el.the miko-第55部分

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d　three　ramoras；　two　above　and　one　below；　mimicked　its　every　twist　and　turn。
　It　was　still　ing　on　and　Bristol　gripped　one　of　the　sticks　with　a　gloved　hand　and　gently　drew　it　out。　He　was　sweating。　Christ；　he　thought；　this　bastard's　gonna　e　all　the　way　in。
　Bristol　rode　with　the　tidal　surge　four　fathoms　down　and　gripped　the　stick　with　a　viselike　grip。　e　on；　old　buddy；　he　whispered　inside　his　head。　Have　I　got　a　surprise　for　you。
　The　tiger's　ugly　snout　nosed　in　and　Bristol　abruptly　came　to　life；　lifting　the　stick　and　slamming　it　as　hard　as　he　could　against　the　shark's　snout。
　The　creature　bucked　hard；　almost　standing　vertically　on　its　tail。
　
　Then　it　twisted　so　quickly　it　left　two　of　the　ramoras　temporarily　behind　and　fled　into　the　green　depths　with　a　great　double　wave　of　its　long　powerful　tail。
　For　a　time；　Bristol　just　hung　as　he　had；　feeling　the　cold　sweat　drying　on　his　skin　beneath　his　rubber　cocoon。　Then；　replacing　the　shark　repellent　in　his　belt；　he　got　a　fix　on　the　boat　and　moved　off　toward　it。
　Twenty…four　feet　above　where　Bristol　swam　and　perhaps　seventy…five　yards　distant；　Jack　Kenneally　was　having　the　devil's　own　time　landing　his　catch。　The　Red　Monster　was　no　professional　fisherman　but　he　originally　came　from　Florida　and　he　had　done　a　lot　of　deep…sea　stuff　as　a　teenager。　Now　his　job　was　to　go　after　bigger　game；　and　he　bitterly　resented　this　half…assed　babysitting　assignment。
　Kenneally　spat　over　the　side　with　disgust。　He　had　saved　her　tan　ass　once　from　oblivion　and　he　wondered　just　how　many　times　he　would　have　to　repeat　the　feat　before　this　shithouse　assignment　would　end。　Privately　he　wondered　whose　instep　he　had　trod　on　to　be　handed　this　one。　He　was　top　echelon　and　he　chafed　to　be　out　and　setting　prey　in　the　sights　of　the　long　gun　and　not　at　the　end　of　a　fishing　line。
　He　glanced　over　at　Alix　Logan　stretched　out　in　the　skimpiest　of　bikinis；　her　burnished　skin　shining　with　oil；　and　cursed　softly。　Who　the　hell　was　she　anyway；　he　asked　himself；　that　I　gotta　risk　my　neck　to　keep　her　alive　and　separated　from　the　rest　of　the　world？
　Kenneally　never　did　get　an　answer　to　that　question　for；　at　that　moment；　light　danced　off　a　surfacing　faceplate　and；　in　the　midst　of　reeling　in　his　catch；　the　Red　Monster　said；　〃What　the　fuck…！〃　and　reached　for　his　。357　Magnum；　got　off　a　shot　just　before　he　heard　the　plangent　twang！；　the　bright　rush　of　wind；　the　ballooning　black　object；　and　then　the　burning　pain　in　the　center　of　his　chest。
　〃Aggh！〃　he　cried　as　he　staggered　back　under　the　shock　of　force；　the　rod　spinning　out　of　his　hands　and　disappearing　beneath　the　waves。　He　clutched　at　the　fire　burning　inside　him；　trying　to　rip　the　flechette　from　his　flesh；　but　that　only　caused　the　curved　barbs　to　bite　deeper　into　him。
　His　chest　was　expanding　and　from　his　vantage　point　on　the　deck　he　looked　up　into　the　burning　sun。　The　slim　silhouette　of　Alix　Logan　stood　over　him；　her　hand　to　her　mouth　covering　the　great　O　her　lips　were　making。　Her　beautiful　eyes　were　open　wide　and　Kenneally　was　suddenly　struck　by　how　much　those　eyes　reminded　him　of　his　daughter's。　Now　why　hadn't　he　seen　that　before？
　Fingers　like　swollen　sausages　and　a　terrible　paralysis　beginning　to　suffuse　him；　stiffening　his　limbs；　fevering　his　mind；　Kenneally　saw　the　great　shade　looming　up　over　the　side　of　the　boat；　flicking　sea　water　from　its　slick　blue　skin。
