el.angeleyes-第73部分

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ances　had　dictated　what　she　must　do；　in　any　case。　Karma。　And；　as　she　launched　herself　toward　Fukuda；　she　found　herself　wondering　if　Russell　would　at　last　understand　the　nature　of　acceptance。
　She　saw　Fukuda's　eyes　open　wide　in　shock；　saw　the　tension　e　into　her　left　hand　where　it　grasped　the　manual　override；　saw　the　lever　begin　its　descent；　the　squeal　of　the　rail　behind　her　a　harbinger　of　the　pain　Russell　would　suffer。
　Then　Tori　was　on　Fukuda；　her　left　hand；　the　fingers　stiffened　like　a　bar　of　steel；　chopping　down　in　a　percussive　atemi；　breaking　Fukuda's　hold　on　the　override。　Tori　and　Fukuda　crashed　as　one　onto　the　tracks。
　Tori　had　several　advantages　beside　surprise：　Fukuda　would　be　reluctant　to　let　go　of　the　lever；　since　it　was　her　primary　hold　on　her。　That　meant　she　was　stationary　and　essentially　one…handed。　Fukuda　was　also　afraid　of　her；　which　would　slow　her　response　time　to　any　sudden　attack。　And　her　aversion　to　frontal　assaults　made　her　hesitate　a　fraction　more　before　reacting。　Just　time　enough　for　Tori；　with　the　help　of　her　artificial　hip；　to　reach　her。
　Fukuda's　wrists　were　crisscrossed　against　Tori's　throat　in　the　cloudmaker。　Her　own　pulse　beat　wildly　in　Tori's　ears；　and　Tori　fought　for　breath。　She　used　her　knee　against　Fukuda's　thigh；　bending　it　outward；　then　drawing　up　her　foot；　stamping　down。
　Fukuda　grimaced　as　the　tendons　connecting　her　thigh　to　her　pelvis　strained；　then；　as　Tori　delivered　another　foot　atemi；　they　snapped。　But　she　did　not　release　her　grip。　Rather；　ignoring　the　attack；　she　pressed　Tori　back　against　the　rails；　pressing　down　on　her　windpipe。
　Tori　struggled　for　air。　Her　entire　right　hand　was　numb；　the　wrist　feeling　like　it　had　bloated　to　three　times　its　size。　Pain　was　lancing　up　her　arm。
　She　kicked　again；　felt　and　heard　the　bone　pop；　dislocating　out　of　its　socket　in　Fukuda's　hip。　Fukuda　began　yo…ibuki；　the　aggressive　hard　breathing　from　deep　in　her　throat　in　order　to　block　the　excruciating　pain。
　It　was　then　that　Tori　understood　that　nothing　short　of　death　was　going　to　get　Fukuda　to　release　her　hold。
　Blackness；　an　acute　sense　of　dislocation；　threatened　to　engulf　Tori。　She　was　insensate　on　a　black　wind；　beginning　to　float　away；　and　it　was　with　a　supreme　effort　that　she　drew　her　drifting　mind　back　to　her　predicament。　Hang　on！　she　manded　herself。　Hang　on！
　And　then；　against　her　back；　she　felt　the　vibration　e　into　the　tracks；　and　she　knew　with　an　acute　sense　of　deja　vu　that　a　train　was　on　its　way。
　Russell　had　screamed　when　he　felt　the　increased　pressure　on　his　ankle　bones。　Oh；　Christ；　he　thought。　He　was　panting；　and　the　sweat　was　rolling　down　his　body。　He　heaved　with　renewed　effort　to　free　himself。　In　fact；　he　had　made　some　progress　when　the　squealing　rail　had　caught　him　in　its　grip。
　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　could　see　his　gun；　glinting　dully　in　the　work　lights　of　the　tunnel。　It　was　ten　feet　away；　but　in　his　position　it　might　as　well　have　been　ten　miles。
　All　right；　he　told　himself　as　calmly　as　he　could。　Forget　the　fucking　gun；　how　can　I　help　Tori？　He　didn't　know。　He　took　out　his　knife；　wedged　the　blade　between　the　rail　and　his　sock；　tried　to　pry　himself　free。　The　blade　bent；　and　when　he　felt　the　tension　building　in　it；　he　gave　up。　There　was　no　point　in　having　it　break　off。
