el.angeleyes-第74部分

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　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　the　tiny　steel　shuriken　had　not　been　launched。　On　the　other　hand；　her　ferocious　expression；　not　unlike　a　tigress　about　to　strike　its　prey；　filled　him　with　satisfaction。　She　had　died　a　warrior's　death。
　〃That　bastard　Hitasura。''
　Still；　he　did　not　like　losing　a　member　of　his　family；　especially　one　as　valuable　as　Fukuda　had　been。
　The　rumble　of　the　subway　trains　in　adjacent　tunnels　filled　the　flickering　semidarkness；　building　to　crescendos；　then　dying　away　in　echoes。
　〃That　bastard　Hitasura　came　in　here　with　his　troops　and　did　this。〃
　Koi；　the　hard　machine　who　had　once　been　Honno　Kansei；　knelt　by　his　side。　Her　fingers　touched　the　crepuscular　flesh　of　Fukuda's　cheek。　''Hitasura's　men　didn't　do　this。''　Her　voice　was　cool；　detached。　〃Before　she　was　shot；　she　went　one　on　one　with　someone。　Someone　better　than　she　was。〃
　〃Tori　Nunn。〃　Big　Ezoe　spit　out　the　name。　〃That's　why；　at　the　first　sign　of　the　trap；　Hitasura　escaped　the　Kinji…to　to　get　his　men。　He　brought　them　back　into　the　museum；　down　here　into　the　subway　system　where　Fukuda　had　lured　Tori　Num。　He　risked　the　Metropolitan　Police　for　that　woman。　She's　teamed　up　with　Hitasura　again。　That's　bad　news　for　me。''
　〃No；〃　Koi　said；　rising。　〃It's　bad　news　for　her。〃
　The　first　streaks　of　sunlight；　pressed　like　orange　pulp　through　the　gun…metal　gauze　of　the　clouds；　filled　the　eastern　sky。　When　they　struck　the　curve　of　the　Sumida　River　which　Big　Ezoe's　apartment　overlooked；　the　sluggish　water　was　transformed　into　a　ribbon　of　molten　lead。
　Koi　stared　out　and　down　at　the　increasing　dazzle；　broken　now　by　the　pewter　bow　wave　of　a　fishing　boat　heading　toward　the　Tsukiji　Fish　Market。　There　were　so　many　shades　of　gray　on　the　river；　in　the　long　shadows　along　its　banks；　that　Koi　kept　counting　them；　as　if　there　was　a　lesson　to　be　learned　in　attempting　to　measure　infinity。
　〃We　have　several　tasks　before　us；〃　Big　Ezoe　was　saying。　〃First；　I　want　us　to　find　a　way　to　usurp　Hitasura's　deal　with　Kunio　Michita。　Michita　must　be　paying　Hitasura　a　fortune　for　his　go…between　work。　The　breadth　and　depth　of　the　political　corruption　Sakata's　ledgers　revealed　is　breathtaking；　the　tapestry　of　bribes　they　recorded　is　priceless。　Why　should　he　have　his　fingers　in　that　pie　and　not　me？
　''But　it　will　not　be　easy。　As　you　know；　there　is　a　gap　in　Kakuei　Sakata's　ledgers。　The　physical　connection　between　the　two…　Hitasura　and　Michita…is　never　mentioned。　Is　it　because　of　ignorance　or　by　design？
　〃Second；　we　must　punish　Hitasura　for　his　transgressions　against　members　of　my　family。　Third；　we　must　destroy　Tori　Nunn　for　her　part　in　all　this。　She　murdered　Fukuda。〃
　There　was　a　gull　on　the　river；　Koi　saw；　whose　body　incorporated　every　shade　of　gray　in　its　environment　as　it　passed　from　shadow　to　light　to　shadow　again。　I　am　like　that　gull；　Koi　thought。　I　am　every　shade　of　gray。　I　am　my　environment。
　〃I　would　have　liked；〃　she　said；　〃to　have　had　more　time　with　Fukuda。　I　was　looking　forward　to　that。〃
　Big　Ezoe　stared　at　her。　She　was　lit　from　behind　by　the　early　morning　light　ing　in　through　the　windows。　Her　features；　cloaked　in　darkness；　seemed　unreal　to　him；　so　much　like　the　god　mask　at　the　Bunraku　play　that；　for　a　moment；　he　was　transfixed；　for　he　could　not　tell　one　from　the　other。
