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〃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 the truth。
〃You did your own share of lying；〃 Vesper said。 〃And what's more； you scared the hell out of me。 You were following Margarite … spying on her and me。〃
〃Yes； we both lied to one another。 Also； you failed to mention that Senator Dedalus was in charge of DARPA。〃
〃And you failed to mention your afternoon in TriBeCa with Caesare Leonforte；〃 she said tartly。
In a flash； he could see how it would look to her and to Margarite。 He and Bad Clams having lunch； thick as thieves。 Good God； did Margarite think he had betrayed her？ Why not？ He had e perilously close to doing just that。 How had he planned to elude Bad Clams when it came tune for him to report to the don on the Nishiki network？ He'd never quite worked that out； hoping for a flash of inspiration somewhere down the line。
〃So you thought I might be working for Bad Clams。 What changed your …〃
He felt her hand over his mouth。 He strained to listen to what was happening beyond their tiny cell； in the storeroom。 He made out sounds； like the scraping of chair legs over a tile floor； and he knew they were looking for him。 Deeper in the darkness； Serman huddled； shivering in mortal fear。 His whole being was concentrated on listening to the sounds； he had forgotten Croaker and Vesper existed。
Dedalus's people。
In time； the sounds faded。 Even then he could feel her waiting。 At last； she took her hand away； said softly； 〃The moment you attacked Caesare's man in Holland Park； I knew I had made a mistake。〃
〃You knew I had followed you to London？〃
〃Before I left Washington I went back to Moniker's。 It didn't take me long to realize someone had gone through my safe； and it didn't take a genius to figure out who。〃
〃If you knew I was on your tail； why didn't you stop me？〃
〃I tried。 If you remember； I gave you false intelligence。 You were too smart to fall for that I should have known。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃What do you think I mean？ Margarite's in love with you。〃
His sense of relief was so profound he wanted to lean over and kiss her。 〃It makes no sense。〃
〃When it es to love； what does？〃
〃I mean it's utterly absurd； isn't it？〃
〃Only if you don't feel the same way。〃
〃But she and I are on opposite sides of the law。〃
〃Are you certain？ Following your logic； then； you and I are also on opposite sides。 You know that's not true。〃
She allowed him to ponder this for some time before saying； 〃I'm taking an enormous risk in telling you all this。 I would protect Margarite with my life。〃
This was like a Chinese puzzle； he thought； where you figured out how to open a series of nested boxes one by one。 〃I think I understand that。〃 He could feel her slowly unwinding； like a serpent whose coils and head had been in the strike position for a long time。 〃How do we get out of here without Dedalus finding us？〃
〃There's only one way。 We've got to follow the route the subjects took when they tried to escape。〃
〃But you said they never made it。〃
〃Right。 We're about to find out why。〃
I saw Leonforte shoot my father down like a dog in the street； Tachi had said。 What's more； Leonforte liked it。 He licked his lips and howled in glee； he did a little dance over my father's body before dragging it into the jungle。
This was the man Koei had spent six months with； whom she had been meant to marry； the man who had fallen in love with her。 Now； in all probability； Nicholas would e face…to…face with Mick Leonforte。 If he made it into Floating City。
The lure of his delirious reunion with Koei still exerted its magic on him； and it was almost too much to bear to part with her again。 His only solace was that she had promised that she would go to Tokyo。 He had told her to go to his friend and partner； Tanzan Nangi； and stay with him until Nicholas returned。
〃It's time I ended my exile here；〃 she had told him just before he had left with Van Kiet。 〃The truth is I've been terrified of Michael ever since I left him。 There was a look in his eye。。。〃 She had broken off； shuddering； and Nicholas had held her。
〃Mick Leonforte can't touch you now；〃 he had said。
Koei had clung to him； not wanting him to go。 〃You don't know him the way I do。 He's relentless； and so very clever。 He always gets what he wants； in the end。〃
Nicholas had made her look into his eyes。 〃Listen to me。 When you get to Tokyo tell Nangi everything。 He will know what precautions to take。〃 He had kissed her hard on the lips。 〃You'll see me sooner than you think。〃
Nicholas returned to the present。 The jeep jounced along the rutted highway that stretched more or less straight north out of Saigon； which was already a half day's travel behind them。 Van Kiet was in a black mood。 He had lost control the moment he had brought Nicholas to meet Huynh Van Dich； and he did not like that。 Tachi was dead； and Nicholas knew the way into Floating City。
〃When we get inside；〃 Van Kiet said； 〃you'll leave Rock to me。 I know how to handle his kind。〃
Nicholas doubted that。 Van Kiet was filled with rage； and that made for muddled thinking。 Besides； he was hell…bent to blow away Rock and anyone else who got in his way。 What Nicholas needed was answers。 Why was Floating City so important to Akinaga and Chosa … and； he was beginning to suspect； to Mikio Okami as well？ Rock and； for that matter； Mick Leonforte lying dead in the middle of their empire would do him no good at all。
〃We need to consider our approach to Rock and Leonforte；〃 he said。
〃This is the only approach that won't get us killed；〃 Van Kiet said； hefting a MAC…10 machine pistol。
〃There's another way。〃
Van Kiet； accelerating； shook his head。 〃You don't know these bastards。 Tachi and I have been hunting them for more than two years。〃 He maneuvered past a pair of lumbering； rattletrap trucks spewing diesel exhaust into the greenish early evening。 〃There is only one way to deal with them。 Talk is out of the question。 Their ears are filled with the music of the spheres。 What you or I say to them will mean as much as the wind through the trees。 They … Buddha！〃
The road opened up in front of them in a huge geyser of tarmac； stones； and frying chunks of concrete。 The explosion's shock wave tore the windshield off the jeep； and Van Kiet put his arms up； cried out as a fragment of metal struck him。
Scrambling over him； Nicholas stamped hard on the brakes； jerked the wheel hard over to the left。 Fighting blowing ash and debris that pelted him like buckshot； he shoved Van Kiet out of the way。 The jeep bucked heavily as it lurched toward the leading edge of the crater that had appeared through the violent windstorm explosion。
Nicholas； battling the headlong momentum of the jeep； saw they were going to go into the crater； and he stamped hard on the accelerator and； keeping the wheels straight； threw Van Kiet into the backseat behind him。 Leaning hard over to his left； he felt the change in weight distribution in the jeep as it began to go over。 The instant it lifted up on two tires； he pensated with the wheel； keeping th