el.angeleyes-第82节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Russell； your leg…〃
The tunnel was lit up as if by a display of fireworks； and they were shaken by the train's rumbling passage。 When it was gone and semidarkness had descended again； Russell said； 〃Everything's all right。 We'll make our way out of here now。〃
But when he pulled Tori to her feet； she immediately collapsed； and seeing her stricken face； he said； 〃Tori； what's the matter？〃
〃You're wrong； Russ。 It's not over。〃 Tori thought again of her hand slipping in the Akita's blood； sliding up the narrow hilt of the shuriken knife that she had removed from the stairway wall； being cut by the blade。
〃I can't move；〃 she said； showing him the swollen wound； black as death； on her middle finger。 〃Fukuda's damned homemade toxin has poisoned me。〃
BOOK THREE
THE ZEN POLICEMAN
It is always with the best intentions that the worst work is done。 …OSCAR WILDE
TEN
TOKYO/STAR TOWN/MOSCOW/ARKHANGELSKOE
〃That bastard Hitasura。''
Big Ezoe； standing in the wet subway tunnel beneath the Kinji…to； looked down at the broken body of Fukuda。 He saw the blow tube still gripped between her teeth； noted with sorrow that the tiny steel shuriken had not been launched。 On the other hand； her ferocious expression； not unlike a tigress about to strike its prey； filled him with satisfaction。 She had died a warrior's death。
〃That bastard Hitasura。''
Still； he did not like losing a member of his family； especially one as valuable as Fukuda had been。
The rumble of the subway trains in adjacent tunnels filled the flickering semidarkness； building to crescendos； then dying away in echoes。
〃That bastard Hitasura came in here with his troops and did this。〃
Koi； the hard machine who had once been Honno Kansei； knelt by his side。 Her fingers touched the crepuscular flesh of Fukuda's cheek。 ''Hitasura's men didn't do this。'' Her voice was cool； detached。 〃Before she was shot； she went one on one with someone。 Someone better than she was。〃
〃Tori Nunn。〃 Big Ezoe spit out the name。 〃That's why； at the first sign of the trap； Hitasura escaped the Kinji…to to get his men。 He brought them back into the museum； down here into the subway system where Fukuda had lured Tori Num。 He risked the Metropolitan Police for that woman。 She's teamed up with Hitasura again。 That's bad news for me。''
〃No；〃 Koi said； rising。 〃It's bad news for her。〃
The first streaks of sunlight； pressed like orange pulp through the gun…metal gauze of the clouds； filled the eastern sky。 When they struck the curve of the Sumida River which Big Ezoe's apartment overlooked； the sluggish water was transformed into a ribbon of molten lead。
Koi stared out and down at the increasing dazzle； broken now by the pewter bow wave of a fishing boat heading toward the Tsukiji Fish Market。 There were so many shades of gray on the river； in the long shadows along its banks； that Koi kept counting them； as if there was a lesson to be learned in attempting to measure infinity。
〃We have several tasks before us；〃 Big Ezoe was saying。 〃First； I want us to find a way to usurp Hitasura's deal with Kunio Michita。 Michita must be paying Hitasura a fortune for his go…between work。 The breadth and depth of the political corruption Sakata's ledgers revealed is breathtaking； the tapestry of bribes they recorded is priceless。 Why should he have his fingers in that pie and not me？
''But it will not be easy。 As you know； there is a gap in Kakuei Sakata's ledgers。 The physical connection between the two… Hitasura and Michita…is never mentioned。 Is it because of ignorance or by design？
〃Second； we must punish Hitasura for his transgressions against members of my family。 Third； we must destroy Tori Nunn for her part in all this。 She murdered Fukuda。〃
There was a gull on the river； Koi saw； whose body incorporated every shade of gray in its environment as it passed from shadow to light to shadow again。 I am like that gull； Koi thought。 I am every shade of gray。 I am my environment。
〃I would have liked；〃 she said； 〃to have had more time with Fukuda。 I was looking forward to that。〃
Big Ezoe stared at her。 She was lit from behind by the early morning light ing in through the windows。 Her features； cloaked in darkness； seemed unreal to him； so much like the god mask at the Bunraku play that； for a moment； he was transfixed； for he could not tell one from the other。
Then she moved； and orange light brushed her cheek； warming her flesh； illuminating one dark eye。 And； with a shock； he saw in there the hint of some mad thing； a black force like a maelstrom still far off on the horizon of night； and it made him shudder； for he suspected that it would be a struggle for him to control it。
