el.the miko-第118部分

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s　afraid　to　leave　a　trail。　In　any　case；　within　three　blocks　she　knew　that　she　had　made　the　right　choice。　Traffic　choked　the　streets　and　she　was　far　better　off　on　foot；　plowing　with　great　power　through　the　crowds　like　a　salmon　struggling　upstream。
　Up　the　Sakura…dori；　she　found　the　Toranomon　station　of　the　Ginza　Line。　Down　into　the　ground　she　went；　paying　her　fare；　riding　one　stop　to　Shimbashi；　where　she　transferred　to　the　J。N。R。　Line　to　Hamamatsu…cho。
　There　she　emerged　in　the　midst　of　hundreds　of　other　people；　mostly　tourists；　to　wait　for　the　monorail　to　Haneda　Airport　and　a　flight　to　Hokkaido。　Now　she　took　time　out　to　wait　on　line　for　a　phone　booth　where；　when　it　was　her　turn；　she　used　a　special　code　to　alert　Russilov　that　she　was　on　the　run。
　〃Parachute；〃　she　said　when　the　line　opened。
　It　was　that　time　of　day　in　Tokyo；　after　the　noon　lunch　stampede　and　before　the　evening　rush　hour；　when　traffic　is　variable。　It　can　be　good　or　bad　according　to　the　whim　of　the　gods。
　Nicholas　decided　to　take　a　calculated　risk　and　grab　a　cab　to　Hamamatsu…cho。　It　was　a　mistake。　Sakura…dori　was　jammed；　and　none　of　the　alternate　routes　were　any　better。　Near　the　Onarimon　station；　he　had　had　enough　and；　dropping　yen　like　flower　petals　onto　the　driver's　lap；　jumped　out；　Croaker　just　behind　him。
　Onarimon　had　been　on　their　way　along　the　city　streets　but　now；　underground；　they　found　themselves　having　to　change　trains　twice；　once　at　Mita　for　the　Toei　Asakusa　Line　to　Shimbashi；　thence　to　the　J。N。R。；　following　Tanya's　route　to　Hamamatsu…cho。
　When　they　came　up　into　the　pointillist　sunshine　they　were　faced　with　a　massive　crowd　that　flowed　down　the　two　staircases　on　the　departing　side　of　the　monorail　station。　A　riot　of　color；　voices；　jostling　bodies。　A　sea　of　faces；　the　rhythm　of　the　heat。
　〃She　could　be　anywhere　here；〃　Croaker　said。　〃Or　she　could　be　twenty　miles　away。〃
　〃Stop　being　so　optimistic；〃　Nicholas　said　dryly；　〃and　go　down　to　the　far　staircase。　In　three　minutes　precisely；　we'll　both　start　up；　me　here；　you　there。　We'll　get　her　someplace　in　between。〃
　Croaker　got　serious。　〃You　really　are　sure　she's　here；　aren't　you？〃
　〃You　don't　know　Tokyo；　Lew；〃　he　said。　〃She's　got　to　get　to　Hokkaido　as　quickly　as　possible。　Haneda　Airport's　her　only　means　of　doing　it。　This　is　her　best　shot　for　it。〃
　〃But　there're　always　a　busload　of　ways　out　of　any　major　city。　What　makes　you　so　sure　it'll　be　this　one？〃
　Nicholas　could　not　say　really；　because　it　was　an　intangible。　He　conjured　up　Tanya's　face　at　the　moment　he　had　told　her　that　he　had　broken　Tenchi。　That　surprise　now　had　added　meaning　for　him。　He　knew　that　she　had　not　been　prepared　for　flight。　Whatever　her　plan　had　been　when　she　had　run　into　him　at　the　Okura；　it　changed　immediately　he　told　her　about　Tenchi。
　〃Lew；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃she's　going　home。　To　Russia。　She's　running　on　instinct；　and　instinct　dictates　taking　the　most　direct　route　as　well　as　the　fastest。　It's　a　hunch；　but　an　accurate　one；　I　think。〃
　〃Okay；　buddy；〃　Croaker　said　with　a　brief　grin。　〃I've　had　some　experience　with　your　hunches　before。　See　you　in　the　middle　up　there。〃
　It　was　hot　and　getting　hotter。　So　much　so　that　Tanya　had　begun　to　sweat。　Something　was　wrong　on　the　monorail　line。　The　unthinkable　had　occurred：　a　form　of　Japanese　transportation　had　broken　down。
