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！
。 The young man appeared in his office sixty seconds later。 He stood in the doorway； bowing deeply。
〃e in and close the door； Haji…san。〃
〃Hai。〃
As Haji crossed the room and sat in the same steel…frame chair he had occupied when he had e to his mentor to solve his temporary financial problem； Ushiba opened a drawer in his desk。 He stared down at the locked metal case built into it。 On the day his cancer had been diagnosed he had filled the box with several items he deemed necessary。 He might never use them； or even open the box； he had thought on that day； but somehow their presence had provided a measure of fort。
〃How has work been these last few weeks； Haji…san？ I'm afraid my busy schedule has not permitted me to keep track；〃
〃Everything is being dealt with。 There are no problems；〃 Haji said somewhat nervously。 One wasn't called to a private audience with the Daijin every day。 〃Of course； the land…trust issue has yet to be resolved； and I am awaiting confirmation of the microchip pact from the Electronics Policy Section of the Machinery and Information Industries Bureau。 The International Trade Section is； of course； involved； so the matter is not a simple one to resolve。〃
〃Yes； yes。 Quite。〃 Ushiba was sad。 Once this kind of talk would have thrilled him； as it obviously did Haji。 But now he had other matters on his mind； and they seemed far more pressing than the quotidian workings of MITI。 〃As long as you are encountering no difficulties。〃
〃No； Daijin。〃
〃Excellent。〃 Ushiba lapsed into such a profound silence that it seemed he had ceased to breathe。 At length； he reached down and； with a small brass key； opened the locked box。 Inside was a neatly folded kimono of indigo and black。 He removed this。 Beneath it was a wakizashi … a long ceremonial dagger lying in its rayskin sheath。
〃Please excuse me for a moment； Haji…san；〃 Ushiba said； rising。 When he returned from his private file room； he was dressed in the kimono。
Haji jumped up； alarmed。 〃Daijin； no！〃
〃Your duty is to help me；〃 Ushiba said simply。 〃That is kanryodo。〃
A terrible look of grief passed across Haji's face and was swiftly gone。 He bowed his head。 〃Yes； Daijin。〃
On bare feet； Ushiba moved to the center of the room where he knelt； arranging the folds of his kimono in precise； concentric circles。 From beneath the folds of the garment he produced the wakizashi。 He gestured to Haji； said softly to him； 〃Here is your last lesson。 You must accept with your whole heart what must be done。〃
〃Yes； Daijin。〃 He knelt beside Ushiba。
〃You must know it and you must believe it。〃
〃Yes； Daijin。〃
Ushiba closed his eyes； preparing himself。 It seemed vaguely ironic that he was about to take his life not to spare himself the indignity of the descent into the final stages of cancer； but to free himself from a cleverly designed man…made prison。 The one he could accept far more readily than the other。 He thought of Mikio Okami； and his heart was heavy that he had helped murder the one man who could have saved them all from the fiend Akinaga； hidden like a viper in their midst。
〃Are you ready？〃
〃Yes； Daijin。〃
The last person he thought of was Tanaka Gin； and he experienced a profound sorrow at their parting。 They had been like two wayfarers on a desolate mountain path far from home who e to one another's aid for the sake of simple human passion。 Then his mind was filled only with poetry； and the simple images of haiku focused him。 Thus surrounded by beauty； he thrust the wakizashi into his lower belly。 Strangely； except for a momentary pain he felt nothing。 Then his hands began to tremble； and leaning forward； Haji put his hands over the Daijin's。 Haji's lips were moving as if in a prayer。 Whom was he praying to？ Ushiba wondered。
Then； together； as if they were joined in mind and purpose； they made the second； final cut。
Ushiba felt as if he were made of water。 He heard a gentle lapping； and it reminded him of a haiku he had been reading last night at Tanaka Gin's house。 The liquid changed to vapor； Ushiba felt himself rising from the floor of his office。 He looked down and could see Haji； white…faced； half…supporting with his hands closed over the hilt of the wakizashi what appeared to be a dried…out husk of rice。 Who was that？ What was he doing？
Flooded with the poignancy of twilight； the brittle first day of autumn； the luminous last day of the cherry blossom's bloom； he wafted away。
17
Floating City/Tokyo/Virginia
The cage was set up in one quarter of the packed…earth pound around which the main buildings of Floating City were arranged。 On its right was the structure in which Rock and Mick Leonforte lived； on its left was the building housing the extensive high…flux neutron laboratories Rock had had constructed for Abramanov； including the hot cell； repository of every ounce that existed of element 114m； and now the place where Torch lay like a sleeping adder。
The cage smelled like a charnel house。 Its hard…packed earth floor was stained by blood and feces； and in one corner； as if arranged by an interior decorator with a macabre sense of humor； was a human femur picked clean of flesh and sinew。
Rock picked up this bone as he acpanied Nicholas into the cage； slamming it repeatedly into one meaty palm。 A half dozen of his men armed with Russian…made AK…47 submachine guns ringed the cage。 It was more than he needed； but there was a kind of show going on； Rock drawing a line in the sand； the demonstration of power。 They had searched Nicholas roughly and thoroughly。 On the other hand； Rock had e unarmed into the cage with Nicholas； and this manifestation of his courage was duly noted。
Nicholas had been given neither water nor food during the trip to Floating City。 He had been blindfolded when he had been taken to Rock's vehicle； and just after； he had felt a sharp prick on the inside of his elbow。 He had concentrated； and as he had done with the Russian V。 I。 Pavlov； working in the furthest reaches of Tau…tau； he slowly raised his metabolism to prematurely break down the chemicals before they had a chance to tranquilize him。
〃I see you've recovered from your tranked sleep；〃 Rock said in an amiable voice。 〃We'll remedy that shortly。〃 He looked at Nicholas with the pragmatic interest of a plastic surgeon。 〃In the meantime； it might interest you to know that many notable people have spent their last days here。 Interestingly； their responses to the treatment imposed were all different。 I suppose if I were a scientist； I could make a study of the human mind under extreme duress。〃 He slapped the femur into his palm。 〃My partner Do Duc was such a man。〃
〃He was a killer。〃
Rock smiled。 〃We're all killers here； Linnear； you and I； just as Do Duc was。 Don't think you can separate yourself from us。〃
〃But Do Duc was different。 I know how the Nungs of Vietnam trained him； I know that he had taken the sacred white magpie as his talisman； how he was doomed by this messenger of God。 But most of all I know that there was a woman who moved him； a woman he loved despite all the blood and pain be endured。 I knew your friend Do Duc better than you think … and it makes me wonder about you。〃
Rock said not