el.angeleyes-第94节

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k　entrance。　Besides；　for　security　reasons　Hitasura　was　sure　to　have　put　Tori　Nunn　on　a　top　floor。
　Two　more　of　Hitasura's　men　were　waiting　for　her　on　the　roof。　They　heard　her　only　when　she　was　very　close　to　them。　She　broke　one　man's　neck　instantly；　but　the　other　one；　she　saw；　was　going　to　be　a　bit　of　a　problem。　He　was　a　bull　of　a　man　with　a　bald　head　and　an　evil　look　in　his　eyes。　He　grinned　at　her；　ignoring　his　fallen　rade。　He　beckoned　for　Koi　to　e　to　him。
　Instead　she　melted　into　the　shadows　on　the　rooftop。　The　bald　man　looked　around；　then　unfurled　a　kyotetsu…shoge；　a　particularly　nasty　weapon　posed　of　a　chain　with　a　spiked　ball　on　one　end；　a　curved　double…edged　blade　on　the　other。　He　began　to　whirl　the　spiked　ball　around　as　he　made　for　the　spot　where　she　had　disappeared。
　When　he　reached　the　shadows；　Koi　had　had　sufficient　time　to　work　her　way　around　behind　him。　She　leaped　at　him；　slamming　her　elbow　into　his　side；　then　locking　her　forearm　across　his　throat。
　It　was　a　mistake。
　The　huge　man　bit　into　the　flesh　of　her　forearm　with　such　force　that　his　front　teeth　scraped　the　bone。
　Koi　stifled　a　cry；　whirled　off　him。　The　bald　man　swung　his　weapon　at　her；　and　she　rolled　as　the　spiked　ball　slammed　into　the　tarred　roof　where　she　had　just　been。
　Immediately　it　struck　and　missed；　he　reacted；　arcing　the　double…edged　blade　down　at　the　spot　between　her　eyes。　Koi　swung　left　with　her　head；　kicked　right　with　her　feet。　The　soles　of　her　shoes　cracked　the　bald　man's　shins　just　below　the　knees。
　His　legs　buckled；　he　reached　out　instinctively　to　break　his　fall；　and　Koi　took　up　the　double…edged　blade　of　his　kyotetsu…shoge　and　slashed　his　throat。
　Now　she　had　the　roof　all　to　herself。　The　thick　layer　of　industrial　smog　that　had　caused　the　pollution　alert　blurred　the　lights　of　the　city；　running　the　colors　together　so　that　Tokyo　seemed　embedded　inside　a　giant　clamshell。　The　sky　was　the　largest　sheet　of　mother…of…pearl　she　had　ever　seen。
　From　up　here　she　had　a　good　view　of　the　Hammacho　Station　itself；　where　so　many　customers　embarked　and　debarked　each　day。　The　overhead　rail　lines　shone　like　quicksilver　as　a　train　pulled　into　the　station。　Crowds　surged　forward。　Koi　turned　away。
　She　tore　a　piece　off　the　bald　man's　shirt；　wrapped　it　tightly　around　her　forearm　to　stop　the　bleeding。　When　she　was　satisfied；　she　took　a　careful　look　around　her　immediate　environment。　There　was　a　small　raised　ferroconcrete　structure　in　which　was　set　the　metal　door　down　into　the　house；　but　she　did　not　want　to　use　it。　Too　vulnerable。　If　she　were　caught　in　the　narrow　stairwell；　there　would　only　be　one　way　to　go：　back　to　the　roof；　and　that　could　all　too　easily　prove　to　be　a　deathtrap。
　On　the　other　hand；　all　the　windows　were　illuminated　by　the　streetlights；　making　it　far　too　risky　to　seek　entrance　through　any　of　them。　But　during　her　initial　reconnaissance　she　had　spent　some　time　studying　the　facade　of　the　house；　and　thought　she　had　noticed　a　vulnerable　point：　a　small　pebbled…glass　window　in　back…probably　leading　into　a　bathroom…that　was　in　the　shadow　cast　by　a　large　building　opposite。　It　was　too　small　for　a　man　to　get　through；　but　she　thought　that　she　might　be　able　to　make　it。
