el.the miko-第31部分

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　When　he　returned　to　America；　his　relationship　with　Kathy　was　irreparably　damaged。　He　had　shared　their　most　intimate　moments　with　too　many　people　for　whom　he　felt　only　fear　and　loathing。　It　was　as　if　he　had　sat　down　to　discuss　his　sex　life　with　the　man　who　had　just　raped　his　wife。　There　had　been　a　silent　explosion　in　his　head。　He　did　not　love　Kathy　any　less　on　his　return　from　his　own　private　hell；　but　he　found　that　he　could　not　touch　her　without　being　torn　out　of　time　and　place　back　to　the　dank；　fearful　cell　deep　within　Moscow。　That　his　mind　would　not　allow；　so　they　remained　apart　to　the　night　she　was　killed。　And　of　course　by　that　time　he　had　convinced　himself　that　they　had　stripped　him　of　his　capacity　to　savor　sexual　release。
　Then　this　whole　godawful　mess　had　begun。　But　still　it　was　beyond　him　to　understand　how　he　had　gotten　from　there　to　here；　hopelessly　in　love　with　a　woman　whom　he　should　not…could　not…love。　Was　it　only　two　weeks　ago　that　he　had　clandestinely　flown　down　to　see　her　for　the　weekend？　Oh；　Christ；　but　it　felt　like　two　years。　He　stared　blindly　down　at　his　hands　and　had　to　laugh　at　himself。　Needed　to　do　that　lest　he　slit　his　wrists　in　utter　frustration。　What　an　idiot　he　was！　And　yet　he　could　no　more　stop　loving　her　than　he　could　cease　to　hate　the　Russians。　What　elation　filled　him　when　he　thought　of　the　gift　she　had　brought　him…a　simple　enough　pleasure；　but　one　that　he　had　been　certain　would　never　be　his　again。　How　could　he　possibly　give　that　up？
　And　how　he　longed　to　confide　in　Tanya。　He　could　whisper　the　secrets　of　the　world　into　her　ear　without　a　qualm。。。　but　not　his。　No。　This　he　could　not　allow　her　to　know。
　Because　it　was　a　clear　sign　of　weakness　in　him。　Then　she　would　look　into　his　eyes　with　that　stern；　Slavic　gaze　too　serious　to　dismiss　and　tell　him　what　he　ought　to　do。　And　Minck　knew　what　he　ought　to　do；　knew　that　he　should　have　done　it　months　ago。　The　woman　he　loved　had　to　die；　had　to；　for　the　sake　of　security。　Every　day　she　remained　alive；　a　potentially　damaging　leak　was　walking　around。
　How　many　times　during　these　past　few　months　had　he　picked　up　the　phone　and　begun　to　dial　the　coded　mobile　number？　And　how　many　times　had　the　termination　order　died　in　his　throat；　leaving　him　with　the　acrid　taste　of　ashes　in　his　mouth。　He　could　not　do　it。　And　yet　he　knew　that　he　must。
　〃…in　here。〃
　His　head　came　up。　〃I'm　sorry；　I　was…〃
　〃Lost　in　thought；〃　Tanya　said。　〃Yes；　I　could　see。〃　Her　eyes；　Mikhail's　eyes；　held　his　steadily。　〃I　think　it's　time　for　the　pool。〃
　He　nodded；　sighing。　She　was　fond　of　saying　that　giving　the　body　a　good　workout　did　the　same　for　the　mind。
　Tanya　switched　on　ARRTS；　the　Active/Retrieval/Realtime/　System；　an　advanced　network　that　the　Family　had　had　installed　for　Red　Station　at　the　behest　of　its　director。　The　system　would　now　monitor　all　ining　and　outgoing　munication。　In　this　mode　it　had　been　programmed　by　Minck　to　deal　with　the　first　three　nominal　levels　of　data　on　its　own。　For　levels　four　through　seven；　it　would　hold　before　contacting　Minck；　wherever　he　was；　for　instructions　on　how　to　proceed。
　They　took　the　lead…lined　elevator　up　three　floors　to　the　rec　level；　passing　through　two　distinct　modes　of　electronic　security　checks。　Stripped　down；　Minck　had　a　hard；　lean　body　that　looked　at　least　ten　years　younger　than　it　was。　It　seemed　a　perfectly　normal　body　until　one　came　close；　and　then　one　began　to　see　details　forming；　the　hard　rills　and　scars；　the　patches　of　dead　white　skin；　hairless　and　glossy。　Lubyanka　had　been　hard　on　him。
