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shrugged。 〃It's strictly S。O。P。〃
Tomkin's haggard face leaned into his so that he could smell the other's sour breath； rising from his empty roiling intestines。 〃Then you do something to shake 'em out of their standard operating procedure； Nick。 I don't give a goddamn how you do it； just get it done。 I'm not one of those candyasses ing to Japan hat in hand begging for an operating license。〃
〃Fine。 Then all we have to do is wait them out。 Do I have to tell you again that patience is everything here？ It's the one quality they cannot conceive of in a foreign devil。 Don't worry。 I'll get you what you want from them。〃
But Tomkin's voice changed and he clung onto Nicholas' arm like a child。 〃No； no；〃 he breathed； 〃you don't understand； Nicky。 There isn't any time。 This deal's got to be set by next week the latest。〃 His brown eyes turned inward。 〃I。。。 I have mitments I can't turn my back on。。。。 There're great sums of money dependent on this merger。。。 Loans that e due。。。 Payments to be made。。。 Above all； payments。。。 Debts to be fulfilled。〃 Then； refocusing； the eyes came to rest on Nicholas' face。 〃You won't let me down； Nicky。 Not now。 Why； you're almost my son…in…law。〃
Nicholas turned away from the rain…streaked window as he heard Tomkin return。 In a moment he felt the big man's presence beside him。
〃Now's the time； Nicky；〃 Tomkin whispered。 〃I almost hit Nangi a couple of minutes ago。 They're like goddamned mules。〃
〃It doesn't mean anything；〃 Nicholas began。 'They're doing just what I told you they would do。 It's only a matter of…〃
But Tomkin had him by the coat sleeve。 〃Now； Nicky。 We can't afford to wait。 You know that。 You've seen the reports； for Christ's sake。 We'll be eaten alive back home。〃
〃Then let's give them Misawa。 We can build…〃
〃No！〃 Tomkin's tone was sharp。 〃Misawa's a non…negotiable point…no matter what； understand？〃
Nicholas took a hard look at his boss。 〃Are you all right？ Maybe I should call a doctor。〃
Tomkin winced。 〃Goddamned Japanese bug。 I'm getting it from the inside as well as the outside。〃 He gave a short bark as if to dispel Nicholas' concern。 〃Whatsamatter； Linnear； don't you think I know the flu when I got it？〃
Nicholas stared hard at him for another minute； then gave a curt nod。 〃Okay。 Sit down at the table。 I'll be there in a moment。 I want to be the last one。 Then shut up and let me do the talking。〃
〃What're you gonna say？〃
〃Don't you like surprises？〃
〃Not with a multimillion…dollar merger；〃 Tomkin muttered but did as he was told。
Nicholas turned back to the blurred cityscape and thought of nothing。 Behind him silence had settled over the room。 He could smell the tobacco from the fresh cigarette Nangi had lit； hear the soft whir of the central air…conditioning。 Nothing else。
Strategy。 He went back to the master； Musashi。 What was called for here was a variation of 〃Existing Attitude…Nonexisting Attitude。〃 He had been taught that in battle when one takes up the katana； whenever one springs； strikes； hits； even parries the enemy's sword； one must cut the enemy in the same movement。 If one thinks only of springing； striking； hitting； or parrying without the inner sense of cutting； no damage will be done。
Nicholas took three deep breaths。 He turned and went back to the conference table where the other five men were patiently awaiting him。 He now knew what he had to do； but he required a clue to the Japanese strategy before he could decide how to do it。
He looked to Nangi； who was in the process of tapping his cigarette on the edge of the ceramic ashtray before him like a conductor bringing the assembled to order。
〃Perhaps we have covered as much ground today as it is possible to；〃 he said in a neutral tone of voice。 Sato shook his head immediately。
〃In my experience； bargaining is often difficult。 Pathways are often locked for long periods at a time； then quite suddenly are free。 I think we should continue。〃
Nicholas watched this charade with intense interest。 He had encountered this bear and badger strategy before； he knew it well； in fact。 When he had been working for Sam Goldman's advertising agency in New York； he had suggested just this line to take on a recalcitrant client。 It had worked quite well。 Goldman had been the bear on that one…the hard man。 That had made the client instinctively want to bring Nicholas into his camp。 Nicholas had played the badger…the soft man…to perfection。
Before Tomkin had a chance to respond； Nicholas said； 〃As far as I can see； we're at a total impasse。 I agree with Nangi…san。 I don't see where further discussion at this time will do any of us any good。〃
〃You want to break this off？〃 Sato said somewhat incredulously； so startled that he neglected to use the polite form of address。
Nicholas nodded。 〃Unless you can e up with a more constructive suggestion； I'd say the best thing for all of us would be to cool off for a while。〃 The thing was to confuse the roles： side with the bear； rebuff the badger。
〃My feeling is；〃 Sato said quietly； 〃that a recess will only solidify our respective positions。 The next time we meet； I fear we'll be even further apart； more mitted to making a stand。〃
〃None of us； I think； wants a confrontation；〃 Nicholas said carefully。 〃We've e here to work together for mutual profit。〃 He paused； fully expecting Tomkin to chime in with a statement reiterating the urgency of starting up the chip…manufacturing process。 But the other was silent。
〃We are all by now aware of the necessity for speed in setting up the Sphynx…Sato kobun；〃 Nicholas said。 〃I must tell you that there has already been a certain amount of； er； clandestine activity around our main Sphynx locations in Connecticut and in Silicon Valley。 We are； quite frankly； in a similar situation to the one in which you find yourselves here。 We are small with； to be sure； an enormous growth potential。 But for today we are overshadowed by the three or four giants who would literally give up half their net profits for the past five years to gain the secrets of the new Sphynx T…PRAM； the totally programmable random access memory chip。〃
〃If you are having security difficulties；〃 Ishii said； rising to the bait； 〃you surely cannot expect us to lift a hand to help you。 Not after the scandals of last year and the year before。〃 He was referring to the members of a number of Japan's most prominent puter panies being caught in their attempts at industrial spying in Silicon Valley。
〃You misunderstand me entirely；〃 Nicholas said； his tone as well as his words deliberately abrasive。 〃What I mean is that if attempts at industrial espionage against us are beginning in America； it is only reasonable and prudent to expect the same situation to arise here。 Other than the property in Misawa； which； I think
we are all agreed； is perfect for our joint venture…if； of course； you were not already in the process of greatly expanding the Niwa Mineral Mining kobun…what is available is a small but adequate tract in the middle of the Keiyo industrial belt in Chiba prefecture。〃
Ishii nodded。 He was a bearlike individual； roughly handsome； with short bristly hair and clever eyes a soft brown color。 The muscles of his arms and chest rippled