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n them。 Torch was heavy； but he was determined not to leave such a deadly weapon behind。
Perhaps Mick had spotted him in the side mirror because he risked stripping the transmission by crashing prematurely into second； then third gear。 The truck protested； but lurched forward nonetheless； rolling ever more quickly toward the main gate。
Nicholas； his lungs burning； made a last desperate effort； leaning forward； straining toward the ropes that held the …rear gate in vertical position。 He wasn't going to make it。 He could not maintain his maniac speed for much longer； and in a moment the truck would begin pulling away from him。 Then it lurched and seemed to pause as the right front wheel hit something； a guard perhaps。 Nicholas's fingers felt for the rope； dosed around it； and as the truck righted itself and roared away； he swung aboard。
As he turned around； his chest heaving with the effort he had expended； Nicholas could see Rock。 He was struggling to turn over。 How could the man still be alive？ He had six inches of blued steel in his chest。 Nevertheless； he managed to roll over on his side。 Then he reached under him； pulled the LAW into firing position。
Then the truck had gong around a bend and Nicholas lost sight of him。 He sank into Tau…tau and the light turned aqueous。 Time bent to his will； and even the hideous lurching of the truck seemed distant。 In his mind； he could see Rock now； realizing that the LAW was empty。
The road bent again； and in the distance； the entrance to Floating City was again in view。 Rock had collapsed again； or was he merely bending over？ Something in his hand。 Sunk deep in Tau…tau； Nicholas recognized it。
It was another Torch！
Rock slammed it home； and Nicholas again heard Abramanov's last fateful words： The danger 。。。 you don't know 。。。 There's more than 。。。
There's more than one！ That was what Abramanov was trying to tell him。
Buddha protect me； Nicholas thought； he's going to fire Torch！
Even at this distance he could feel Rock's murderous intent。 With a superhuman effort； Rock swung the barrel of the LAW into firing position。 Nicholas could see only a black hole。
Rock's finger tightened on the trigger； and Nicholas did the only thing he could do： he projected his psyche outward as if delivering a physical blow。 He could not affect an inanimate object such as the LAW； but the bolt of psychic energy detonated in Rock's mind。 Too late。 Rock's finger jerked the trigger； and with an ominous boom！ Torch was loosed。
But Nicholas had had some effect。 Though they were already too far from the main gate of Floating City to discern Rock； Nicholas saw the missile streaking through the triple canopy of foliage in an almost perfect vertical trajectory。 The projection of Tau…tau had been enough to make Rock jump； turning the LAW upward； deflecting his aim。
But now； as he left Floating City behind； Nicholas remembered that Niigata had said that two small bricks of element 114m could destroy four square city blocks。 Four。
Mother of God。
Nicholas began to calculate； estimating the speed of the truck； the height the LAW could shoot the Torch missile before gravity took over and it fell to earth。
Mick was in a hurry。 The truck jounced and lurched over the rutted dirt road； heading down the mountain。 In the manner of all mountain roads； it continued to wind through the terrain； and now they had lost all sight of Floating City。 They were putting on distance very quickly； but Nicholas did not think it would be enough。
He looked around as the grade became more steep。 One side was a virtual wall of rock and thick foliage； the other an abyss。 The truck careened around a hairpin turn； and he could hear a sudden roaring。 His blood froze。 For an instant； he believed Torch had detonated。 But then he saw the cataract spinning down from high on the mountainside； spilling into a swiftly rushing river far below。
The idea and the action were almost simultaneous。 Surely； Torch was at this moment falling back to earth。 When it detonated； he and Mick and everyone else in the area would be obliterated。
He let go his grip on the rope and； bending his knees； leapt outward over the steep mountain's edge。 He grazed the edge of the waterfall and began to tumble。 Tau…tau protected him as he flew down like an arrow loosed from a bow。 He was fully extended when he hit the river and was instantly carried under。 Torch was ripped from his grasp by the fierce current as it catapulted him downriver； faster than he could run； faster than the truck could travel； a projectile traveling in the deep。
A moment later； in a lurid flash of greenish gold that was almost beautiful； Torch came to earth no more than a hundred yards from where Rock had fired it。 The detonation seemed almost soundless； but the percussion of the fission chain reaction shook the mountain to its core。
In the blink of an eye； Floating City was obliterated； excised as with a surgeon's scalpel。 The shock wave caught the speeding truck； lifting it off the road； spilling it； end over end； down a rocky embankment that in the next instant had ceased to exist。 It plummeted； its rear end torn away； only to break apart entirely on the teeth of rocks and trees far below。
IDES OF MARCH
On a night
when the moon
shines as brightly as this；
the unspoken thoughts
of even the most discreet heart
might be seen。
… Izumi Shikibu
Tokyo /Venice/Washigton
Spring Present
Tau…tau and the deep waters had protected Nicholas。 He had felt nothing； but he had been aware of the moment of detonation； and with a spasmodic contraction of his soul he had felt the instant withering of life。 He had been far enough away from ground zero so that when； miles away； he emerged exhausted from the river； he did not have to worry about fallout。
By the time he made his way back home to Tokyo； Croaker was there with Vesper。 They spent all afternoon and part of the evening in his house filling each other in on the events of the last three days when they had been out of touch。
〃Christ；〃 Croaker said； 〃after what Serman told us； I can't imagine the devastation Torch created when it went off。〃
〃Luckily； Floating City was in such a remote spot that only the people left in it were killed；〃 Nicholas said。 〃Still； a team of nuclear experts will have to be brought in to assess the potential radiation spread。 And they'll have to dredge the river for the second Torch。〃
Vesper shuddered。 〃It was a terrible lesson to learn about playing with nuclear weapons。〃 The two men sat while she stood； moving about the living room。 Nicholas noticed her nervousness after dinner。 He had gone to change the bandages on his right arm where the fire had seared his skin and had heard her on the phone。
They all went to bed early； but Nicholas was unable to sleep。 He kept seeing in his mind the fall to earth of Torch。 He saw himself underwater and； far above him； Mick Leonforte in the careening truck； his foot pushing the accelerator to the floor。 In an odd way he wanted to know Mick's end。 It seemed clear now that he had saved Nicholas from the cage。 Perhaps it was merely so Nicholas could finish the severing of the partnership with Roc