el.the miko-第38部分

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　〃But；〃　John　Bremidge；　Hong　Kong's　Financial　Secretary；　said；　〃the　real　thing　to　worry　about　is　the　financial　and　banking　sector。　They're　scared　at　present。〃
　Now；　as　he　took　Anthony　Chin's　call；　Nangi　again　thanked　God　for　his　wise　course　of　conservative　action。　〃How　are　things　in　the　garden　spot　of　China？〃　It　was　their　own　private　capitalistic　joke；　but　this　time　Chin　did　not　respond。
　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　some　bad　news；　Nangi…san。〃
　〃If　it's　another　run　on　the　banks；　don't　concern　yourself；〃　Nangi　said。　〃We　can　weather　it。　You　know　how　much　capital　we　have。〃
　〃That's　just　it；〃　Chin　said。　〃It's　much　less　than　you　think。　We　won't　be　able　to　hold　against　even　a　minor　run。〃
　Nangi　consciously　slowed　his　heartbeat；　which；　for　just　an　instant；　had　leaped。　He　fought　for　calm　and；　reaching　into　the　nonspace　that　was　the　home　of　the　Holy　Trinity；　he　found　it。　His　mind　teemed　with　a　thousand　questions　but　before　he　opened　his　mouth；　he　arranged　them　in　order　of　importance。　First　things　first。
　〃Where　is　the　money？〃
　〃In　six　of　the　Sha　Tin　developments；〃　Anthony　Chin　said　miserably。　〃I　know　what　your　orders　were；　but　you　were　not　here。　I　was　on　top　of　the　situation；　day　to　day。　I　saw　just　how　much　money　we　stood　to　make。　Now　we　can't　get　tenants　to　move　in。　Not　with　the　unsettled　climate；　the　fears　about　the　munists。　Everyone　is　shaken　here；　all　the　tai…pans。　Even…〃
　〃You're　fired；〃　Nangi　said　curtly。　〃You　have　ten　minutes　to　be　out　of　the　building。　After　that　the　security　people　will　have　orders　to　arrest　you。　They　will　do　the　same　if　you　touch　or　alter　any　files。〃
　He　hung　up　and　quickly　redialed　the　bank；　asking　for　Allan　Su；　All…Asia's　statistical　vice　president。　〃Mr。　Su；　this　is　Tanzan　Nangi。　Please　do　not　ask　any　questions。　As　of　this　moment；　you　are　president　of　All…Asia。　Anthony　Chin　no　longer　works　for　me。　Please　give　your　security　people　orders　to　evict　him　as　of　now。　Have　them　make　certain　he　takes　nothing　of　the　bank's　with　him。　Now；　to　business。。。〃
　He　would　have　to　take　one　of　them　out。　Red　or　Blue；　which　would　it　be？　Riding　the　waves；　cerulean　and　a　green　the　shade　of　translucent　jade；　Bristol　thought　it　would　be　Blue。
　He　sat　in　a　sway…backed　canvas　director's　chair　that　had　seen　better　days；　paying　out　his　line；　waiting　for　something　to　strike　the　bait　twisting　fifteen　feet　below。　Not　more　than　a　hundred　yards　to　port；　the　long　sleek　twinscrew　pleasure　boat　carrying　Alix　Lo…gan；　a　half…dozen　of　her　friends；　and　the　Red　Monster；　who　was　doing　his　level　best　not　to　stick　out　like　a　sore　thumb；　sat　in　the　water。
　He　had　gone　so　far　as　to　take　off　his　shirt；　which；　Bristol　thought；　was　a　mistake　because　it　only　emphasized　the　paleness　of　the　flesh　on　his　chest；　back；　and　upper　arms。　There　was　plenty　of　muscle；　though；　and　Bristol　took　careful　note。　He　wondered　how　Alix　had　introduced　him　to　her　friends。
　The　line　went　taut　and　the　ratcheting　of　the　set　reel　began。　Bristol　watched　the　end　of　the　rod　bending　and　quivering；　and　he　began　the　reel…in。　If　it　had　been　a　toss…up　he　probably　would　have　chosen　the　Red　Monster　to　take　out　because　he　was　even　bigger　than　Bristol　was；　and　after　all　this　time　Bristol　was　itching　for　a　fight。
　But　as　it　was；　there　was　no　contest。　In　the　months　of　his　surveillance；　he　had　e　to　hate　the　Blue　Monster。　For　one　thing；　he　had　a　way　of　looking　at　Alix　that　went　beyond　a　strictly　business　interest。　Somehow；　over　time；　Blue　had　developed　a　proprietary　absorption。