　She　took　the　kyotetsu…shoge；　walked　to　the　rear　of　the　roof。　Knotting　a　length　of　nylon　rope　she　carried　around　the　center　of　the　weapon's　chain；　she　wrapped　the　kyotetsu…shoge　around　a　metal　flue。　Paying　the　rope　out　slowly　until　she　tied　the　other　end　around　her　waist；　she　went　over　the　side　of　the　house。
　When　she　got　level　with　the　pebbled…glass　bathroom　window；　she　braced　herself　by　placing　her　feet　on　either　side　of　it。　It　was　partly　open；　but　this　was　of　no　help　to　her；　since　the　metal　frame　impinged　on　the　space　she　needed　to　crawl　through。
　She　spent　the　next　two　minutes　detaching　the　window　from　its　hinged　brackets。　Then　she　slid　it　carefully　into　the　bathroom；　followed　it　in。
　It　was　a　tight　fit；　but　she　made　it。　She　untied　herself　from　the　nylon　cord；　stood　absolutely　still　for　ten　minutes。　While　her　eyes　adjusted　to　the　gloom　inside；　she　accustomed　her　ears　to　listen　to　the　natural　sounds　of　the　house：　creaks；　doors　opening；　closing；　footfalls　in　the　hallway；　muffled　voices。　No　TV；　no　radio；　no　stereo；　no　VCR。　No　loud　sound；　no　doubt　in　deference　to　their　sick　house　guest。
　When　Koi　was　certain　that　she　had　catalogued　every　sound；　no　matter　how　minute；　and　that　she　would　pick　up　the　slightest　deviation；　she　opened　the　bathroom　door　a　crack。
　Again　she　was　still　for　ten　minutes；　allowing　the　scents　of　the　house　to　e　to　her　while　the　repetition　of　the　tiny　sounds　reassured　her　that　all　was　as　it　should　be。
　She　had　e　in　on　the　fourth　and　top　floor。　It　seemed　logical　to　her　for　Hitasura　to　put　Tori　Nunn　as　high　up　as　he　could。　Also；　that　he　would　put　her　in　a　room　as　near　to　a　bathroom　as　possible。
　Koi　stepped　out　into　a　hallway。　To　her　right　was　the　landing　of　the　open　iron　spiral　staircase　down　to　the　third　floor。　Beyond　were　two　rooms；　both　with　their　doors　open；　both　dark。　Koi　forgot　them。　To　her　left　was　only　one　room；　the　door　to　which　was　closed。　A　crack　of　dim　light　filtered　out　into　the　hallway　from　the　far　edge；　which　was　not　quite　fitted　into　the　frame。
　Still　Koi　did　not　move。　Her　peripheral　vision　had　picked　up　a　shadow　moving。　It　crept　up　the　open　stairwell；　illuminated　by　the　lamps　below。　Someone　was　ing　up　the　stairs。
　She　contracted　her　wa；　stilled　her　breathing　to　the　minimum。　She　watched　as　the　top　of　a　man's　head　came　into　view。　It　stopped；　and　she　could　hear　voices　talking　softly。　She　craned　her　neck　without　otherwise　moving；　saw　the　top　of　a　shorter　man's　head。　He　had　been　guarding　the　staircase；　but　because　of　his　lack　of　height；　she　had　not　been　able　to　see　him　from　where　she　stood。
　Koi　waited。　Eventually　the　conversation　ceased；　the　shadow　moved　down　the　spiral　staircase。　The　shorter　man　remained　at　his　post；　but　he　was　concentrated　on　someone　trying　to　e　up　the　stairs。　Koi　slipped　down　the　hallway　to　her　left；　out　of　his　field　of　vision。
　She　stood　by　the　lone　door　for　a　long　time。　She　could　hear　nothing　from　inside　the　room。　Her　fingers　on　the　door；　a　spider's　deft　touch。　She　pushed　it　inward。
