el.angeleyes-第78节

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　〃Yo…ibuki；〃　Tori　said　to　Russell。　〃In　karate　there　are　two　forms　of　breathing。　Yo…ibuki　is　the　hard；　aggressive　style　used　in　attacks。〃
　〃I　never　learned　that　in　the　Virginia　courses；〃　Russell　said。
　''Naturally。''　Tori　did　not　take　her　eyes　off　the　interior　of　the　hall　stretching　away　from　them。　〃Isn't　that　why　you're　out　here　in　the　field？〃
　Green　light　saturated　the　hall　in　degrees；　thick　swathes；　deeper　or　lighter　depending　on　whether　at　any　given　place　the　glass　slabs　overlapped　one　another。　The　effect　was　spectral；　in　some　ways　sinister；　as　the　thick；　unnatural　illumination　highlighted　cuirasses　of　iron　here；　or　there　an　ancient　ornate　kawara　corselet　of　layered　leather　〃scales；〃　cured　to　the　hardness　of　metal。
　These　magnificent　suits　of　armor　were　pieced　together　with　intricate　laces　of　differing　patterns　and　colors　whose　styles；　over　time；　had　been　the　way　samurai　differentiated　between　clans　and　rank　within　an　army。
　Now　Tori　could　see　in　the　dimness　ahead　of　them　the　hiodoshi　suit　of　armor　of　the　Empress　Jingo；　known　as　Red　Lacing；　because　of　the　dark　crimson　laces　used　to　tie　the　pieces　together；
　As　she　watched；　she　saw　the　headpiece　move。　The　mask　below　the　high；　horned　helmet…dark；　the　old　leather　stained　with　the　blood　of　enemies…turned　in　their　direction。　At　the　same　time；　the　Empress　Jingo's　suit　of　armor　came　down　off　its　pedestal。　The　sound　of　the　yo…ibuki　filled　the　hall；　echoing　through　the　centuries　of　battle　attire。
　Beside　Tori；　Russell　was　already　in　his　semicrouch。　Tori　saw　the　Colt　in　his　hand；　yelled　〃No！〃　but　he　either　didn't　understand　or　didn't　care。　Russell　had　his　own　ideas　of　protecting　her　from　being　embroiled　further　in　her　blood　feud　with　Fukuda。　He　pulled　the　trigger。
　Tori　had　an　instant's　glimmer　of　the　suit　of　armor　being　thrown　backward　by　the　impact　of　the　bullet　before　the　hall　was　lit　up　in　a　blinding　glare。
　The　percussion　hurled　them　off　their　feet。　Tori　felt　as　if　a　gigantic　hand　had　been　slammed　into　her　chest。　The　noise　of　the　percussion　rattled　her　eardrums；　making　them　ache；　then；　in　its　aftermath；　filled　them　with　white　noise。
　Fukuda　was　an　expert　in　miniaturized　explosives；　Tori　had　thought　that　her　story　had　made　that　evident　to　Russell；　but　apparently　not。
　As　she　struggled　to　regain　equilibrium。　Tori　knew　that　Fukuda　would　not　have　been　foolish　enough　to　attempt　a　frontal　assault　on　them。　But　the　rigging　of　the　armor　told　Tori　a　great　deal。　For　one　thing；　Fukuda　had　some　forewarning　of　their　arrival；　so　her　network　of　contacts　must　be　stronger　than　ever：　Tori　and　Russell's　entrance　into　Tokyo　had　been　highly　clandestine。　For　another　thing；　Fukuda　had　chosen　the　Kinji…to；　this　pyramid；　as　her　field　of　battle。　Tori　knew　they　had　to　be　doubly　careful。
　How　many　more　surprises　did　Fukuda　have　lying　in　wait　for　them？　Tori　knew　Fukuda's　strategy。　She　loved　the　convoluted；　the　oblique　forms　of　assault。　What　she　could　not　abide　was　a　direct　frontal　attack。　Tori　would　keep　this　in　mind。
　Tori　rolled　over；　heard　a　groan。
　〃Russ？〃
　The　groan　came　again；　and　Tori；　drawing　herself　onto　her　knees；　pulled　Russell　into　a　sitting　position。　〃Are　you　okay？〃
