mc.risingsun-第49部分

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ity　at　the　edge　between　two　gray　scales。　Here；　the　line　is　cleaned　up。　It　has　been　repaired。　And　let　me　see…　〃
　The　image　spun　laterally。
　〃Yes。　Here；　too。〃
　More　blocks。　I　couldn't　tell　what　she　was　looking　at。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃His　right　hand。　Where　the　scar　is。　You　see；　the　scar　has　been　added；　you　can　tell　from　the　way　the　pixels　configure。〃
　I　couldn't　see　it；　but　I　took　her　word　for　it。　〃Then　who　was　the　actual　killer？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃It　will　be　difficult　to　determine。　We　have　searched　the　reflections　and　we　have　not　found　it。　There　is　a　final　procedure　which　I　did　not　try；　because　it　is　the　easiest　of　all；　but　it　is　also　the　easiest　to　change。　That　is　to　search　the　shadow　detail。〃
　〃Shadow　detail？〃
　〃Yes；　We　can　try　to　do　image　intensification　in　the　black　areas　of　the　picture；　in　the　shadows　and　the　silhouettes。　There　may　be　a　place　where　there　is　enough　ambient　light　to　enable　us　to　derive　a　recognizable　face。　We　can　try。〃
　She　didn't　sound　enthusiastic　about　the　prospects。
　〃You　don't　think　it　will　work？〃
　She　shrugged。　〃No。　But　we　might　as　well　try。　It　is　all　that　is　left。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　do　it。〃
　She　started　to　run　the　tape　in　reverse；　walking　Eddie　Sakamura　backward　from　the　mirror　toward　the　conference　room；　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　I　said。　〃What　happens　after　the　mirror？　We　haven't　looked　at　that　part。〃
　〃I　looked　earlier。　He　goes　under　an　overhang；　and　moves　away；　toward　the　staircase。〃
　〃Let's　see　it　anyway。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　The　tape　ran　forward。　Quickly；　Eddie　Sakamura　went　toward　the　exit。　His　face　flashed　in　the　mirror　as　he　went　past　it。　The　more　often　I　saw　it；　the　more　fake　that　moment　looked。　It　even　seemed　as　if　a　small　delay；　a　tiny　pause；　had　been　added　to　his　movement。　To　help　us　make　the　identification。
　Now　the　killer　walked　on；　into　a　dark　passage　leading　toward　the　staircase；　which　was　somewhere　around　the　corner；　out　of　view。　The　far　wall　was　light；　so　he　was　silhouetted。　But　there　was　no　detail　visible　in　the　silhouette。　He　was　entirely　dark。
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　remember　this　part。　Nothing　here。　Too　dark。　Kuronbō。　What　they　used　to　call　me。　Black　person。〃
　〃I　thought　you　said　you　could　do　shadow　detail。〃
　〃I　can；　but　not　here。　Anyway；　I　am　sure　this　part　has　been　retouched。　They　know　we　will　examine　the　section　of　tape　on　either　side　of　the　mirror。　They　know　we　will　go　in　with　pixel　microscopes　and　scan　every　frame。　So　they　will　have　fixed　that　area　carefully。　And　they　will　blacken　the　shadows　on　this　person。〃
　〃Okay；　but　even　so…　〃
　〃Hey！〃　she　said　suddenly。　〃What　was　that？〃
　The　image　froze。
　I　saw　the　outline　of　the　killer；　walking　away　toward　the　white　wall　in　the　background；　the　exit　sign　above　his　head。
　〃Looks　like　a　silhouette。〃
　〃Yes；　but　something　is　wrong。〃
　She　ran　the　tape　backward；　slowly。
　As　I　watched；　I　said；　〃Machigai　no　umi　oshete　kudasaii。〃　It　was　a　phrase　I　had　learned　from　one　of　my　early　classes。
　She　smiled　in　the　darkness。　〃I　must　help　you　with　your　Japanese；　Lieutenant。　Are　you　asking　me　if　there　has　been　a　mistake？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃The　word　is　umu；　not　umi。　Umi　is　ocean。　Umu　means　you　are　asking　yes　or　no　about　something。　And　yes；　I　believe　there　may　have　been　a　mistake。〃
　The　tape　continued　backward；　the　silhouette　of　the　killer　ing　back　toward　us。　She　sucked　in　her　breath；　in　surprise。
