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hem at this angle。
The jeep rolled on； skirting the gaping hole in the highway。 He kept it skidding precariously on two wheels as he struggled to keep on the verge where the tires would have clear purchase。
He fanned the brakes as he drove the gears lower； until the jeep's speed was reduced enough for it to bounce down on all four wheels。
〃Who the hell …〃
A second explosion upended the jeep。
Nicholas allowed instinct and his tanjian eye to take over。
He let go of the wheel and leapt clear； relaxing his muscles； rolling on his side and shoulder as he hit the slope by the side of the highway。 But a third explosion ripped apart the slope near him and he tumbled backward； his head cracking against the bole of a tree。 He lay dazed for a moment； trying to bring the world back into focus。
A hundred yards away； he saw Van Kiet； bloody and shaking； climbing from the jeep； which lay on its side； steaming； its entire back end crumpled where it hadn't been blown away altogether。 Van Kiet had the MAC…10 out； and now Nicholas could see a giant of a man in jungle fatigues appearing over a heavily foliaged rise。 Slung around one shoulder was a LAW…M72； a light antitank rocket launcher； an American weapon used extensively during the war。 The man must be as strong as a quarter horse to carry it himself； Nicholas thought。 He had a square； rugged face； tanned and fierce； dominated by oddly pale blue eyes。 His blond hair was cropped short； in military style； but he bore no resemblance to any form of American military personnel Nicholas had ever seen。 Rather； he moved like an Asian … that is； from the lower belly。 He was centered； powerful mentally as well as physically。 And his face was testimony that die war had exterminated from him any semblance of normal human emotion。 As he aimed the weapon in Van Kiet's direction； Nicholas knew he was looking at Rock； the emperor of Floating City。 He was up and running toward Van Kiet。
〃Get away from here！〃 Van Kiet screamed。 〃Are you insane？ We have laws here。〃
〃You don't get it； do you； you fucking slant cop；〃 Rock said； advancing。 〃You don't give the orders here。 I do。〃
Nicholas shouted a warning； but Van Kiet wasn't listening。 His rage had gotten the better of him。 He let go a burst from the machine pistol； but he had lost a lot of blood； and rocking on his feet； his aim was poor。
〃Moron。〃 Rock kept advancing； and Nicholas changed course； heading obliquely toward him。 〃Fucking cretin。 I would have taken care of you if you'd e aboard。〃
〃I can't be bought；〃 Van Kiet shouted。
〃But you can die。〃 Without any expression registering on his face； Rock pulled the trigger on the LAW； and Nicholas ducked down。
A great white…hot whoosh！ spun in a tight trajectory； exploding so close to Van Kiet it lifted him fifty feet in the air。 Rock had picked him off as cleanly as if he had used a sharpshooter's rifle。 Van Kiet； or what was left of him； came down in a shower of bits and pieces。
Rock was already striding through this viscous rain； sidestepping the mini…crater as he reloaded the deadly LAW； heading for Nicholas。
〃I've been waiting a long time for this； fucker。〃
Nicholas was using Tau…tau to clear his head and bring his reactions back to normal level。 〃I was ing after you。〃
Rock grunted。 〃We'll see who's ing after who when you've spent a couple of days in Floating City。〃 He waggled the LAW。 〃e on。 I'd like nothing better than for you to make a move。〃 He smirked。 〃No？ You'll probably regret it。 It's the fucking cage for you。〃
Ushiba was thinking of Akira Chosa。 Sitting in the Daijin's grand office at MITI； he heard telephones ringing； the chatter of faxes ing through from all points on the globe； the hum of laser printers hard at work making hard copies of his policies for dissemination to other bureaus and the media。 He had just finished a conference call with the prime minister and the minister of housing of which be had no memory。 In twenty minutes he was due in the main ball to deliver his weekly press briefing with Tanaka Gin。 He knew that because he was staring at his electronic calendar； which his assistant updated three times daily。 But； today； the words meant nothing to him。
All his life he had striven to do what was right for Japan。 He had trained； given up most of his childhood and all of his adolescence to worship at the shrine of kanryodo； the cult of the samurai…bureaucrat。 For this privileged career he had dispensed with any meaningful personal life。 This was as it should be； all warriors led a life of self…discipline and austerity。 He had not questioned its validity until this moment
As if in a trance； he rose from behind his desk and； walking to a burl credenza； poured himself a glass of ice water。 Drinking it down； he returned to his desk； where he sat staring out the window at the neon…and…glass spires of Tokyo。 But his gaze was turned inward； his mind far away。
At the moment he had heard that Chosa died by his own hand； what had been his first thought？
To die in one's own way at one's own time had about it a dignity impossible in other circumstances。 To be at the mercy of one's enemy； to have life reduced to the space of a barred cell； was unthinkable。
The continuing threat of the cancer he could live with； he had already resigned himself to carrying it around with him； sleeping or awake； for the rest of his days。 In fact； he had e to think of it as a special friend； a visitor； perhaps； from another plane of existence。 It served no purpose to rail against a condition one could not change。
But this was different。 This was Tetsuo Akinaga。 Akinaga； his enemy； who had bested him once and who now sought to lord it over him forever。 It was unthinkable。
He blinked and his eyes focused on the contours of the city in which he had lived all his Me。 Tokyo was Japan … the soul of the new Japan； at least He recognized rather belatedly that Chosa had been right about that； just as he had been right about the Americans。 Like that of a parent with a frighteningly precocious child； the relationship between America and Japan had reached a new； unknowable stage。 But like the ties that forever bind a child to its parent； the cord was severed only at the risk of jeopardizing the lives of both。
Chosa had been right to pursue his relationship with America。 No matter what bad blood was stirred； resurrected； and waved like a flag by those who would see the ties cut； the relationship would endure。 The Japanese needed the American diplomatic methodology and inventive ideas； and the Americans needed the Japanese work ethic； sense of efficiency； and its ability to refine and market new consumer products。
He had spent most of his adult life trying to keep the Americans out of Japan； and it had all but killed him。 Why had it taken Chosa's death to allow him to see the truth？
This was only one of many questions without an answer。 But that was the nature of human existence； to ask； whether or not answers were forthing。
He turned； flicked on his inter； and asked for Yukio Haji； the protégé to whom he had given money when he had needed it。 The young man appeared in his office sixty seconds later。 He stood in the doorway； bowing deeply。