el.angeleyes-第72部分
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She was alone in the night； hanging from the sloping side of the pyramid of Kinji…to。 Wind brushed her cheek。 She could hear the sounds of the city； a vast engine humming on like a star spinning endlessly in its orbit。 It seemed so far away。
But at least she was off Sisyphus' hill； the dreadful treadmill that Fukuda had devised for her。
Tori refused to look down； she did not want to know how high up she was； how far away the pavement was from where she hung。 The weight on her shoulder sockets was increasing with every moment she stayed in one position。
Carefully； she felt for purchase with her feet； she encountered nothing but smooth glass。 Her only chance was to curl upward so that her thighs were pressed tight against her chest； until her feet were over the sill of the steel window rim。 In her contorted position she could barely breathe； she was sweating profusely； and her heartbeat was dangerously high。
She hung on a moment more； going into prana； her deep； controlled breathing。 Then； having marshalled herself； she gave one final heave； felt herself launched upward and forward toward the building。 Her backside cleared the steel rim； and she let go with her hands； flew back through the rent window。
The parking tower had ceased its movement； and Tori climbed through one slot into the center of the conveyance where she had seen Fukuda。 She threw the switch to start the engine； then climbed aboard a slot for the ride down。
She pulled out the small shuriken blade she had used to kill the Akita； sliced strips from her blouse； bound her bleeding palms。 As she did so； she saw a small cut on the middle finger of her right hand。 What differentiated it from the other cuts and abrasions on her hands was the flesh surrounding it。 It was dark and swollen。 Tori flexed the finger。 Motion was restricted； and when she touched the cut； she felt no pain； nothing。
She looked down。 She was almost back at the subbasement。 She saw； to her surprise； that Russell was standing at the edge of the parking tower； looking up at her。
〃Tori！ 〃he called。
〃Jump！〃 she shouted； ing abreast of him。
〃What the hell…〃
〃Jump； damnit！〃
Russell jumped down； landing on her slot。 They passed below the level of the subbasement； Tori knew where they were headed； she had known it the moment； ascending Sisyphus' hill； she had looked down； past the subbasement； into the tunnels of Tokyo's subway。
Tori and Russell jumped off the parking tower at its bottom； before their slot began its ascent。 This is the place she's chosen； Tori thought…the place where she left me to die。 Now she's intent on finishing the job。
〃What the hell happened to you？〃 Russell said； taking her roughly bandaged hands in his。
〃I tried to fly；〃 she said； trying to laugh it off； 〃but I didn't quite make it。〃 She was thinking of her numbed middle finger； the knife thrust into the Akita's belly； her hand slipping in the blood； riding up the tiny hilt of the shuriken onto its blade。
〃Fukuda's down here；〃 he said。 〃I saw her riding that thing you were on。〃
〃I know where she's headed；〃 Tori said； leading him into the tunnels。 '〃This is approximately where she left me the last time。〃
〃The subway tracks？〃 Russell looked around。 〃But these tunnels are obviously long…abandoned。〃 At that moment they heard a rumble； felt the vibrations ing up through their feet。 Russell looked down。 〃Underneath us？〃
Tori nodded。
〃This is madness；〃 he said。
〃I warned you。 I told you to stay behind。〃
〃But this is personal。 It has nothing to do with what we're supposed to be invest…〃
〃It has everything to do with it！〃 Tori snapped。 〃As long as Fukuda knows I'm in Tokyo； she'll give me no rest。 Do you seriously believe she'd allow us to continue with our investigation？ '' Her eyes were almost black； as if they had absorbed the darkness of the tunnels through which she and Russell now crept。 〃One thing you can be sure of； one of us is going to die here。 Karma。〃
〃Fuck karma；〃 Russell said hotly。 〃That nonsense is only in your mind。〃
〃You think so？ I told you you wouldn't survive here without an open mind。 I meant it。〃
〃I could knock you out； put you over my shoulder； and carry you out of here；〃 he said。
〃Then do it； hotshot。〃
〃Think； Tori。 You're reacting emotionally； and Fukuda is counting on that。〃
〃Don't get in my way； Russ。 I won't back off。〃
Russell stood very still。 He was livid with rage； but he also recognized that most of his anger was displaced fear。 He was so frightened for her that he did not know what to say or do。 One thing you can be sure of； one of us is going to die here。
Finally； he nodded。 〃Karma。 〃 And he thought。 If your final meeting with Fukuda is meant to be； Tori； then my presence here now is part of it。 My karma and yours； bound together。 When this is over； who will tell them apart？
They pressed on and； almost immediately； came upon a poorly shored…up section of the ground。 Here wooden boards had been hastily placed over a length of track bed that had fallen through to the next level。
