el.angeleyes-第69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！
〃I don't expect I'm describing this adequately；〃 Tori said； ''but I suspect that the effect of that singular place had something to do with how quickly I was drawn into Yen's universe。 Understand； there was nothing boyish about him； save his looks。 And even then the lack of lines in his face only served to keep at bay the hardness that sooner or later life inflicts on most countenances。
〃At that moment； in that spot； Yen seemed perfect； just as the moss garden was perfect； almost as if he were an extension of the spirit that pervaded the place。 He was irresistible。〃
〃Tori…〃
〃Oh； Russ； don't tell me it's never happened to you。 Haven't you ever found a woman irresistible？〃
〃Not while I was on the job。〃
Tori automatically thought of Ariel and the legacy he had left to her safekeeping。 〃You mean pushing the papers around your desk？ I'm hardly surprised。〃
〃Thank you very much。〃
〃Sorry；〃 she said。 〃You don't deserve that。 But the old Russell Slade； the one I used to know； was so judgmental…and thought himself so perfect。〃
〃God； no； never perfect。〃
〃But that's just the mask you'd put on。〃
〃Did I？〃 Russell was surprised。 〃It seems you're describing another Russell Slade。〃
Tori looked at him。 〃In a way； that's true。〃
〃It seems to me he died somewhere in Machine…Gun City。 In the red dust。〃
〃Yes。〃 Tori looked at him。 〃I never told you how you surprised me that afternoon at Cruz's apartment； when you took the lead and won him over by being the famous mole hunter。〃 Russell laughed and Tori joined him； for the first time realizing that she was enjoying his pany。 〃And then in the jungle； and in the corrida。 I thought you'd fall apart…that's why I coerced Bernard into ordering you to e into the field with me。 I was sure I could humiliate you。''
His blue eyes had turned dark。 ''Just as I humiliated you when I severed you from the Mall for my own selfish reasons。''
〃It almost seems as if Bernard deliberately set us against one another。〃 And she was suddenly aware again of Estilo's story of how he had set the German twins against one another； destroying their intimate bond。 But this was so different。 Of course； Bernard hadn't meant her or Russell any harm。 Yet it was odd how the story seemed to remain in her mind。
Russell seemed to think about what she had said for some time。 He was about to say something； abruptly changed his mind。 〃It's funny the curves life throws you；〃 he remarked。 〃No matter how organized； how ready you are； you're never prepared for what happens。〃
〃Yes；〃 Tori said。 〃That's what happened to me with Yen。〃 She waited for him to make a ment； but he was silent。 ''We had a glorious afternoon；〃 she went on； 〃and then we parted pany。 But not forgetting why I had made contact； I doubled back and followed him。
''It was twilight； near the dinner hour at that time of the year； and I followed Yen into a restaurant in Kyoto。 Someone was waiting for him。〃
〃Don't tell me。 It was Fukuda。〃
〃Yes。 She and Yen were having an affair。〃
〃Dear God。〃
〃You're not wide of the mark；〃 Tori said。 〃Once I determined the nature of their relationship and that Yen's real purpose in ing to Kyoto was to meet his girlfriend； I backed off。
〃But I got some background on Fukuda； and I began to worry。 The more I found out about her； the worse the situation seemed to be。 I already knew enough about Yen that I realized I couldn't let him go。 If there was a Japanese…Russian connection； surely it was flowing through him。 But how was I going to avoid Fukuda？
〃Back in Tokyo； I contrived another ploy。 I approached Yen again； this time as a client。 Remember those dummy corporation papers I asked you for？''
〃Yeah；〃 Russell said。 〃They put our myths department in a snit。 They worked straight through the July Fourth holiday for you。〃
''I tried to keep our relationship strictly business；'' Tori said； 〃but Yen wouldn't let me。 He even admitted to seeing Fukuda。 He said it didn't matter。 He wanted me； and no one was going to stop him。〃
〃Sensitive guy。〃
〃The odd thing was； he was sensitive；〃 Ton said。 〃Just selectively so。 He was like a searchlight。 Whatever was illuminated by his attention was so well taken care of。 But as soon as the beam moved on； the subject was left alone in the dark。〃
〃Like Fukuda。〃
Tori nodded。 ''Yen said the affair was winding down； at least as far as he was concerned。 It was fun； he admitted； getting off on the danger。 Until it got too intense。 Perhaps that was his way of giving me a warning for what I might conceive of as our future together。〃
〃In other words； there wasn't to be any；〃 Russell said。
〃Not necessarily。 I think he was saying there was going to be a future only if he wanted it。〃
〃Nice。〃
''But isn't that typical of men？''
〃Tori； don't start。 Most women have minds of their own； too。〃
〃Yes； but it's what's been drummed into those minds that troubles me。〃 She shrugged。 〃Anyway； as far as Yen was concerned； he wanted us to start where we left off that afternoon in the Kokedera。 I did my best to dissuade him。''
〃I'll bet。〃
