el.angeleyes-第13部分

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d　at　last；　〃I've　got　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃I　don't　work　for　you　anymore。〃
　He　sighed　as　he　took　a　seat　on　the　leather　sofa　beside　the　chair　she　had　been　reading　in。　He　picked　up　her　book。　〃The　Nobility　of　Failure。　〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃I　know　this　book。　It's　about　Japanese　heroes　of　myth　and　history；　isn't　it？〃　He　did　not　take　his　eyes　off　her。　〃Sit　down。　Tori；　please。　I　recognize　you're　angry　that　I've　intruded　on　your　solitude；　but　I　came　here　because　Solares's　murder　pelled　me　to　e。　I　think　even　you　can　see　that。　Let's　try　at　least　to　be　civilized；　get　the　interview　over　with；　and　call　it　a　day。〃
　〃How　simple　you　make　it　all　seem。''
　Tori　turned　away　from　him；　went　back　to　the　bar。　She　selected　an　oversized　glass；　dropped　in　some　ice；　poured　single…malt　scotch；　then　added　some　water。　She　recognized　that　she　didn't　really　want　a　drink；　but　she　needed　to　buy　herself　some　time　to　restore　her　equilibrium。
　〃The　first　thing　I'd　like　to　know；〃　she　heard　him　say　from　across　the　room；　〃is　if　you're　all　right。　You　must　have　been　hurt　in　the　explosion；　yet　the　San　Francisco　police　told　us　that　you　refused　medical　treatment。〃
　〃That's　because　I　didn't　require　any；〃　Tori　said；　taking　a　sip　of　scotch；　then　turning　around　to　face　him。
　〃Not　even　shock。　I　see。〃　Russell　regarded　her　for　a　moment；　then　nodded。　〃That　would　be　like　you；〃　he　said；　as　if　to　himself。　〃You　were　always　adamant　about　doing　everything　yourself。〃
　〃I　am　more　qualified…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　know。　Please　let's　not　get　into　that　all　over　again。〃
　〃What　mask　do　you　have　on　today；　Russ？〃　Tori　sat　down　beside　him。　〃The　mask　of　the　invincible　administrator；　or　the　master　chess　player；　sacrificing　one　pawn　after　another　in　the　bloody　field　you've　never　walked　through？　Or　maybe　it's　your　favorite　you　have　on　today：　the　Bernard　Godwin　protege　mask。''
　Russell　sipped　at　his　Тom　Collins。　〃That's　the　one　you　hated　most；　isn't　it；〃　he　said；　aware　of　Godwin　saying　to　him。　Your　relationship　with　Tori　Nunn　is　all　unfinished　business。　〃Because　in　a　way　we're　victims　of　sibling　rivalry。　We　both　think　of　ourselves　as　Bernard's　proteges。　He　never　had　children；　Tori；　he　made　us；　instead。〃
　Tori　made　a　disgusted　sound；　sat　back　against　the　sofa；　allowed　the　coolness　of　the　leather　to　penetrate　her　T…shirt。
　Russell　got　up；　took　a　walk　around　the　library。　This　was　typical　of　him；　he　liked　to　get　the　lay　of　the　land。　He　found　the　physical　and　the　emotional　space　inextricably　entwined；　and　he　chose　the　ground　for　his　interviews　with　meticulous　care。
　Tori　saw　him　e　at　length　to　the　French　fruitwood　table。　He　ran　his　hand　across　the　chocolate…colored　leather　of　its　top；　the　brass　and　green　glass　banker's　lamp；　the　chased…silver　burl　cigar　humidor　given　to　Tori's　father　by　Samuel　Goldwyn。　In　so　doing；　Russell　passed　near　enough　to　touch　the　box　Ariel　Solares　pressed　into　her　hand　just　before　he　had　died。　Tori　held　her　breath。　She　had　no　intention　of　telling　Russell　Slade　about　its　existence；　either　now　or　in　the　future。　Ariel　had　given　it　to　her；　and　she　was　now　its　sole　guardian。
　He　turned　back　to　her。　''What　the　hell　happened　in　San　Francisco？〃
　〃Why　don't　you　tell　me。〃
　〃I　don't　follow　you。〃
　〃Ariel　Solares　was　pursuing　me。〃
　Russell's　face　was　impassive。　〃Was　he？　Well；　he　had　better　taste　in　women　than　I　gave　him　credit　for。〃
