el.angeleyes-第97节

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　〃Then；〃　Tori　said；　〃you　truly　are　doomed。〃　Her　eyes　had　not　left　Koi's。　Koi　did　nothing。
　The　two　women；　locked　in　a　silent　duel；　heard　the　noise　at　the　same　moment。
　〃It's　Big　Ezoe's　assassin。　Kill　her！〃
　Tori　recognized　Hitasura's　voice；　saw；　at　the　same　moment；　Russell　step　into　the　room；　aim　a　gun　at　the　back　of　Koi's　head。
　〃Shoot　me；〃　Koi　said　calmly。　〃Before　I　die　I　will　take　Tori　Nunn　with　me。〃
　Into　the　ringing　silence　Tori　said　sharply；　〃Back　off！〃　She　risked　a　glance　at　the　men　in　the　open　doorway。　〃I　mean　it；　Russ！　Back　off　and　take　Hitasura　with　you！''
　〃She's　a　killer；　Tori；〃　Russell　said。　〃She　came　here　to　kill　you；　for　Christ's　sake。　She's　got　to　go。〃
　〃I'm　sick　of　you　men　and　your　solutions　to　problems！〃　Tori　cursed　in　Japanese。　〃Get　the　hell　out　now！〃
　Russell　dropped　his　arm。　〃Tori　。。。〃　Tori　said　nothing。　The　men　withdrew。
　〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃　Koi　said。
　〃Because　this　has　nothing　to　do　with　them。　This　is　between　us。〃
　〃I　think　they　found　the　right　spot；　they　could　have　killed　me　before　I　had　a　chance　to　get　to　you。''
　〃Perhaps。〃
　〃Yet　you　insisted　they　back　off。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Why？〃
　〃I　told　you　before。　It's　a　matter　of　trust。''
　〃I　could　kill　you　now。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃It's　what　Big　Ezoe　wanted　me　to　do。〃
　Tori　said；　〃What　the　hell　is　Big　Ezoe　to　you？〃
　For　a　moment　Koi　did　nothing。　Then　she　began　to　laugh。　She　laughed　and　laughed；　collapsing　on　the　bed　beside　Tori；　holding　her　sides；　gasping；　tears　streaming　down　her　face。
　Then；　abruptly；　she　was　weeping　bitter　tears；　tears　pent　up　for　years；　tears　of　rage　and　self…loathing；　and　she　put　her　head　in　the　crook　of　Tori's　shoulder　while　Tori　stroked　her　hair　as　she　would　a　frightened　child。
　〃It's　going　to　be　all　right；〃　Tori　whispered。
　But　Koi　shook　her　head。　〃No；〃　she　gasped　through　her　sobbing。　〃It　won't。　I　don't　think　I'm　capable　of　trusting　anyone。〃
　〃But　you're　already　trying；　aren't　you？〃
　Koi　nodded　her　head　yes。
　''Then；''　Tori　told　her；　〃if　it　won't　be　all　right；　at　least　it　will　be　better。〃
　〃I　feel　all　right。〃
　〃You　look　like　death　warmed　over。〃
　〃My；　what　a　charmer　you　are。〃
　Tori　and　Russell　sat　facing　each　other　in　the　room　where　Tori　had　awakened　to　find　Koi　standing　over　her。　However；　now；　thirty…six　hours　later；　the　bed　was　empty。　Tori　was　dressed；　had　eaten　two　normal　meals。
　〃Just　trying　to　make　a　point；〃　Russell　said。
　〃Which　is？〃
　〃You're　not　a　being　from　the　planet　Krypton。〃
　Tori　groaned。　〃Don't　worry。　I　don't　think　I　could　leap　over　a　fireplug；　let　alone　a　tall　building。　But　we've　still　got　work　to　do。　Now　where's　Koi？　Have　you　kept　her　and　Hitasura　apart　as　I　asked　you　to　do？〃
　〃Yes；　though　this　is　his　turf；　so　it　wasn't　all　that　easy。　But；　I　must　say；　your　poisoning　has　unnerved　him。''
　〃Is　that　so？〃　Tori　said。　〃We'll　see　about　that。〃
　''What　did　you　and　Koi　talk　about？　You　and　she　were　up　here　for　hours。〃
　〃I　need　to　do　a　couple　of　things　before　I　tell　you；''　Tori　said。　〃First　off；　I　need　a　hookup　to　the　puters　at　Mail　Central。　Can　you　fix　that　up？''
