el.angeleyes-第23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！


an　do。　Maybe　you　were　too　dumb　to　know　better。　On　the　other　hand；　you　were　smart　enough　not　to　try　to　pull　the　trigger。　Had　you　tried；　my　men　would　have　killed　you。　And　now　。　。　。〃
　〃I　will　do　whatever　I　have　to；〃　she　said。
　〃Will　you？　I　wonder。　I　question　whether　you　have　any　notion　of　what　your　boast　might　entail。〃　Big　Ezoe　looked　at　her　thoughtfully　for　a　moment；　then　he　laid　her　pistol　in　the　flat　of　his　hand。　〃Who　knows　where　this　path　will　lead　you；　or　what　may　be　required　of　you　along　the　way？〃　He　came　around　from　behind　his　desk。　〃It　is　not　for　a　small　matter　that　a　samurai　takes　his　own　life。　You　are　about　to　take　your　first　step　into　the　darkness。　Unknown　forces　undoubtedly　lie　in　wait。　Powerful；　malignant　forces；　I　suspect。　You　must　be　prepared　to　defend　yourself　against　them。〃　He　hefted　the　pistol；　curled　his　finger　around　the　trigger。　〃What　do　you　think　now？　It　is　not　too　late　to　change　your　mind。''
　Honno　took　out　the　key　Kakuei　Sakata　had　mailed　her。　She　showed　it　to　Big　Ezoe　and　said；　〃This　is　where　we　begin。〃
　
THREE
VIRGINIA　COUNTRYSIDE/MACHINE…GUN　CITY

　Russell　Slade　picked　Tori　up　in　his　custom　armor…plated　limousine。　It　was　still　dark　outside；　even　the　birds　barely　awake。
　In　his　arrogance；　he　had　been　at　the　Los　Angeles　airport；　waiting　for　her　to　call。　Russell　had　one　of　these　cars…　bulletproof；　capable　of　running　at　150　mph；　filled　with　the　most　advanced　munications　center　imaginable…in　Washington；　New　York；　and　Los　Angeles。　They　were　a　necessary…one　could　say　vital…part　of　his　work；　a　mobile　office　where；　more　often　than　not；　he　ate　and　slept　while　missions　were　running。　Russell　had　an　almost　pathological　dislike　for　being　in　one　place　for　too　long。　He　had；　no　doubt；　picked　up　this　peculiarity　from　Bernard　Godwin；　who　had　survived　a　KGB　assassination　attempt　in　his　hotel　room　in　Bonn。　Russell　detested　hotels；　principally　because　it　was　virtually　impossible　to　arrange　decent　security　inside　them。　There　were　far　too　many　personnel　to　vet；　too　many　passageways；　deliveries；　passkeys；　people　going　in　and　out　at　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night　to　make　even　a　token　stab　at　keeping　a　room　safe。
　The　only　thing　in　Russell's　favor　was　that　he　had　not　gloated；　but　had　accepted　her　presence　as　a　natural　occurrence；　which；
once　Tori　took　the　time　to　think　about　it；　said　as　much　about　him　as　she　wished　to　know。
　She　had　plenty　of　time　to　think　on　the　flight　back　to　Washington。　Russell　had　his　own　private　jet；　of　course。　There　were　so　many　antihijacking　devices；　the　Mall　was　obliged　to　order　a　727　instead　of　a　far　smaller　Lear　jet。　She　wanted　to　sleep；　but　every　time　she　drifted　off；　she　was　back　in　the　same　dream　cycle；　in　Ariel's　house　on　Russian　Hill；　on　the　couch　when　the　explosion　hit；　the　pain　recalled　from　the　other　explosion；　the　one　that　had　ripped　apart　her　hip；　when　she　had　stared　into　the　hideous　eyes　of　death　。　。　。
　She　snapped　awake　each　time；　her　heart　hammering　in　her　ears。　She　sat　up　straight；　watched　Russell　sitting　across　from　her　as　he　sent　and　received　faxes　from　the　Mall's　situations　room；　buried　far　beneath　the　emerald　Virginia　hills。　When　she　had　known　him；　he　had　smoked；　but　now　he　confined　himself　to　gnawing　at　the　cap　of　a　plastic　pen。
　Somewhere　over　Ohio　or　Missouri　they　were　served　sandwiches　and　coffee；　for　which　Tori　was　grateful。　She　had　no　wish　to　return　to　her　nightmare　landscape；　locked　in　an　endless　circle　of　fear　and　pain。