　Then　she　moved；　and　orange　light　brushed　her　cheek；　warming　her　flesh；　illuminating　one　dark　eye。　And；　with　a　shock；　he　saw　in　there　the　hint　of　some　mad　thing；　a　black　force　like　a　maelstrom　still　far　off　on　the　horizon　of　night；　and　it　made　him　shudder；　for　he　suspected　that　it　would　be　a　struggle　for　him　to　control　it。
　Big　Ezoe　pushed　these　disturbing　thoughts　aside；　said　in　a　businesslike　voice；　〃I　want　you　to　think　back　to　when　you　were　working　for　Kunio　Michita。　Can　you　give　me　a　list　of　names；　important　clients　and　associates　he　saw　with　some　regularity…say；　more　than　three　times　a　month？''
　Koi　began；　just　as　if　she　were　a　puter　sorting　through　vast　files。　〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　reeling　off　more　than　a　half…dozen　names。　''But　that's　not　counting　the　Kaga　people　involved　in　the　joint　venture　with　Michita；〃　she　said。
　〃What　kind　of　joint　venture？〃
　〃A　bined　research　and　development　laboratory；〃　Koi　said。　''But　I　don't　see　how　that　could　be　of　interest　to　us。〃
　Big　Ezoe　looked　at　his　watch；　made　a　quick　call。　When　he　hung　up；　he　said；　〃I　think　it's　time　we　went　to　breakfast。〃
　〃Bathe　me　first；〃　Koi　said。　Her　eyes　were　glittery　with　hunger。　〃Then　we　will　go　and　do　what　must　be　done。〃
　Big　Ezoe　was　unused　to　being　ordered　around。　He　found　that　he　did　not　much　care　for　it。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　protest；　then　closed　it　again；　deciding　that　at　this　point　it　was　far　better　to　humor　Koi　than　to　oppose　her。　With　Fukuda　gone；　he　needed　Koi…not　that　he　could　ever　afford　to　let　her　know　this。　But；　with　the　manner　in　which　Fukuda　was　disposed　of；　if　he　did　not　retaliate　quickly　and　successfully；　his　loss　of　face　would　be　devastating　to　his　authority　over　his　people。　So　he　acquiesced　as　obediently　as　if　he　were　a　woman。
　The　bath　was　modern　primitive；　an　S…shaped　curve　of　translucent　glass　blocks　created　a　wall　of　aqueous　green　light　that　shimmered　its　diamondlike　reflections　on　the　gushing　water。　Outside；　the　geometric　grid　of　Tokyo　was　reduced　to　smears　of　gray；　an　inplete　template　for　a　city　of　the　future　which　Koi　would；　through　the　force　of　her　will；　perfect。
　Rare　Ainu　fetishes　hung　on　the　wall　opposite　the　glass　bricks；　the　stark　faces　of　dark　gods　now　consigned　to　myths　already　forgotten。　But　for　Koi；　in　these　hard　visages　of　the　gods　of　Japan's　indigenous　ethnics　lived　the　souls　of　the　clouds；　the　rain　and　wind　which　for　centuries　had　scoured　Nippon；　carving　it　into　its　present　image。　Here　were　the　keys　to　the　kingdom；　the　real　Japan；　lying　in　wait　with　its　breathless　heart　beneath　the　modern　iconographic　facade　where　image　and　symbol　were　melded　to　create　a　new　language　devoid　of　significance。
　Naked；　Koi　climbed　into　the　steaming　water；　sinking　down　until　she　sat　in　the　lotus　position；　the　hot　water　streaming　onto　the　top　of　her　head；　surrounding　her　in　spray。
　〃Now；　at　last；　I　see　beyond　all　the　lies；　to　the　buried　truth；〃　she　said。　She　was　not　looking　at　Big　Ezoe　nor　at　anything　in　the　room。　〃Being　born　hinoeuma　was　a　blessing；　not　a　curse。　Because　I　was　hinoeuma；　I　was　taken　to　the　Man　of　One　Tree；　and　there　learned　the　ways　of　the　warrior。　But　when　I　returned　to　the　outside　world；　I　was　thrust　once　more　into　the　caldron　of　my　family；　and　I　was　obliged　to　suppress　much　of　what　I　was　taught　by　the　Man　of　One　Tree。　I　learned　to　fit　in；　to　be　the　model　daughter　as　preparation　for　being　the　model　wife。　I　was　no　longer　afraid　of　being　hinoeuma；　because　the　Man　of　One　Tree　had　given　me　the　strength　I　needed　to　bat　it。　He　told　me　that　I　was　now　strong　enough　to　decide　not　to　be　hinoeuma。