　Moments　ago；　as　she　glanced　at　her　watch；　she　had　begun　to　regret　not　shooting　Nicholas　Linnear　where　he　stood　in　front　of　his　bathroom　mirror。　But　she　knew　quite　well　why　she　had　hesitated　and　then　decided　against　it。　She　was　afraid　of　him；　afraid　that　she　would　try　it　and　he　would　somehow　ferret　out　her　intent；　and　stop　her　from　bringing　the　secret　of　Tenchi　to　the　summit。　She　consoled　herself　with　the　fact　that　the　meeting　was　paramount　and　could　not　be　jeopardized　for　anything。
　She　had　stayed　her　hand　and　was　sorry　that　she　had　not　taken　the　risk。　For　she　had　bolted　and　was　now　vulnerable　to　pursuit。　The　thought　of　Nicholas　Linnear　as　hunter　filled　her　with　dread。
　That　was　why　at　the　precise　instant　she　saw　him　moving　up　the　stairs　at　the　near　end　of　the　platform　she　turned　away　and
　began　to　fight　her　way　through　the　densely　packed　throng　toward　the　platform's　far　end。
　She　had　been　scanning　the　bobbing　crowd　at　fifteen…second　intervals　as　she　had　been　taught　at　Protorov's　academy；　using　reflective　surfaces　when　she　could　to　do　much　of　her　work　for　her。
　Her　heart　turned　icy　when　she　saw　him　rising　onto　the　level　of　the　platform　itself。　He　seemed　to　slip　through　the　jostling；　sweating　mob　with　the　greatest　of　ease。　Unlike　her；　who　had　to　battle　for　every　inch。　She　felt　as　if　she　were　in　quicksand；　her　legs　frantically　pumping　but　not　seeing　much　result　from　all　that　furious　effort。　Quicksand　or　a　dream。
　But　it　was　neither；　Tanya　knew　quite　well。　So　discreetly　she　drew　out　her　modified　Beretta；　a　flat；　powerful　weapon　for　close　range。
　She　was　looking　over　her　shoulder　as　she　had　seen　Russilov　do。　She　had　laughed　silently　at　him　for　it　but　she　found　nothing　amusing　in　the　gesture　now。
　And　so　intent　was　she　on　fleeing　from　her　personal　hunter　that　she　paid　little　attention　to　what　was　in　front　of　her。　To　her　those　people　were　a　quagmire　through　which　she　must　force　herself。　They　had　ceased　to　be　individuals　but　rather　were　a　part　of　a　maddeningly　delaying　whole。　She　wanted　to　kill　them　all；　spill　them　pellmell　onto　the　gleaming　track　that　arced　away　toward　Fuji…yama；　blued　in　the　industrial　haze；　and　the　safety　of　a　plane　at　Haneda。
　Something　hit　hard　against　her　chest　and　she　pushed　back；　frantic　now；　seeing　Nicholas　gaining　on　her。
　〃Stay　right　where　you　are；　rade。〃
　A　rough　New　York　accent。　Her　head　spun　around；　the　Beretta　ing　up　automatically；　her　finger　tightening　on　the　trigger。
　〃Put　it　down；〃　Lewis　Croaker　said　into　her　face。　〃There's　nothing　you　can　do　with　it　now。　There's　no　place　left　for　you　to　go。〃
　She　turned　for　one　last　look　at　her　oning　pursuer　and　felt　the　lurch　of　his　open　hand　against　her　weapon。　Instinctively　she　got　off　a　shot　and　was　preparing　for　another　when　a　single　black　eye　rose　like　a　tower　not　six　inches　in　front　of　her　face　and　erupted　with　the　noise　of　the　death　of　the　world。
　Croaker　got　off　the　phone　and　said；　〃We're　to　stay　right　here　until　Minck's　support　crew　does　what　it　has　to。〃　He　eyed　Nicholas。　〃The　police　have　already　been　contacted。　No　one's　going　to　make　a　move　against　us。〃
　Nicholas　said　nothing。　He　was　staring　down　at　the　covered　corpse　of　Tanya　Vladimova。　Cops　were　already　on　the　scene；　separating　the　observers　from　the　participants。　Moments　ago　Nicholas　had　spoken　briefly　to　a　young　sergeant　in　rapid　Japanese。　There　were　still　a　battery　of　formalities　to　go　through。