　〃No　problem。　I'll　go　make　the　call　now。　We've　rented　out　space　in　the　Sumitomo　Building　for　about　a　year　now。〃
　〃Good。　Then；　I'm　going　to　want　to　interview　Hitasura。　That's　long　overdue。〃
　〃You　bet　it　is；〃　Russell　said。　〃I　have　some　questions　to　put　to　him。〃
　〃No。　Trust　me　on　this；　Russ。　I've　got　to　do　this　alone。〃
　But　Russell　was　already　shaking　his　head。　〃No　way。　For　one　thing；　you've　just　got　off　a　sickbed…〃
　''Want　to　arm　wrestle？''
　〃For　another；　this　is　a　situation　of　totally　unknown　consequences。　I　can't　take　such　a　risk　with　your　life。〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Tori　said。　〃Whatever　happens；　Hitasura　won't　kill　me。〃
　〃I　don't　know　that；〃　Russell　said　firmly；　〃and　despite　what　you　tell　me；　I　can't　believe　you　do；　either。　No。　If　you　speak　to　Hitasura　at　all；　it'll　be　with　me　in　the　same　room。〃
　〃Be　realistic；　Russ。　Hitasura　won't　talk　to　you。〃
　〃Well；　one　way　or　another；　you're　going　to　have　help　when　you　meet　with　him。〃
　But　Tori　wasn't　listening。　〃Christ；〃　she　continued；　〃if　he's　involved　in　cocaine　smuggling；　he　might　not　even　talk　to　me。''
　''But　he's　got　to；〃　Russell　said。　〃He　owes　you；　doesn't　he？''
　Tori　gave　him　a　small　smile。　〃If　only　it　were　that　simple。〃　She　shook　her　head。　''No　matter　what　giri　Hitasura　feels　toward　me；　I　am　still　gaijin；　an　outsider。　That　fact　outweighs　everything　else；　even　giri；　because　to　a　Japanese　a　gaijin　might　speak　of　giri；　but　it　is　impossible　to　believe　that　he　will　live　by　it。　That　gives　him　the　leeway　to　speak　of　giri　to　me；　without　actually　meaning　it。〃
　〃Christ。　If　he　feels　he　owes　you　nothing；　how　will　you　get　him　to　admit　to　his　involvement；　let　alone　tell　you　what's　going　on？〃
　〃Right　now；　I　haven't　the　faintest　idea；〃　Tori　said。
　Russell　sat　on　the　bed；　took　her　in　his　arms。　''You　scared　the　hell　out　of　me；　you　know。〃
　〃Russ；　you're　losing　your　director's　perspective。〃
　〃Fuck　being　a　director。　I'm　a　field　executive　now。〃
　She　smiled。　〃You've　been　demoted。〃
　〃Is　that　how　you　see　it？　I　don't。　I've　gotten　a　sense　of　the　Mall　that　I　never　had　before。　It　seems　that　the　higher　you　get　in　any　hierarchy；　the　less　you　know　about　the　nuts　and　bolts　of　running　it。〃　He　leaned　forward。　〃That's　because　you　have　to　turn　off　and　disconnect　yourself　from　one　set　of　alliances　in　order　to　plug　yourself　into　the　political　sockets　needed　to　keep　the　jackals　on　Capitol　Hill　at　bay。''
　''Dangerous　stuff。''
　Russell　nodded。　〃But　a　month　ago　I　would　have　wasted　my　time　and　yours　by　shouting　you　down。　Being　out　here　in　the　field　has　allowed　me　to　finally　see　the　danger　in　what　I　and　Bernard　do。　We　get　more　and　more　insulated；　devising　policies…theoretical　canvasses　which　we　then　order　you　to　color　with　your　blood。　I'm　beginning　to　understand　that　Bernard　and　I　have　lost　all　perspective。　Politics　and　life　are　often　wildly　out　of　sync；　that's　what　being　out　here　in　the　wild　has　taught　me。〃
　Tori　kissed　him　lightly。　〃We　all　have　expectations　of　things：　people；　events；　situations；　you　name　it；　but　the　reality　is　so　often　different。　You　know；　there　was　a　story　Bernard　told　me　about　when　he　was　younger。''