Russell got down on his knees； peered through a gap in the boards。 〃Christ； it's a long way down。〃
〃That's where she is；〃 Tori said。
He looked up at her； the determined expression on her face； nodded。 〃I'll go first。〃
He pushed the boards apart； produced the garrote wire and jammed one of the wooden ends into the gap between the boards where it narrowed to a crevice。 He unspooled the wire into the abyss； lowered himself until his shoes hit the other wooden end。 Using it as a foothold； he slithered down until he was hanging at the end of the wire。
Tori lowered herself after him and； locking her legs around him； moved slowly down his length。 She climbed down his body； dropped； finally； off his ankles onto the track bed of the subway system。 From somewhere beyond a connecting wall she heard and felt the passage of a train。
She reached up； said； 〃Now！〃 and softened his fall as his bulk hurtled down at her。
〃Which way？〃 Russell said。
〃Fukuda will tell us； the more she shows me her strategy； the more I learn about her。''
Russell said； 〃I'm beginning to like this concept of karma less and less。〃
Tori gave him a thin smile。 〃Wrong approach。 You can't like or dislike karma。 You accept it。〃
〃That seems to be something of a paradox；〃 Russell said thoughtfully。 〃Is this acceptance supremely pragmatic or supremely delusory？〃
〃Russ； remember our talk about the merging of myth and reality？〃
〃Yes； but how does that apply here？〃
〃When you can tell me；〃 Tori said； 〃then you will understand。〃
〃Is that a Zen riddle？〃
〃You mean a koan？ Tori laughed despite herself； 〃In a sense； I guess it is。〃
A rumbling filled the tunnel。
〃This track？〃 Russell asked。
〃Next one over。〃
He relaxed somewhat。 〃It's only a matter of time before a train es through this tunnel。''
〃We'll let Fukuda worry about timetables and schedules；〃 Tori said as they moved off down the tunnel。 〃She's so good at it。〃
Privately； Russell thought this was a mistake。 He could not understand why Tori was refusing to take the initiative。 He had been taught to attack whenever possible。 Why was Tori allowing Fukuda to dictate the pace of the encounter？ All this esoteric talk of strategy made little sense to him。 I've got to find a way to end this； quickly and finally； he thought。
Ahead of them； they saw a light。
〃Train？〃
Tori shook her head。 She had one foot on the rail； and there was no vibration。 〃Fukuda；〃 she said。 They had； at last； e to the killing ground。
〃Sit tight；〃 Russell said； so unexpectedly that when he pressed Tori back against the damp tunnel wall； she made no resistance。
Russell； keeping to the shadows； gun drawn； ran quickly and silently down the extreme edge of the tunnel toward the light。
Russ； you idiot！ Tori thought； heading after him。 I thought I'd persuaded you to give up being my protector。 Didn't you promise that you weren't going to go off half…cocked again？
Tori heard the crack and； almost simultaneously； Russell's sharply indrawn breath。 As she came up to where he had been； she saw the cleverly disguised hole beside the track bed； he had fallen into it； had stumbled to his right onto the tracks； catching his right ankle between two rails where they branched into an adjacent tunnel。
〃Don't touch him！〃 a voice cried； and Tori stopped on her way to try to free Russell。 She stared at Fukuda； who was standing not fifty yards down the track； her hand on a chrome lever。
〃This is the manual override to the automatic switching；〃 Fukuda said。 〃If you don't do as I say； I'll put this lever and crush his ankle。〃
〃Tell her to shove it；〃 Russell said； frantically searching for his pistol； which he had dropped when the ground had given way beneath him。 He cursed his stupidity； thought of what his impetuosity had caused。 He sat up； tried to free his ankle。 Christ； but it hurt！
Tori said； 〃What do you want？〃
〃You know the answer to that。〃 Fukuda's hand was curled menacingly around the lever。 〃I want you to die。〃 She beckoned with her free hand。 〃This way。〃
Tori moved toward her。
''That's enough！'' Fukuda manded。
Yes； Tori thought； she's still afraid of me。 She doesn't want me too close。 A useful bit of information。 She had a few weapons at her disposal； but she suspected now that they would not be enough。
Her right hand was at her side； surreptitiously； she flexed the fingers。 The middle three were pletely numb。 She still had some feeling in her thumb； but her little finger was a mass of tingles。
Tori thought； Dear God； she's already won。
〃One doesn't often get a second chance in this life。'' Fukuda cocked her head as she stared； black…eyed； at Tori。 〃I can't tell you what a wonderful feeling it is to see you down here again。 I knew you'd get past the shuriken and the dog； but how you outmaneuvered me in the elevator shaft and on the moving carpark； I'll never know。〃 She laughed。 〃But； you see； it doesn't matter； because here you are； and here you'll the。 In just the way I want you to。〃
She's gloating； Tori thought。 She's human； after all。 Tori began to breathe again。 There was no point in formulating a strategy； the place； the time； the circumstances had dictated what she must do； in an
