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！
〃Oh； it's not for me that you'll do it； Nicholas。 Not at all。 There is； as you call it； giri。 Tomkin passed on responsibility to you。 I think you owe him that。 I know that he would ask it of you if he were here。 Besides； the merger will be meaningless if the Soviets succeed in penetrating Tenchi。〃
Now； Nicholas knew； nothing mattered。 What he thought of Minck or what Minck wanted him to do。 There was giri。 And without duty； life would bee a meaningless jumble of unrelated noise and action。 When he had walked in here an hour or so ago he had had no intention of being coerced into a situation he had no interest in。 But Minck had very cleverly robbed him of that option。 There was giri。 Nicholas owed Minck nothing and Minck knew it。 But Tomkin was another matter entirely。
Now； in the light of all this new information； what was Nicholas to make of the three murders at Sato Petrochemicals？ Could they possibly be the handiwork of Miira？ He thought it unlikely； since Miira's job entailed anonymity and quiet； and therefore decided not to bring it up to Minck。 Besides； he had given his word to Sato not to talk of them with anyone。 Technically； of course； that referred to only the first murder。
〃What do you know about Tenchi？〃 he asked after a time。
〃Four hundred billion yen； that's what the Japanese government has already poured into the project； and there's no end in sight。〃
〃Christ； what the hell is it？〃
〃Your guess will probably be as good as mine。〃
〃Oh； God。〃
Minck stood up。 〃There is no one else； and that's no lie。〃 He walked back to the windows。 The sprinklers had begun again； their sprays beading the glass at the beginning of each pass。
〃And now； I suppose； we e to the person who signed the intercepted signal。〃
Minck's back stiffened just as if he had scented the enemy。 〃Oh； yes。 That。 You've got a good memory。 It was signed； 'Protorov。'〃
Minck turned around； the light streaming in behind him； shadowing his face。 〃Viktor Protorov； my friend； is the head of the RGB's Ninth Directorate。〃
〃What's their field of expertise？〃
〃It varies with whom you speak to。 Some say the Ninth is the KGB's overlord； their own private watchdog。 But that seems to me to be overly redundant even for the Russians。 Besides； that would be just the thing the GRU would agitate for； so I'd discount it。〃
〃Well； then。〃
〃My own theory is that the Ninth controls and regulates the worldwide terrorist network the Soviets train and； in some cases at least； control。〃
〃A very dangerous man； this Gospadin Protorov。〃 He was watching Minck carefully because he suspected that they had e to the heart of the matter。
With barely a flicker of his eyelids Minck said； 〃Extremely dangerous。 He's exceptionally militant。 Exceptionally bright。 But even worse for us； he's no bureaucrat。〃
〃They'll purge him in the end； then；〃 Nicholas observed。 〃They'll take care of him for you。〃
〃I suppose they'll try。〃
〃Meaning？〃
Minck came away from the windows。 〃For years Protorov was head of the First Directorate。 Then about six years ago he was elevated。 I rather think that this particular Gospadin has already amassed too much power for that。〃
〃I'll have to remember to use extreme caution； then。〃
〃Ah；〃 Minck said。 He watched Nicholas。 〃I'd be； er； grateful if you did。 Protorov has a nasty habit of bringing ferrets in and playing around with them。〃
〃Is that what I am now？ A ferret？〃
〃Sato Petrochemicals is the tunnel I'm putting you down；〃 Minck said； taking Nicholas' hand。 〃Mind you only light the lamps as you go。〃
They went back through the odd house。 〃Tanya will give you an access code that will tie you in to the network twenty…four hours a day。 You can always get either one of us。〃 He smiled at last； perhaps out of relief。 〃And； Nicholas； I'd appreciate it if you'd memorize the thing。〃
Dusk was gathering when Tengu decided it was time to take his leave of the dojo。 Ever since his brother in arms； Tsutsumu； had been found slain at the feet of the sensei； Kusunoki； he had bee increasingly ill at ease in this walled castle that had been his home now for more than a year。
How had Tsutsumu been discovered？ He had begun asking himself that terrifying question as soon as he had heard the news。 If Tsutsumu； then why not him？
In the time he had been here he had e to understand that there were more forces in the world than he had ever dreamed could exist。 He had witnessed feats he had previously thought impossible and to this day could not fathom。 All these and more could be his if he stayed on and worked diligently。 But that was not to be。
The signal from Control had assured that。 Tengu now wondered who he was more afraid of； Control or these strange folk all around him。 Though he had lived with them； he was intelligent enough to know that he was not part of them。 He floated outside their orbit as a cold moon does a sun； soaking up what energy it could through the vastness of the gulf between them。
Part of him was loathe to leave； but that area could stand little scrutiny； Tengu knew； and he forcibly pushed his thoughts in another direction。
Even so he would not be preparing to depart now had he not found the safe。 It was an accident and； afterward； Tengu realized that that would have been the only way anyone would have stumbled upon such a cleverly concealed cache。
All the novices took turns picking the day lilies that； dew laden； lined the slopes of the Yoshino foothills beyond the walled pound。 Today had been his turn and just before dawn…as Ku…sunoki had done when he was alive…Tengu climbed the slopes in search of the most esthetically pleasing blooms。
Returning to the dojo； he went to the sensei's study。 It was deserted。 As was the custom at the dojo； this room would never again be used save for studied contemplation of the spirit of the master； which was the spirit of all that was taught here。
Tengu knelt before the earthenware vase which stood atop the raised platform of the tokonoma； the contemplative alcove within Masashigi Kusunoki's study。 Pouring fresh spring water into the narrow neck of the vase； he began to carefully arrange the lilies。
In truth his mind was far away。 Instead of concentrating on the spirit of the flowers in his hands； his mind was recalling all that he had done during the past week to discover the sensei's； secret。 What it had to do with he did not know…and it was not for him to know。
Of course his search was hampered by how circumspect he needed to be around these highly dangerous people。 But at that moment he was engrossed with wondering where he had been remiss。
And because his mind was wandering in the Zen sense； he became clumsy。 But； ironically； it was just this clumsiness that led to his discovery。 As he was arranging the lilies； several drops of water fell onto the highly polished wooden surface。 As he moved to wipe them off with the edge of his sleeve； he perceived the barest hairline shadow。
At first he thought it to be a natural fracture of the grain caused by the expansion and contraction with changing temperature。 But his concentration returned and he then observed that the line ran straight as an arrow's shaft for perhaps five inches。 At that