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； a cornucopia of destructive hardware； a release from poverty； mass confusion； a concentrated discharge of hatred； an eerie； macho game of chicken。 In short； it had been the ultimate clash of high…visibility mass murder and animistic death concealed by night。
Every official in Vietnam was on the take； it was simply a way of life。 But Van Kiet had demurred。 Why？ Fear was the only emotion strong enough to overe avarice。 There was； then； the ominous threat of corrupt power in very high places； pulling strings that made even the chief inspector of the Saigon police jump。 That had put the investigation on a whole new and dangerous plane； which was why Nicholas was here now； and why Shindo resented him。
Shindo continued to smoke and did not look at Nicholas。 He was slim； of average height with the closed； set face of an old man。 It was a face quickly forgotten； even if seen at length； it had no distinguishing feature。 This was a distinct asset in his line of business； others in his profession had to work at being invisible。 He wore a white shirt； gray polyester slacks； and a dark patternless tie as narrow as a knife。
Nicholas； languidly drinking his beer； watched the cockroach； which was surely more at home in this third…world tomb than he would ever be。 Dark light spun off its pale carapace； deforming it。 He looked upon the insect benevolently； as a kind of patriot from whom he could better learn to survive in this steaming jungle of a city。 His visits to Saigon had been infrequent； unlike Shindo； who came here often。 Shindo had many Vietnamese friends； acquaintances； and contacts。
From an adjacent room Nicholas heard the heavy rhythmic thuds of bodies on a bed； the animal grunts； the liquid sucking sounds of fierce coupling。
Shindo removed a gun from a holster at the base of his spine。 It was an army 。45 of American manufacture； nine years old； maybe more； and must have cost a small fortune； but he was right not to trust his life to any of the cheaper Soviet… or Chinese…manufactured handguns for sale in the back alleys of Cholon。
〃I have bought a gun for you；〃 Shindo said unkindly。 〃Do you know how to fire one？〃
〃I do。 But I never use firearms。〃
Shindo grunted； ground the butt of his cigarette beneath his heel； lit another。 〃This is Saigon。 It's not like Japan； it's not safe at all。 Even a baby in diapers can have a gun。〃 He was clearly disgusted。 〃What will you do when one is aimed at you？〃
Nicholas was a ninja； but he was also tanjian； a hereditary member of a syncretic psychic discipline far older than any martial art。 The essence of Tau…tau was kokoro； the membrane of all life。 Just as in the physical world the excitation of the atom was the basis for all movement … not only human； but light； heat； and percussion … so； too； did the excitation of kokoro give rise to psychic energy。 Thought into action was at the core of the tanjian's training。
Akshara and Kshira； the Way of Light and the Path of Darkness； formed the two primary teachings of Tau…tau。 Nicholas had been trained in Akshara； but all the while Kansatsu； his sensei； was secretly embedding within him certain principles of the dark side。 Some believed that it was possible for one highly disciplined mind to contain both Akshara and Kshira； but invariably； over the centuries； the dark side proved too powerful； overwhelming those adepts who sought to embrace it； corrupting them without their being aware of it； and so it was rarely taught。
However； as he delved deeper into Akshara； Nicholas began to understand the lure of Kshira； because it became clear to him that the Way of Light was somehow inplete。 This was how he had formed his theory that in the beginning of time Tau…tau was fully integrated； the light and dark hemispheres one far more powerful discipline。 Somewhere during the centuries； the ability to harness Kshira had been lost。
For uncounted centuries the goal of tanjian adepts was to form Shuken； the Dominion。 Shuken was the whole； the perfect integration of Akshara and Kshira。 Without Shuken； which was the one key； adepts who attempted to study both paths of Tau…tau were invariably destroyed by the dark side。 Thus had Kansatsu met his fate； overwhelmed by the potent evil of Kshira。
Was this； too； the fate Kansatsu had planned for Nicholas？ Surely there was a time bomb ticking inside Nicholas's head； readying itself to destroy him。 And so； he was desperately trying to discover the secret of Shuken。
But Shuken had proved a highly illusive state。 It was achieved only through koryoku； the Illuminating Power。 Nicholas had been told that Mikio Okami possessed koryoku； which had been a crucial factor in his rise to power； his dominion over all other Yakuza oyabun。 Because of this； Nicholas had a personal stake in finding Okami alive and in good health： he wanted to extract from him the secret of koryoku and； through it； Shuken。
〃Put the gun away。 You have other things to concern you；〃 Nicholas said； his thoughts returning to Shindo's resentment of him。
Shindo； firing up another cigarette from the butt of the last； seemed as distant as a statue of Buddha。 The weapon disappeared as if it had never existed； but it was clear from his movements that he had a certain facility with guns。
〃Did you have friends in the war？〃 Nicholas asked； trying to connect with the PI。 Shindo regarded him for a moment through a haze of curling smoke。 He lounged against the greasy wall like a pimp in a brothel。 〃I knew people。。。 on both sides。〃 He took a drag of his cigarette； blew smoke in a furious hiss。 〃I suppose that surprises you。〃
〃Not really。 In your business …〃
〃Now you have real reason to distrust me。〃
So that was it。 Shindo felt Nicholas's arrival on his turf was an expression of his employers' lack of faith in him。
〃If that was the case；〃 Nicholas said； 〃I would have terminated your contract immediately。〃
Shindo's shoulder came off the wail； as if he might evince some interest now。 〃What do you know of the war； anyway？〃
Nicholas considered a moment。 〃So much has been written about how traumatized Americans were by the war； but it seems to me there was something else far more sinister at work； something most people either did not want to talk about or did not get。 Kids from all over … from the inner…city ghettos and dying small towns … were given unlimited use of deadly weapons。 They were trained to use submachine guns； hand…held rocket launchers； flamethrowers； and were told killing was more than okay； it was expected of them。 I think for some of those men the war became an intoxication almost beyond imagining； a better high than pot or heroin； it was a mind…altering experience。 But how could it be any different？ These kids were thrown into a reality beyond law and endowed with the power of life and death。〃
Shiado was watching him now through eyes slitted by smoke and emotion。 〃Yes；〃 he said after a time。 〃It was just like that。〃
The couple next door had finished their sweaty exertions； and Nicholas could hear drifting in through the open window a few bars of a singer lamenting in Vietnamese…tinged French something about a soul alone and in torment。 The sentiment； exaggerated by a voice filled with perverse sexu