el.the miko-第85部分

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Soviet　agents　were　doing　their　work。〃
　His　beefy　shoulders　were　bent　as　with　an　incalculable　weight。　〃We　cannot　allow　Tenchi　to　be　infiltrated；　Nicholas…san。　The　knowledge　that　the　Russians　are　so　close　fills　me　with　dread。　They　have　the　power　to　destroy　usall　of　us…if　they　discover　Tenchi。〃
　〃What　has　happened？〃　Nicholas　said　in　a　voice　a　good　deal　calmer　than　he　felt。
　〃Phoenix　is　pursuing　one　of　their　agents…the　last　remaining　one　within　the　ryu。　The　man　has　fled　north　with　a　top…secret　profile　of　Tenchi。　He　is　now　on　Hokkaido。　Phoenix　has　allowed　him　to　go　even　though　the　man　murdered　one　of　his　students　in　the　process。　He　believes　the　agent　will　lead　him　to　the　Soviet　local　control。　But　you　cannot　imagine　just　how　dangerous　this　maneuver　is。　This　agent　must　be　stopped　by　any　means　before　he　can　pass　on　that　profile。〃
　Viktor　Protorov；　Nicholas　thought。　I　must　be　at　this　Phoenix's　side　when　he　infiltrates　the　Russian's　base。　Sato　will　have　his　secrets　back　and　I　will　have　Protorov。　〃Where　is　Phoenix　now；　precisely？〃
　Sato　glanced　at　him。　〃I　fathom　your　intent。　But　if　you　go；　I　must　also。〃
　〃That　is　impossible；〃　Nicholas　said　sharply。　〃Purely　from　a　tactical　point…〃
　Sato　raised　his　hand。　〃My　friend；〃　he　said　softly。　〃There　has　already　been　too　much　murder　here　for　me　to　allow　it　to　go　on。　Three　human　beings…people　I　counted　as　friends　as　well　as　valued　work　colleagues　and　indispensable　parts　of　my　kobun…have　ceased　to　exist　because　of　me。　That　is　a　heavy　burden　for　anyone　to　bear。
　〃While　you　were　gone；　funerals　for　all　of　them　were　held；　as　well　as　temporary　burials。　Miss　Yoshida　had　no　family；　so　it　was　not　so　bad　in　her　case。　But　the　others…Kagami…san　and　Ishii…san…both　did。　They　will　of　course　obey　my　orders　to　keep　the　police　out　of　it。　We　do　not　need　the　Kempeitai　in　here；　stomping　around　in　their　efforts　at　investigation。
　〃But　I　do　not　like　it。　I　want　these　people　to　have　proper　burials　in　their　family　plots。　Can　their　kami　be　at　rest　until　then？〃
　Nicholas　thought　of　the　afternoon　with　Miss　Yoshida；　the　sight　of　her　kneeling　within　a　long　stone's　throw　of　where　his　own　mother　and　father　were　buried。　He　resolved　to　be　at　her　final　burial；　to　light　joss　sticks　before　her　gravestone；　and　to　say　the　prayers　of　reverence　for　the　safekeeping　of　her　spirit。
　〃I　know　where　this　is　all　leading；〃　Nicholas　said；　〃and　I　cannot　allow　it。　You'll　stay　here　where　it's　safe。〃
　Sato's　laugh　was　hollow　and　without　humor。　〃Have　you　so　soon　forgotten　the　Wu…Shing；　my　friend？〃
　〃That's　what　Koten　is　here　for；〃　Nicholas　said　stubbornly。　〃Do　you　doubt　that　he　can　do　the　job？〃
　〃This　has　nothing　to　do　with　Koten　or　anyone　else。〃
　〃I　am　responsible　for　your　safety；　Sato…san。　This　is　what　you　wanted；　it　is　what　we　have　sworn　to。〃
　Sato　nodded　gravely。　〃What　you　say　is　true；　Nicholas…san。　You　are　sworn　to　protect　me　and　I　am　sworn　to　consummate　the　merger　of　our　kobun　without　difficulties。　But　this　oath　only　goes　so　far。　I　am　the　final　arbiter　of　my　life　and　death。　You　must　accede　to　this。　You　know　you　must。〃
　There　was　a　silence　for　some　time。　A　brace　of　plovers　broke　cover　past　Sato's　left　shoulder；　racing　into　the　clouds。　The　wind　was　picking　up　and　a　heaviness　was　returning　to　the　air。　Unless　the　wind　direction　changed　abruptly　there　would　be　rain　again；　a　good　deal　of　it。
