el.the miko-第60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！


　〃What's　their　field　of　expertise？〃
　〃It　varies　with　whom　you　speak　to。　Some　say　the　Ninth　is　the　KGB's　overlord；　their　own　private　watchdog。　But　that　seems　to　me　to　be　overly　redundant　even　for　the　Russians。　Besides；　that　would　be　just　the　thing　the　GRU　would　agitate　for；　so　I'd　discount　it。〃
　〃Well；　then。〃
　〃My　own　theory　is　that　the　Ninth　controls　and　regulates　the　worldwide　terrorist　network　the　Soviets　train　and；　in　some　cases　at　least；　control。〃
　〃A　very　dangerous　man；　this　Gospadin　Protorov。〃　He　was　watching　Minck　carefully　because　he　suspected　that　they　had　e　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。
　With　barely　a　flicker　of　his　eyelids　Minck　said；　〃Extremely　dangerous。　He's　exceptionally　militant。　Exceptionally　bright。　But　even　worse　for　us；　he's　no　bureaucrat。〃
　〃They'll　purge　him　in　the　end；　then；〃　Nicholas　observed。　〃They'll　take　care　of　him　for　you。〃
　〃I　suppose　they'll　try。〃
　〃Meaning？〃
　Minck　came　away　from　the　windows。　〃For　years　Protorov　was　head　of　the　First　Directorate。　Then　about　six　years　ago　he　was　elevated。　I　rather　think　that　this　particular　Gospadin　has　already　amassed　too　much　power　for　that。〃
　〃I'll　have　to　remember　to　use　extreme　caution；　then。〃
　〃Ah；〃　Minck　said。　He　watched　Nicholas。　〃I'd　be；　er；　grateful　if　you　did。　Protorov　has　a　nasty　habit　of　bringing　ferrets　in　and　playing　around　with　them。〃
　〃Is　that　what　I　am　now？　A　ferret？〃
　〃Sato　Petrochemicals　is　the　tunnel　I'm　putting　you　down；〃　Minck　said；　taking　Nicholas'　hand。　〃Mind　you　only　light　the　lamps　as　you　go。〃
　They　went　back　through　the　odd　house。　〃Tanya　will　give　you　an　access　code　that　will　tie　you　in　to　the　network　twenty…four　hours　a　day。　You　can　always　get　either　one　of　us。〃　He　smiled　at　last；　perhaps　out　of　relief。　〃And；　Nicholas；　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you'd　memorize　the　thing。〃
　Dusk　was　gathering　when　Tengu　decided　it　was　time　to　take　his　leave　of　the　dojo。　Ever　since　his　brother　in　arms；　Tsutsumu；　had　been　found　slain　at　the　feet　of　the　sensei；　Kusunoki；　he　had　bee　increasingly　ill　at　ease　in　this　walled　castle　that　had　been　his　home　now　for　more　than　a　year。
　How　had　Tsutsumu　been　discovered？　He　had　begun　asking　himself　that　terrifying　question　as　soon　as　he　had　heard　the　news。　If　Tsutsumu；　then　why　not　him？
　In　the　time　he　had　been　here　he　had　e　to　understand　that　there　were　more　forces　in　the　world　than　he　had　ever　dreamed　could　exist。　He　had　witnessed　feats　he　had　previously　thought　impossible　and　to　this　day　could　not　fathom。　All　these　and　more　could　be　his　if　he　stayed　on　and　worked　diligently。　But　that　was　not　to　be。
　The　signal　from　Control　had　assured　that。　Tengu　now　wondered　who　he　was　more　afraid　of；　Control　or　these　strange　folk　all　around　him。　Though　he　had　lived　with　them；　he　was　intelligent　enough　to　know　that　he　was　not　part　of　them。　He　floated　outside　their　orbit　as　a　cold　moon　does　a　sun；　soaking　up　what　energy　it　could　through　the　vastness　of　the　gulf　between　them。
　Part　of　him　was　loathe　to　leave；　but　that　area　could　stand　little　scrutiny；　Tengu　knew；　and　he　forcibly　pushed　his　thoughts　in　another　direction。
　Even　so　he　would　not　be　preparing　to　depart　now　had　he　not　found　the　safe。　It　was　an　accident　and；　afterward；　Tengu　realized　that　that　would　have　been　the　only　way　anyone　would　have　stumbled　upon　such　a　cleverly　concealed　cache。
