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There was something in the air…a spice perhaps…that Akiko could not define。 Her head came up and she looked around as if she suspected that she was not alone。 For a moment the air shimmered before a half…open/kywma。 Papers stirred on the desk farther into the room。 But it was only the wind； wasn't it？
Akiko shivered slightly。 Why was she dredging all this up now？ The people who sent him； who trained him represent a great threat to Japan。 Masashigi…san had been speaking of the muhon…nin Tsuts…umu。 She herself had slain the second muhon…nin； Tengu； returning that which he had stolen to the ryu。
Now she knew that there had been a third traitor within the Tenshin Shoden Katori。 Masashigi Kusunoki rose up like a specter before her and bade her do what he had trained her to do； to fulfill the promise he alone had seen in her。 She thought of Sato； Phoenix； and Nicholas in the north； in Hokkaido。 Especially Nicholas。
She rose and went into the bedroom。 From the bottom of a low drawer where Sato would never look she drew out a kimono； light gray on dark gray。 The top half of one side was stained a dark brown where some of the sensei's fountaining blood had spattered。
Slowly； reverently； she drew it on。 Within moments she was ready。 She headed north。
When Nicholas awoke； he found himself on a wheel。 He rose out of unconsciousness rapidly but did not open his eyes； change his breathing pattern； or in any other way give those who he assumed to be in the vault with him any indication that he was now conscious。
Whatever they had pumped him with was very powerful for its effects were not yet gone。 His head felt light； he felt a touch of vertigo； he was not at all sure that he could fully trust his senses。 Still； logic dictated that he attempt to assess his current situation。
He was bound by fingers； wrists； waist； thighs； and ankles with leather straps。 He was suspended off the floor。 He recalled the dim outline of the scaffolding。
But what worried him most was Protorov。 He was smart enough to understand what kind of creature Nicholas was。 He alone among the Russians had suspected that Nicholas' training would keep him from succumbing to the ambient gas。 He had set Nicholas up superbly； distracting him with Koten…the obvious main threat…while he kept within Nicholas' sight。 Only the young officer who had been in charge of the rotenburo； Russilov； had been missing。 Not missing but behind Nicholas。 And no time for even haragei to work。 The stress factor had been too high。 Nicholas reflected that perhaps he was getting too old for this。 He should have felt Russilov's presence。 He had underestimated the Soviets…Protorov in particular…and had paid the price。
Opened his eyes。
〃Ah；〃 Viktor Protorov said amiably； 〃did you enjoy your rest？〃
How does he know so much about me？ Nicholas asked himself as he tried to flex his fingers。 The straps would not allow it。 Interesting； Nicholas thought。 He had this ready for me； surely this would be unnecessary for a prisoner without my skills。
Nicholas was aware of how many people were in the room…two besides himself and Protorov： Russilov and the doctor…as well as where they were。 Russilov stood just behind and to the right of his directorate chief； the doctor was near Nicholas' left shoulder； a hypodermic and medical kit on a stool beside him。
Protorov was not interested in a reply。 Instead； he unfolded a long sheaf of puter printout which then trailed down behind him like a tail。 He held one page up in front of Nicholas' face。 Nicholas stared at the markings； trying to focus his brain。 He thought he had seen something quite like this in several magazines such as Scientific American and Smithsonian； detailing passes of various NASA satellites across the face of the Earth。
〃Does this area appear familiar to you； Gospadin Linnear？〃 So
far Protorov had used nothing but Russian with him。 〃It should。 It is the northern half of Honshu； the whole of Hokkaido； the Nemuro Straits； the southerly end of the Kuriles。〃
Protorov had not taken his eyes off Nicholas。 〃Here；〃 he said； stabbing at one of several red…marked spots； 〃offshore； is a crack between two geological plates。 Here and here； on Honshu itself； are where earthquakes of sizable magnitude…over seven points on the Richter Scale…will occur within the next week。 Already an onset trembler has been felt here； just to the northwest of Tokyo。〃
Protorov snapped his fingers and Russilov； like a prestidigitator's assistant； replaced the exhibited item。 In this frame the magnitude had been increased so that a detailed section of the topography from the first page was reproduced。
〃Now here；〃 Protorov continued； pointing again； 〃is another hot spot。 But lo and behold； it is not at any previously known geological fault。 Rather it is at a precise spot where nothing had shown before。 There is no natural reason for its existence。〃
The paper rustled like anxious insects。 〃What do you make of that； Gospadin Linnear？〃
〃What the hell am I looking at； anyway？〃
Protorov clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth。 〃Now that would be telling。〃
During his adolescence Nicholas could recall coining in contact with a number of Japanese nuns。 To him the sight had been incongruous。 The Japanese spirit had e to be synonymous with acquiescing to nature； the elements of the cosmos。 To him； Christianity preached a divine order that had been meted out by man himself； though its adherents professed otherwise。 The history of the Roman Catholic Church was a bloodstained banner lifted to the concept of domination。
All Catholics； he had found； were arrogant； and none more so than nuns or priests。 It was their utter faith in a narrow spectrum morality that took into account absolutely no natural factors。 Man's nature as well as that of his environment held no interest for the Church's hierarchy。 Their moral rectitude rendered them deaf； dumb； and blind。
It occurred to Nicholas now that； though he might howl in rage at the parison； Viktor Protorov possessed those same hideous qualities espoused so righteously by the Church。 He was not so far from priestly； though in a manner he could never prehend； munism was as blind in its moral rectitude as was Catholicism。
〃If you don't tell me； Gospadin Protorov；〃 Nicholas said； 〃I can provide you with no coherent answer。〃
〃Can you tell me that you do not recognize these contours as they might appear from afar？〃 Protorov brandished the sheets； flailing his tail behind him。 〃Say； 35；888 kilometers above the earth's surface。 That would give it a synchronous orbit； keep it stationary over this one spot in the Pacific。〃
Protorov stepped closer。 〃Do you see this； Gospadin Linnear？ The Straits of Nemuro。 An international boundary between Japan and the Soviet Union。〃 His eyes were fever bright。 〃And do you further see the area marked in red？ It is at the bottom of the Straits； in Japanese territory。。。 and in ours！〃
He gave a nod and Nicholas knew what was ing。 There was nothing he could do for his body now； but his mind was another matter。 The gleaming steel needle entered his upper arm a scant centimeter from where the first shot had been administered。 His skin ballooned outward； flu