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rous slumber and now； empowered by that abiding spirit； was uncoiling toward a distant horizon。
She came in a rush； lurching drunkenly against him； sweat streaking her face and breasts； needing her own heat as well as his； thrusting against him as frantically as he thrust against her。 And as she let go； she felt something rush into the space that had opened up； something mysterious； unique； her own； and she embraced it even as she clutched him to her； feeling him shudder powerfully； his thighs trembling； his aura expanding； washing over her tike a tide at the edge of the shore。
〃I was so wrong；〃 she whispered in the heat of the serpent shed； 〃to do some of the things I have done。〃
Nicholas； still dazzled by what had just occurred； held her against him。 She was still breathing fast； and he could feel the trip…hammer of her pulse as if it were a new source of energy。
All around them the vipers had e alive； the lovemaking scented on the tips of their tongues。 The inside of the shed shifted and shook as the serpents expended themselves against their cages。
There was a silence for a time。 Outside the shed； the clouds were building in the west； looking bruised now； heavily laden with rain。
〃What are you doing here？〃 he asked。
〃You know。 Waiting for you。〃
〃What happened after I。。。 after we separated？〃
She looked beautiful and poignant； much as； Nicholas guessed； Shizuka had looked to Minamoto no Yoshitsune during their brief exile together in thirteenth…century Yoshino。
〃I had had enough of men。〃 She stared out at the ing rain。 〃The truth was after you left me I couldn't bear to have another man touch me。 The thought of sex left me cold as a stone。 I never laughed； and in my heart I wanted to die。〃
〃Koei …〃
She turned around and her face was so full of feeling that he was struck dumb。 〃No； don't；〃 she said。 〃By that time I was already dead。 And I knew I had only myself to blame。 I knew how important honor was to you； so I suppose I must have understood the risk I took in lying to you。〃
She watched him； rooted to the spot。 〃For a time； I thought I would bee a nun。 That seemed safe and fortable。 How naive I was！〃 She gave an ironic laugh。 〃All I lacked was faith； the essential ingredient。 In the end； I went to Yoshino and trained as a miko； a sacred Shugendo shrine dancer。
〃In fact； I did not dislike it。 Shinto's naturalism caught me up； and if I wasn't exactly happy； at least I wasn't constantly overwhelmed by memory。
〃Then Tomoo Kozo came for me。 He told me that； in my father's name； he had brokered a marriage。 This marriage； he said； had grave significance for the future。 It was my duty； he said； to my father； to him； to the Yamauchi clan。
〃At first I thought； 'Well； I am dead。 What does it matter？' But after six months I knew that I had been wrong on both counts。 I wasn't dead； after all； and it mattered a great deal。 I couldn't marry this man； I couldn't go to my parents； and I couldn't return to Yoshino where Kozo had found me； so I did the only thing I could think of。 I ran to the Kaisho。〃
She looked at Nicholas。 〃It was Mikio Okami who sent me here。〃
〃Okami knew about us？〃
〃Oh； yes。 I resolved to tell him everything。 It was past time。 The burden of keeping those terrible memories pent up was crippling me。 But； as it turned out； the Kaisho knew most of it anyway。〃
〃Why was that？〃
She seemed surprised。 〃I thought you'd know。 Anything that affected you was of particular interest to him。 Because of that he was willing to protect me。〃
A distant boom of thunder along the horizon leant the air a sudden chill。 The sun had disappeared。 〃There's something else I need to tell you；〃 she said at last。 〃The man Kozo wanted me to marry； who I was with for six months； is Michael Leonforte。〃
Nicholas felt as if he had been delivered a blow to the stomach。 〃The same Leonforte who is Rock's partner in Floating City？〃
〃Yes。 He and Rock met in Laos。 Michael was something of a lone wolf。 He had been recruited by a group of American spies working inside the Pentagon to secure the major drug pipeline from the Shan States in the Burmese highlands。 They picked the wrong man because instead of fulfilling his assignment； Leonforte went AWOL； mandeering the pipeline for his own use。 In 1971； Rock was one of the people sent out by the spies under the guise of Special Forces to bring him back dead or alive。 Instead； Rock and another man … a Vietnamese named Do Duc … went AWOL themselves and joined him。〃
Do Duc； Rock； and Mick Leonforte had been partners？ Good God； Nicholas thought； no wonder Rock wants me dead … I killed Do Duc。 Van Kiet thought Rock was after him because he had seen through the puter scheme … the second…generation neural…net chip Nicholas was supposed to have。 Now he could see the outline of a conspiracy that was far wider； far more sinister； than he could have imagined。 One Leonforte was dealing drugs and arms illegally obtained from the U。S。 government from a hidden fortress in Vietnam； while another Leonforte had been the head of Looking…Glass； the most invisible spook outfit in America's history。 Were these the same spooks who had been after the drug pipeline during the war in Nam？ If so； they had it … which meant that an arm of the U。S。 government was trafficking in drugs。
〃What was Kozo doing linking the Yamauchi with Mick Leonforte？〃
〃It wasn't the Yamauchi … it wasn't even the Yakuza； per se。 It was the Godaishu。 I didn't know it then … no one beyond two or three people did … but plans were already under way to oust Okami from the position of Kaisho。 At first； the plotters … Chosa； Akinaga； and Mill's Daijin； Naohiro Ushiba … meant only to oust him。 But； somehow； the plan was changed and he was marked for assassination。 Kozo； acting on Akinaga's orders； contracted with Do Duc to murder Okami and the people who had secretly joined him； Dominic Goldoni and Chu Dich。 Because of you only Goldoni was killed。
〃You see； Floating City became extremely important to the Godaishu … the new Godaishu； run without interference from Okami。 In fact； the involvement with Rock and Michael was the breaking point between the two factions； Akinaga and the rest of the inner council wanted to forge a permanent partnership with Floating City； Okami bitterly opposed it。 He knew Rock and Michael and he wanted no part of them。 They were revolutionaries even among those beyond the law。 They saw themselves as emperors。 Godlike； they presided over Floating City； reinventing business deals and justice alike。〃
Rain began to beat against the corrugated tin roof of the shed； making the vipers slither and hiss。 Fat drops rolled off the eaves； soaking into the hard…packed earth。 Then the sky turned black and the downpour began in earnest。
〃Because of the reputations of these men； Akinaga and Kozo felt it imperative that a direct fink be made with them。 If I was married to Michael Leonforte； they believed； he would never renege on a deal with them。〃
〃So they were willing to sacrifice you。〃
〃You know they could never see it that way。〃
〃And Leonforte？ How could they know whether he was even interested in marriage？〃
〃It was the barter they were all interested in … all the men