　Tori　laughed　despite　herself。　〃You've　gotten　better；　Russell；　I'll　give　you　that。〃　She　got　up；　stood　face…to…face　with　him。　〃You　know　Ariel　was　pursuing　me；〃　she　said；　taking　a　stab　in　the　twilight。　〃You　sent　him　after　me。〃
　〃Now　that's　an　absurd　notion。〃
　〃I　don't　think　it　is；〃　Tori　said。　〃Why　else　would　you　e　to　debrief　me　personally　unless　you　were　running　Ariel　yourself？〃
　〃It　happens　that　Solares　was　working　on　a　first…priority　mission　for　us。　Actually；　I　was　about　to　dispatch　someone　else　to　debrief　you；　but　in　the　end　decided　that　mine　was　the　duty；　sort　of　my　way　of　taking　responsibility　for　Ariel's　death。''
　〃That's　a　pathetic　gesture；　typical　of　a　desk　jockey　who　knows　nothing　of　the　dangers　in　the　field。〃
　〃Don't　be　melodramatic；〃　he　said。　〃The　truth　is　my　people　go　because　they　want　to　go；　not　because　I　make　them。''　He　put　down　his　glass　on　the　table　beside　the　box　Ariel　had　given　her。　〃But　you　already　know　that。〃
　〃What　I　know　is　that　Ariel　was　working　for　you；　that　his　picking　me　up　in　Buenos　Aires　wasn't　happenstance。　He　was　waiting　for　me。〃
　〃Well；　that's　an　interesting　surprise；〃　Russell　said　smoothly。　〃But　it's　wrong。　A　bit　too　Machiavellian。〃
　Tori　laughed　again。　〃That's　an　oxymoronic　sentence　I'd　like　to　preserve　in　my　diary。〃　She　finished　off　her　scotch。　〃What　was　Ariel　doing　for　you　in　Buenos　Aires？〃
　Russell　shrugged。　〃According　to　you；　waiting　to　lure　you　into　his　web。''
　〃I　mean　in　the　tunnels；　Russell。　The　Yakuza　assassins。　Ariel　knew　who　they　were　and　why　they　were　there。　That　means　you　know；　too。〃
　〃Sure　I　do；　but　the　information's　classified。　You　don't　work　for　me　anymore。''
　''Thank　God；''　Tori　said。　〃But　I　have　to　wonder　whether　you　were　ever　able　to　replace　me。　Skills　like　mine　are　invaluable。〃
　〃To　a　very　select　few。''
　Tori　smiled。　〃No；　I　don't　have　to　wonder。　I　know　you've　never　been　able　to　replace　me。〃
　Russell　sat　back；　stared　up　at　the　ceiling。　〃That　may　or　may　not　be　true。　But　I　would　have　thought　you　would　recognize　your　ro1е　in　helping　us　find　Solares's　murderers。〃　He　paused　significantly。　〃If　only　for　his　sake。〃
　Tori　smiled。　〃That's　right；　Russell；　give　it　the　old　college　try。　Give　me　one　last　shot　of　team　spirit；　see　if　it　takes。''
　〃I　think　you've　misunderstood。　Do　you　really　think　I'm　as　pletely　cynical　as　that？〃
　Tori　rose；　went　back　to　the　bar；　poured　herself　some　mineral　water。　〃How　is　Bernard？〃　she　asked。　〃He's　still　retired　from　the　Mall？〃
　〃Oh；　not　retired；　never　retired。〃　Russell　watched　her　carefully。　〃Bernard's　maintained　an　unofficial　consultancy　of　sorts。　It's　an　arrangement　that　is　beneficial　to　all　concerned。〃
　〃Remember　me　to　him；　would　you？〃　Tori　said。
　〃Of　course。〃　Russell　extracted　a　mini　tape　recorder　from　an　inside　jacket　pocket。　He　snapped　it　on。　〃Now；　can　we　get　on　with　me　interview？〃
　〃All　right；〃　Tori　said。　〃I'll　tell　you　everything　I　know。〃
　When　she　had　finished；　Russell　said；　〃You're　certain　that's　everything。〃
　Tori　said　it　was。　She　had　not　told　him　about　the　box　or　about　going　to　bed　with　Ariel。
　Russell　snapped　off　the　tape　recorder。　〃Well；　that's　over　with；〃　he　said　in　the　tone　one　uses　when　one　is　finally　finished　making　funeral　arrangements。　〃Do　you　think　we　can　call　a　truce　of　sorts？〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　we'll　need　one？〃　Tori　said；　rising。
　But　as　she　passed　by　him；　he　put　his　hand　gently　on　her　left　hip　and　said；　〃How　does　it　feel？〃