　〃There　is　a　mistake。　I　cannot　believe　it。　Do　you　see　it　now？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　She　ran　the　tape　forward　for　me。　I　watched　as　the　man　walked　away　in　silhouette。
　〃There；　do　you　see　it　now？〃
　〃No；　I'm　sorry。〃
　She　was　being　irritable。　〃Pay　attention。　Look　at　the　shoulder。　Watch　the　shoulder　of　the　man。　See　how　it　rises　and　falls　with　each　step；　in　a　rhythmic　way；　and　then　suddenly　。　。　。　There！　You　see　it？〃
　I　did。　Finally。　〃The　outline　seemed　to　jump。　To　get　bigger。〃
　〃Yes。　Exactly。　To　jump　bigger。〃　She　adjusted　the　controls。　〃Quite　a　lot　bigger；　Lieutenant。　They　tried　to　blend　the　jump　into　the　up…step；　to　make　it　less　conspicuous。　But　they　did　not　try　very　hard。　It　is　clear　anyway。〃
　〃And　what　does　that　mean？〃
　〃It　means　they　are　arrogant；〃　she　said。　She　sounded　angry。　I　couldn't　tell　why。
　So　I　asked　her。
　〃Yes。　Now　it　pisses　me　off；〃　she　said。　She　was　zooming　in　on　the　image；　her　one　hand　moving　quickly。　〃It　is　because　they　have　made　an　obvious　mistake。　They　expect　we　will　be　sloppy。　We　will　not　be　thorough。　We　will　not　be　intelligent。　We　will　not　be　Japanese。〃
　〃But…　〃
　〃Oh；　I　hate　them。〃　The　image　moved；　shifted。　She　was　concentrating　on　the　outline　of　the　head；　now。　〃You　know　Takeshita　Noboru？〃
　I　said；　〃Is　that　a　manufacturer？〃
　〃No。　Takeshita　was　prime　minister。　A　few　years　ago；　he　made　a　joke　about　visiting　American　sailors　on　a　Navy　ship。　He　said　America　is　now　so　poor；　the　Navy　boys　cannot　afford　to　e　ashore　to　enjoy　Japan。　Everything　is　too　expensive　for　them。　He　said　they　could　only　remain　on　their　ship　and　give　each　other　AIDS。　Big　joke　in　Japan。〃
　〃He　said　that？〃
　She　nodded。　〃If　I　was　American；　and　someone　said　that　to　me；　I　would　take　this　ship　away；　and　tell　Japan　to　go　fuck　itself；　pay　for　its　own　defense。　You　didn't　know　Takeshita　said　this？〃
　〃No　。　。　。〃
　〃American　news。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Such　nothing。〃
　She　was　furious；　working　quickly。　Her　fingers　slipped　on　the　controls；　the　image　jumped　back；　lost　definition。　〃Shit　fuck。〃
　〃Take　it　easy；　Theresa。〃
　〃Fuck；　take　it　easy。　We're　going　to　score　now！〃
　She　moved　in　on　the　silhouetted　head；　isolating　it；　then　following　it；　frame　by　frame。　I　saw　the　image　jump　larger；　distinctly。
　〃You　see；　that　is　the　join；〃　she　said。　〃That　is　where　the　changed　image　goes　back　to　the　original。　Here　on；　it's　original　material　on　the　tape。　This　is　the　original　man　walking　away　from　us；　now。〃
　The　silhouette　moved　toward　the　far　wall。　She　proceeded　frame　by　frame。　Then　the　outline　began　to　change　shape。
　〃Ah。　Okay。　Good；　what　I　hoped　for　。　。　。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃He　is　taking　a　last　look。　A　look　back　at　the　room。　See？　The　head　is　turning。　There　is　his　nose；　and　now；　the　nose　is　gone　again；　because　he　has　turned　pletely。　Now　he　is　looking　back　at　us。〃
　The　silhouette　was　dense　black。
　〃Lot　of　good　it　does　us。〃
　〃Watch。〃
　More　controls。
　〃The　detail　is　there；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　like　dark　exposure　on　film。　The　detail　has　been　recorded；　but　we　cannot　see　it　yet。　So。　。　。　。　Now　I　have　enhancement。　And　now　I　will　get　the　shadow　detail。　。　。　。　Now！〃
　And　in　a　sudden；　shocking　moment；　the　dark　silhouette　blossomed；　the　wall　behind　flaring　white；　making　a　kind　of　halo　around　the　head。　The　dark　face　became　lighter；　and　we　could　see　the　face　for　the　first　time；　distinctly　and　clearly。
　〃Huh；　white　man。〃　She　sounded　disappointed。
　〃My　God；〃　I　said。