　All　the　novices　took　turns　picking　the　day　lilies　that；　dew　laden；　lined　the　slopes　of　the　Yoshino　foothills　beyond　the　walled　pound。　Today　had　been　his　turn　and　just　before　dawn…as　Ku…sunoki　had　done　when　he　was　alive…Tengu　climbed　the　slopes　in　search　of　the　most　esthetically　pleasing　blooms。
　Returning　to　the　dojo；　he　went　to　the　sensei's　study。　It　was　deserted。　As　was　the　custom　at　the　dojo；　this　room　would　never　again　be　used　save　for　studied　contemplation　of　the　spirit　of　the　master；　which　was　the　spirit　of　all　that　was　taught　here。
　Tengu　knelt　before　the　earthenware　vase　which　stood　atop　the　raised　platform　of　the　tokonoma；　the　contemplative　alcove　within　Masashigi　Kusunoki's　study。　Pouring　fresh　spring　water　into　the　narrow　neck　of　the　vase；　he　began　to　carefully　arrange　the　lilies。
　In　truth　his　mind　was　far　away。　Instead　of　concentrating　on　the　spirit　of　the　flowers　in　his　hands；　his　mind　was　recalling　all　that　he　had　done　during　the　past　week　to　discover　the　sensei's；　secret。　What　it　had　to　do　with　he　did　not　know…and　it　was　not　for　him　to　know。
　Of　course　his　search　was　hampered　by　how　circumspect　he　needed　to　be　around　these　highly　dangerous　people。　But　at　that　moment　he　was　engrossed　with　wondering　where　he　had　been　remiss。
　And　because　his　mind　was　wandering　in　the　Zen　sense；　he　became　clumsy。　But；　ironically；　it　was　just　this　clumsiness　that　led　to　his　discovery。　As　he　was　arranging　the　lilies；　several　drops　of　water　fell　onto　the　highly　polished　wooden　surface。　As　he　moved　to　wipe　them　off　with　the　edge　of　his　sleeve；　he　perceived　the　barest　hairline　shadow。
　At　first　he　thought　it　to　be　a　natural　fracture　of　the　grain　caused　by　the　expansion　and　contraction　with　changing　temperature。　But　his　concentration　returned　and　he　then　observed　that　the　line　ran　straight　as　an　arrow's　shaft　for　perhaps　five　inches。　At　that　point　he　saw　another　hairline　connecting　with　the　first　at　right　angles。　His　pulse　began　to　jump　and　he　looked　around；　fearful　that　he　might　be　observed。　All　was　quiet。
　Now　as　he　craned　his　neck　he　could　see　that　the　porcelain　vase　was　at　the　very　center　of　what　could　only　be　a　secret　door。　He　jammed　the　flowers　into　the　vase　and　carefully　lifted　it　away；　putting　it　to　one　side。
　He　produced　a　blade　so　thin　it　appeared　no　wider　than　a　filament　of　wire。　The　point　of　this　he　slowly　lowered　to　the　hairline　shadow；　probing　with　the　utmost　caution　for　should　he　slip　or　in　any　way　mark　this　polished；　smooth　surface；　he　would　be　undone。　Already　his　brother　in　arms　had　been　discovered；　by　what　method　he　could　not　guess；　and　destroyed。　There　must　not　be　the　slightest　hint　that　another　traitor　existed　within　the　dojo。
　His　ears　attuned　for　the　slightest　alteration　in　the　quiet　background　sounds　from　within　the　buildings；　he　worked　his　blade　surely　and　methodically；　rejoicing　at　the　slightest　movement　of　the　wood　panel；　content　to　be　patient。
　And　at　last　he　was　rewarded。　There　was　no　hinge；　the　piece　just　lifted　out。　Tengu　nodded　to　himself。　Considering　the　nature　of　the　hiding　place　it　was　a　far　securer　system；　for　the　sensei　was　sure　to　see　any　signs　of　tampering　with　such　a　tight　fit。
　Beneath　the　panel　was　a　drop　of　perhaps　three　inches；　then　a　horizontal　metal　door　with　a　spring　lock。　Again；　using　his　multipurpose　knife；　the　man　popped　the　lock。　Inside　he　found　papers。　It　was　these　he　had　e　here　to　search　for。　Quickly　now；　he　stuffed　the　wad　of　rice　paper　into　his　loose　cotton　jacket。　He　could　feel　their　frail　fluttering　like　a　trapped　bird　against　his　bare　skin。　Then　he　set　about　returning　the　double…lidded　safe　to　its　original　position。