Big Ezoe pushed these disturbing thoughts aside； said in a businesslike voice； 〃I want you to think back to when you were working for Kunio Michita。 Can you give me a list of names； important clients and associates he saw with some regularity…say； more than three times a month？''
Koi began； just as if she were a puter sorting through vast files。 〃Of course；〃 she said； reeling off more than a half…dozen names。 ''But that's not counting the Kaga people involved in the joint venture with Michita；〃 she said。
〃What kind of joint venture？〃
〃A bined research and development laboratory；〃 Koi said。 ''But I don't see how that could be of interest to us。〃
Big Ezoe looked at his watch； made a quick call。 When he hung up； he said； 〃I think it's time we went to breakfast。〃
〃Bathe me first；〃 Koi said。 Her eyes were glittery with hunger。 〃Then we will go and do what must be done。〃
Big Ezoe was unused to being ordered around。 He found that he did not much care for it。 He opened his mouth to protest； then closed it again； deciding that at this point it was far better to humor Koi than to oppose her。 With Fukuda gone； he needed Koi…not that he could ever afford to let her know this。 But； with the manner in which Fukuda was disposed of； if he did not retaliate quickly and successfully； his loss of face would be devastating to his authority over his people。 So he acquiesced as obediently as if he were a woman。
The bath was modern primitive； an S…shaped curve of translucent glass blocks created a wall of aqueous green light that shimmered its diamondlike reflections on the gushing water。 Outside； the geometric grid of Tokyo was reduced to smears of gray； an inplete template for a city of the future which Koi would； through the force of her will； perfect。
Rare Ainu fetishes hung on the wall opposite the glass bricks； the stark faces of dark gods now consigned to myths already forgotten。 But for Koi； in these hard visages of the gods of Japan's indigenous ethnics lived the souls of the clouds； the rain and wind which for centuries had scoured Nippon； carving it into its present image。 Here were the keys to the kingdom； the real Japan； lying in wait with its breathless heart beneath the modern iconographic facade where image and symbol were melded to create a new language devoid of significance。
Naked； Koi climbed into the steaming water； sinking down until she sat in the lotus position； the hot water streaming onto the top of her head； surrounding her in spray。
〃Now； at last； I see beyond all the lies； to the buried truth；〃 she said。 She was not looking at Big Ezoe nor at anything in the room。 〃Being born hinoeuma was a blessing； not a curse。 Because I was hinoeuma； I was taken to the Man of One Tree； and there learned the ways of the warrior。 But when I returned to the outside world； I was thrust once more into the caldron of my family； and I was obliged to suppress much of what I was taught by the Man of One Tree。 I learned to fit in； to be the model daughter as preparation for being the model wife。 I was no longer afraid of being hinoeuma； because the Man of One Tree had given me the strength I needed to bat it。 He told me that I was now strong enough to decide not to be hinoeuma。
〃But he was wrong…or； in the end； because he was a man； he lied to me。 Here is the Truth： I am hinoeuma； and being so gives me an altogether different power。 My evil passions； my bloody nature； is a divine gift。〃
And with this she rose up out of the bath； the water purling down her taut muscular body； a dark…haired leviathan； opal…eyed and omnipotent； emerging from the deep。
On the Tokyo waterfront mist was rising off the Sumida。 It was already too late in the morning for the daily fish auction at the Tsukiji Fish Market； but the stalls were busy as the city's best restaurateurs continued to buy provisions for the afternoon and evening meals。
Big Ezoe and Koi emerged from the gray steel…paneled Mercedes； walked across concrete slick with water sluicing away fish entrails。 They went to a little row of stalls； numbered 5 through 9； entered the tiny restaurant in the middle of the row。
It was more a coffee shop than a restaurant； a tiny kitchen behind a plain counter fronted by no more than a dozen stools in a sixteen…by…seven…foot area。
There was only one customer at the counter。 A middle…aged executive with a pencil mustache wearing a regulation dark gray three…piece suit appropriate for corporation work。 With a start； Koi recognized him as the senior vice…president for administra
