ericlustbader.the ninja-第95部分

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！


　Croaker　slammed　the　door　to　his　car；　came　around　to　the　front　where　Nicholas　was　standing。　'Good　idea。　I　asked　Gelda　to　stay　with　a　friend　of　hers　or　something。　I　just　wanted　her　out
　of　the　apartment　for　a　while。'
　Above　them　the　tower　on　Park　Avenue　rose；　half…skeletal；　half…fleshed；　so　that　it　looked　like　an　artist's　cross　section。
　'He　up　there？'　Croaker　asked；　indicating　the　building。
　'He　should　be。　I　cleared　all　of　this　with　him　first。'　They　began　to　walk　across　the　wooden　planks　over　the　unfinished　sidewalk。　'He's　got　guts；…you've　got　to　give　him　that。'
　'Huh。　I　don't　have　to　give　him　nothing。　If　he's　agreed　to　it；　five'll　getcha　ten　he's　got　some　angle　figured。'
　'Sure。　Like　getting　Saigo　off　his　back。　Do　you　think　he　wants　to　be　hounded？〃
　Croaker　gave　him　a　sideways　grin　at　that。　'Naw。　I　don't　think　anyone　wants　that。　Not　even　him。'　They　got　into　the　elevator。
　'Where　are　the　men？'
　'ing　in'　…　he　consulted　his　watch　…　'just　about　fifty　minutes　from　now。　All　TPF　…　Tactical　Police　Force　to　you　civilians。　We've　got　the　works　this　time：　tear…gas；　submachine…guns；　even　a　pair　of　super…snipers　with　infrared　…scopes。　Hit　a　dime　at　a　thousand　yards　in　the　dark。　And；　of　course；　all　the　mea…will　be　wearing　bullet…proof　vests　…　they've　all　been　cleared　for　hand…to…hand；　by　the　way。'　The　doors　opened　on　the　top　floor　and　they　stepped　out。　Tomkin　had　just　better　behave　himself。'
　'Listen；　you　leave　Tomkin　to　me；　okay？　Just　stay　away。　He　only　baits　you　because　he's　scared　of　you。'
　'Yeah？'　Croaker　grinned　again。　'Now　that's　the　kind　of　thing　I　like　to　hear。'
　Just　before　they　got　to　the　doors　of　Tomkin's　office　Nicholas　stopped　them。　'Remember；'　he　said；　'I　don't　want　any　of　your　men　on　this　floor。　Not　for　any　reason；　is　that　clear？　If　Saigo　gets　by　them；　they　are　to　stay　put。　I　don't　want　any　of　them　getting　in　my　way。　This　floor　has　got　to　be　clear。'
　'No　sweat。　Not　that　I　like　it　too　much　but　this　is　his　building　and　you're　calling　the　shots。　Seeing　as　how　I　didn't　do　too　well　two　nights　ago。　I　think　I　can　swallow　this。　Only'　…　he　lifted　a　forefinger　in　warning　…　'don't　expect　me　to　stay　down　there　with　them。　If　he　gets　away；　I'll　be　up　here　with　you。'
　Nicholas　nodded。　'As　long　as　you　e　up　via　the　route　we　mapped　out　together。　Don't　take　any　unexpected　detours。'
　'I　wish　I　knew　what　you　had　cooked　up　for　this　guy。'
　'Believe　me；　it's　much　better　that　no　one　else　knows。　It's　going　to　e　down　to　him　and　me；　anyway。'
　'But　all　you　have　is　that。'
　Nicholas　hefted　his　scabbarded　katana。　'That；'　he　said；　'is　all　I　am　going　to　need。'　He　pushed　open　the　door　and　they　went　into　the　great　corner　office。
　Tomkin；　seated　as　usual　behind　his　enormous　desk；　looked　up；　frowning。　'Can　you　believe　it？'　he　growled。　'A　goddamned　garbage　strike。　And　in　the　middle　of　the　summer。　Christ；　those　union　bastards　know　how　to　get　blood　out　of　a　stone。　This　place　is　gonna　stink　to　high　heaven　before　it's　even　finished。'
　The　old　man　stood　on　the　west　side　of　Park　Avenue。　Although　there　was　little　traffic　this　late　at　night；　he　nonetheless　waited　for　the　traffic　light　on　the　corner　to　change　in　his　favour。　When　at　length　it　did；　he　started　slowly　across　the　wide　avenue。　He　seemed　a　frail　figure　from　a　distance；　stooped　under　the　weight　of　the　duffel　bag　he　carried　slung　over　his　rounded　back。　He　had　splay　feet　and　his　bamboo　cane　aided　his　slow　passage。　Because　Park　Avenue　is　divided　by　a　rather　wide　concrete　median；　he　could　not　make　it　across　on　one　light。
