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〃I may be out of line telling you； but this is the real thing；〃 Tanaka Gin continued。 〃We have Yoshinori with ironclad evidence。 You know what that means： an ever…widening investigation。 I can envision a mad scramble within the right…wing factions of the LDP to distance themselves from him； because who knows where this inquiry will lead。 Proclaiming themselves the only guarantor of a democratic and free…market system won't save them these days as it has in the past。 This embarrassment can't be swept under the rug like the Recruit and Lockheed scandals。〃
〃You have been investigating Yoshinori for some time。〃 It was not an accusation； but a statement of fact。
〃I have many inquiries in my jurisdiction。 You know that。〃
Ushiba's mind was racing。 Tanaka Gin was not one to cavalierly bend the rules of his tempered…steel world。 He had kept the Yoshinori investigation secret until the moment he had been ready to move。 Now he was telling Ushiba more than he； Ushiba； really needed to know。 What was his purpose in carefully laying this groundwork？
〃This is something more than a courtesy call；〃 Tanaka Gin said。 〃Yoshinori wishes to see you。 You and he are old friends； are you not？〃 Ushiba； recovering quickly； did not miss the warning tone in Tanaka Gin's voice。 He had spent enough time with the man over the past several months to know that he was exceedingly clever in his dogmatic way； and absolutely incorruptible。 In short； he was quite astoundingly the right man in the right job。
〃Yes；〃 Ushiba said。 〃He and my older brother were classmates。 He's like an uncle to me。〃
〃He loaned your brother money once； didn't he？〃
〃That's right。 It was a personal favor。 My brother's business fell apart； leaving him with a mountain of debts。 Yoshinori put him back on his feet。 My brother repaid the loan within two years； but Yoshinori refused the interest fee。 My brother bought him a car； instead。〃
〃We have that； too；〃 Tanaka Gin said without a trace of irony。 〃I'll pick you up myself in twenty minutes。 Will that be satisfactory？〃
〃Of course。〃
There was a silence between them； and Ushiba was about to hang up when Tanaka Gin added； 〃The charges are likely to be quite severe。 We've just uncovered more than one hundred million dollars in gold bars and diamonds in Yoshinori's house。〃
The two men rode in silence through the rain…slicked streets of Tokyo。 Neon lights gathered in the gutters。 Enormous billboards to the twin temples of industry and consumerism winked and rolled； devoid of meaning without the crowds to ingest their messages。
Ushiba sat huddled beside Tanaka Gin。 He was cold and his stomach felt as if he had swallowed battery acid。 He had taken two pills before he had left his apartment； but they had done nothing to ease the pain。 Power is indeed fleeting； he thought as he watched Tanaka Gin's dark profile。 Once； men like Yoshinori would have brushed off this kind of police probe with a contemptuous wave of their hands。 No more。 Greed had made even the most influential people careless； and the ensuing scandals had made waves reaching out to the media and； worse； the public。 Now there was an outcry from the populace against greed and the endemic corruption they did not understand。 Now the police and the prosecutors had the weight of the people on their side； and the balance of power was tipping in their favor。 Ushiba； so close to the personal hand of the law； knew his one duty： to keep safe the secrets of the Godaishu。
Tanaka Gin pulled into the driveway of his office building； sat with the engine idling for some time。 There was not a soul about。 The slap and thwack of the windshield wipers were the only indication of time passing。
Tanaka Gin cleared his throat。 〃I have decided to take a chance and ask of you the impossible。〃 His eyes met Ushiba's。 〃I need your help in prosecuting Yoshinori。 Will you give it to me？〃
Ushiba said nothing； unable even to form a coherent thought。
〃I know what matters to you。〃 Tanaka Gin's slim； dark face was filled with crags。 Reflection from the windshield filled his face with rain。 〃Light； form； poetry。 Honor。〃 His voice was abruptly gentle。 〃There es a time in every man's life when certain priorities present themselves above all others。〃
Ushiba's heart skipped a beat。 〃That's true。 Old age bees one's bedmate without one's quite knowing how it got into the house。〃
〃Old age and disease fell even the mightiest cryptomeria in the forest。 But before they do； they transform one's perceptions。〃 Tanaka Gin stirred。 〃You might ask yourself how one as young as I might know this。 My father died of lung cancer。 Perhaps it was from living on the outskirts of Nagasaki； perhaps from other environmental pollutants of our age。 In any case； I spent some time with him toward the end and discovered that he had been transformed by his illness。 His mind； freed of the bonds of time and death； was more lucid； more structured in a way than it had ever been； He became； for me at least； an entirely different person。〃
Ushiba could not still his heart。 All this oblique talk of disease； transformation； and death had a purpose。 Tanaka Gin knew that he did not have a bleeding ulcer but stomach cancer。 Damn him； the prosecutor was too clever by half。 Did he know as well the real relationship between Ushiba and Yoshinori？ Ushiba shuddered inwardly。
Tanaka Gin's gaze was implacable。 〃As I said； I know what is important to you。〃 His hands upon the steering wheel were strong； heavily veined and callused。 They were beautiful instruments； like the hands of a great pianist or a surgeon。 〃Yoshinori has betrayed the trust of those who believed in him most。 Will you help me prosecute him？〃
Ushiba looked into Tanaka Gin's eyes and saw a great deal that he had not been allowed to see before。 He opened his mouth to speak； but what was the point？ Both men knew the nature of the reply。
Inside the building； Tanaka Gin ushered him down a long； dimly lit hallway guarded by two men in suits who dearly knew Tanaka Gin but nevertheless asked to see his identification badge。
They took an elevator to the sixth floor； where Tanaka Gin was again obliged to show his ID。 He did not give Ushiba's name or title and no one asked。 They went down another anonymous corridor； stopped before a wooden door painted an awful shade of green。
〃I can give you forty…five minutes。 No more。〃 Then Tanaka Gin walked quickly away； disappearing around a corner of the corridor。
Ushiba looked around as if he might be secretly observed。 Then； taking a deep breath； he turned the doorknob； went in。
Yoshinori was seated at one end of a polished wooden table。 He stood up when Ushiba entered； and a small smile broke out on his lined face。
〃My friend。〃
The minister's sword looked every day of his seventy…eight years。 His face was ashen； his clothes were in disarray； as if he had been forced to dress in a hurry。 The room stank of smoke； and Ushiba saw a large brass ashtray full of ground butts next to a pack of cigarettes and a thick gold lighter。
The room looked more like a boardroom than a detention cell； and perhaps that was what it was。 Twelve matching chairs ranged around the table。 A pair of credenzas stood against t