　But　he　was　thinking　of　other　matters。　He　was　thinking　again　of　what　his　father　had　said　about　taking　life　and　eradicating　evil　from　the　world。　That　was　the　dilemma；　he　saw　now。　Why　was　it　that　to　do　the　one　you　had　to　do　the　other？　Wasn't　there　any　other　way？　Hadn't　there　been　with　Tanya？
　There　had　been　no　other　way　with　Protorov；　he　knew；　with　Akiko　as　well。　Karma。　He　knew　that　he　had　still　not　yet　learned　to　accept　life　on　its　own　terms。　He　felt　too　much　for　others。　Or　was　it　only　that　he　was　reluctant　to　relinquish　that　degree　of　control？　It　was　a　myth；　anyway。　Life　could　never　be　controlled。　And　yet　he　continued　to　try。
　Perhaps　it　was　time　to　end　all　that；　he　thought。
　At　the　Shinjuku　Suiryu　Building；　Nicholas　saw　Tanzan　Nangi　first；　even　though　he　had　been　told　on　his　arrival　that　Justine　was　there；　waiting　for　him。　He　did　so　because　he　wanted　at　least　one　major　element　in　his　life　settled　before　he　saw　her　again。　He　wanted　his　mind　totally　free　so　that　he　could　concentrate　fully　on　whatever　it　was　she　intended。
　He　had　spent　three　hot　and　sticky　hours　scouring　the　city　after　he　left　Croaker；　and　now　he　carried　with　him　a　silk…covered　package。
　He　was　shown　into　Sato's　huge　office　without　undue　delay。　They　bowed。
　〃Linnear…san；　please　sit　down。〃
　〃If　you　don't　mind；〃　Nicholas　said；　〃I'd　prefer　the　next　room。〃
　Nangi's　eyes　opened　wide　and　he　hesitated　a　moment　as　if　Nicholas'　request　had　disrupted　a　pattern　set　inside　him。　He　nodded；　recovering　quickly。　〃Of　course；〃　he　murmured。
　They　walked　through　the　narrow　passageway　housing　the　to…konoma；　its　slender　vase　holding　one　purple　peony。　Nicholas　read　the　poem　on　the　scroll　just　above：　'Wo　rainfalls/Without　bringing　life/To　blossoms/On　mountainside　or　vale。〃
　Nangi　led　him　past　the　small　alcove　and　into　another；　smaller　room　that　was　not　an　office　at　all。　It　was　a　space　that　Nicholas　had　not　seen　before　but　had　known　must　be　there。
　Just　before　the　threshold；　the　two　of　them　removed　their　shoes。　It　was　a　twelve…tatami　room。　The　walls　were　shoji　screens；　though　undoubtedly　they　covered　plaster　and　lathe。　Cool　light；　indirect　and　dim；　played　over　the　expanse；　and　from　somewhere　came　the　silvery　tinkle　of　water　through　a　streambed。
　There　was　a　low　lacquer　table　in　the　center　of　the　room；　several　Chinese…red　kansu　chests　along　the　wall；　a　cedar　desk　with　phone。　A　hard　cedar　chair。
　They　knelt　down　on　opposite　sides　of　the　gleaming　black　table。　Nicholas　looked　away　to　admire　the　room　as　Nangi　spent　some　time　and　considerable　energy　in　getting　his　ruined　legs　to　bend　beneath　him。
　〃I　have　e　to　report　my　failure；　Nangi…san；〃　Nicholas　said　after　a　time。
　Nangi　was　curious。　〃How　so；　Linnear…san？〃
　〃While　you　were　away；　Sato　and　I　struck　a　bargain。　He　wished　the　merger　to　go　through　with　all　good　speed；　I　wished　to　aid　him…and　you　as　well…against　the　Wu…Shing。〃
　〃You　and　Seiichi…san　felt　that　we　both　had　something　to　fear　from　these　heinous　crimes；　then？〃
　〃Eventually；　yes。　We　both　felt　that　you　and　he　were　to　be　the　final　targets。〃
　〃Had　you　any　proof？〃
　〃It　was　Sato…san's　belief　that　something　in　your　past　had　triggered　this　vendetta。〃　When　Nangi　said　nothing；　Nicholas　went　on。　〃I　swore　to　protect　him；　Nangi…san。　It　is　why　I　went　with　him　to　the　rotenburo　in　Hokkaido　to　find　the　ninja　Phoenix。　But　Koten　betrayed　us　to　the　Russians。　They　killed　the　ninja；　and　they　killed　Sato…san。〃　He　went　on　to　relate　what　had　happened　next　at　Pro…torov's　safe　house。　He　said　nothing　of　what　had　happened　after　his　winged　escape。
　〃Phoenix　was　from　the