　〃Then　the　oath　that　binds　us　is　severed。〃　It　was　a　desperate　ploy。　One　which　Nicholas　feared　would　not　work。
　〃Are　you　free　to　walk　away　then？〃　Sato　smiled。　〃By　all　means　do　so。　I　will　not　think　ill　of　you。〃
　〃I　can　force　you　to　stay　here。〃
　〃And　where　would　you　go；　my　friend？　Only　I　know　where　Phoenix　would　meet　us。　You　could　roam　all　of　Hokkaido　without　ever　finding　either　him　or　the　Soviet　agent。〃
　There　was　a　deliberate　silence。
　〃Then　you'll　still　join　me。〃
　〃I　seem　to　have　no　choice　in　the　matter。〃
　〃Good。　We　will　take　Koten　and　fly　to　the　north　island。　From　there　a　rented　car　will　take　us　to　our　final　destination。〃
　〃Which　is？〃　Nicholas　said　warily。
　〃A　rotenburo…an　outdoor　hot　bath…my　friend。〃　Sato　smiled　with　real　warmth。　〃And　why　not？　You　appear　to　be　in　need　of　some　relaxation！〃
　In　the　middle　of　the　night　the　phone　sang　shrilly　in　her　ear。　Justine；　who　had　had　trouble　falling　asleep；　started　awake。　Her　mouth　was　dry　and　her　throat　sore；　as　if　she　had　been　straining　for　something　or　constantly　calling　out　in　her　dreams。
　She　brushed　her　hand　out　to　the　receiver　to　stop　the　racket；　picked　up　her　watch　off　the　nighttable。　Just　after　three…thirty。　Jesus！　She　heard　squawking　from　the　phone；　picked　it　up　as　if　it　were　alive。
　〃Justine？〃
　〃Rick；　what're　you…〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　you　forgot。〃
　She　put　her　hand　to　her　head。　〃I　don't…〃
　〃Haleakala。　The　dormant　volcano。　You　promised　I　could　take　you　up　there。〃
　〃But　it's　three…thirty　in　the　morning。　For　God's　sake；　Rick…〃
　〃If　we　leave　now　we'll　make　it　in　time　for　the　sunrise。　That's　the　time　to　be　up　at　the　crater。〃
　〃But　I　don't　want　to　see　the　sunrise。　I…〃
　〃You'll　never　know　until　you're　there。　e　on　now；　we're　wasting　precious　time。　We've　got　to　be　there　by　five…thirty。〃
　Justine　was　about　to　protest　some　more　but　suddenly　she　felt　too　tired　to　try。　It　seemed　easier　just　to　go　along　with　him。　Besides；　she　thought　wanly；　maybe　it　will　be　fun。
　It　certainly　proved　to　be　nothing　she　had　expected。　For　one　thing；　just　the　drive　up　the　winding　slope　of　the　volcano　was　fascinating。　The　summit　was　two　miles　up；　and　she　could　see　the　terrain　changing　before　her　eyes　as　they　ascended。　Rick　had　cautioned　her　to　dress　warmly　in　slacks　and　sweater；　a　jacket　as　well　if　she　had　one。　Walking　out　to　the　car　in　the　cool　but　balmy　night　air　she　had　felt　faintly　ridiculous　being　so　overdressed。　It　seemed　inconceivable　to　her　that　there　could　be　any　place　on　this　tropical　paradise　where　the　temperature　was　hovering　at　thirty…five　degrees　Fahrenheit。
　But　as　they　rose；　as　the　terrain　metamorphosed　from　palm　tree　laden；　to　the　dominance　of　spiky　desert　cactus；　to　long　stands　of　stately　pine　trees　more　appropriate　to　Maine　or　Vermont；　she　was　obliged　to　roll　up　her　window　and　don　her　jacket。
　Near　the　crater　itself；　Rick　switched　on　the　heater。　They　had　already　passed　the　tree　line；　and　now　she　looked　out　on　black　desolation。　Long　ago；　massive　lava　slides；　spewed　up　from　the　depths　of　the　earth；　had　rolled　slowly　downward；　inundating　all　in　their　paths。　Now　hardy　grasses　peeped　up　here　and　there　through　the　dark　mounded　lava。　But　otherwise　there　was　nothing。　As　the　car　made　one　switchback　after　another；　Justine　glanced　back　over　her　shoulder。　From　this　vantage　point　she　could　look　across　the　vast　undulating　slopes　of　Haleakala's　base；　down　to　the　shoreline；　the　crescent　beach　just　beginning　to　glimmer　with　an　odd　kind　of　phosphorescence　and　the　utterly　black　feathery　silhouettes　of　the　slender…boled　palms。