　To　the　Red　Monster　she　was　just　another　piece　of　meat；　an　assignment　like　many　others　he　had　had　before　and　would　have　again。　Isolate　and　protect；　he　stuck　to　the　letter　of　the　mand　he　had　been　given…they　had　a　Laundry　List；　an　accounting　of　people　in　her　life　who　had　been　checked　out　and　were　okay　for　her　to　associate　with。
　Blue；　the　night　man；　loved　to　look　at　her。　He　was　allowed　inside　her　apartment。　Not　for　the　entire　night；　of　course；　but　just　long　enough　when　she　returned　home　to　check　the　place　out　thoroughly。　Then　the　door　would　slam　and　he'd　saunter　down　the　concrete　steps；　a　wooden　toothpick　twirling　from　one　corner　of　his　mouth　to　the　other。
　He'd　cross　the　street；　heading　for　the　chrome　and　glass　box　of　the　fried　chicken　franchise　less　than　a　block　away。　He'd　buy　a　pail　of　extra　crispy　that　would　feed　a　family　of　four　and　hunker　down　in　an　orange　plastic　seat。　His　lips　full　of　grease；　his　cheeks　flecked　with　bits　of　chicken　skin；　he'd　stare　at　the　lighted　window　square　behind　which　Alix　Logan　was　undressing　for　bed　and　lick　his　lips。　Bristol　did　not　think　it　had　anything　at　all　to　do　with　the　food。
　A　force　jolted　him；　all　the　way　down　at　the　base　of　the　rod；　and　things　began　to　hot　up。　He　pushed　the　soles　of　his　worn　topsiders　against　the　aft　coaming　and　hauled　back　mightily　on　the　rod。　The　force　of　God　was　down　there；　and　the　answering　twist　almost　pulled　him　out　of　his　chair。　What　in　Christ's　name　had　he　lit　onto？　His　back　muscles　tensed　as　he　brought　all　his　brawn　to　bear　against　the　sea　creature　at　the　other　end　of　his　line。
　A　hundred　yards　away；　across　the　diamondlike　sparkle　of　the　rolling　sea；　Alix　and　her　friends　were　in　their　suits；　their　coppery　skin　shining　with　suntan　oil；　faces　held　up　to　the　streaming　sunlight；　hair　floating　in　the　wind。　Tops　popped　off　iced　cans　of　Bud；　handed　around。　Laughter　floated　across　the　water。
　Bristol　fought　the　fish；　even　as　his　eyes　were　on　the　activity　aboard　the　pleasure　boat；　even　as　his　mind　still　turned　over　his　feelings　for　the　Blue　Monster。
　His　great　muscles　corded　and　he　felt　the　adrenaline　pumping　through　him；　exulting　him。　Damn；　but　it　was　good　to　be　alive。　The　terror　of　the　grave　Tomkin　wanted　him　in　was　an　inconstant　specter　inside　him。　That　night；　the　tumbling　car；　the　uncontrollable　motion；　the　soaring；　stomach…wrenching　free　fall；　the　ground　ing　up；　the　overpowering　darkness；　the　vertigo；　the　getout；　and　the　searing　fireball　of　his　coffin；　the　triumphant　shout　of　the　flames　licking　near　his　cheek；　and　rolling；　rolling；　looking　again　and　again　with　each　rapid　revolution　into　the　face　of　death。
　With　a　fierce　grin；　Bristol　reeled　in　the　line；　feeling　with　every　sense　he　possessed　the　skein　of　life　flowing　all　around　him。　He　felt　the　rhythmic　rocking　of　the　boat　as　it　negotiated　the　deep　sea　swells；　he　breathed　deeply　of　the　clean　salt　air　laced　with　the　pungency　of　marine　fuel；　felt　the　hot　bite　of　the　sunlight　on　his　arms　and　shoulders。　The　colors　of　the　water　flashed　before　him；　now　deep　blue；　then　aquamarine；　turquoise；　even；　far　out；　a　thin　feathery　line　of　pale　green。
　But　mostly；　he　felt　the　life　at　the　other　end　of　the　line；　the　fight；　the　strategy　of　working　the　big　fish　closer；　ever　closer　to
　the　boat's　side　and　the　ultimate　landing。　During　New　York's　long；　frigid　winters　he　had　dreamed　of　such　moments；　and　now　he　was　living　them。
