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knew your friend Do Duc better than you think … and it makes me wonder about you。〃
Rock said nothing； it was impossible to read the mind behind the mask of his face。 〃Wonder all you want；〃 he said at last。 〃Fuck your wondering。〃
He stuck his hand through the bars of the cage； and one of the guards put a hypodermic into it。 He walked over to Nicholas while the AK…47s were trained on him。 〃Fuck thinking； fuck intellectualism； period。〃
Staring into Nicholas's eyes； he jammed the needle home； depressed the plunger。 〃And fuck you。〃
He walked out of the cage； locking the door behind him。 Picking up the LAW； he strapped it on； leveled it at Nicholas。 There was a war going on inside him。 Nicholas could feel it as viscerally as if time had folded upon itself and they were both back in the war。 In a sense； that was what was happening。 Rock was caught in a kind of time warp； he had never wanted the war to end。 It had bee his life as well as his livelihood。 He had a number of pelling reasons for staying on here in Southeast Asia。 Nicholas was willing to bet that the States was death for him … worse； perhaps； a living hell hamstrung by rules； regulations； and laws。
That attitude of civilization had been burned out of him by exfoliants； carpet bombing； and sniper fire at four in the morning。 The stench of incinerated flesh clung to him like perfume on a doyenne。 It was so much a part of him now it would never e off； he wouldn't want it to。 He wouldn't know how to live without it。 He had built his own world right here in the middle of Vietnam … his own Floating City … and the only thing that would destroy him was taking him forcibly from it。
Powerful narcotics again spread through Nicholas。 Now he repeated the process he had used on his journey here to hypermetabolize the drugs。 It was a strain on his system； but that couldn't be helped now。 Night fell in a tropical rush。 Insects buzzed busily； birds chattered in the trees； the occasional growl of a prowling predator punctuated the darkness flickering with torchlight and generator…powered light bulbs。 Cooking fires brought the scent of food； as no doubt Rock intended。
Lying on the noisome floor of the cage； Nicholas could see through slitted eyes four guards armed with AK…47s； and he began to calculate the odds； work out the vectors； while he summoned the inner strength he would need from kokoro； the heart of Tau…tau。
〃Still here？〃 a voice said from close by。 〃No； that's right； don't move。 I believe you're supposed to be tranked into a stupor。 At least； that's what Rock believes。 But he has a bit more faith in himself than I do。 Ever since Do Duc initiated him into the cult of the Messulethe； Rock thinks he's Superman。 You and I know he isn't。 He doesn't have Do Duc's extraordinary mental discipline。 And； of course； you killed Do Duc。 Extraordinary。〃
Nicholas could hear the sounds of someone settling down just outside the cage。
〃I have been curious to meet you。 I'd heard so much about you。 I know more about Tau…tau than Rock does； of course。 But then he's quite a bit more monodirectional than I am。 I knew that narcotic he injected you with wouldn't do any good。 Me could have made it cyanide and you'd still be here； breathing； wouldn't you？ It's that hypermetabolizing thing you can do。 Quite astonishing。 It would rock a Western doctor to his foundations。〃 There was a little laugh。 〃Oh； I'd like to see that。〃
Silence for a time； interspersed with the chatter of the birds and the monkeys。
〃Why don't you … ah； there we are。 I was certain you'd want to take a look at me。〃
Nicholas saw a man with a handsome face fronted by a prominent nose and clear gray eyes that were positively feral。 His salt…and…pepper hair was long； and he wore a neatly cropped beard。 It was a face born to give orders； the face of a man who harbored radical philosophies； whose personal worldview was iconoclastic and unshakable。 Nicholas could already tell that he was a man who loved words and was therefore likely a disciplined and persuasive public speaker。 His years in the Vietnamese highlands had changed him； perhaps； hardened his philosophies even as they had honed them。 This could only be one man： Mick Leonforte。
〃You're assessing the danger； aren't you？ I think I can feel your Tau…tau at work； the projection of your ID； but that may only be something of self…hypnosis。〃
Mick took out a cigar； bit off the end； and lit up。 He contemplated the blue smoke for some time before continuing。 〃I know something of hypnosis。 Mass hypnosis； actually。 All philosophers learn the art in one way or another。 And d'you know why？ Because a philosopher is nothing without disciples； and as in religion； the more the better。 And as in religion； philosophy is revolution。 That's what I am。 A revolutionary。〃 He blew out smoke。 〃You should be familiar with revolutionaries； you were brought up by one。〃
He smiled as benignly as an uncle tucking his young nephew in for the night。 〃I have made an exhaustive study of your father。 It hasn't been easy； stuck here in the back of beyond。 And the Colonel was the most secretive man I have e across。 More secretive； even； than my own father； who changed identities so often I wondered finally If he remembered who he really was。〃
He shrugged。 〃But； of course； secrecy was the beginning and the end of the similarities between Johnny Leonforte and Colonel Linnear。 They were very different creatures。
〃You may not want to believe this； but I admired your father deeply。 I wish I were related to him。 What a remarkable mind。 He more or less single…handedly created MITI。 You didn't know that； I see。 Your father had a profound dislike for MCI； the old Ministry of merce and Industry； because it was a safe haven for so many war criminals。 It had had almost absolute control over the wartime economy and the military。 So your father got the bright idea of merging MCI with the Board of Trade； which he knew intimately because its English…speaking personnel interfaced with SCAP。 BOT was essentially an import…export ministry set up to handle trade with SCAP … meaning America。 But your father realized that it had control over the Foreign Trade Fund； which tunneled U。S。 aid with export receipts into one account。
〃Your father the visionary； the revolutionary； saw in 1948 that the way for Japan to survive was through international trade。 So he and several Japanese created the Ministry of International Trade and Industry。 He simultaneously began to put Japan on the right economic track while purging the enemies of the new Japan he had envisaged。 With that one stroke of genius the Colonel set in motion countless events that continue their impact to this day。〃
Mick inhaled； holding the smoke inside him for an unnaturally long time。 〃And now the sons have met under what could only be considered unfortunate circumstances。 However； that is irrelevant to me。 I make it my business to ruthlessly deconstruct the past and re…create it in the image of the future。 Do you understand？ I doubt it。 Rock doesn't and he's far from a stupid man。 He came in here decades ago。 Making him a partner was a smart move on my part。〃 He contemplated the glowing tip of the cigar。 〃But all marriages fall apart；