　When　they　were　finished　eating；　Russell　said；　〃You　still　hooked　into　Japan's　version　of　la　Famiglia？'
　Tori　did　not　care　for　his　sarcastic　tone；　she　thought　of　him　sitting　in　his　limousine；　so　arrogant；　so　certain　that　she　would　call　him　and　capitulate　that　he　hadn't　bothered　to　board　his　plane。　She　had　the　urge　to　hit　him　in　the　face；　instead；　she　concentrated　on　her　plan。　Somewhere　near　dawn　she　had　e　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was　a　way　in　which　she　could　get　everything　she　wanted　for　herself：　reinstatement　in　the　Mall　on　her　own　terms；　and　revenge　on　Russell　Slade　for　severing　her。　What　she　would　do　to　Slade　would　be　a　far　better…and　more　fitting…fate　for　him　than　a　mere　broken　face；　although　the　picture　of　Slade　with　his　jaws　wired　together　did　have　a　certain　charm。
　She　smiled。　〃If　you're　talking　about　the　Yakuza；　yes；　I　still　have　my　contacts。〃
　Russell　nodded；　almost　as　if　she　had　passed　some　kind　of　test。　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃Because　the　Yakuza　are　involved　up　to　their　bushy　little　eyebrows。〃
　〃Are　you　talking　about　Ariel　Solares's　murder？〃
　Russell　pushed　the　swivel　light　away　from　him；　pressed　the　tips　of　his　fingers　against　his　eyelids。　His　face　had　retreated　into
the　shadows。　Outside；　the　clouds　streamed　by　below　them；　rent　asunder　by　their　screaming　passage。
　〃Remember　the　Yakuza　assassins　you　and　Solares　overheard　in　the　Argentine　tunnels？〃　he　said。　〃Well；　they're　just　a　tiny　part　of　what　is　ing　our　way；　and　I'm　afraid　they've　got　something　particularly　nasty　in　store　for　us。〃
　Tori　said；　〃If　the　Japanese　are　involved　in　a　big　way；　I　can　see　why　you　came　to　see　me　yourself。　You　need　my　expertise。''　She　peered　into　his　face　with　mock　concern。　〃That　isn't　flop　sweat　I　see　on　your　lip；　is　it？〃
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous。〃
　He　seemed　genuinely　annoyed；　and　Tori　was　pleased　she　had　found　a　nerve。
　〃Just　how　deeply　are　the　Japanese　involved？〃　Tori　asked。
　Russell　stared　at　her。　〃You　know；　your　Japanese　friends　are　infuriating；　they　don't　know　how　to　play　by　the　rules。〃
　〃Oh；　they　play　by　the　rules　all　right；〃　Tori　said。　〃The　only　problem　is　you're　like　every　other　member　of　American　government：　you　haven't　the　slightest　idea　what　the　rules　are。〃
　He　stared　at　her　in　the　way　someone　will　contemplate　an　enigmatic　work　of　modern　art；　with　a　bination　of　shock；　confusion；　and；　certainly；　a　degree　of　anger。
　Before　he　could　say　anything　more；　Tori　got　up；　went　into　the　lavatory　to　clean　up　and　change。　She　emerged　twenty　minutes　later　dressed　in　a　natural　mohair　cardigan　over　a　pale　lace　camisole。　She　wore　a　short　fawn…colored　suede　skirt；　brown　lizardskin　shoes；　heavy　dull…gold　earrings。
　〃Bit　of　a　show；　isn't　it？〃　Russell　said；　taking　her　in。
　〃That's　what　L。A。　reminds　you；〃　Tori　said　perversely；　〃that　all　of　life's　a　show。〃　She　smiled。　〃Bernard　will　appreciate　the　effort；　even　if　you　don't。〃
　A　thick　mist　was　rising　off　the　Potomac　when　they　landed　in　Washington。　One　of　Russell's　specialized　limos　was　waiting　for　them　on　the　tarmac　beside　the　runway；　its　powerful　engine　purring；　its　blackened　windows　up　as　protection　against　the　capital's　humidity　as　well　as　an　assassin's　bullet。