　The　fish　was　close　now。　He　could　see　its　frothy　wake　every　so　often　as　it　neared　the　surface；　knew　that　that　was　the　time　to　brace　himself；　to　let　off　the　reel's　safety　and　allow　the　creature　its　head　to　plunge　downward　into　the　ocean's　depths。　That　would　do　nothing　more　than　set　the　hook　more　firmly　in　its　cheek　but　it　only　knew　that　it　must　get　away；　and　instinctively　it　went　down。
　The　reel　screamed　as　the　line　payed　out　in　a　blur　and　he　knew　that　if　he　were　holding　on　to　the　line　too　tightly；　it　would　snap　under　the　enormous　force　of　the　fish's　dive。
　And　now　it　reached　the　end　and；　lifting　the　rod　in　a　long　smooth　arc；　he　began　to　reel　in　the　line；　slowly；　steadily；　with　a　great　deal　of　patience。　It　would　be　a　long　afternoon　out　here　and　he　had　nowhere　else　to　go　unless　the　skipper　of　the　nearby　pleasure　boat　decided　to　move　on。
　Always　he　had　one　eye　on　the　other　craft。　It　was　important；　he　knew；　not　to　bee　a　passive　observer。　Most　likely；　you'd　be　put　to　sleep　and　you'd　learn　nothing。　He　had　been　taught　to　use　stakeout　time　to　actively　learn　about　the　subject。　Moods　as　well　as　habits　were　important；　because　there　would　surely　e　：　day　when　observer　and　subject　would　meet　and　in　that　confrontation　the　observer's　acquired　knowledge　often　made　the　difference　in　establishing　a　dialogue。
　The　big　fish　was　tiring；　and　as　Bristol　wound　the　line　in　more　quickly　now　he　saw　Alix's　tall；　lithe　form　detach　itself　from　the　pack　and　move　with　surefooted　grace　up　along　the　deck　forward。　The　Red　Monster；　drinking　a　beer；　turned　his　head　for　a　moment；　catching　the　movement。　Nothing　was　happening；　so　he　went　back　to　his　quiet　drinking。
　Alix　reached　the　tubular　aluminum　railing　rising　from　the　prow　of　the　boat　and　stood　leaning；　her　arms　rigid；　her　long…fingered　hands　wrapped　around　the　upper　bars。　For　a　long　time　she　stared　out　to　sea；　at　the　long　unbroken　line　of　the　horizon；　blue　on　blue。　Then　her　gaze　dropped　to　the　water　lapping　gently　below　her。　Her　eyes　were　fixed。　She　seemed　mesmerized　by　something　she　saw　down　there　in　the　clear　water。
　In　one　last　burst　of　energy；　the　fish　at　the　other　end　of　Bristol's　line　dove　straight　down　and　for　just　a　moment　his　entire　concentration　was　directed　at　not　losing　the　creature。
　When　he　looked　up；　Alix　was　gone。　Bristol's　head　whipped　around。　She　was　not　on　deck。　Perhaps　she　had　needed　to　use　the　head。　Or　the　sun　had　got　to　be　too　much　for　her。
　Bristol　had　a　sinking　feeling　in　his　gut。　That　fixed　look　in　her　eyes；　that　staring。　He　had　seen　it　before　when　he　had　first　met　Gelda。　His　gaze　was　drawn　to　the　sea　just　in　front　of　the　pleasure　boat's　prow。　Caramel　hair　floating；　a　golden　shoulder　bobbing。　Was　she　swimming　or　drowning？
　The　Red　Monster　glanced　forward　and　didn't　see　her。　He　put　his　beer　can　aside　and　got　up。　His　mouth　opened　and　he　said　something　to　the　skipper。　The　other　man　shook　his　head　in　a　negative；　pointed　toward　the　forward　railing。
　The　Red　Monster　sprang　upward　and　Bristol　thought；　He'd　better　be　quick　because　Alix　was　drifting　away　from　the　boat　and　there　seemed　no　doubt　now。　She　was　making　no　effort　to　stay　within　range　and　this　far　out　with　the　current　so　strong　it　was　as　good　as　saying；　〃I　give　up。〃
　Running　along　the　side　deck；　Red　spotted　her　and　he　leaped　overboard。　His　strong　confident　strokes　brought　him　to　her　in　minutes。　On　board　the　pleasure　boat；　the　skipper　was　breaking　out　the　inflatable　rubber　dinghy。　Sev