　Standing　still　on　the　strip；　he　looked　quizzically　about　him　as　a　grandfather　might；　caught　dozing　in　his　favourite　chair　during　the　day。　His　head　was　slow　moving　and　it　was　some　time　before　his　gaze　took　in　the　half…finished　building　on　the　east　side　of　the　avenue。　By　that　time；　anyone　who　might　be　watching　him；　even　casually；　would　not　have　thought　it　strange　that　he　contemplated　the　structure　for　the　remaining　time　until　the　light　returned　to　green　and　he　made　his　limping　way　across　the　street。
　Instead　of　turning　right；　he　went　straight　on；　due　east；　towards　Lexington　Avenue。　Once　there；　he　turned　south　to　the　end　of　the　block。　He　had　now　made　a　half…circuit　along　the　perimeter　of　the　tower。
　There　was　an　old…style　phone　booth　on　the　corner。　One　of　those　with　green　metal　and　glass　walls　all　the　way　down　to　the　pavement。　Beside　it　were　black　and　tan　polythene　bags　of　garbage　awaiting　pickup。　He　put　this　makeshift　screen　between　him　and　the　tower　as　if　he　were　about　to　head　further　east。
　Now　he　was　in　dense　shadow　and　he　stood　perfectly　still；　having　first　altered　his　image：　the　duffel　bag　was　at　his　feet　and　he　stood　straight；　his　shoulders　squared。　The　bamboo　cane　lay　in　the　gutter；　out　of　sight　of　even　the　sparse　traffic　along　Lexington。　He　was　invisible　to　anyone　within　the　building's　periphery。
　He　waited　twenty　minutes。
　Without　bending；　he　unzipped　the　duffel　bag　and　worked　with　deft；　economical　movements。　When　he　emerged　from　his　cover；　he　appeared　to　be　a　spare；　dapper　businessman　in　a　conservative　suit　and　a　pork…pie　hat。　As。　American　as　apple　pie。　He　remembered　to　make　his　strides　long　and　purposeful；　knowing　that　even　the　most　formidable　of　disguises　could　be　betrayed　by　the　peculiar　manner　in　which　an　individual　walked；　the　gait　as　singular　as　fingerprints。
　There　had　been　no　movement　along　the　east　face　but　he　had　seen　two　blue…and…whites　parked　along　the　verge　of　the　north　face。　They　were　dark；　obviously　meant　to　look　empty。　He　did　not　think　that　they　were。
　Now　as　he　pleted　his　circuit　of　the　tower；　his　estimation　of　the　New　York　Police　Force　rose　a　couple　of　notches。　In　all；　he　counted　half　a　dozen　men　either　within　or　around　the　building。　And　once　he　had　caught　a　tiny　flash　from　somewhere　above　that　could　only　e　from　the　barrel　of　a　rifle。
　Not　that　he　particularly　cared　one　way　or　another　how　many　men　they　had　assigned　to　protect　Tomkin。　But　one　had；　of　course；　to　be　prepared。　However；　he　detested　estimates：　on　anything。　Estimates；　he　had　been　taught　…　and　it　was　most　assuredly　so　…　were　dangerous。　How　many　men　had　gone　to　their　　　　　deaths　by　taking　an　estimated　count　for　real？
　He　went　south　on　Park；　taking　it　slow　and　circuitous；　arriving　back　at　the　phone　booth　on　Lexington　a　half　hour　later。　Now　was　not　the　time　to　get　careless。
　The　duffel　bag　was　where　he　had　stowed　it；　between　piles　of　plastic…wrapped　garbage。　He　checked　his　watch。　Thirty　seconds。　He　unzipped　the　duffel　bag　for　the　last　time。　He　took　off　his　light…coloured　suit；　flipped　the　hat　into　the　gutter。　Then　he　stooped　and　threw　the　contents　of　the　bag　over　his　shoulder　in　a　version　of　a　fireman's　lift。