　〃You　mean　when　he　supposedly　went　to　Chicago　to　look　up　his　long…lost　dad；　and　Dad　turned　out　to　be　a　sonuvabitch　after　all？〃
　Tori　stared　at　Russell。　〃He　told　you；　too。〃
　Here　we　go；　Russell　thought。　I'm　never　going　to　get　a　better　shot　at　this。　〃Tori；　Bernard　loves　to　tell　that　story；　but　it's　bullshit；　pure　and　simple。　He　tried　it　on　me；　only　I　had　done　my　homework。　I　knew　he　came　from　bluebloods　in　Virginia。　His　father　was　a　wealthy　and　successful　attorney；　founding　a　dynastic　law　office。　Until　his　death　some　years　ago；　he　had　been　happily　married　to　his　wife…Bernard's　mother…for　more　than　fifty　years。〃
　〃But　that　story　。　。　。〃
　He　could　feel　her　drawing　away　from　him；　a　familiar　coldness　ing　into　her；　but　still　he　persisted；　it　was　time　for　her　to　know　the　truth。　〃Bernard　thinks　it　makes　him　seem　more　human。　He　tells　it　to　people　like　you　to　help　bind　them　to　him。''
　〃Oh；　e　on；〃　Tori　said。　〃Bernard's　not　that　cynical。〃
　〃He　doesn't　think　of　himself　that　way；〃　Russell　said。　〃According　to　Bernard；　business　is　conducted　in　any　manner　that　gets　the　job　done。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　you；〃　Tori　said。
　〃Then　you　certainly　won't　believe　that　before　I　left　with　you　on　this　assignment　Bernard　told　me　what　to　do　to　you　if　your　undisciplined　methodology　got　in　the　way。〃　Russell　rose。　〃He　told　me　to　terminate　you。〃
　It　was　dusk　by　the　time　Ton　returned　from　the　Mall　offices　at　the　Sumitomo　Building　in　Shinjuku。　By　that　time　it　had　begun　to　rain；　fine　silver　needles　spraying　the　sidewalks；　streets；　and　car　tops；　smearing　the　city　grit　across　windshields。　Gray　water　dripped　from　building　facades。　The　sidewalks　were　a　sea　of　umbrellas。　Neon　had　taken　over　from　daylight。
　Russell　had　remained　at　the　office　to　transmit　a　progress　report　and　clear　up　the　mountain　of　paperwork　that　accumulated　during　a　transcontinental　trip。
　Tori　was　shaken　by　her　foray　into　the　Mall　Central　puters。　Her　suspicions　had　been　made　all　too　real。　The　travel　information　contained　there　confirmed　everything　that　Koi　had　told　her　about　the　coalition　between　the　industrialist　Kunio　Michita；　Fumida　Ten；　chairman　of　Kaga；　and　Tori's　friend；　Hitasura；　with　Estilo　acting　as　willing　middleman　supplier。
　Koi's　repeated　mention　of　the　mysterious　American　〃who　didn't　have　the　appearance　of　a　businessman〃　had　set　off　warning　bells　in　Tori's　mind。　Now　she　recalled　her　and　Russell's　puzzlement　over　why　Estilo　would　give　them　information　that　seemed　detrimental　to　him。　In　revealing　his　involvement；　he　had　not　only　implicated　himself…thus　risking　a　termination　of　what　must　be　a　lucrative　business　deal　to　supply　the　decidedly　odd　Michita…Ten…Hitasura　coalition　with　illegal　hafnium…but　he　also　had　pointed　them　toward　the　one　person　in　Japan　who　could　help　them　further：　Hitasura。　Why？
　Now　it　seemed　clear：　he　had　been　warning　Tori。　If　Estilo　had　betrayed　their　friendship；　he　had　more　than　made　up　for　it　by　what　he　had　done。　Tori　thought　now　that　she　owed　Estilo　an　enormous　apology。　He　could　have　told　her　outright　what　was　happening；　but　he　knew　that　she　would　not　be　able　to　bring　hersel