　〃You　know　who　he　is？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　The　features　were　twisted　with　tension；　the　lip　turned　up　in　a　kind　of　snarl。　But　the　identity　was　unmistakable。
　I　was　looking　at　the　face　of　Senator　John　Morton。
　
　？
　I　sat　back；　staring　at　the　frozen　image。　I　heard　the　hum　of　the　machinery。　I　heard　water　dripping　into　buckets；　somewhere　in　the　darkness　of　the　laboratory。　I　heard　Theresa　breathing　alongside　me；　panting　like　a　runner　who　has　finished　a　race。
　I　sat　there　and　just　stared　at　the　screen。　Everything　fell　into　place；　like　a　jigsaw　puzzle　that　assembled　itself　before　my　eyes。
　Julia　Young：　She　has　a　boyfriend　who　travels　a　lot。　She's　always　traveling。　New　York；　Washington；　Seattle　。　。　。　she　meets　him。　She's　madly　in　love　with　him。
　Jenny；　in　the　TV　studio：　Morton　has　a　young　girlfriend　that's　driving　him　crazy。　Makes　him　jealous。　Some　young　girl。
　Eddie：　She　likes　to　cause　trouble；　this　girl。　She　likes　to　make　turmoil。
　Jenny：　I've　seen　this　girl　hanging　around　at　parties　with　some　of　the　Washington　types　for　about　six　months　now。
　Eddie：　She　was　a　sick　girl。　She　liked　pain。
　Jenny：　Morton　heads　the　Senate　Finance　mittee。　The　one　that's　been　having　hearings　about　this　MicroCon　sale。
　Cole；　the　security　guard；　in　the　bar：　They　have　the　big　guys　in　their　pocket。　They　own　'em。　We　can't　beat　'em　now。
　And　Connor：　Somebody　wants　this　investigation　to　be　over。　They　want　us　to　give　it　up。
　And　Morton：　So　your　investigation　is　formally　concluded？
　〃Hell；〃　I　said。
　She　said；　〃Who　is　he？〃
　〃He's　a　senator。〃
　〃Oh。〃　She　looked　at　the　screen。　〃And　why　do　they　care　about　him？〃
　〃He　has　a　powerful　position　in　Washington。　And　I　think　he　has　something　to　do　with　the　sale　of　a　pany。　Maybe　other　reasons；　too。〃
　She　nodded。
　I　said；　〃Can　we　print　a　picture　of　this？〃
　〃No。　We　don't　have　equipment　for　hard　copies。　The　lab　can't　afford　it。〃
　〃Then　what　can　we　do？　I　need　something　to　take　with　me。〃
　〃I　can　take　a　Polaroid　for　you；〃　she　said。　〃Not　great；　but　okay　for　now。〃　She　started　poking　around　the　lab；　stumbling　in　the　dark。　Finally　she　came　back　with　a　camera。　She　moved　close　to　the　screen　and　shot　several　copies。
　We　waited　for　them　to　e　out；　standing　in　the　blue　light　from　the　monitors。
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said。　〃For　all　your　help。〃
　〃You　are　wele。　And　I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　know　you　expected　it　would　be　a　Japanese　man。〃
　I　realized　she　was　speaking　for　herself。　I　didn't　answer　her。　The　pictures　darkened。　They　were　good　quality；　the　image　clear。　As　I　slipped　them　in　my　pocket；　I　felt　something　hard　there。　I　brought　it　out。
　〃You　have　a　Japanese　passport？〃　she　said。
　〃No。　It's　not　mine。　It's　Eddie's。〃　I　put　it　back　in　my　pocket。　〃I　have　to　go；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　to　find　Captain　Connor。〃
　〃All　right。〃　She　turned　back　to　the　monitors。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　said。
　〃I　will　stay；　and　work　more。〃
　I　left　her；　went　out　the　back　door；　and　made　my　way　down　the　dark　passageway　to　the　outside。
　
　Blinking　in　the　harsh　daylight；　I　went　to　a　pay　phone　and　called　Connor。　He　was　in　the　car。
　〃Where　are　you？〃　I　said。
　〃Back　at　the　hotel。〃
　〃What　hotel？〃
　〃The　Four　Seasons；〃　Connor　said。　〃It's　Senator　Morton's　hotel。〃
　〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　know　that　…〃
　〃Kōhai；〃　he　said。　〃Open　line；　remember？　Call　yourself　a　taxi　and　meet　me　at　1430　Westwood　Boulevard。　We　will　meet　there　in　twenty　minutes。〃
　〃But　how…　〃
　〃No　more　questions。〃　And　he　hung　up。
　
　I　looked　at　the　building　at　1430　Westwood　Bouleva