　He　nodded；　but　his　eyes　still　looked　slightly　dazed。
　Tori　looked　around；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Hitasura　amid　the　rubble。　Christ；　she　thought。　What's　happened　to　him？
　She　got　to　her　feet；　Russell　beside　her。
　〃Stupid；〃　Russell　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃Remind　me　not　to　go　off　half…cocked　like　that。〃
　〃Very　funny。〃
　They　made　a　careful　search　for　Hitasura；　but　they　could　find　no　sign　that　he　had　ever　been　there。　Russell　looked　at　Tori。
　〃Don't　say　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　won't　believe　that　he's　betrayed　me；　too。〃
　〃I　hope　you're　right；〃　Russell　said。　〃But　the　evidence　suggests　that　he　led　us　straight　into　a　trap。〃
　They　moved　off；　heading　farther　into　the　dimly　lit　interior　of　the　hall。　Soon　the　hall　narrowed　into　a　corridor；　the　deeper　they　got；　the　darker　it　became。　Russell　took　out　a　pocket　flash；　handed　it　to　Tori。　She　flicked　it　on；　played　it　in　a　shallow　arc　ahead　of　them…and　immediately　stopped　in　her　tracks。
　The　concentrated　beam　of　the　flash　picked　up　a　shining　strand；　a　thread　like　a　spider's　webbing；　strung　across　their　path。　Tori　touched　Russell；　pointed　wordlessly：　the　monofilament　was　strung　approximately　at　waist　height。　Even　at　walking　speed；　the　monofilament　would　cut　deeply　into　flesh。
　Tori　went　down　on　her　knees；　then　lay　on　her　back。　Russell　followed　her　lead。　Using　the　flash　pointed　upward；　she　began　to　slither　beneath　the　deadly　monofilament。
　She　was　halfway　past　it　when　she　felt　a　pressure　across　her　shoulders。　Her　scalp　began　to　prickle　and　she　felt　a　line　of　sweat　snake　itself　between　her　shoulder　blades。　She　tried　to　turn　her　head；　but　she　could　not　see　what　was　directly　in　front　of　her。
　〃Russ！〃　she　hissed。　〃I'm　stuck！　Get　up　here！〃
　He　began　to　slither　up　on　her　right；　but　she　stopped　him　with　a　guttural　noise。　〃Get　on　top　of　me！〃　she　whispered。　〃What…ever's　stopped　me　goes　from　shoulder　to　shoulder。〃
　Russell　moved；　scrambling　over　her。
　Tori　felt　the　fortable　fit　of　his　body　on　hers；　looked　upward　into　his　face。　〃What　do　you　see？〃
　〃Another　monofilament；〃　he　said　softly。　〃I　guess　it　was　meant　to　get　you　at　the　ankles。''
　〃Or　stop　anyone　alert　enough　to　have　seen　the　first　monofilament。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃　Russell　asked。　〃I　can　easily　drag　you　backward。''
　〃No！〃　Tori　said。　〃I　can　feel　an　odd　tension　that　came　into　the　monofilament　as　I　stretched　it。　I　think　there's　some　kind　of　trigger　that　will　go　off　when　the　tension's　broken。''
　〃Okay。〃　Russell　slithered　forward　and；　using　Tori's　body　as　a　base；　passed　over　the　second　monofilament。　Then　he　reached　back。
　〃Don't　use　your　fingers；〃　Tori　warned。　〃The　monofilament　will　cut　right　through　your　skin。''
　〃Right。〃　Russell　lay　on　his　stomach；　took　out　his　knife；　slid　the　blade　between　the　monofilament　and　the　hollow　at　the　center　of　Tori's　back。　Carefully；　he　brought　the　blade　back　toward　him　until　it　took　the　monofilament　to　the　same　tension　it　was　at　against　Tori's　shoulder　blades。
　〃Move；〃　Russell　said。　〃Now。〃
