el.the miko-第88部分

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　Rain　puckered　the　skin　of　the　rotenburo；　splashing　against　their　shoulders；　beating　against　the　tops　of　their　heads。　Neither　of　them　felt　a　drop。
　In　the　distance　the　beckoning　amber　lights　of　the　squid　boats　winked　on　and　off　through　the　downpour　as　Nicholas　and　Sato　hauled　on　Phoenix's　corpse；　pulling　it　slowly　out　of　the　heated　water。
　〃Amida！〃　Sato　whispered　through　the　sibilance　of　the　rain；　and　scrambled　hastily　out　of　the　pool；　holding　the　small　patch　of　cloth　over　his　groin　while　he　searched　in　the　wetness　and　the　dark　for　another　one。
　He　returned　as　quickly　as　he　could　to　where　the　ninja　was　stretched　out　by　the　side　of　the　rotenburo；　his　legs　crossed　at　the　ankles；　his　arms　spread　wide。　Sato　placed　the　small　square　over　Phoenix's　private　parts。
　〃The　indignity　of　it；〃　he　murmured　as　he　hunkered　down　beside　Nicholas。　There　was　no　one　else　about；　the　rain　had　seen　to　that。　〃This　is　no　way　to　die。〃
　〃It　was　not　how　he　would　choose　to　go；〃　Nicholas　said；　and　pointed。　〃Look　here。〃　A　hole；　black　and　gaping；　disfigured　the　back　of　Phoenix's　head。　〃This　was　done　by　no　samurai。〃
　Sato　looked　sadly　down　at　the　corpse；　white　and　bloated；　spat　upon　by　the　storm。　〃It　could　be　a　KGB　execution。〃　His　voice　was　a　trifle　unsteady。　〃I　had　a　cousin　once　in　the　Kempeitai。　He　knew　all　about　such　things　and　he　told　me。　A　bullet　through　the　brain；　that's　the　Russian　style。〃
　〃Whoever　did　it；〃　Nicholas　observed；　〃had　to　be　very　good　indeed。　This　man　was　ninja　sensei。〃
　Sato　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　〃He　had　information　for　us。　Perhaps　he　got　careless。　He　was　certain　that　the　Soviets　had　no　knowledge　of　his　pursuit。〃
　〃He　had　to　have　been　surprised　here。　He　would　never　have　died　otherwise。　This　could　not　have　happened　in　a　pitched　battle。　They　were　here；　waiting　for　him。〃
　Sato　lifted　his　head。　His　eyes　were　red　rimmed　and　perplexed。　〃But　how？〃
　Nicholas　did　not　like　the　answer　he　was　about　to　give。　〃If　there's　a　traitor　in　the　keiretsu；　perhaps　he　is　closer　than　that。　Inside　your　kobun。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　Sato　said。　〃No　one　from　my　kobun…absolutely　no　one…knew　where　I　was　going。　Phoenix's　call　came　to　the　house。　Only　you　were　there。　Akiko…〃
　〃And　Koten。〃
　〃Koten？〃　Sato's　eyes　were　wide　all　around。　〃Oh；　Buddha；　no！〃　Then　he　considered。　〃He　has　been　with　me　the　last　three　or　four　times　Phoenix　phoned。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃But　even　so；　I　took　great　pains　to　make　certain　I　was　alone　when　we　spoke。〃
　〃You　mean　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　eavesdrop。〃
　〃Well；　no。　I　mean…〃　Sato　slammed　fist　into　palm。　〃Koten　is　sensei　of　sumai；　the　most　ancient　form　of　his　art：　bat　sumo。　Phoenix　knew　him；　trusted　him。〃　He　looked　to　the　sky。　〃Muhon…nin！〃　he　cried。
　Between　them　steam　rose　slowly　from　Phoenix's　cooling　body　and　it　seemed　as　if　the　twisted；　multicolored　tattoo　that　covered　his　shoulder　and　back　was　rising　with　the　mist；　the　only　part　of　him　still　alive。
　〃He　must　pay！〃　Sato　said。　〃He　knows　where　Phoenix　would　have　led　us。　And　I'll　make　him　tell　us！〃
　He　was　up　and　running　before　Nicholas　could　stop　him。　Beyond　the　rotenburo's　terraced　tract；　the　lights　of　the　squid　fleet　had　disappeared　and　now　only　swirling　darkness　sought　to　engulf　them。　The　lights　of　the　swinging　lanterns　in　the　trees　surrounding　the　pool　were　smeared　by　the　slanting　rain；　some　of　them　had　already　gone　out；　felled　by　the　strengthening　wind。