　He　could　see　Tori　and　Fukuda　locked　in　what　looked　like　a　mortal　embrace。　He　could　discern　no　movement。　It　was　as　if　their　bodies　had　turned　to　stone　and　they　were　grappling　with　the　force　of　their　wills　and　their　hara。
　Then　something　made　him　look　past　the　two　antagonists。　Light　streaming；　at　first　pale；　but　brightening　rapidly　until　it　was　thick　as　lacquer；　pushing　back　the　darkness　along　the　curving　outer　wall　of　the　tunnel。　The　train　was　ing！
　Mother　of　God；　Russell　thought。　We　are　all　going　to　be　killed！
　Myth　and　reality　were　blending。　In　Tori's　oxygen…starved　brain　thoughts　flashed　like　lightning　in　a　darkling　sky；　random　energy；　losing　direction。　For　greater　and　greater　periods　of　time　she　had　no　memory　of　what　had　taken　place。　Surely　her　body；　following　the　mands　of　her　autonomous　nervous　system；　was　keeping　on　with　staying　alive；　but　that　task　was　being　more　and　more　laborious。　There　seemed　to　be　a　better　way；　a　sinking　into　a　quieter　time；　a　pool　of　silence　where　the　seconds　stopped　their　ceaseless　ticking。
　Wake　up！
　Tears　of　silence　enveloping　her；　and　the　dark；　forting　and　warm；　cradled　her。
　Darkness　is　death。　。　。　。
　So　what？
　〃TORI！〃
　She　awoke　to　see　Fukuda's　face；　horrific　with　the　effects　of　her　efforts　to　kill　her　before　the　pain　of　Fukuda's　dislocated　bone　rendered　her　unconscious。
　Drifting　away　。　。　。
　〃TORI！〃
　Awake　again；　and　thinking。　Russell's　shouting　keeping　her　from　going　under。　Something　about　Fukuda's　face。　What？　So　hard　to　think；　like　walking　in　quicksand；　not　worth　the　effort。
　Slipping　。　。　。
　〃TORI！〃
　Fukuda。　What　about　her？　That　face　so　close　to　hers。　Look！　It　was　full　of　desperation。　Fukuda　was　almost　as　near　her　end　as　she　was。
　Almost　or　more？
　Up　to　me；　Tori　thought。　She　brought　her　knee　up　into　the　place　where　the　bone　was　protruding　from　the　inside　of　Fukuda's　thigh；　kicked　as　hard　as　she　could。
　Fukuda　screamed　and；　for　just　an　instant；　relaxed　her　hold　on　Tori's　windpipe。　Tori　already　had　her　hands　in　position；　inside　and　beneath　Fukuda's　cloudmaker；　and　now　she　used　an　aikido　immobilization；　blocking　Fukuda's　right　arm　with　her　left；　then　crossing　her　own　right　arm　over；　grabbing　Fukuda's　wrist。
　The　problem　was　immediate：　she　had　no　sensation　in　her　right　hand；　so　as　quickly　as　she　could；　she　jammed　the　heel　of　her　left　hand　against　Fukuda's　elbow；　rammed　it　upward　until　she　heard　the　bone　break。
　Fukuda's　jaws　snapped　shut　and　tears　of　pain　squeezed　out　of　her　eyes。　She　tried　to　counterattack；　slipping　through　Tori's　guard　with　her　good　left　hand；　but　Tori　blocked　her　with　a　series　of　rapid…fire　kites　to　her　rib　cage。
　Tori　sucked　in　air　in　deep　bursts；　put　all　her　weight　into　a　foot　atemi　against　the　right　side　of　Fukuda's　pelvis。　Fukuda　passed　out。
　Tori；　almost　spent；　lowered　her　forehead　against　Fukuda's　chest。　Then　she　was　up。　The　tunnel　was　brilliantly　lit　by　the　headlight　of　the　train　as　it　roared　around　the　curve。
　Tori　ran　to　the　manual　override；　but　the　automated　switching　was　in　progress；　and　the　lever　refused　to　budge。　But　she　saw　that　it　was　no　longer　partway　down。　The　switching　had　reset　itself　to　the　position　it　had　been　in　before　Fukuda　had　threatened　Russell　with　moving　it。
　She　ran　to　where　Russell　sat；　grimacing　in　pain。　She　was　so　dizzy　now；　she　could　barely　stand。　He　had　managed　at　last　to　extricate　his　foot　from　the　track；　and　they　held　on　to　each　other　as　they　limped　to　the　nearest　of　the　worker　niches　that　lined　the　subway　walls　at　regular　intervals　so　that　the　maintenance　men　could　get　out　of　the　way　of　trains。