　He　hit　the　water　in　a　quick　flat…arced　dive；　the　surface　barely　rippling　at'his　smooth　entrance。　In　a　moment　Tanya　followed　him　into　the　Olympic…size　pool。　Both　wore　brief　nylon　suits。　At　these；　and　perhaps　other　times　as　well；　Minck　found　himself　admiring　her　lithe；　muscular　body。　He　so　constantly　relied　on　her　steel…trap　mind；　her　unerring　cunning　at　trapping　the　Russians　at　their　own　game；　that　these　infrequent　moments　always　struck　him　anew　like　revelations　from　out　of　the　blue。　She　had　the　wide　shoulders　and　narrowish　hips　of　the　dedicated　female　athlete；　but　there　was　nothing　masculine　about　her。　Just　powerful。　And　Minck　never　made　the　typical　man's　mistake　of　equating　the　two。
　They　kicked　full　out　for　ten　continuous　laps　up　and　back　the　long　pool；　using　each　other's　speed　and　stamina　to　spur　themselves　on。
　Eventually　Tanya　won；　as　she　always　did；　but　by　less　of　a　margin　than　she　had　several　months　ago。
　〃Close；〃　he　said；　between　breaths。　He　wiped　the　water　off　his　face。　〃Very　damn　close。〃
　Tanya　smiled。　〃You've　been　training　harder　than　I　have。　I'll　have　to　remember　that　in　future。〃
　Reaching　upward；　he　pulled　himself　to　a　sitting　position　on　the　tile　rim　of　the　pool。　Water　scrolled　off　him；　and　his　dark　hair　was　plastered　down　across　his　forehead；　giving　him　the　look　of　a　Roman　senator。　His　clear　gray　eyes　were　unnaturally　large　in　his　face。　He　had　recently　shaved　off　his　thick　handlebar　mustache　and　as　a　result　looked　astonishingly　boyish　for　his　forty…seven　years。
　Tanya；　still　treading　water；　waited　patiently　for　him　to　begin。　He　had　had　a　dour　expression　on　his　face　ever　since　he　had　had　the　conversation　with　Dr。　Kidd　in　New　York。　She　had　not　been　privy　to　the　dialog　and　Minck　had　been　particularly　unforthing　about　it。　She　just　hoped　that　was　the　only　thing　weighing　on　his　mind　now。
　He　was　a　man　to　whom；　in　far　different　circumstances；　she　could　find　herself　intensely　attracted。　He　had　that　quality　she　most　admired　in　people：　the　expression　of　intellectualism　through　his　physicality。
　〃It's　this　goddamned　Nicholas　Linnear；〃　Minck　was　saying　now　with　his　characteristic　abruptness。　〃I　think　we're　going　to　have　to　deal　with　him　sooner　than　later。〃
　Now　she　knew　how　the　conversation　with　Dr。　Kidd　had　gone；　but　she　said　nothing　of　that。
　Minck's　gray　eyes　leveled　on　her。　〃I　don't　for　a　moment　think　I'm　going　to　like　the　bastard；　he's　too　damn　independent　for　his　own　good。　And　of　course　he's　monstrously　dangerous。〃
　〃I've　read　the　file；〃　she　said；　pulling　herself　up　beside　him。　〃He'd　never　even　contemplate　aggression。〃
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Minck　agreed。　〃Absolutely　not。　And　that's　our　key　to　him。　He's　a　naif　on　our　territory。　We　must　therefore　make　quite　certain　he　stays　in　our　bailiwick　so　that　we　can　reel　him　in　when　he's　given　us　everything　we　want。〃
　He　ran　his　hands　down　his　nearly　hairless　thighs。　〃Because　should　he　be　allowed　to　return　to　his　own　turf；　then　God　help　us。　We'll　lose　him；　the　Russians；　and　the　whole　ball　of　wax。〃
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Nick。　Nick；　where　have　you　been？　I've　been　trying　to　reach　you　all　day！〃
　Mumbled　something　into　the　receiver。　His　eyes　seemed　glued　shut。
　〃Nick？〃