　〃But　he　was　wrong…or；　in　the　end；　because　he　was　a　man；　he　lied　to　me。　Here　is　the　Truth：　I　am　hinoeuma；　and　being　so　gives　me　an　altogether　different　power。　My　evil　passions；　my　bloody　nature；　is　a　divine　gift。〃
　And　with　this　she　rose　up　out　of　the　bath；　the　water　purling　down　her　taut　muscular　body；　a　dark…haired　leviathan；　opal…eyed　and　omnipotent；　emerging　from　the　deep。
　On　the　Tokyo　waterfront　mist　was　rising　off　the　Sumida。　It　was　already　too　late　in　the　morning　for　the　daily　fish　auction　at　the　Tsukiji　Fish　Market；　but　the　stalls　were　busy　as　the　city's　best　restaurateurs　continued　to　buy　provisions　for　the　afternoon　and　evening　meals。
　Big　Ezoe　and　Koi　emerged　from　the　gray　steel…paneled　Mercedes；　walked　across　concrete　slick　with　water　sluicing　away　fish　entrails。　They　went　to　a　little　row　of　stalls；　numbered　5　through　9；　entered　the　tiny　restaurant　in　the　middle　of　the　row。
　It　was　more　a　coffee　shop　than　a　restaurant；　a　tiny　kitchen　behind　a　plain　counter　fronted　by　no　more　than　a　dozen　stools　in　a　sixteen…by…seven…foot　area。
　There　was　only　one　customer　at　the　counter。　A　middle…aged　executive　with　a　pencil　mustache　wearing　a　regulation　dark　gray　three…piece　suit　appropriate　for　corporation　work。　With　a　start；　Koi　recognized　him　as　the　senior　vice…president　for　administration　for　the　Kaga　conglomerate；　the　man　she　had　seen　lose　so　much　money　at　Big　Ezoe's　gambling　house；　the　one　she　had　had　a　hand　in　sending　into　debt。
　The　two　men　nodded　to　one　another；　but　otherwise　there　was　no　traditional　greeting。　No　names　were　exchanged；　and　Big　Ezoe　did　not　in　any　way　seek　to　explain　Koi's　presence。　Koi　got　the　eerie　sensation　of　being　back　in　Kunio　Michita's　office　because；　for　this　moment；　she　had　ceased　to　exist。
　Big　Ezoe　ordered　asari；　a　soupy　dish　made　with　a　ladleful　of　fresh　baby　clams；　white　and　briny。　Koi　asked　for　oyako…ni；　a　hot　dish　of　eggs　and　browned　onions；　and　three　slices　of　toro　sashimi。
　Big　Ezoe　said；　〃There　is　a　great　deal　of　money　outstanding。''
　〃I　cannot　pay　principle；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。
　Big　Ezoe　nodded。　〃I　understand。　I　will　be　satisfied　with　a　payment　of　interest。〃
　This　exchange　sounded　to　Koi　as　if　it　were　a　rote　call　and　response。　Nevertheless；　the　Kaga　vice…president's　head　seemed　to　sink　between　his　shoulder　blades。　But　he　nodded。　Koi　could　not　see　his　face。
　Big　Ezoe　said；　''Your　pany　has　a　joint　venture　with　Kunio　Michita。　What　does　it　involve？〃
　The　mustachioed　man　seemed　to　consider　this　for　some　time。　At　length　he　said；　〃Our　people　stumbled　upon　a　technology　about　two　years　ago。　They　thought　it　was　a　dead　end；　until　Kunio　Michita　showed　up　and　began　talks　with　them。''
　〃How　did　Michita　know　about　Kaga's　technology？〃　Koi　asked。
　The　mustache　twitched。　〃Good　question。　We　are　still　trying　to　find　the　answer。　I　have　no　idea　how　Michita　did　it。　Perhaps　like　your　friend　here；　he's　got　a　spy　inside　Kaga。''
　〃And　yet；〃　Koi　said　thoughtfully；　〃Michita　must　have　obtained　the　information　from　someone。〃
　〃In　any　event；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　went　on；　as　if　this　point　were　of　no　concern　to　him；　〃it　seems　Michita　had　a　use　for　this　technology　even　though　it　involved　nuclear　devices。　We　did　not　want　to　give　him　the　technology；　but　we　could　see　no　conceivable　use　for　it。　It　seemed