　Tori　moved　gingerly　away　from　the　monofilament；　and　Russell　immediately　felt　that　odd　tension　transferred　to　his　arms。　It　was　like　being　near　an　electric　current。　Then　Tori　had　scrambled　across　the　monofilament　and　had　joined　him　on　the　other　side。　She　crouched　down　beside　him；　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃I'm　going　to　get　behind　you。　On　my　signal；　take　the　blade　away　from　the　wire。〃
　〃What？〃
　''Don't　worry。　Trust　me。〃
　Russell　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment。　The　sweat　was　burning　on　his　face；　and　he　could　feel　his　hands　beginning　to　tremble　with　the　task　of　maintaining　just　the　right　amount　of　tension　on　the　monofilament。
　A　moment　later　he　felt　Tori　gripping　his　ankles。
　〃I'm　going　to　count　to　three。　Ready？〃
　〃Ready。〃
　〃One。　Two。　Three。　Now！〃
　Russell；　breathing　a　prayer；　jerked　the　blade　from　its　position　against　the　monofilament。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　himself　being　slid　backward；　hard　and　fast。
　There　was　an　ugly　breeze　against　his　face；　a　blur　in　front　of　his　eyes　as　the　monofilament　flew　to　his　left；　and　he　heard　a　soft　thock！
　Tori　played　the　beam　of　the　flash　along　the　right　wall；　and　they　saw　embedded　there　a　shuriken；　a　miniature　steel　dart；　a　thorn　dark　with　an　unknown　substance　on　its　tip。
　〃This　is　one　mean　woman；〃　Russell　said；　wiping　the　sweat　off　his　face。
　〃Yes；〃　Tori　said。　〃Clever；　too。〃
　〃I'd　say　diabolical。〃　Russell　stood。　〃No　wonder　Hitasura　split。　You　picked　one　hell　of　a　nemesis。''
　〃Karma。　I　must　have　sinned　like　a　sonuvabitch　in　a　previous　life。〃
　Russell　grinned　at　her。　〃Time　for　atonement。〃
　Tori　came　close　to　Russell；　her　eyes　glittering。　〃I　think　you　should　stay　here。　You've　e　far　enough。　This　is　between　Fu…kuda　and　me。〃
　〃Like　hell！〃
　〃Russ；　try　to　put　your　male　ego　aside　for　the　moment。　There's　no　sense…〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　he　said　curtly。　〃How　would　you　have　e　through　back　there　without　me？〃
　〃I'd　have　found　a　way。〃
　He　gripped　her　shoulders。　〃Tori；　I　told　you　my　feeling　about　vendettas…they　have　a　way　of　eating　people　alive。　Everyone　who　gets　involved　in　them。''
　〃Nevertheless；　I　know　Fukuda；　and　you　don't。　I'm　afraid　that　from　now　on　you'll　be　more　of　a　liability。〃
　Russell　sighed；　then　nodded。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　He　put　his　hand　on　her　hip；　as　he　had　in　the　library　at　Diana's　Garden；　which　now　seemed　a　lifetime　ago。　〃I　understand　the　need　to　pay　her　back　for　what　she　did　to　you。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Tori　kissed　him　quickly　on　the　lips；　then　she　was　gone；　swallowed　up　by　the　darkness。
　Russell　stood　quite　still　for　a　moment；　then　he　said；　〃Bullshit；〃　under　his　breath。　〃I'm　going　to　protect　you　whether　you　like　it　or　not〃
　When　Tori　left　Russell；　she　removed　her　shoes；　tying　them　to　her　belt；　then　she　went　very　fast　down　the　corridor。　Her　steps　were　utterly　silent　across　the　marble　squares。　It　seemed　as　if　she　were　barely　touching　the　floor。　In　fact　she　was　using　only　the　extreme　outside　of　her　soles；　never　putting　her　full　weight　on　either　foot。　The　principle　was　akin　to　the　way　in　which　four…legged　animals　ran。　At　times　all　their　hooves　were　off　the　ground　at　once　because　they　were　able　continually　to　redistribute