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！
Inoperable。 That is what he had told his physicians when they had described the aftermath of cutting him open： an invalid who could not even digest food on his own； riddled with bags； tubes； and hoses like some subhuman beast。 No； no。 That humiliation was not for him。 Better the silence of the grave。
〃One thing I know for certain；〃 Chosa said； 〃is that the Godaishu has a better chance of reaching its goal now that Mikio Okami is gone。〃
Ushiba was pensive。 〃Okami lost faith in what he had set in motion。 Why？ I ask myself this question over and over。 Okami always was a patriot。 He understood that purges needed to be implemented in order to stem the moral decay that had rotted Japan ever since the Americans forced us to adopt a constitution they wrote for us。〃
〃What does it matter？ Okami is history；〃 Chosa said with finality。 〃Whatever he thought no longer matters。 We have our future laid out in front of us。 It is our karma； my friend； and we are so close I can taste victory。〃
Ushiba； wishing he possessed the oyabun's surety of the future； said； 〃Be that as if may； we still have problems that must be solved。 The Americans； first and foremost； must be dealt with。 Already their dominance in fiber optics and telemunications is threatening our future。 The twenty…first century will be dominated by those panies that can transmit data most quickly and efficiently。〃
〃Another reason to fear Linnear。 His pany； Sato…Tomkin Industries； holds multiple patents on proprietary telemunications technology that for now we can only dream about。 Sato…Tomkin is currently in mainland China； India； and Malaysia laying miles of fiber…optic cables that will one day transform those countries into true petitors of ours。〃
〃Once again； I warn you。 Linnear is ninja and he is exceedingly clever；〃 Ushiba said。 〃I have attempted to intimidate him with no success。 He quietly brings to bear a force greater than the one leveled at him。〃
〃It's not your job to worry about Linnear。〃
〃No； but it's my duty to protect the Godaishu。 Going after Linnear presents an unconscionable risk to us all。 To involve him in our affairs now …〃
〃He is Okami's protector；〃 Chosa snapped。 〃He's already involved。〃
They were on a bus ride to nowhere。 Or so it seemed to Nicholas as he sat beside Bay。 The old crate that would have passed for a bus twenty years ago bounced along a potholed tarmac road。 The interior stank of animals and urine； at every jounce the dozen or so caged chickens let out a chorus of raucous squawks that made the yellow bird jump in anxiety。 The yellow bird was in a tiny bamboo cage beside the driver's head； wired from the ceiling of the bus。 Nicholas had heard it said that Vietnam was the one country where people took birds for walks and ate the dogs for dinner。 Shindo had cautioned him never to ask what kind of meat he was being served。
Perhaps this four…wheeled death trap was being used as a truck to transport these chickens to market； for there were no other human passengers and none were waiting for it along the dark； pitted road。 How Bay even knew of its existence was beyond him； but it had been waiting for them three blocks from the spot where she had tied up the boat。 Twenty minutes later； they were out of Saigon proper； beading southwest。
〃Where are we going？〃 he had asked Bay。
〃The Iron Triangle。〃 By which； he surmised； she must mean Cu Chi。 This region had bee infamous thirty years ago for its miles…long network of multilevel tunnels that allowed the Viet Cong to control the area just sixty…five miles from Saigon。 The Vietnamese had begun the tunnels during the 1940s in their war against the French。 The hard…packed red earth of the area made it ideal for digging； and decades later； the network had undergone extensive expansion and renovation until it stretched all the way to the Cambodian border。
Nicholas said； 〃Bay； I want some answers now。 What was your relationship with Vincent Tinh？〃
Bay stared out the window。 Her hair； bound in a long； thick tail； wound over her shoulders。 She seemed a strong； motivated woman … no wonder her pose as a man had proven so successful。 She had the kind of face that； though entirely feminine； would need minimal makeup to turn her into a convincing male persona。 This almost androgynous nature made her all the more intriguing； especially because she carried it so unselfconsciously。
〃He never employed me； though he tried；〃 she said at last。 Her head was still turned slightly away from him； but he could see her in ghostly reflection in the dark window。 〃He tried to make it with me as well。 But I knew his reputation； knew that if I said yes to any one of his proposals； I would be sucked wholesale into his world。〃 Her fingers fidgeted in her lap。 〃That I couldn't afford。 I'm an independent operator … a kind of go…between； sometimes even a mediator between。。。 factions。〃
〃By 'factions' I assume you mean drug warlords； arms merchants； terrorists； and the like。〃
Bay said nothing for a long time。 The bus rattled on； the chickens squawked； and the yellow bird hopped from perch to perch as if stung by jolts of electricity。
〃Whatever you may think of me； Chu Goto； I have worked very hard to gain an enviable position。 I am beholden to no one； yet many people of influence owe me favors。 I wonder if you understand the importance of this？ Perhaps not。 My country is different from all others。 It takes time； patience； and acceptance to understand the nature of Vietnam。 I promise that judging us by your standards can only end in disaster for you。〃
For someone else； perhaps； it would have been easy to dismiss the words of a woman。 But for Nicholas； time； patience； and acceptance were three virtues of paramount importance。 Also； he had learned the necessity of 〃seeping in；〃 of absorbing by immersion the strange； the bizarre； and the frightening。 Vietnam was a terrifying culture to the outsider； and terror had a habit of placing its hand across one's eyes at precisely the wrong time。 Bay was right： it would be a disaster for him to judge her as he might a Japanese or an American。
〃I appreciate your insight； Bay；〃 he said carefully。 〃Can you tell me anything about Tinh's death？〃
〃It was no accident； but I imagine you already know that。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Do you also know that he was murdered in the Chinese manner？〃
〃Chinese？ I don't think I understand。〃
〃Once upon a time； the Chinese warlords of the Shan mountains eliminated their enemies in the manner in which Vincent Tinh was killed。 They shot them； then left them to be found in the acid that helps refine the tears of the poppy into opium。 It served as warning to others who would try to betray them。〃
〃You mean they don't do it anymore？〃
Bay ducked her head so that her hair swung across one shoulder。 〃In a manner of speaking。 They no longer exist。 They have been supplanted by one man who now virtually controls the poppy trade。〃
〃Really？ I have never heard of such a man。〃
〃I'm not surprised。〃 Bay's eyes watched his with neither fear nor judgment。 〃To speak his name is to court instant death。〃
〃All right。 I accept that。 But is this man responsible for Tinh's murder？〃
Bay's eyes； dark as coffee； held his。 〃I will