el.angeleyes-第75节
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order to exist。 For one such as she； there can be no such thing as honor or giri。 She is bound on the wheel of her addiction as surely as a heretic was bound to the rack。 I pity anyone who is foolish enough to get in her way。
〃Asaku was the oyabun Hitasura's younger brother；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃Hitasura's people are already being meddlesome； bing the city for a clue to the identity of Asaku's murderer。〃
〃Let them look；〃 Honno said。 〃No one knows what happened except you； me； and Fukuda。〃
〃I'll say one thing about Asaku；〃 Big Ezoe said； 〃he was a genius at cryptography。〃
〃He was arrogant；〃 Koi said。 〃He dismissed me because I was a woman。 He laughed in my face。〃
〃That was because he was so angry at how easily you got into his apartment。 You scared the shit out of him。〃
〃That's not all I did to him；〃 Koi said。
Big Ezoe thought of the moment when Honno； or Koi； as she now wanted to be called； crushed Asaku Hitasura's windpipe。 He had seen in her face the image of a mask in a Bunraku puppet play。 It was the mask of a god…though which god； Big Ezoe could not now recall…and it had been cleverly painted with features that managed to exhibit both ecstasy and despair。 He had marveled at that mask。 How he had wanted to meet the artisan who had so masterfully created it。 And yet Big Ezoe had never inquired； afraid that the man would turn out to be mundane； altogether dull； not at all what he had pictured in his imagination。
Then； last night； he had magically found that expression reproduced on the face of a human being。 How absolutely extraordinary！ Big Ezoe； who loved and admired rarities； had decided that Koi was the rarest of the rare。 He had sought to transform her； to make her…as he had Fukuda…into an extension of his psyche。
Fukuda had e to him essentially as Koi had； emotionally maimed。 People…especially women； Big Ezoe had discovered…were peculiarly vulnerable when they were bloodied。 Blood meant wounds that had not been able to heal； a flaw in the psyche。
Until last night； when he had seen the godlike expression on Koi's killing face； he had considered Fukuda to be his crowning achievement。 It was then that Big Ezoe began to suspect that Koi would far outstrip his first model。
And later； when he had taken Koi back to the apartment he had given her； he had watched her while she took her cleansing bath。 He had rolled up his sleeves； had covered her with soap； then sponged her down。 Spraying her with cool water； watching the suds spiral down the drain； uncovering in sections her hard； unblemished body。 Big Ezoe had caught himself eyeing her enviously。
After hosing down the tub to get rid of the residues of dirt and soap； Koi had filled it with steaming hot water； lay back to soak； and spoke the first words since her second act of murder。 She said； 〃I was taught that women enter this world already bearing a guilt we can never fully rid ourselves of。 We are unclean。 Our bodies regularly run with blood； proof of the evil passions we cannot control。〃 She stared at Big Ezoe。 〃How much more fully this applies to me； a hinoeuma woman； born in the year of the husband killers。〃
Big Ezoe had said nothing。 He was content now to watch and to listen as he had done the night of the Bunraku play； as if he were again one of many； sitting in the darkness of the huge theater。
Koi had raised her arms； bringing her hands out of the water。 Her clear skin was steaming； gleaming in the bathroom lights； center stage。 Water dripped from her fingertips； and for the first time Big Ezoe noticed that her nails were lacquered the color of blood。
〃But now；〃 Koi had said； 〃now I know I have the power to exercise my evil passions as I see fit。 I can exploit them； as I did tonight； or I can make them lie quiescently by my side like a slumbering lover。〃 She put her head back； her eyes closed as she slipped lower into the water； so that to Big Ezoe her body already seemed insubstantial； its outline wavering。 〃The choice is mine。〃
And today she had chosen her new name： Koi。 Like stepping out of old clothes； into new。 Darkness。 Depth。 Power。
〃No one knows；〃 Koi said again now。
Big Ezoe came around from behind the desk； stood with her as she surveyed the city。 The sky had already clouded up。 Pollutants turned the pristine morning blue sky to a sickly yellow…gray。 Fujiyama； the great mountain that symbolized Japan； was swallowed whole in man…made mist。
〃But Hitasura will suspect my involvement。〃 Big Ezoe was acutely aware of Koi as he stood beside her； aware of the enormous power of her wa； and he felt as gratified as an artist with his masterpiece。 〃It is only inevitable。 Sooner or later； he will e。 And when he does； he will not be alone。〃