　Concentrating　fiercely；　he　spent　an　extra　few　minutes　arranging　the　day　lilies　in　the　simplest　yet　most　sublime　arrangement。　His　ikebana　sensei　would　have　approved。
　Now；　in　the　failing　light；　he　finished　packing　up　his　meager　belongings　in　a　cotton　roll　sack　that　fitted　across　his　shoulders　and；　touching　the　packet　of　papers　held　fast　by　his　belt　against　one　side　of　his　lower　belly；　he　emerged　from　his　room　into　the　empty　corridor。
　Swiftly；　yet　with　no　hurrying　of　his　spirit；　he　went　through　the　maze　of　the　dojo；　passing　without　incident　through　the　ancient　stone　gates。　He　skirted　the　red　lacquer　torii　which　stood　guard　over　the　grounds　and　took　the　high；　winding　path　that　would　lead　him　through　the　foothills　of　the　thickly　wooded　slopes　of　the　Yoshino　mountains。　Rising　stands　of　cypress；　cedar；　and　fir；　rendering　the　air　heady　with　their　scents；　swept　away　almost　to　the　apex　of　the　vault　of　the　heavens；　standing　black　and　impenetrable　against　the　last　fiery　glow　of　sunset。
　Already；　to　the　east；　a　few　first…magnitude　stars　could　be　seen　dimpling　the　oning　bowl　of　night。　Swallows　and　gray　plovers　darted　through　the　rustling　edges　of　the　fields　below　him；　on　their　way　home　before　the　keen…eyed　predators　of　the　dark　roused　themselves　and　took　wing。
　Behind　him；　lights　were　already　lit　within　the　walled　fortress　of　the　dojo；　wavering　and　hazy。　He　was　well　quit　of　them。　It　took　all　of　his　concentration　to　keep　his　thoughts　utterly　disciplined　every　moment　he　was　there。　It　was　an　exhausting　business　even　for　one　such　as　he；　for　he　knew　by　observing　carefully　that　this　particular　dojo　specialized　not　only　in　a　myriad　of　arcane　bujutsu　subdisciplines　involving　the　body　but　a　number　involving　the　mind　as　well。
　As　he　pushed　onward　up　the　twisting　woody　slope；　Tengu　contemplated　this。　He　was　somewhat　acquainted　with　the　dark　side　of　ninjutsu。　But　here　in　Yoshino　he　had　begun　to　enter　into　areas　in　which　even　he　did　not　feel　entirely　fortable。
　Rounding　a　long；　sweeping　bend；　he　lost　sight　at　last　of　the　bastion　which　had　been　his　home　for　so　long。　He　felt　as　if　some　obscure　weight　which　had　been　crushing　his　heart　had　been　lifted　from　him。　And；　like　the　horned　owl；　who；　bloody　clawed　and　bloody　beaked；　lifts　it　prey　up　into　the　night；　he　felt　a　kind　of　eerie　elation　that　seemed　to　fizz　the　blood　in　his　veins。
　And　with　it　came　a　curiosity　he　could　not　control。　Searching　for　a　slight　break　in　the　underbrush　on　the　upward　slope　to　his　left；　he　struck　off　from　the　path　in　an　oblique　angle。　Now；　hidden　within　the　sheltering　cedars；　he　sat　cross…legged　on　a　moss…encrusted　rock。　He　chose　it　because　it　had　the　appearance　of　Tokubei；　the　great　mythic　fire…breathing　toad。
　Mounting　it　made　him　feel　more　keenly　the　hero　that　he　was。　He　reached　into　the　crossed　opening　of　his　jacket。
　He　looked　up　and　outward　past　the　barely　discernable　mountain　path　to　the　wide　valley　beyond；　dotted　here　and　there　by　glowing　lights　from　small　houses　and　farms。　He　caught　the　pungent　scent　of　a　fire　and　he　thought　of　the　hearth；　a　steaming　bowl　of　miso　soup　piled　high　with　noodles。　Then　he　shook　himself　and；　producing　a　plastic…sheathed　pencil　flash；　unfolded　the　sheets　of　rice　paper　he　had　stolen　from　Kusunoki's　safe。
　With　a　curt　nod　he　set　himself　to　reading　the　vertical　lines　of　ideograms。　Why　not？