el.angeleyes-第70部分

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　''Okay；''　Tori　said；　''how　should　it　change？''
　〃I'd　like　to　get　more　people　here；　for　one　thing。〃
　Tori　shook　her　head。　〃We've　got　to　make　as　little　noise　as　possible。　The　more　of　Hitasura's　people　we　call　in；　the　better　chance　we　have　of　bringing　the　Tokyo　Metropolitan　Police　down　on　us。〃
　Russell　thought　about　this　for　a　moment　as　his　eyes　searched　hers。　At　last　he　said；　so　that　only　Tori　could　hear　him；　〃I　don't　like　being　involved　in　vendettas。　They're　invariably　unhealthy　from　any　point　of　view。''
　Tori　gave　him　a　brief　nod。　''I　understand。〃　Then；　for　just　a　moment；　her　expression　softened；　and　she　said；　〃Russ；　did　you　ever　have　an　itch　you　couldn't　get　to？　Tell　me；　what　would　you　do　if　you　suddenly　got　a　chance　to　scratch　an　itch　like　that？〃
　Russell's　hand　fell　away　from　her　shoulder。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　''at　least　you'll　have　me　to　look　after　you。''
　Tori　grinned　at　him；　and　the　three　of　them　went　up　the　steps。　The　front　doors　were　closed　but　unlocked。　Russell　looked　briefly　at　the　lock　to　see　if　it　had　been　jimmied　open；　there　was　no　damage　that　he　could　see。　Had　Fukuda　picked　the　lock　or　did　she　somehow　have　a　key？
　Clandestinely；　Russell　checked　his　armaments：　。32　caliber　Colt；　lightweight　titanium…handled　boot　knife；　garroting　wire　with　wooden　handles。　Everything　checked；　but　somehow　he　did　not　feel　all　that　much　better。　This　Fukuda　sounded　more　like　a　ghost　than　any　woman　he　had　ever　met。　He　could　feel　the　fear　emanating　from　both　Hitasura　and　Tori；　and　it　worried　him。
　Tori；　leading　them　slowly　into　the　interior　of　the　Kinji…to；　was　thinking　of　Sun　Tzu。　If　you　cannot　choose　the　ground　for　war；　he　had　written；　make　certain　you　choose　the　time。　Tori　wondered　whether　she　would　have　that　option。　Not；　she　knew；　if　Fukuda　had　anything　to　say　about　it。
　They　were　moving　through　the　vast　hall　that　made　up　the　centerpiece　of　the　museum's　main　space。　Enormous　slabs　of　green…tinted　glass　hung　suspended　three　stories　over　their　heads。　Their　intervals　and　angles　brought　to　mind　a　futuristic　version　of　the　assembly　of　war　banners　arrayed　in　the　great　rooms　of　medieval　castles。
　On　either　side　of　the　central　aisle　down　which　they　made　their　way；　the　hall　was　filled　with　exquisite　examples　of　armor　from　as　far　back　as　the　tenth　century　all　the　way　to　the　early　nineteenth　century。
　Tori；　Hitasura；　and　Russell　moved　through　this　thrilling　yet　somber　reminder　of　Japan's　past；　a　unique　entity　in　which　the　lines　of　history　and　myth　were　often　blurred　and；　more；　exchanged　places。
　Tori　paused。　She　could　hear　what　at　first　sounded　like　the　rough　soughing　of　a　storm　wind　through　pine　boughs。　Then；　as　she　listened　more　closely；　as　the　sound　built；　guttural；　throaty；　it　became　the　noise　of　the　stalking　lion；　a　great　predatory　beast　about　to　open　wide　its　jaws　as　it　came　upon　the　exposed　flank　of　its　prey。
　〃What　in　God's　name　is　that？〃　Russell　said。　The　short　hairs　at　the　back　of　his　neck　had　begun　to　stir。
　〃She's　here　somewhere；〃　Hitasura　whispered。
　〃Yo…ibuki；〃　Tori　said　to　Russell。　〃In　karate　there　are　two　forms　of　breathing。　Yo…ibuki　is　the　hard；　aggressive　style　used　in　attacks。〃
　〃I　never　learned　that　in　the　Virginia　courses；〃　Russell　said。
　''Naturally。''　Tori　did　not　take　her　eyes　off　the　interior　of　the　hall　stretching　away　from　them。　〃Isn't　that　why　you're　out　here　in　the　field？〃