　The　small　but　powerful　incendiary　device　he　had　dropped　under　a　car　at　the　end　of　the　north　face　of　the　building　in　his　guise　as　the　old　man　erupted　with　a　white　and　green　flash　into　the　night。　Even　a　full　block　away；　he　could　feel　the　slight　concussion　as　the　force　of　the　explosion　forced　the　hot　air　away　from　the　epicentre。　There　was　a　pattering　of　metal　and　powdered　glass　as　bright　as　diamonds　in　the　streetlights。　Flame　licked　skywards。
　Crouching；　he　ran　directly　towards　the　building's　facade　and；　within　its　dense　shadows；　he　went　along　its　south　face；　through　the　first…class　cover　of　the　dormant　machinery　…　the　double　shifts　had　ceased　two　days　ago；　after　they　had　discovered　he　had　infiltrated　the　place　as　a　construction　worker。　Within　four　seconds　he　had　disappeared　entirely。
　Now　he　went　from　thick　stanchion　to　thick　stanchion；　feeling　under　his　fingers　the　rough　texture　of　the　rust…retardant　undercoat。　Concrete　dust　still　hung　in　the　air　and；　as　he　dropped　down　from　the　height；　free　of　his　heavy　burden；　he　saw　that　the　sharp　shadows　cast　by　the　huge　machines　gave　the　place　the　rather　disconsolate　air　of　a　deserted　carnival。　There　had　been　a　carnival　once；　at　Shimonoseki。　The　thought　of　it；　and　the　sea　slowly　closing　over；　caused　him　to　reach　into　a　side　pocket。　He　put　a　rough…textured　square　into　his　mouth　and　swallowed。
　He　squatted；　perched　like　a　bird　of　prey；　waiting　for　the　drug　to　hit。　He　had　been　forced　to　leave　the　Kuji…kiri　when　he　had　bee　careless　enough　to　drop　the　stuff　during　practice。　Not　stupid；　he　reminded　himself。　He　could　not　help　it；　he　had　been　driven　to　it。　By　the　rocking　boat　and　the　howling　wind　and　the　heavy　splash　as　the　sea　closed　over　…
　Hit！　In　bright　light。　Form　and　line　became　stark；　almost　two…dimensional；　like　the　backdrop　on　a　theatre　stage。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　could　see　in　all　directions　at　once。　He　became　at　once　more　intensely　aware　of　the　driving　dust　in　the　air。　This；　too；　this　little　thing　could　be　turned　into　an　advantage。　Because　of　the　pollutant；　his　adversaries'　eyes　would　be　forced　to　blink　more　rapidly　to　avoid　irritation。　That　minuscule　amount　of　time　would　be　the　difference　between　life　and　death　for　some　of　them。
　He　raised　his　gaze。　He　hoped　that　he　would　not　have　to　use
　the　thing　on　the　ledge；　but　if　he　did　。。。
　He　saw　the　first　one。　He　was　dressed　differently　from　the　ones　in　Doyers　Street。　Too；　he　carried　himself　more　confidently。
　Saig5　spent　several　minutes　studying　the　policeman。　He　wanted　to　know　several　things　before　he　made　a　move。　Did　he　have　a　specific　territory　assigned　to　him？　And；　if　so；　did　it　intersect　with　someone　else's？
　When　he　was　satisfied；　he　lifted　the　double　curve　from　the　side　and　screwed　the　two　pieces　together。　It　became　a　bow　of　high…tension　plastic　with　a　light　aluminum　centre　and　sight。
　Interesting；　he　thought。　The　explosion　had　not　caused　as　much　havoc　as　he　had　thought　it　might。　It　had；　however；　given　him　enough　time　to　infiltrate　the　tower's　perimeter。　But　not　much　more。　Now　he　could　hear　the　piercing　wail　of　the　fire　engine　as　it　approached。　The　policemen　here；　having　at　once　determined　that　no　person　was　inside　the　car　or　had　been　hurt　while　passing　by；　had　left　the　mop…up　to　the　fire　department。
　From　this　vantage　point　he　could　see　the　slight　clandestine　movement　of　the　sniper。　He　waited　until　the　policeman　on　his　level　was　at　the　extreme　edge　of　his　patrol。　Fitting　a　steel…tipped　arrow　to　the　bow；　he　drew　back　and　aimed。　These　were　not　normal　hunting　arrows。　Their；　points　were　made　by　the　careful　layering　of　steel　in　precisely　the　same　manner