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〃This is a kind of halfway point。〃
He waited for her to continue； hut when she remained silent； he said； 〃Between where and where？〃
〃Saigon and。。。〃 She smiled to take some of the rebuff out of her shrug。 〃It doesn't matter。 Abramanov agreed to meet you here and nowhere else。 He feels safe here。〃
〃This Abramanov is the man who worked for Vincent Tinh； who built the illegal puter around the stolen neural…net chip？〃
Bay rolled the burning wood with a charred stick。 〃Abramanov is the only one within five thousand miles who could have。〃
Nicholas kept his eyes on her。 〃Are you being deliberately evasive？ Was Abramanov the one？〃
〃Yes。〃 She said it very quietly and with a tone that led him to think he had taken a pair of hot tongs to her。
〃Bay； what is it？〃
She shook her head。 〃Don't ask me； please。〃
〃Why not？〃
Her eyes closed for a moment； and he thought he saw the edge of a tear slide down her cheek before she turned away。 〃Because I want to tell you； and I know if I do； you won't believe me。〃
〃Try me。〃
The back of her hand went briefly to her face； and he knew he had been right about the tear。 She turned back to him； gave him that sardonic smile。 〃No； You don't trust me as it is。 My mother once said to me that the biggest mistake one could make in life was to tell someone what he doesn't want to hear。〃
〃I'll listen to anything you tell me。〃
〃Um； I'm thirsty。〃 He watched her walk into the darkness。 She returned a moment later with an American Army helmet filled with water。 She placed this atop the stove； let the water boil for some time。
While they waited； she said； 〃Your friend Vincent Tinh came here often。〃
〃He was no friend of mine； but I think you already knew that。〃
〃I think that you did not know him。〃 She glanced at the helmet。 〃It was here that he met with Abramanov。。。 and the others he dealt with。 He liked it here。 He was fortable in this darkness； this murk。 He once confessed to me that to be surrounded by so much death made him feel close to life； it excited him。〃
Nicholas was alerted by the word 〃confessed。〃 The world inside Cu Chi began to change as a mask slipped away； revealing a truth beneath。
〃It was difficult to know what made him go on；〃 Bay continued。 〃He never knew his parents or where he was born。 He grew up on the streets of Saigon and almost died twice； once when he was very young at the hands of a local gangster； the other from American fire during the war。 Truthfully； I don't know who he hated more。〃
She rose and； wrapping her hands in her dry clothes； took the helmet off the fire。 〃He was very good at that； hating。 He ingested it like you and I eat food。〃 By this time all the exotic and unpleasant microbes teeming in the water had been killed。
〃Did Tinh take you down here？〃 Because this is what she was telling him in her roundabout way； that she and Vincent Tinh had been lovers。 Tinh would never have 〃confessed〃 anything of his background or of his feelings to a business associate； and he had not been the type to have friends to confide in。 But it was a universal truth that there were times when confession was the only thing that could heal the soul； and for Tinh； the choices were limited。 Whom could he confess to but someone who shared his bed？
〃Yes； often。〃 Bay dipped her finger experimentally in the water。 〃He enjoyed making love here。〃
〃Did you？〃
〃Sex with him was。。。 ecstatic。 The place was unimportant。〃
〃Even so。。。 potent a place as this？〃
Bay lifted the helmet； handed it to him to drink。 〃It was important to make him happy。〃
Nicholas drank the water； then passed the helmet to her。 All the taste had been boiled out of it； but it was delicious nonetheless。 He watched her carefully while she sipped。 Questions swirled in his mind； but they all led down one path； and with this woman； he was being convinced he needed to search for the unfamiliar in order to understand her。
〃How did doing that make you happy？〃
Bay passed her fingers through her thick hair。 〃It was like the pain； you see。 His reactions were real。 When he was happy； truly happy … not drunk happy or stoned happy … he was a different person。 I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I affected him。 I could feel the excitement bubbling through his skin。 That was important because at every other moment of his life he wore a kind of mask that he had fashioned from his past … fear； rage； poverty； the utter aloneness of his existence； were the materials he used。 But I was able to get beneath the mask。〃
Nicholas sat back on his haunches； deep in thought。 He could see how having such power would be of profound significance to Bay … a woman in a society that had little respect for females； a woman in a city where most people of her age and sex were selling their bodies on the street； increasingly prone to syphilis； hepatitis； AIDS； and an early； unnoticed death。
Abruptly； he shivered。 It occurred to him that the drama that had been playing out between Bay and Tinh was now in some fashion being repeated。 For it was clear that upon Tinh's death she had donned Tinh's remarkable mask； and that he was now finding the human being behind it。
〃Bay； how long have you been on your own？〃 he said at last。
〃It's enough now。〃 She bit her lip。 〃Let me alone。〃
Nicholas went to his clothes。 They were dry； and he put them on。 〃When do you expect Abramanov？〃
She glanced at her watch。 〃To tell you the truth； he should have been here by now。〃 She grabbed her clothes。 〃I think we'd better find out what happened to him。〃 She pointed； 〃There's a contact spot about a quarter of a mile this way。 If Abramanov couldn't make the rendezvous for any reason； a note will have been left there。〃
The inner world of the Viet Cong grudgingly exposed itself to Bay's light as they made their way down the cramped tunnel。 Nicholas could see that they were heading directly toward a section that had caved in； and he wondered where she was leading him。
Just before the rubble began； she stopped and； crouching down； pulled on a metal ring。 A trapdoor opened and she levered herself down。 Nicholas followed。
They were now on the level below the cave…in； the way was clear。 He began to have more respect for the engineers who designed and constructed this ingenious labyrinth。
They moved on。 The remains of Viet Cong were always with them； they were traveling through a city of the dead seemingly without end。 At length； they arrived at the contact point。 There was no one there。 Bay got down on her knees； felt beneath a broken…down series of berths。
〃There is nothing here。〃 For the first time； Nicholas detected a note of alarm in her voice。 Up until this moment she had been almost unnaturally calm in the face of harrowing circumstances。 She looked up at him。 Was that a trace of fear in her dark eyes？ 〃Abramanov should have been here。 I don't know what has happened。〃
〃Maybe all the activity on the highway deterred him。〃
But she shook her head。 〃He would have entered the tunnels from miles away。 The soldiers wouldn't have mattered。〃
〃Then either I've been double…crossed or we've both been。〃 He pulled her up by her elbow。 〃It's time to get some answers。〃
At that moment； they heard a soun