　Green　light　saturated　the　hall　in　degrees；　thick　swathes；　deeper　or　lighter　depending　on　whether　at　any　given　place　the　glass　slabs　overlapped　one　another。　The　effect　was　spectral；　in　some　ways　sinister；　as　the　thick；　unnatural　illumination　highlighted　cuirasses　of　iron　here；　or　there　an　ancient　ornate　kawara　corselet　of　layered　leather　〃scales；〃　cured　to　the　hardness　of　metal。
　These　magnificent　suits　of　armor　were　pieced　together　with　intricate　laces　of　differing　patterns　and　colors　whose　styles；　over　time；　had　been　the　way　samurai　differentiated　between　clans　and　rank　within　an　army。
　Now　Tori　could　see　in　the　dimness　ahead　of　them　the　hiodoshi　suit　of　armor　of　the　Empress　Jingo；　known　as　Red　Lacing；　because　of　the　dark　crimson　laces　used　to　tie　the　pieces　together；
　As　she　watched；　she　saw　the　headpiece　move。　The　mask　below　the　high；　horned　helmet…dark；　the　old　leather　stained　with　the　blood　of　enemies…turned　in　their　direction。　At　the　same　time；　the　Empress　Jingo's　suit　of　armor　came　down　off　its　pedestal。　The　sound　of　the　yo…ibuki　filled　the　hall；　echoing　through　the　centuries　of　battle　attire。
　Beside　Tori；　Russell　was　already　in　his　semicrouch。　Tori　saw　the　Colt　in　his　hand；　yelled　〃No！〃　but　he　either　didn't　understand　or　didn't　care。　Russell　had　his　own　ideas　of　protecting　her　from　being　embroiled　further　in　her　blood　feud　with　Fukuda。　He　pulled　the　trigger。
　Tori　had　an　instant's　glimmer　of　the　suit　of　armor　being　thrown　backward　by　the　impact　of　the　bullet　before　the　hall　was　lit　up　in　a　blinding　glare。
　The　percussion　hurled　them　off　their　feet。　Tori　felt　as　if　a　gigantic　hand　had　been　slammed　into　her　chest。　The　noise　of　the　percussion　rattled　her　eardrums；　making　them　ache；　then；　in　its　aftermath；　filled　them　with　white　noise。
　Fukuda　was　an　expert　in　miniaturized　explosives；　Tori　had　thought　that　her　story　had　made　that　evident　to　Russell；　but　apparently　not。
　As　she　struggled　to　regain　equilibrium。　Tori　knew　that　Fukuda　would　not　have　been　foolish　enough　to　attempt　a　frontal　assault　on　them。　But　the　rigging　of　the　armor　told　Tori　a　great　deal。　For　one　thing；　Fukuda　had　some　forewarning　of　their　arrival；　so　her　network　of　contacts　must　be　stronger　than　ever：　Tori　and　Russell's　entrance　into　Tokyo　had　been　highly　clandestine。　For　another　thing；　Fukuda　had　chosen　the　Kinji…to；　this　pyramid；　as　her　field　of　battle。　Tori　knew　they　had　to　be　doubly　careful。
　How　many　more　surprises　did　Fukuda　have　lying　in　wait　for　them？　Tori　knew　Fukuda's　strategy。　She　loved　the　convoluted；　the　oblique　forms　of　assault。　What　she　could　not　abide　was　a　direct　frontal　attack。　Tori　would　keep　this　in　mind。
　Tori　rolled　over；　heard　a　groan。
　〃Russ？〃
　The　groan　came　again；　and　Tori；　drawing　herself　onto　her　knees；　pulled　Russell　into　a　sitting　position。　〃Are　you　okay？〃
　He　nodded；　but　his　eyes　still　looked　slightly　dazed。
　Tori　looked　around；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Hitasura　amid　the　rubble。　Christ；　she　thought。　What's　happened　to　him？
　She　got　to　her　feet；　Russell　beside　her。
　〃Stupid；〃　Russell　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃Remind　me　not　to　go　off　half…cocked　like　that。〃
　〃Very　funny。〃
　They　made　a　careful　search　for　Hitasura；　but　they　could　find　no　sign　that　he　had　ever　been　there。　Russell　looked　at　Tori。
　〃Don't　say　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　won't　believe　that　he's　betrayed　me；　too。〃
　〃I　hope　you're　right；〃　Russell　said。　〃But　the　evidence　suggests　that　he　led　us　straight　into　a　trap。〃