　She　had　said　not　a　word　to　Rick　on　the　long　drive　up；　huddled　on　her　side　of　the　front　seat　as　if　she　expected　him　to　deliver　a　blow　to　her　face。　She　was　shivering　by　the　time　he　pulled　the　car　into　the　wide　blacktopped　parking　lot。　She　put　it　down　to　the　unnatural　cold。
　As　they　got　out　she　could　see　the　looming　spectral　shapes；　spiderweb　gantries；　towers；　and　electronic　equipment　belonging　to　various　institutions　from　both　the　military　and　the　private　sectors；　used　for　ongoing　weather　and　seismographic　study。
　Signs　bade　them　to　walk　slowly；　cautioning　those　with　heart　conditions　not　to　e　up　this　high　at　all。　And　indeed　as　they　began　to　walk　Justine　felt　a　lightness　in　her　head；　a　certain　feeling　that　her　lungs　were　not　getting　their　quota　of　oxygen。　A　fierce　wind　tore　at　them；　sent　paper　flapping；　making　breathing　that　much　more　difficult。
　She　was　grateful　when　they　reached　the　shelter　at　the　top　of　the　wide　stairs。　This　was　a　stone　and　masonry　edifice　whose　entire　eastern　face　was　posed　of　large　panes　of　glass。
　From　this　eyrielike　observation　post　they　stared　out　on　the　blasted　landscape　of　Haleakala's　craters。　The　area　resembled　photographs　Justine　had　seen　of　the　moon's　surface　more　than　it　did　anything　she　had　e　to　associate　with　her　own　planet。　With　no　visual　fix；　distances　were　impossible　to　judge。　Five　miles　looked　more　like　five　thousands　yards。　It　was　fantastic。
　People　gathered　in　this　small　place　just　as　the　ancient　Hawaiians　had　centuries　before　to　watch　the　rising　of　the　sun。　It　was　on　this　very　spot；　legend　had　it；　that　the　sun　was　caught　and　held　hostage；　released　only　when　it　promised　to　move　more　slowly　over　the　Hawaiian　Islands　to　fill　them　to　the　brim　with　its　light。
　There　was　nothing　in　the　sky　but　darkness。　There　was　no　hint　of　change；　of　the　ending　of　night。　But　the　sun　was　ing。　They　all　could　feel　it　like　a　shiver　down　their　spines。
　And　then　like　a　foundry　being　fired；　one　bright　red　spark　speared　upward　over　the　intervening　rim　of　Haleakala's　crater。　There　came　an　exhalation　in　concert　from　the　assembled　as　light　came　into　the　world；　clear　and　direct　and　adamantine。
　It　was　a　color　that　had　no　earthly　analog；　it　took　Justine's　breath　away。　She　felt　as　if　all　gravity　were　gone　and；　unmoored；　she　was　about　to　float　away。
　Pale　fire　crept　across　the　blasted　plain　of　the　crater。　Long；　sweeping　shadows；　impossibly　black；　scored　the　face　of　the　lava　like　newly　etched　cracks。　There　was　no　gray；　only　the　darkness　and　the　light。
　Then；　without　any　of　them　knowing　quite　when　it　happened；　the　multifaceted　illumination　they　had　all　been　born　into　and　knew　well　returned　to　Haleakala　and；　just　as　if　it　had　been　some　man…made　show；　the　event　was　over。
　〃Now　will　you　forgive　me　for　dragging　you　out　of　bed？〃
　Justine　and　Rick　leaned　on　the　wooden　railing；　the　last　two　still　inside　the　observation　post。　Behind　them　they　could　hear　the　muffled　cough　of　engines　as　cars　started　back　down　the　serpentine　drive　to　warm　sea　breezes。
　〃I'm　tired；〃　she　said。　〃Take　me　back。〃
　Outside；　she　saw　a　lone　couple　at　the　rim　of　the　crater。　Their　arms　were　around　one　another's　waists；　their　bodies　glued　together。　Justine　stopped　to　watch　them；　her　attention　caught。　The　woman　was　tall　and　slim；　her　copper　red　hair　pulled　back　in　a　long　ponytail。　The　man　was　dark　haired　and　large；　muscular　even　through　his　windbreaker。　When　the　woman　moved　she　did