　Tori　went　into　prana；　breathing　deeply　and　easily。　But　to　regain　her　equilibrium　had　cost　her　time；　and　the　silence　was　unspooling　rapidly；　each　second　increasing　Russell　Slade's　small　victory　over　her。　〃I　rarely　think　of　it　anymore；〃　she　lied。
　〃That's　good；〃　he　said。　〃It　means　the　healing　is　plete。〃　He　took　his　hand　away；　but　still　she　did　not　move。　〃Tell　me；　can　you　do　everything　you　could　do　before　the；　ah；　incident？〃
　And；　abruptly；　it　all　clicked　into　place　in　her　mind；　scattered　pieces　that　had　made　little　sense　on　their　own。　Only　when　they　were　connected　did　the　whole　picture　emerge。　She　turned　to　look　at　him。　〃It　wasn't　just　that　you　sent　Ariel　after　me；　was　it？　You　ordered　him　to　test　me。　That's　why　he　took　me　down　into　those　tunnels。　He　knew　the　Japanese　were　going　to　be　there。　And　that's　why　he　was　so　passive　down　there；　to　allow　me　the　opportunity　to　figure　a　way　out。　I　was　a　rat　in　a　maze。〃　She　stared　wide…eyed　at　him。　〃That's　it；　isn't　it？〃
　Russell　smiled　at　her。　''Well；　I　see　there's　nothing　wrong　with　your　imagination。''　He　pocketed　the　tape　recorder。　''But　to　put　your　mind　at　ease；　I　have　no　idea　why　Solares　took　you　into　the　tunnels。　In　fact；　he　should　have　known　better；　〃taking　you　into　a　Red　Sector　was　a　gross　breach　of　security…and　I'm　afraid　he　paid　for　that　breach。''
　〃No　you　don't；〃　Tori　said。　〃Don't　lay　this　off　on　Ariel。〃　She　came　across　the　room；　stood　looking　down　at　him。　〃You　have　no　idea　why　he　was　murdered　or　even　who　did　it；　because　if　you　did；　you　wouldn't　be　wasting　your　time　debriefing　me。〃　No；　she　thought；　you　need　me；　Russell。　That's　why　you're　here。　I　passed　your　reentrance　exams　and　now　you　want　me　back。
　Russell　was　shaking　his　head。　〃What　a　waste。　If　only　you'd　consented　to　allow　our　specialists　to　look　after　you　following　the　incident。　Don't　you　see；　by　insisting　on　your　own　doctors　…　Japanese　doctors　who　we　could　neither　vet　nor　vouch　for…you　put　the　entire　Mall　network　in　jeopardy。　I　had　no　choice　but　to　sever　our　ties　at　once。　You　brought　on　your　own　fate　with　us。〃
　〃I　did　what　I　had　to　do　in　order　to　save　myself；〃　Tori　said。　〃I　knew　nothing　about　your　specialists；　but　I　did　know　mine。　They　are　friends；　and　they　are　the　best　at　reconstructive　surgery。〃
　〃That　all　may　well　be　true；　but…〃
　〃You　still　don't　get　it；　do　you？''　Tori　shook　her　head。　''Without　this　body；　without　it　being　able　to　do　everything　it　did　before；　I　would　have　been　nothing。　I　would　not　have　been　able　to　live　with　myself。〃
　〃I　fully　understand　your　concern　for　your　body。　But　our　people　were　just　as　good　as　your　Japanese　surgeons；　and　they　had　the　highest　security　clearance。　Who　knows　what　you　could　have　revealed　about　the　Mail　under　anesthesia？　I　had　all　of　my　people　to　think　about；　not　just　you。〃
　〃Clever；〃　Tori　said；　〃but　it's　not　enough。　You　used　that　incident；　but　that　wasn't　the　real　reason　you　severed　me。　That's　the　one　thing　you　haven't　lied　about。　We　were　like　siblings。　I　was　your　major　petition　with　Bernard；　and　you　wanted　me　out　of　the　way；　and　you　got　what　you　wanted　because　in　the　end　the　Mall's　like　every　other　place；　a　bastion　of　male　superiority。''
　〃Control　was　never　a　place　for　you；　you're　quite　right　about　that。〃　Russell　stood。　〃But　now　you're　not　on　any　missions；　either。　That　must　be　a　source　of　considerable　pain　for　you。〃　his　eyes　were　on　her。　〃As　far　as　the　hip　is　concerned…〃
　''The　Japanese　surgeons　put　in　a　prosthesis　of　a　material　that's　far　superior　to　human　bone。　It's　ten　times　more　flexible　and　one　hundred　times　as　stron