〃So？ Let him e。〃 That extraordinary expression was reforming on her face； the confluence of ecstasy and despair that had about it now an air of expectancy。 The air around Koi seemed to alter； as it does just before the onset of a storm。 〃I will wele Hitasura with open arms。〃
With an enormous sense of satisfaction； Big Ezoe could see what happened： he had made of Koi a warrior whose scars he had annealed by his own form of cauterization； until； unlike Fukuda； Koi had absolutely no room for the soft emotions of pity； sympathy； or passion。
And Big Ezoe； giving a tiny shudder； thought with enormous satisfaction； Yes； you bastard Hitasura； e。 I have a surprise for you。 I want you to meet my darting creation。 My hard machine。
NINE
TOKYO
Tori was once again studying the photograph of Ariel Solares as he stood； smiling into the camera lens； in the tiny park near his house in San Francisco。
She kept studying the people in the background…the man and； farther away； the couple…as if in their faces she could discover what it was about the photo that Ariel had found so significant。 But she could not make them out。 She turned the photo over； saw the date it was taken digitally printed on the back； March 21 of this year。 Was the date important？ Not according to the Eyes Only dossier on me manufacture and distribution of the Japanese supercocaine she had been shown at Mall Central。
Russell and Bernard Godwin had been desperate to bring Tori back into the Mall because Ariel had determined that the Japanese had created this lethal new form of cocaine； and were beginning to disseminate it。 Bernard wanted her to find out why。 But Tori saw now that this was not the only question she needed to find an answer to。 The new coke was in some way bound up with the hafnium pipeline。 When the coke left the factory in the llano negro of Colombia； so did the hafnium。 But what happened to the soft cell when it reached Japan？
And who was manufacturing it？ From Deke's tests of the residue on the hafnium pellet Russell had taken from the llano negro factory； it was clear the coke being refined there was 〃clean。〃 If Estilo was telling the truth about Hitasura being the buyer of his soft cell； then Ariel's intelligence was correct： the killer coke was being manufactured here in Japan。 And Hitasura would know where and why。
Tori closed her eyes； went into prana； deepening and strengthening her breathing； slowing her pulse。 She had to admit to herself that because her trust in Estilo had been shaken； her big fear was discovering that Hitasura was involved in what the Mall had termed 〃Ice Cream；〃 the supercoke。 If that turned out to be so； another important link from her past； her network； would have proved unreliable。
She knew that Russell must be impatient for her to begin interrogating Hitasura on the subject。 But the crisis of Hitasura's imminent war with Big Ezoe…and the reemergence of Fukuda…was providing Tori an excuse for procrastination。
Part of her wanted more than anything to steal a moment； to take Hitasura aside； to get it over with and find out the truth。 But it was not only her fear that made it impossible； this was Japan； and the iron dictates of custom made such a direct Western approach unthinkable。 Tori knew that she would have to find just the right moment； just the right way to approach Hitasura。
Russell came up to her while Hitasura was receiving last…minute information on the mobile phone。 〃Isn't it about time you told me the origins of your blood feud with this female assassin； Fukuda？〃
'' She tried to kill me once；'' Tori said； but Russell only stared at her。 It's only fair I tell him everything； she thought。 〃Do you remember what I was doing for you when I got hurt？〃
Russell nodded。 〃Sure。 You had picked up the improbable rumor of a joint Japanese…Russian venture hidden from even the ubiquitous Japanese bureaucracy。 To be frank； I thought it was a waste of your time and the Mall's money to keep you on it； but Bernard insisted。 You know how fanatical he is about the subject of the Soviets。 Even more so now； if that's possible。〃 He looked at her out of his penetrating blue eyes。 〃I wish I had held my ground on that one。 You'd still have both your hips。〃
Tori studied him for a moment； as if she could not make up her mind about him。 〃That's kind of you to say； but the fact is I wouldn't be able to do physically what I can do now without the aid of the Japanese…designed prosthesis； so you see； in a way you did me a favor。〃 She gave him a tentative smile； as if she