　They　moved　off；　heading　farther　into　the　dimly　lit　interior　of　the　hall。　Soon　the　hall　narrowed　into　a　corridor；　the　deeper　they　got；　the　darker　it　became。　Russell　took　out　a　pocket　flash；　handed　it　to　Tori。　She　flicked　it　on；　played　it　in　a　shallow　arc　ahead　of　them…and　immediately　stopped　in　her　tracks。
　The　concentrated　beam　of　the　flash　picked　up　a　shining　strand；　a　thread　like　a　spider's　webbing；　strung　across　their　path。　Tori　touched　Russell；　pointed　wordlessly：　the　monofilament　was　strung　approximately　at　waist　height。　Even　at　walking　speed；　the　monofilament　would　cut　deeply　into　flesh。
　Tori　went　down　on　her　knees；　then　lay　on　her　back。　Russell　followed　her　lead。　Using　the　flash　pointed　upward；　she　began　to　slither　beneath　the　deadly　monofilament。
　She　was　halfway　past　it　when　she　felt　a　pressure　across　her　shoulders。　Her　scalp　began　to　prickle　and　she　felt　a　line　of　sweat　snake　itself　between　her　shoulder　blades。　She　tried　to　turn　her　head；　but　she　could　not　see　what　was　directly　in　front　of　her。
　〃Russ！〃　she　hissed。　〃I'm　stuck！　Get　up　here！〃
　He　began　to　slither　up　on　her　right；　but　she　stopped　him　with　a　guttural　noise。　〃Get　on　top　of　me！〃　she　whispered。　〃What…ever's　stopped　me　goes　from　shoulder　to　shoulder。〃
　Russell　moved；　scrambling　over　her。
　Tori　felt　the　fortable　fit　of　his　body　on　hers；　looked　upward　into　his　face。　〃What　do　you　see？〃
　〃Another　monofilament；〃　he　said　softly。　〃I　guess　it　was　meant　to　get　you　at　the　ankles。''
　〃Or　stop　anyone　alert　enough　to　have　seen　the　first　monofilament。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃　Russell　asked。　〃I　can　easily　drag　you　backward。''
　〃No！〃　Tori　said。　〃I　can　feel　an　odd　tension　that　came　into　the　monofilament　as　I　stretched　it。　I　think　there's　some　kind　of　trigger　that　will　go　off　when　the　tension's　broken。''
　〃Okay。〃　Russell　slithered　forward　and；　using　Tori's　body　as　a　base；　passed　over　the　second　monofilament。　Then　he　reached　back。
　〃Don't　use　your　fingers；〃　Tori　warned。　〃The　monofilament　will　cut　right　through　your　skin。''
　〃Right。〃　Russell　lay　on　his　stomach；　took　out　his　knife；　slid　the　blade　between　the　monofilament　and　the　hollow　at　the　center　of　Tori's　back。　Carefully；　he　brought　the　blade　back　toward　him　until　it　took　the　monofilament　to　the　same　tension　it　was　at　against　Tori's　shoulder　blades。
　〃Move；〃　Russell　said。　〃Now。〃
　Tori　moved　gingerly　away　from　the　monofilament；　and　Russell　immediately　felt　that　odd　tension　transferred　to　his　arms。　It　was　like　being　near　an　electric　current。　Then　Tori　had　scrambled　across　the　monofilament　and　had　joined　him　on　the　other　side。　She　crouched　down　beside　him；　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃I'm　going　to　get　behind　you。　On　my　signal；　take　the　blade　away　from　the　wire。〃
　〃What？〃
　''Don't　worry。　Trust　me。〃
　Russell　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment。　The　sweat　was　burning　on　his　face；　and　he　could　feel　his　hands　beginning　to　tremble　with　the　task　of　maintaining　just　the　right　amount　of　tension　on　the　monofilament。
　A　moment　later　he　felt　Tori　gripping　his　ankles。
　〃I'm　going　to　count　to　three。　Ready？〃
　〃Ready。〃
　〃One。　Two。　Three。　Now！〃
　Russell；　breathing　a　prayer；　jerked　the　blade　from　its　position　against　the　monofilament。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　himself　being　slid　backward；　hard　and　fast。
　There　was　an　ugly　breeze　against　his　face；　a　blur　in　front　of　his　eyes　as　the　monofilament　flew　to　his　left；　and　he　heard　a　soft　thock！
　Tori　played　the　beam　of　the　flash　along　the　right　wall；　and　they　saw　emb