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！
〃Hey；〃 he said in his laconic way。
〃Want some coffee？〃
He offered up his bare arm； he was dressed in a T…shirt with 〃Dépêche Mode〃 written on it and a pair of faded blue jeans。 〃Just slip the needle in this vein； Doctor。〃
Tanya laughed as she crossed to the coffee machine and filled two mugs。 She gave him one。 〃Had a hard night？〃
He sipped at the strong French roast and groaned； his eyes closing in ecstasy。 〃Food of the gods。〃 He downed more coffee。 〃I'm having a bitch of a time breaking this new one。〃 He meant the Alpha…three。 He put the empty cup aside。 〃Frankly； I don't think I'm going to get it。〃 He rose and stretched； yawning widely。
〃It's that time again； I'm afraid；〃 Tanya said。 She had hardly touched her coffee； preferring tea。 But she had not wanted to appear unfriendly。
The Boy Wonder groaned again。 〃You mean another week's slid by？ Oh； God。〃 He ran his fingers through his hair。 〃I need a shower。〃
〃Business first； personal hygiene later；〃 Tanya said； putting down her cup。 〃I'm on an open line。〃
〃Gotcha。〃 Theerson poked through a box of floppy disks。 He pulled one out； gave it to her。 〃This one's a doozy。〃
〃They all are；〃 she said； heading for the door。 〃Good luck。〃
He grunted sourly。 〃With this monster I'm gonna need it。〃
The last she saw of him he was putting on his Walkman headphones as he sat down to work。 With the Boy Wonder； business came before anything。 Tanya decided to draft a memo to Minck suggesting he give Theerson some enforced vacation time。
Back at the ARRTS console two floors up； she inserted the floppy Theerson had given her and punched the 〃enter〃 button。 The word 〃FILE：〃 came up and she typed in； 〃SPEARFISH。〃 She waited for the cycle to plete； then entered her reply。 The machine would automatically use the new cipher； ARRTS having replaced the old code with the new one in the receiver。
TRANSMIT HOURLY UPDATES。 WILL BE MOBILE SOON。 WILL GIVE BACKUP WITHIN THIRTY…SIX HOURS。 TERMINATE 'SPEARFISH' WHEN SITUATION STABILIZES AND YOU ARE CERTAIN OF TARGET VISIBILITY。
Then she went away to make her report。
Nicholas sat on the backless stone seat in Sato's garden。 He had been there for perhaps an hour； ever since his hosts had retired。 He had made a show of going to his room so that they would not be obliged to share his insomnia。 But he hadn't even bothered to undress； merely waited fifteen minutes before returning to the now deserted garden。
With infinitesimal slowness； light came into the garden。 In a way it was a shame； since before only cold moonglow had distinguished shadow and illumination； causing the flower scents to dominate。 Now as vision took hold； the perfumes seemed to fade。
Nicholas became aware of the presence behind him the moment it crossed the threshold of Sato's study and stepped down onto the glowing pebbles。 The predawn atmosphere was aqueous with white mist。 There was no sound save the waking of the birds。
He knew that it was Akiko without having to turn around or hear her voice。 Their wa had locked hours before and that had been enough to mark her in his mind。 The system was as primitive as it was sophisticated。 As Akutagawa…san had said； urban life had bred it out of modern human beings。
Because of this； too； he knew that she was dangerous。 He did not know in precisely what way or even if it was to him in particular。 He knew she was sensei。 Very few individuals would have been able to make that determination from mere visual observation and the imprint of her spirit…even other sensei without all of Nicholas' skills and ability。 But he was different。
〃Nicholas…san。〃
Her low voice shivered him and he willed himself to remain calm。 Still his pulse beat hard in his temples and he felt a sudden rush of blood to his head。
〃Where is your husband？〃
〃Snoring on his princely pallet。〃
What was in her voice？ Nicholas strained to hear all of the echoes and nuances； even those she might not know were present。 Had he found derision there？
〃Isn't your place beside him？〃 It was the petulant ment of a jealous lover； and he cursed himself。
〃My place；〃 she replied as if she heard no overtones； 〃is where I choose to be。〃 She paused as if uncertain whether to go on。 〃Do you think that unJapanese of me？〃
He shook his head。 〃Untraditional； perhaps； but not unJapanese。〃
In the ensuing silence she said； 〃Won't you turn around and face me？ Am I so difficult to look at？〃 。
Her words stirred the hair at the base of his neck and he wondered how carefully she had chosen them。 Slowly； his heart beating faster than he would have wished； he turned toward her。 He melted inside。
Just the first hint of dawn blushed her face in radiant light。 She had changed into a pale yellow kimono with ice green and silver thread embroidered in the shape of stands of pine trees。 A lone golden heron flew at full wing over her left breast。 Her hair was down； a gleaming blueblack cascade stretching straight down her back。 She wore no jewelry whatsoever。 Her nails shone with clear lacquer but were cut short as would befit one of her training。 He thought he could discern the slightest tremor in her face； a fleeting tic along the upper lid of one eye。 Then both were gone and she was in control again。
〃Was that so hard？〃 she breathed into the soft wind。 Mist swirled at her back； danced around his shoulders。
〃You are beautiful to look at； Akiko。〃 He had not meant to make any such admission。 Immediately he felt as if he had lost a battle。
She came toward him； gliding along the pebble path。 She seemed to him to be emerging from out of the ending of the night。 〃Why do I feel as if I have been with you before？〃
What she said startled them both。 It was as if； naked； they were embracing and Sato had walked in on them。 Blood flooded Akiko's face and her eyes flicked away from his face。 The tremble was back within her。
All sense of reality had slipped from Nicholas' mind。 Lost within the white mist； he saw only her。 Yukio rose before him； a kami who had been granted a second life。 Then he； too； reached out for the stability of the Void； seeking an answer to the unanswerable。 As if in a dream； he rose from the hard stone seat and came toward her until they were but a hand's breadth apart。 He fought with himself to say the words that had been roiling through his consciousness ever since she had slipped the fan from in front of her face。 They were words he longed to say； words that would free him； perhaps； from his inner torment but which would also certainly make him vulnerable to her。
What to do？ The moment was here。 In Japanese society one had very few moments alone with another man's wife。 This moment would never have e but for Akiko。 What did she want of him？ Was she Yukio？ Did she want to hear him call her name？ If so； why was she torturing him so？ He was assailed by questions which led to riddles which in turn brought him to enigmas。 It seemed to him now that all his life had been an enigma； a fitfully understood succession of events from which he had constantly turned away。
〃Who are you？〃 he said hoarsely。 〃I must know。〃
Her eyes searched his。 〃Who do you think I am？〃 There was no coyness； rather he sensed a deeply buried desperation