　Once　into　the　Virginia　countryside；　Tori　slid　her　window　down　over　Russell's　protests。　''I　want　to　hear　the　birds；''　she　said；　just　before　they　turned　onto　a　four…lane　highway。　Five　miles　farther　the　limo　made　a　left　into　a　vast　mall。　Tori　saw　the　stores　typical　of　a　mall　nearly　anywhere　in　the　country：　Sears；　JCPenney；　Radio　Shack；　a　huge　chain　drugstore　outlet；　Filene's。　The　limo　cruised　through　the　mall；　entered　an　underground　car　park；　kept　descending。　It　stopped　at　the　lowest　level；　pulled　up　against　the　far　wall：　painted　concrete；　blank。　They　waited　while　the　limo　was　scanned。　When　a　green　light　appeared　on　a　small　console　by　Russell's　right　arm；　he　punched　in　a　ten…digit　access　code。　A　portion　of　the　concrete　wall　rose；　and　the　limo　slid　through。
　They　were　in　a　tunnel　built　around　a　two…lane　blacktop。　Strip　lights　glowed　orange…yellow　on　the　far　side　of　both　lanes。　Otherwise　the　road　and　tunnel　were　absolutely　featureless。　Ten　minutes　later　the　roadway　sloped　up　and　they　once　again　appeared　in　the　Virginia　countryside。　This　time　they　were　within　the　borders　of　a　150…acre　horse　farm。　This　was　the　true　home　of　the　Mall。
　Bernard　Godwin　was　waiting　for　them　at　the　entrance　to　Central。　His　face　lit　up　when　Tori　emerged　from　me　dark　confines　of　the　limo。　He　looked　to　her　to　be　not　one　moment　older　than　when　they　had　last　met：　a　Roman　general　with　all　the　cunning　and　deceit　of　a　master　statesman。　She　had　never　met　anyone…including　Russell；　especially　Russell…for　whom　the　mantle　of　power　was　so　well　suited。　She　believed　that　Bernard　Godwin　actually　thrived　on　what　he　had　bee；　he　needed　the　power　just　as　her　mother　needed　to　slip　in　and　out　of　her　guises。　Strip　him　of　his　power；　and　he　would　be　dead　within　a　day。
　〃By　God；　Tori；　you　look　a　damn　sight　better　than　when　you　left　here　a　year　and　a　half　ago。''　Bernard　embraced　her　warmly。　〃It's　good　of　you　to　have　e　back；〃　he　said　so　softly　that　she　was　the　only　one　to　hear。　Then　he　broke　away。　〃Russell；　you've　done　well　to　bring　her　home。''
　Briefings　were　traditionally　held　in　a　plush　suite　of　rooms　which　were　insulated　from　and　surrounded　by　the　Mail's　own　electrical　generators。　The　entire　plex　was　totally　self…sufficient；　a　prerequisite…albeit　an　expensive　one…that　Bernard　Godwin　had　insisted　upon　when　the　Mall　was　first　founded。　Besides　anything　else；　the　placement　of　the　enormous　generators　ensured　that　no　listening　devices　could　penetrate　to　the　suite。
　The　rooms　were　furnished　in　the　typical　style　of　a　men's　club；　fortable；　broken…in；　masculine。　Which　was；　in　part；　why　Tori　had　chosen　to　wear　so　provocative　and　feminine　an　outfit。　She　had　not　been　back　to　this　center　of　clandestine　power　in　eighteen　months；　and　now　that　she　was；　she　wanted　the　men　who　ruled　it　to　feel　her　presence　in　every　way。
　The　three　of　them　settled　around　a　burl　table。　Sandwiches；　fresh　fruit；　coffee；　juices　were　waiting　for　them；　and　they　ate　while　they　talked。　Tori　found　that　she　had　lost　the　sense　of　whether　or　not　she　was　hungry；　but　she　ate　anyway　out　of　force　of　habit。　She　automatically　helped　herself　to　the　blueberries。　They　were　one　of　a　number　of　what　was　known　in　the　Mall　as　〃mission　food。〃　Blueberries　had　been　fed　to　fighter　pilots　during　World　War　II；　they　were　filled　with　an　enzyme　that　temporarily　increased　visual　acuity。
　Tori　looked　at　Bernard；　but　he　merely　said；　〃Russell；　you're　on。〃
　Russell　Slade　opened　a　buff…colored　file。　Tori　saw　that　it　was　imprinted　with　the　title　ICE　CREAM　and　had　a　scarlet　band　in　the　upper　right…hand　corner；　signifying　it　contained　〃Eyes　Only〃　documents；　the　most　highly　classified　in　the　Mall：　they　could　not　be　photocopied　or　taken　from　the　premises；　and