　〃Sato…san！〃　Nicholas　called　as　he　ran。　But　it　was　useless。　The　wind　tore　his　words　from　his　lips　and；　in　any　case；　Sato　was　not　about　to　listen　to　reason。　Tenchi　was　far　too　important　to　him　and　there　was　no　time　for　caution。
　Nicholas　raced　across　the　open　expanse　between　the　camphor　trees　that　lined　the　walkways　to　the　pool。　There　was　no　sound　but　the　moaning　of　the　wind　and　the　heavy　beating　rain。
　Nicholas'　concentration　narrowed　as　he　slewed　into　the　dimly　lit　locker　room。　Koten；　master　of　sumo　and　the　more　deadly　sumai；　would　need　less　than　three　seconds　with　Sato　to　put　him　away；　and　thus　Nicholas'　anxiety　level　was　high。
　That　was　the　only　explanation　as　to　why　he　did　not　sense　the　surreptitious　sound　until　quite　late；　and　then　it　was　actually　the　movement　of　shadow　on　the　periphery　of　his　vision　that　alerted　him。
　He　whirled　just　in　time　to　duck　away；　swivel　to　his　right。　Heard　the　whirr　as　of　a　bright　insect；　the　brief　puff　of　wind　at　its　passage。　The　soft　thunk　just　behind　and　to　the　left　of　him　indicated　the　position　of　the　thrown　shuriken。　Ninja！　That　meant　that　Phoenix's　quarry；　the　muhon…nin　who　had　fled　the　Tenshin　Shoden　Katori；　was　still　here。　Then　there　was　still　a　chance　to　keep　Tenchi　alive　and　out　of　reach　of　the　Russians！
　Nicholas　followed　his　instincts。　His　working　muscles　gleaming　with　beaded　water　and　sweat；　he　set　off　after　his　adversary。　He　wanted　to　e　to　close　quarters　with　him　as　quickly　as　possible　in　order　to　negate　the　advantage　of　the　long…range　shuriken。
　He　twisted　and　turned　through　the　tunnellike　labyrinth　of　the　rotenburo's　corridors；　sliding　and　sometimes　crawling　on　his　belly；　always　mindful　of　breaking　up　any　rhythm　to　his　movements。
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　Twice　he　heard　the　buzzing　passage　of　shuriken　quite　near　him　and　he　redoubled　his　efforts；　knowing　from　the　sounds　that　he　was　closing　in。
　But　it　was　a　bad　situation　and　growing　worse　all　the　time。　Where　was　Sato？　His　absence　was　a　constant　distraction　and　any　kind　of　distraction　was　dangerous　in　battle。
　He　skidded　around　the　end　of　a　row　of　metal　lockers　thinking　about　getting　to　his　locker　and　his　dai…katana；　and　felt　a　blow　strike　his　shoulder；　numbing　it　momentarily。　He　cursed　himself　mightily　as　he　slid　forward；　seeming　to　skid　out　of　control　on　the　damp　floor。　The　bulk　of　the　oning　shadow　careened　past　him；　just　above。
　Nicholas　torqued　his　torso；　lifting　his　right　arm　in　a　blur；　the　elbow　locked；　the　heel　of　his　hand　leading；　crashing　into　flesh　and　bone。　He　heard　a　heavy　grunt　and；　simultaneously；　felt　the　crash　of　a　weight　to　his　left。　He　twisted；　using　his　knees　and　ankles；　using　the　chrysanthemum　to　bring　power　back　into　his　frame。　He　rained　blows　onto　the　form　which　crouched　in　the　darkness　in　the　lee　of　the　lockers。
　He　felt　the　satisfying　smack　of　flesh　against　flesh　and　began　a　series　of　interlocking　strikes。　Abruptly　there　was　a　blow　to　the　side　of　his　head　and　when　he　reached　out　again；　the　form　was　gone。
　He　rose　to　his　feet；　swaying；　his　senses　questing。　Went　instinctively　into　getsumei　no　michi　and　found　the　spirit　of　the　ninja。　He　was　moving　away　from　Nicholas。　Why？
　Then　he　had　the　answer　and　his　heart　constricted　in　anxiety。　Loosing　the　kiai　shout　that　rocked　the　walls　of　the　rotenburo；　Nicholas　raced　through　the　darkened　interior；　tearing　after　terror。
