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〃What if I am？ There's nothing you can do about it。〃
〃Oh； but there is。〃 Akinaga stubbed out his butt in a green metal ashtray iridescent as the carapace of an insect。 〃I'm holding all the cards。〃
Akinaga walked to a black metal grid filled with books on architecture and history。 From between them he pulled out a sheaf of rice paper。 〃You know what these are；〃 he said； that deadly smile pinned to his face。
〃Torinawa；〃 Ushiba said with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach。
Akinaga brandished them over his head。 〃Yes。〃 Torinawa； which was a special rope used by samurai for binding criminals； meant； in the perverse manner of the Yakuza； a pledge from a leaderless clan to follow the orders of another。 〃Here I have the torinawa from the Kokorogurushii and the Yamauchi clans。 They now follow me； I am； in effect； the inner council。 And from this moment on I am the new Kaisho。〃
Silence rolled like thunder through the ferroconcrete room。 Ushiba wanted to run and hide； but like the good samurai he stood his ground and took his punishment。 He should never have acquiesced to the inner council's plan to depose Okami。 They had portrayed him as a power…hungry despot； while just the opposite was true。 Kozo was planning to murder Nicholas Linnear； and Chosa and Akinaga were plotting against one another to bee the next Kaisho。 Even as all of them pledged that there would never be another Kaisho。
〃So；〃 Akinaga said； 〃now you understand the true nature of the present situation。 I own you； Daijin； and believe me； I plan to milk your influence and contacts for all they're worth。 Within thirty hours Mikio Okami will be dead and my triumph will be plete。 You will be my loyal right hand。 I will give the orders and you will carry them out in the arena of international economics both at MITI and in the Godaishu。〃 Akinaga took two swift steps toward Ushiba。 〃Is all this quite dear； Daijin？〃
Ushiba took； a deep breath； let it go。 〃Yes。〃 That one word had a finality he could never have dreamed of before this moment。
〃You're nuts if you think I'm going anywhere with you；〃 Croaker said。 〃Every time I see you you're another person。〃
〃Another time； another place； another identity；〃 Vesper said in the semidarkness。 〃For the love of God； e on！〃
He did not budge。 He could hear the quiet hiss of the Bunsen burner。 By its eerie light he looked at Vesper； wondering which incarnation he was seeing。 Watching her was like looking at someone reflected in a series of fun…house mirrors： each distorted image took you further away from the truth； the reality； until you felt as if the reflections themselves must be the reality。
Her head twisted。 〃I hear him！ He's ing！〃
〃Cut this out I don't…〃
〃Damnit； you already gave Serman away to Dedalus！ D'you want to sacrifice us both as well？〃
In truth； he could hear sounds echoing down the hallway。 Unmistakably； they were ing closer。 Was she telling the truth？ Was it Dedalus who was ing？
〃Give it up；〃 he said。 〃I know all about Torch。 I know that Okami is in London and that he's targeted for the fifteenth。 I know you've betrayed him to his enemies。〃
〃You've been talking to the wrong people。 I'll explain everything to you if you'll just move out of here before we're both trapped。〃
〃You're a liar seven times over。 I've proved to my satisfaction you're Dedalus's mole inside Okami's network。 Which one of you am I to believe？〃
He could hear the rising note of anxiety in her voice。 〃Believe me if only for this one moment。 We've got to get out of here。 Now！〃
Something wasn't puting。 If she was the enemy； why didn't she just keep him here until Dedalus came？ What was he to believe？ And now that tickle at his consciousness took hold。
〃Jesus；〃 he whispered； then； pulling Serman out of his hiding place； nodded to her。 〃Okay。 Let's go。〃
He followed her as she rushed out into the hallway。 The sounds had coalesced into the click…clack of shoe soles。 They seemed very close。
She ducked into the next room； which was a chemical storeroom。 It was temperature and humidity controlled。 She went to one of the freestanding refrigeration units； pulled it aside without any help from Croaker。 Peering behind it； he could see an old screen leaning against the wall。 Vesper removed this； revealing a panel that had been rough…cut into the wall。
She turned to him。 〃We need that hand of yours。〃
As he worked his stainless…steel nails into the narrow gap to pull the panel out； she said； 〃Years ago； when this facility was being used for experiments on humans； some of the subjects found a way to escape。〃
He edged the panel out and Vesper moved the refrigeration unit back as far as she could。 Then she crawled into the opening； helped Serman through。 Croaker followed her； then turning； he used his biomechanical hand to pull the unit more or less back in place。 There was a crude handle on the back of the panel； which allowed him to set it in place without difficulty。
He began to move off； but Vesper held him back。
〃We stay right here；〃 she whispered。 〃Those subjects never made it all the way out of here。 Just sit tight。〃
It was odd。 He could hear her soft breathing； smell a faint scent ing off her； as from a peony； but he could not see her。 Instead； he imagined her … as she had been when they had first met in the lobby of the Washington Holiday Inn； as he had seen her on Dedalus's estate as the gardener and； later； talking with Margarite； as he had seen her ing out of Heathrow and； later； with Celeste and Okami。 In some alchemical way the darkness allowed these disparate images to merge； as if she were some film star who had stepped off the screen to sit beside him and speak。
〃Who are you？〃 he whispered。
〃What does it matter？ All you need to know is that I work for Mikio Okami。〃
He could believe her now … or； at least； begin the process because Serman had made a deal with her … not Dedalus。 Serman had been afraid that even Croaker knew that he was providing her with updates on the progress of Torch。 If Vesper were working for Dedalus； Torch would not have had to have been kept from him。 Dedalus did not know about Torch； but Vesper did。 Vesper had arranged for Serman and Abramanov to continue their clandestine dialogue。 Vesper was bringing periodic updates on Torch's progress to Okami。
Still； Croaker felt pelled to say； 〃I need to know more before I can be sure I can trust you。〃
He could feel her staring at him。
〃Maigarite says I can trust you； but I'm not at all sure。〃 Then she seemed to acquiesce … to the situation if not to him。 〃I think you're damned dangerous and I told her so。 I think she should stay as far away from you as possible。 Now； though； I'm not sure I was right。〃
〃Why should I believe you？ As Domino you did nothing but lie to me； as Vesper you have as many personalities as an oracle。 Besides； when I stole your ledger out of the safe at Moniker's； I broke your code。 I saw the breakdown for Morgana； the arms merchant … the pany you're running for Dedalus。〃
〃Dedalus owned Morgana； all right。 But what you stole were photocopies I'd taken and was in the process of sending back to Okami。〃
Croaker said nothing。 What she said could very easily be th