〃All right。 Part of me wanted to be with him。 I've never aspired to sainthood。 What possible good would it do me？ I'm only human。〃
〃From this confession can I assume that you allowed the affair to continue？''
Tori was silent for some time。 ''In a matter of speaking；'' she said after a while。
〃You're going to have to do better than that；〃 Russell said。 But there was no edge to his voice； for which Tori was grateful。
〃The affair continued；〃 she said； 〃only under my conditions。 Which were that we not be seen in public together； and that I never under any circumstances e to his house。 And it worked； for a while。 I continued to mind the business aspect； hoping at some point to hint to him my interest as an investor in unconventional multinational deals。
〃I never got the chance to make my pitch。 A territorial war erupted between Hitasura and Big Ezoe。 Fukuda was recalled from Kyoto； where she had been managing a large； plicated arms deal for Big Ezoe； and that was that。
〃Within twenty…four hours of Fukuda setting foot in Tokyo； she knew Yen was seeing someone else。 Within forty…eight hours； she had discovered that that someone was me。〃
〃Efficient bitch；〃 Russell said。
〃You don't know the half of it；〃 Tori said。 〃She methodically tracked me down。 She had more contacts than I had； and a great deal more obsessiveness。 In the end； it was Deke who warned me； but by then it was too late。 Fukuda was locked on to me； and I couldn't shake her。〃
〃What happened？〃 Russell's expression showed that he was plainly fascinated by this dance of death。
Tori described the confrontation in the tunnels below Tokyo。 〃When the explosive she threw tore open my hip； Fukuda knew I was helpless。 Then she heard the train ing； and she left me on the tracks to die。''
〃Stupid of her。〃
〃Yes。 Hitasura got to me before the train did。〃
〃That's too bad for Fukuda；〃 Russell said。
Tori couldn't help laughing at his bravado； even though she knew that where Fukuda was concerned； nothing was amusing。
Then he said； 〃Damnit； you should have told me all this at your original debriefing。''
〃You wouldn't have listened；〃 Tori said。 〃At that point in time you weren't interested in my views about anything。〃
〃That judgment wasn't for you to make。〃
〃It's the truth。〃
〃You were under discipline；〃 Russell said。 〃The truth has absolutely nothing to do with it。〃
He was right； of course； but Tori was damned if she was going to give him the satisfaction of eliciting an apology from her。
〃Hitasura is ing；〃 Big Ezoe said in Fukuda's ear。
〃I can see the vehicle now；〃 she said into the pinpoint mike wrapped around her head。
''Where are you？''
''At the Kinji…to；'' Fukuda said。 It was amazing； she thought； what the new fiber optics could do。 Big Ezoe sounded as if he were inside her head instead of some miles away。
〃Good；〃 the voice in her head said。 〃Everything is ready。 You are the guide。〃
〃Yes；〃 Fukuda said。 She could see the moving van ing her way； and she stepped inside the glass…doored entrance to the Kinji…to。 〃That is what you trained me to be。〃
〃Hitasura has an ally。''
〃From your tone of voice；〃 Fukuda said； 〃I'm sure it's someone I know。''
〃Tori Nunn。〃 。
There was an exhalation from Fukuda； soft； but with an instant sense of forewarning； 〃In that event；〃 she said； 〃don't bring Koi in too quickly。 I want my chance。〃
〃Last chance；〃 Big Ezoe said。
〃Not mine。 Tori's。〃
Hitasura said； 〃We're here。〃
〃Where's here？〃 Russell asked。
The moving van had pulled over to the curb； and Hitasura was ushering them out of the mobile living room。 He pointed upward as they climbed off the rear of the van。 They were parked in front of a massive postmodern structure that soared upward in pyramid fashion； an artistic chunk of twisted chromium； steel； orange…rusted iron； all dominated by enormous green…tinted windows。
At this time of the night the building acted like a mirror； reflecting the spectroscopic patterns of the city's skyscrapers； neon lights； the movement of its traffic in odd； skewed angles。
〃This is the Kambata Museum；〃 Hitasura said。 〃But for obvious reasons； everyone calls it the Kinji…to； the pyramid。〃 He began walking toward it。 〃It's new since you were last here； Tori。 It houses quite an amazing array of martial arts antiquities。〃 He glanced at the entrance。 〃It's Monday。 The museum's closed to the public。〃
〃This is where Fukuda was last seen？〃 Russell asked。
〃It's where she is；〃 Hitasura said。
〃Then she's here for a reason；'' Tori said。
Hitasura nodded。 〃You're the expert on Fukuda。〃
〃Do you think there's any chance she's been tipped off that we're after her？〃 Russell asked。
Tori looked at Hitasura； who shrugged。 ''In the end； it doesn't matter；〃 she said； moving up the granite and steel front steps。 〃We've got to go in and get her。〃
But Russell； right behind her； caught her shoulder； spun her around。 ''You're wrong。 Tori；'' he said。 ''It matters a great deal。 If she knows we're ing； there's a good chance she's prepared for us。 Knowing that should change our strategy。〃
''Okay；'' Tori said； ''how should it change？''
〃I'd like to get more people here； for one th