　Sato　had　found　the　interior　of　the　rotenburo　deserted。　Where　was　Koten？　Where　was　the　muhon…nin？　Anger　burned　through　him　like　a　sun。　He　gritted　his　teeth；　the　deep　feeling　of　betrayal　powering　him；　feeding　adrenaline　into　him。
　He　burst　out　into　the　night　filled　with　swirling　rain。　No　one　was　about；　not　even　the　proprietors。　Koten！　he　wanted　to　cry　out。　I'm　going　to　kill　you；　slowly　so　that　I　can　watch　your　face　as　life　ebbs　out　of　you。
　Into　the　parking　lot　he　ran。　Two　or　three　cars　remained　beneath　the　lights。　He　wiped　at　his　eyes　to　clear　them。　All　the　cars　were　empty。　Then　his　gaze　came　to　rest　on　the　rented　vehicle　they　had　used　to　drive　here　from　the　airport。
　Koten！
　Sitting　in　kingly　silence；　dry　beneath　the　opening　heavens。
　Unthinking；　Sato　ran　toward　the　car；　skidding　once　on　the　slick　tarmac；　almost　wrenching　his　back。　All　breath　went　out　of　him　for　a　moment。　Then；　with　a　grunt；　he　lifted　himself　off　one　knee　and　loped　the　rest　of　the　way　to　the　dripping　car。
　Now　he　shouted。　〃Koten！〃　Reaching　for　the　chrome　handle；　wrenching　the　door　open。　There　was　a　sharp　click；　as　distinct　as　a　dry　twig　cracking　on　a　forest　floor；　and　the　night　erupted　into　a　fireball　of　orange　and　crimson　flames。　The　car　ballooned　outward；　ing　apart　in　hot；　twisting　shards　of　metal　and　pinpoint　fragments　of　sprayed　safety　glass。　The　ignition　instantly　disintegrated　the　rubberized　mannikin　in　the　front　seat。
　A　sharp　report　like　a　cannon　shot　and　then　a　trailer　of　dense　black　smoke；　oily　and　twisting；　ascending　into　the　full　force　of　the　storm。
　The　body　looked　enormous；　a　lumped　animal；　throwing　a　deep　shadow　across　the　surrounding　stone。　AH　about　it　shards　of　glass　glittered　like　stars；　arcing　tiny　rainbows　into　the　cold　overhead　illumination。
　Three　uniformed　men　from　the　Raleigh　City　Police　stood　around　taking　notes　while　the　fourth；　half　in；　half　out　of　one　of　the　squad　cars；　was　on　the　two…way　radio。
　A　pair　of　backup　units　squealed　to　a　halt　。beside　him　and　the　cops　inside　emerged　and　began　to　set　up　sawhorse　barriers　against　the　growing　knots　of　curious　onlookers。
　Harry　Saunders；　the　sergeant　on　the　two…way；　wrapped　up　his　conversation　with　his　captain　and　threw　the　mike　on　the　car　seat　as　he　backed　out　of　the　unit。　His　face　was　set　in　hard　lines　as　he　ambled　slowly　back　to　his　three　buddies。
　〃Might　as　well　burn　those　pads；〃　he　told　them　as　he　approached。　〃Ain't　gonna　be　any　use；　those　notes。〃
　〃How　d'you　mean？〃　Bob　Santini　said；　still　scribbling　in　his　flip…up　pad。
　〃Someone　ing　any　minute　now　to　take　over。　Captain　says　this　isn't　any've　our　business　now。〃
　Santini's　head　came　up　and　he　glowered　at　Saunders。　〃You　mean　a　man　is　killed　and　we　just　walk　away　from　it？〃
　Saunders　shrugged。　〃Funny　you　should　say　that；　'cause　I　asked　the　Captain　the　self…same　question。〃　He　screwed　up　his　face。　〃Know　what　he　told　me？　Wouldn't　do　no　good　no　matter　what　we　did。〃　His　finger　stabbed　out　in　the　general　direction　of　the　corpse。　〃This　poor　sumbitch's　got　no　prints；　got　no　history　at　all。　He's　a　nothing；　a　big；　fat　zero。〃
　〃A　spook；〃　Ed　Baine　said。　〃Now　that's　interesting。〃
　〃Well；　you　just　take　your　interest　somewhere　else；〃　Saunders　said；　〃　'cause　after　we　beak　up　here　not　even　our　wives　or；　in　your　case；　Baine；　your　g。f。；　are　supposed　to　know　anything　that　went　on　here。〃
　〃Oh；　shit；〃　Spinelli　said　with　mock　disgust；　〃no　pillow　talk。　Now　what'm　I　supposed　to　do　afterwards？〃
　〃Do　what　you　always　do；　shithead；〃　Baine　said。　〃Roll　over　and　go　to　sleep。〃
　Saunders'　head　turned。　〃Sit　on　it；　your　clowns；〃　he　said　sotto　voce；