　The　train　shot　by　them；　rattling　through　the　tunnel；　its　whistle　screaming。　When　it　had　passed；　they　emerged；　and　Tori　headed　for　the　spot　where　she　had　left　Fukuda。　The　track　was　clear。　She　looked　around；　then　shouted　as　a　hand　grabbed　her　leg　from　the　side　of　the　track　bed。
　She　saw　Fukuda's　twisted　pain…filled　face；　black　and　white；　ribbons　of　soot　streaking　her　pale　skin；　devoid　of　blood。　The　face；　more　like　a　mask；　striped　like　a　giant　cat's；　opened　its　mouth；　and　Tori　saw　her　own　death　mirrored　there；　the　tiny　metallic　dart　about　to　be　shot　out　of　its　mouth　tube。
　Tori　tried　to　pry　Fukuda's　fingers　from　her　flesh；　but　they　were　like　iron　bands；　pulling　her　down　to　the　track　bed。　Fukuda's　mouth　raised；　her　cheeks　hollowed　to　expel　her　final；　deadly　breath。
　The　noise　of　the　explosion；　magnified　by　the　confines　of　the　tunnel；　made　Tori　jump。　Fukuda's　mouth　closed　with　an　audible　snap；　her　body　convulsed；　and　Tori　saw　the　bullet　hole　flower　blood　just　over　her　heart。
　Tori　began　to　snake；　sat　right　down　where　she　had　been　standing。
　Russell　hurried　up　to　her；　limping　on　his　good　leg。　He　pointed　the　gun　at　Fukuda's　head；　as　if　for　a　moment　he　could　not　quite　believe　that　she　was　dead。　〃e　on！　〃he　shouted。　〃Can't　you　feel　it？　Another　train's　on　its　way！〃
　Tori　did　not　move。　She　was　staring　at　the　blank　face　of　Fukuda。　It　seemed　in　that　horrific　instant　that　she　saw　her　future；　black　and　bitter；　there。　The　end　of　the　path　she　had　set　out　on　when　she　had　discovered　that　in　some　way　she　needed　to　confront　death　again　and　again。
　〃Tori；　goddamnit；　get　up！　Your　vendetta's　finally　over！〃　Russell　knelt　down　beside　her。　He　picked　her　up；　carried　her　back　to　another　worker　box；　shoved　her　in；　crawled　painfully　in　beside　her。　The　darkness　was　electric　with　sound　and　vibration。
　〃She's　dead。〃　Russell's　voice　was　hoarse。　He　was　shivering　with　shock　and　pain。　〃I　hope　you're　satisfied。〃
　He　was　trying　to　examine　her；　but　the　lack　of　light　made　it　impossible。　〃How　badly　are　you　hurt？〃
　〃If　you　hadn't　kept　calling　to　me；〃　Tori　whispered；　〃I　would　have　been　the　one　left　lying　on　the　tracks。〃　She　put　her　head　wearily　on　his　shoulder；　felt　his　arm　e　around　her。　She　closed　her　eyes；　but　that　only　made　her　more　dizzy。　She　felt　unutterably　sick。
　〃Russell；　your　leg…〃
　The　tunnel　was　lit　up　as　if　by　a　display　of　fireworks；　and　they　were　shaken　by　the　train's　rumbling　passage。　When　it　was　gone　and　semidarkness　had　descended　again；　Russell　said；　〃Everything's　all　right。　We'll　make　our　way　out　of　here　now。〃
　But　when　he　pulled　Tori　to　her　feet；　she　immediately　collapsed；　and　seeing　her　stricken　face；　he　said；　〃Tori；　what's　the　matter？〃
　〃You're　wrong；　Russ。　It's　not　over。〃　Tori　thought　again　of　her　hand　slipping　in　the　Akita's　blood；　sliding　up　the　narrow　hilt　of　the　shuriken　knife　that　she　had　removed　from　the　stairway　wall；　being　cut　by　the　blade。
　〃I　can't　move；〃　she　said；　showing　him　the　swollen　wound；　black　as　death；　on　her　middle　finger。　〃Fukuda's　damned　homemade　toxin　has　poisoned　me。〃
　
　
　
BOOK　THREE

THE　ZEN　POLICEMAN

It　is　always　with　the　best　intentions　that　the　worst　work　is　done。　…OSCAR　WILDE


TEN　
TOKYO/STAR　TOWN/MOSCOW/ARKHANGELSKOE
　〃That　bastard　Hitasura。''
　Big　Ezoe；　standing　in　the　wet　subway　tunnel　beneath　the　Kinji…to；　looked　down　at　the　broken　body　of　Fukuda。　He　saw　the　blow　tube　still　gripped　between　her　teeth；　noted　with　sorrow　that　t