　Then　his　eyes　were　bulging　outward　unnaturally　and　blood　ran　from　his　nose；　mouth；　and　ears　in　bright　crimson　trickles　and　his　body　convulsed　twice　as　the　autonomic　system　shut　down　for　good。
　Climbing　over　the　side　of　the　boat；　Bristol　ripped　off　his　heavy　fins；　pushed　his　mask　up　onto　the　top　of　his　head；　and　said；　〃Alix　Logan；　I'm　Detective　Lewis　Jeffrey　Croaker　of　the　New　York　City　Police　Department　and　to　tell　you　the　truth　I've　had　the　goddamndest　time　getting　to　see　you。〃
　Then　he　vomited　all　over　the　running　deck。
　Justine　was　numb。　The　funeral　progressed　around　her　like　some　vast　charade　which　she　was　fated　to　witness　yet　not　participate　in。　The　hordes　of　people　from　her　father's　firm　flown　in　from　all　parts　of　the　world　bewildered　her。　Their　assumedly　sincere　murmurs　of　condolence　slid　off　her　like　rainwater。　At　times　she　had　no　idea　what　they　were　talking　about。
　Her　mind　was　otherwise　occupied；　but　when　the　clouds　lifted　far　enough　for　her　to　think　of　her　father's　passing；　it　was　only　with　a　sense　of　profound　relief。
　At　some　point　she　became　aware　that　a　male　presence　was　close　beside　her。　Looking　up；　her　heart　beating　fast；　thinking　that　it　might；　despite　what　she　herself　had　said；　have　been　Nicholas；　she　was　surprised　to　see　Rick　Millar。　He　smiled　and　took　her　hand。　Justine　might　have　asked　him　where　Mary　Kate　was；　but　if　he　replied　she　did　not　hear　him。
　She　seemed　dead　to　the　world。　Not　even　the　beautiful　setting　beside　the　great　beach　house　on　Gin　Lane　just　east　of　Southampton　where　she　and　Gelda　had　grown　up　seemed　to　affect　her。　She　was　as　anesthetized　in　her　own　way　as　her　older　sister　was　in　hers；　lying　almost　insensate　in　her　Sutton　Place　apartment；　having　consumed　God　only　knew　how　many　quarts　of　vodka　this　last　year　following　the　death　of　Lew　Croaker。　He　had　been　the　only　man　able　to　get　through　her　tough　exterior；　leaving　her　so　very　vulnerable。　Now　that　he　was　gone；　Justine　had　just　about　given　up　on　her　sister。　Only　a　miracle　could　save　her；　and　Justine　had　none　up　her　sleeve。　She　couldn't　even　manage　her　own　life；　let　alone　Gelda's。
　Oh；　but　how　she　felt　betrayed！　As　if　the　solid…seeming　earth　beneath　her　feet　had　abruptly　split　apart；　hurling　her　downward　into　a　pit　of　nothingness。　Now　that　Nicholas　had　done　this　to　her；　now　that　he　had　bee　another　in　the　long　line　of　men　who　ultimately　betrayed　her；　she　felt　only　despair。　Even　rage　was　denied　her。　It　was　as　if　some　vital　spark　had　gone　out　within　her。　Her　head　came　down；　her　mane　of　hair　falling　over　her　face。　Those　assembled　studiously　looked　away　from　her　grief；　not　understanding　its　source　at　all。
　Nicholas　felt　a　longing　to　return　to　Japan　that　was　so　intense　even　had　he　not　received　Sato's　disturbing　telegram　he　would　in　any　case　have　been　on　the　next　flight　out　following　Raphael　Tomkin's　funeral。
　He　put　one　hand　in　his　trousers　pocket　and　felt　again　the　flimsy　sheet　of　yellow　paper。　He　did　not　need　to　bring　it　out　in　order　to　recall　its　contents：　LINNEAR…SAN。　V。P。　OF　OPERATIONS；　MASUTO　ISHII；　THIRD　VICTIM　OF　WU…SHING。　FEET　SEVERED。　CHEEK　TATTOOED　WITH　IDEOGRAM：　YUEH。　KO…BUN　IN　GRAVE　JEOPARDY。　WE　SEEK　YOUR　AID。　SATO。
　Yes；　Nicholas　thought　now；　there　was　no　doubt。　Yueh　was　the　third　of　the　Wu…Shing　punishments。　Only　two　remained。　And　Nicholas　feared　that　he　knew　who　the　next　two　victims　would　be。