　Images　enwrapped　him。　He　had　been　dreaming　of　Yukio。　A　marriage　ceremony　before　the　tomb　of　the　Tokugawa；　a　black　kite　wheeling　in　the　sky；　gray　plovers　darting　for　cover。　Yukio　in　her　white　kimono　with　the　crimson　edging；　the　two　of　them　facing　a　Buddhist　priest。　Low　chanting　filling　the　boughs　of　the　pines　like　snow。
　〃Nick；　are　you　there？〃
　Taking　her　hand；　the　chanting　growing；　loudening；　her　head　turning；　the　shock　of　a　yellowed；　drowned　skull。　Recoiling；　stumbling　backward；　then　seeing　that　it　was　Akiko。。。　Akiko　or　Yukio。　Which　one？　Which　one？
　〃Sorry；　Justine。　Sato's　marriage　was　yesterday。　The　reception　went　on　until…〃
　〃Never　mind　that；〃　she　said。　〃I've　got　fantastic　news。〃　It　was　only　now　that　he　heard　the　note　of　excitement　like　a　line　of　tension　feathering　her　voice。
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃I　spoke　to　Rick　Millar　the　day　you　left。　Remember　he'd　been　romancing　me　for　that　dream　job？　Well　I　took　it！　I　was　so　excited　I　started　Friday！〃
　Nicholas　ran　a　hand　through　his　hair。　It　was　barely　light　out；　dawn　was　not　far　away。　Still　he　seemed　enmeshed　in　the　events　of　yesterday　much　as　if　a　new　day　were　not　dawning；　he　seemed　somehow　trapped　back　at　that　heartstopping　moment　when　Akiko　had　slowly　lowered　her　fan。　That　face！　He　felt　haunted；　an　outcast　from　time；　doomed　to　relive　that　terrible　moment　over　and　over。。。　until　he　found　the　answer。
　〃Nick；　have　you　heard　anything　I've　said？〃　There　was　an　edge　to　her　voice　now；　all　the　elation　punctured　out。
　〃I　thought　you　wanted　to　work　for　yourself；　Justine；〃　he　said；　his　mind　still　far　away。　〃I　can't　see　why　you'd　want　to　tie　yourself…〃
　〃Oh；　Christ；　Nick！〃　Her　voice；　sharpened　by　anger；　broke　in　on　him。　It　was　all　abruptly　too　much　for　her：　his　taking　that　loathsome　job；　his　being　so　far　away　from　her；　her　fearful　loneliness　through　the　long　nights　while　the　deathless　ghost　of　Saigo　returned　to　hover　over　her；　and　now　his　inattention；　mirroring　her　father's　self…absorption　when　she　needed　him　the　most。　And；　oh；　she　needed　Nicholas'　support　now！　〃Congratulations。　That's　what　you're　supposed　to　say。　I'm　happy　for　you；　Justine。　Is　that　so　hard　to　say？〃
　〃Well；　I　am　glad；　but　I　thought…〃
　〃Jesus；　Nick。〃　It　exploded　inside　her　like　a　burst　dam。　〃Go　to　hell；　will　you？〃
　Nothing　at　the　other　end　but　dead　space；　and　when　he　tried　to　dial　her　number　it　was　busy。　Just　as　well；　he　thought　sadly；　slowly。　I'm　not　in　much　condition　to　make　a　success　of　apologizing。
　He　lay　back　in　bed；　naked　on　top　of　the　covers；　and　wondered　in　how　many　ways　his　memories　were　betraying　him。
　Miss　Yoshida's　discreet　knock　on　his　hotel　room　door　came　at　precisely　nine　A。M。　She　was　right　on　time。
　〃Good　morning；　Linnear…san；〃　she　said。　〃Are　you　ready　to　go？〃
　〃Hai。　But　I　confess　I　haven't　had　time　to　purchase…〃
　Her　arm　came　around　from　behind　her　back；　producing　a　long；　wrapped　package。　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　bringing　you　joss　sticks。　i　hope　you　will　not　be　offended。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　delighted。　Domo　arigato；　Yoshida…san。〃
　It　was　Sunday。　Greydon　was　up　in　Misawa　visiting　his　son　and　Tomkin　was　in　bed　trying　to　shake　the　fever　his　flu　was　gifting　him　with。　Now　there　was　time　for　family　obligations。
　In　the　smoked…glass…windowed　limousine；　heading　out　of　the　city；　Nicholas　saw　that　she　had　changed　her　makeup。　She　could　have　passed　for　twenty；　and　he　realized　that　he　had　no　clear　idea　of　her　age。
　She　was　very　quiet；　almost　withdrawn。　She　sat　on　the　other　side　of　the　backseat；　deliberately　leaving　a　space　between　them　that　might　as　well　have　been　a　wall。
　Several　times　Ni