　Koi　stepped　into　the　room。　It　was　a　bedroom；　furnished　in　Western　style：　mahogany　bed；　masculine　dressers；　a　dark　red　and　black　patterned　rug　covering　most　of　the　floor。　A　mirror　hung　on　the　wall；　along　with　several　modern　abstract　prints。　A　lamp　glowed　on　a　night　table　beside　the　bed。
　On　Koi's　face　now　spread　that　singular　expression：　ecstasy　and　despair。
　In　the　bed　was　the　sleeping　form　of　a　woman。　Koi　drank　her　in；　the　face　beautiful　even　if　her　skin　was　still　unhealthily　pale。　Her　breasts　rose　and　fell　evenly　from　beneath　the　covers。　Her　long　cinnamon…colored　hair　fanned　out　across　the　pillowcase。　Very　exotic；　very　American。
　Tori　Nunn。

ELEVEN
TOKYO

　Tori　Nunn；　lying　unconscious　in　the　big　bed　in　the　fourth…floor　bedroom　of　Hitasura's　safehouse　near　Hammacho　Station；　was　dreaming　of　one　moment　in　time；　when　she　was　the　Wild　Child。
　It　was　nine　years　ago；　the　year　after　she　had　stumbled　across　Hitasura；　who　had　pulled　her　out　of　hiding　after　she　and　her　brother　Greg　had　been　involved　in　the　death　of　the　young　Yakuza；　three　months　after　she　had　been　recruited　into　the　Mall　by　Bernard　Godwin。
　The　then…managing　director　of　the　Mail…and　Godwin's　right　hand　man…was　Tom　Royce。　Royce　was　a　lanky；　rawboned　man；　a　sunravaged　Texan　who　rolled　when　he　walked；　and　chewed　rather　than　smoked　small　black　cheroots。　It　was　easy　to　imagine　him　in　a　ten…gallon　hat；　lassoing　a　dogie。　Bernard　had　sent　him　to　Japan　to　brief　Tori　on　Mall　procedure　and　discipline。
　In　Tori's　opinion；　Royce　was　entirely　the　wrong　man　to　send　to　Japan。　After　the　first　interminable　week　with　him；　she　cabled　Bernard　this　conviction；　but　all　the　reply　she　received　was　a　terse　〃Carry　on。　You're　under　discipline。　Follow　orders。〃
　In　the　end；　however。　Tori　was　proved　correct。　Japan　got　to　Tom　Royce。
　Royce　fancied　himself　a　real　cowboy。　Wyatt　Earp。　When　Tori　found　him　in　the　alley　behind　her　apartment　shot　to　death　with　his　own　Colt　pistol；　she　was　hardly　surprised。　But　she　was　angry。　This　was　Tokyo；　her　city；　and　she　had　been　charged　with　Royce's　safety。　Besides；　the　murder　had　e　on　what　was　the　equivalent　of　her　back　porch。
　She　knelt　beside　Tom　Royce's　body；　pulled　the　barrel　of　the　Remington　out　of　his　throat。　What　a　way　to　die。　Yakuza；　Tori　was　willing　to　bet。　She　went　to　see　Hitasura。
　The　Yakuza　oyabun　was　not　forthing。　〃I　do　not　know　who　killed　this　American；〃　Hitasura　said　after　they　had　had　green　tea　and；　as　civilized　protocol　demanded；　had　spoken　of　many　other　unimportant　matters；　〃but　I　will　shed　no　tears　for　him。　And　neither　will　you；〃　he　added　shrewdly。
　''My　personal　feelings　for　Royce　are　unimportant；''　Tori　said。　〃I　was　responsible　for　him。　Whoever　killed　him　knew　that；　and　threw　him　up　into　my　face。〃
　〃The　American　was　without　manners；〃　Hitasura　said；　as　if　he　had　not　heard　her。　''He　was　loud；　aggressive；　he　made　passes　at　our　women　and　insulted　our　men。　I　would　think　that　the　suspects　in　his　murder　would　be　many。〃
　〃Only　one　person　killed　him；〃　Tori　said；　rising；　〃and　that　person　must　answer　for　the　insult。〃
　Hitasura　had　poure