　Now　it　was　more　imperative　than　ever　for　him　to　return　to　Tokyo。　Tomkin's　last　wish　was　to　have　the　Sphynx　merger　consummated…and　as　quickly　as　possible。　That　Nicholas　knew　he　would　acplish。　But　first　he　had　to　deal　with　the　creature　enacting　this　deadly　ritual；　for　he　saw　that　there　would　be　no　merger　without　the　cessation　of　this　danger。　He　had　his　duty　to　Tomkin　to　perform　and　he　saw　now　what　must　have　been　inevitable　since　the　advent　of　the　Wu…Shing。　That　he　must　stand　against　it。
　The　black　day　had　e　that　Akutagawa…san　had　both　feared　and　foreseen　when　he　had　begun　Nicholas'　training　in　the　dark　side　of　ninjutsu。　And　he　knew　instinctively　that　he　would　need　to　use　everything　he　had　learned　over　the　years　just　to　survive。
　He　spent　almost　all　the　time　before　the　ceremony　meeting　the　assembled　executives　from　Tomkin　Industries'　far…flung　offices。　Bill　Greydon　had　taken　care　of　those　Telexes　so　they　had　been　prepared　and　were　ready　to　meet　their　new　president。
　Only　once　did　Nicholas　think　of　Justine　and　that　was　when　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　her　with　a　handsome；　blond…haired　man　who　seemed　to　have　stepped　off　a　fashion　layout　page。　That　would　be　Rick　Millar；　her　new　boss。　Nicholas　made　this　observation　with　an　odd　kind　of　detachment。　He　knew　that　he　was　now　so　caught　up　in　the　people　and　events　on　the　other　side　of　the　world　that　he　had；　in　a　very　real　sense；　cut　himself　off　from　Justine。　His　feelings　toward　her　were　like　fish　in　a　tank；　he　watched　them　with　cool　curiosity；　removed　from　their　heat。
　There　had　been　no　question　of　him　dropping　Tomkin　Industries。　He　could　do　that　for　no　one　person。　His　mother；　Cheong；　would　certainly　have　understood　that。　And　so　would　the　Colonel。　There　was　always　giri　to　perform　in　life。　And　the　debt　of　honor　outweighed　all　other　considerations。。。　even　one's　own　life。
　It　did　not　seem　at　all　odd　to　him　that　only　six　months　ago　he　had　wished　to　wreak　vengeance　on　the　man　for　whom　he　now　felt　giri。　The　forces　of　life　were　constantly　in　flux；　and　woe　unto　the　man　who　stood　fixed　and　unyielding　in　his　attitudes。
　Tomkin　had　been　responsible　for　Croaker's　death。。　。and　he　hadn't。　What　did　that　mean？　Nicholas　had　no　idea　as　yet；　but　one　thing　was　clear　to　him　now。　Whatever　Tomkin　had　done　in　that　regard　did　not　have　the　mark　of　a　personal　vendetta。　At　least　in　that　Croaker　had　been　mistaken。　But　where　was　the　truth　in　this　whirlpool？
　Executives　from　Silicon　Valley；　San　Diego；　Montana；　Pennsylvania；　upstate　New　York；　Connecticut；　Manila；　Amsterdam；　Singapore；　Berne…there　was　even　one　diminutive　silver…haired　gentleman　from　Burma；　where　the　pany　was　involved　in　hardwood　foresting…spoke　with　him　in　seemingly　endless　array。　All　were　friendly；　all　were　unknown　to　him。
　Until　Craig　Allonge；　the　chief　financial　operations　officer　in　New　York；　came　up　to　him。
　〃Thank　God　for　a　friendly　face；〃　Nicholas　said。　〃Stay　here　and　don't　move。　I've　got　a　job　for　you　when　this　is　all　over。〃
　In　the　limo　returning　to　Manhattan　Nicholas　dialed　the　Washington　number　Greydon　had　given　him。　He　spoke　for　several　moments；　then　replaced　the　receiver。　He　turned　to　Allonge。　〃First　stop　is　the　office；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　a　quick　course　in　how　to　pull　information　out　of　the　puter；　then　leave　me　alone。　Get　your　passport…I　assume　your　Japanese　visa's　up　to　date？　Good。　Pack　a　small　bag。　I　need　you　to　go　over　the　last　five　years　of　this　pany's　life　with　me　so　don't　plan　to　sleep　on　the　plane。〃
　But　Nicholas　was　quicker　by　far　than　Allonge　was；　and　while　the　lanky　Texan　frantically　sorted　through　his　file