small　dark　metallic　pellet。　〃I　don't　have　to　bet；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　my　own　private　sample。〃　He　pocketed　me　evidence；　frowned。　〃What　if　Estilo　did　order　the　hit　on　Solares？〃
　〃He　said　he　didn't。〃
　〃No。　Think　back。　What　he　said　was　that　Ariel　was　his　friend；　that　he　still　grieves　for　him。　He　gave　us　no　direct　answer。〃
　〃With　Estilo；　it's　the　same　thing；〃　Tori　said。　〃It's　a　matter　of　honor。　Ariel　was　his　friend；　Estilo　could　not　have　ordered　him　murdered。〃
　Russell　grunted；　but　he　did　not　argue　with　her。　〃Well；　then；　it's　on　to　Japan；〃　he　said。　〃You'd　better　brief　me。　Who's　this　other　friend　of　yours；　Hitasura？〃
　〃Hitasura　is　the　youngest　of　the　Tokyo　Yakuza　bosses；〃　Tori　said。　〃He　made　his　bones　by　leading　a　bloodless　coup　against　the　old　oyabun　of　his　family。　There　was　a　scandal　the　old　man　was　involved　in；　and　Hitasura　used　his　influence　among　the　young　bureaucrats　of　his　acquaintance　to　hush　it　up。　The　elders　of　the　family　were　grateful；　so　grateful；　they　installed　him　as　the　new　oyabun。　Since　then　he's　expanded　his　family's　influence　threefold。　His　chief　rival　is　an　oyabun　named　Big　Ezoe。　A　real　sonuvabitch。〃
　〃This　is　the　Yakuza　we're　talking　about；〃　Russell　said。　〃They're　all　sons　of　bitches。〃
　Tori　nodded。　〃That's　more　or　less　true；〃　she　said。　〃It's　the　'less'　you　need　to　concentrate　on。　Once　you　do；　you　find　some　fascinating　personalities。　Hitasura's　one。　Anyway；　he's　in　my　debt；　so　you　don't　have　to　worry　about　his　loyalty。〃
　Russell　waited　for　her　to　tell　him　how　Hitasura　happened　to　be　in　her　debt；　but　when　she　wasn't　forthing；　he　asked　her　himself。
　''It's　none　of　your　business；　Russ；''　she　said。　''You　don't　ask　questions　like　that。　They're　too　personal。〃
　Russell　could　see　that　she　was　already　reverting　to　her　enigmatic　Japanese　personality；　the　one　that　drove　him　to　distraction　when　he　had　first　worked　with　her。　He　wasn't　going　to　let　that　happen　again。　〃This　is　different；　it's　business；〃　he　said。　〃It's　my　neck　that's　being　put　on　the　chopping　block　along　with　yours。　Under　me　circumstances；　don't　you　think　I　deserve　an　answer？''
〃No；〃　Tori　said。
　Russell　leaned　forward。　〃Look；　Tori；　do　I　have　to　point　this　out：　if　Hitasura　is　involved　in　the　soft　cell…〃
　〃Russ　。。。〃
　He　stared　at　her。　〃I　don't　care　if　he　is　in　your　debt；　thе　possibility　remains　that　if　Estilo　didn't　order　Ariel's　murder；　then　Hitasura　did。〃
　〃Let's　not　get　ahead　of　ourselves；　shall　we？〃
　Russell　could　see　she　was　angry。　He　couldn't　blame　her。　Both　Estilo　and　Hitasura　were　her　friends。　One　had　already　betrayed　her。　How　much　would　it　take　for　the　other　to　betray　her　as　well？
　Tori　stood　up。　〃Excuse　me。　I've　got　to　go　to　the　bathroom。〃
　Russell　watched　her　go　down　the　aisle。　He　wondered　why　he　could　never　win　an　argument　with　her。　Several　minutes　later　it　occurred　to　him　that　they　hadn't　had　an　argument；　merely　a　conversation。　Then　he　began　to　wonder　why　he　saw　their　conversations　as　skirmishes；　and；　worse；　why　it　was　he　found　it　necessary　to　win　them　all。
　Something　stirred　inside　him。　He　felt　again　the　torn　edges　of　the　end　of　his　life；　blood　covering　his　eyes；　the　stench　of　the　great　bull　filling　his　nostrils；　the　corrida's　red　dust　coating　his　mouth；　the　taste　of　death　choking　him。　Russell　had　already　given　himself　up　for　dead。　He　had　been　sucking　the　dust　into　his　lun