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！
good。 Predictably； the school officials closed ranks； terming the incident an accident。 They wanted nothing more than to end a thoroughly unpleasant incident。
〃So I did the only thing that would save me； the only thing I seemed suited for： I joined the Yakuza。 I went to Kumamoto； and with the brashness of youth … and I suppose the urgency of desperation … I sought out the local oyabun。 When I told him the story of my arm； he understood immediately。 He had no son of his own； only daughters。 That was my lucky break； and I used it。〃
Tachi now brought his left hand into the light。 The end of his little finger was missing。 He looked at it with such passion that the demon on his shoulder vanished。 〃I made one mistake with this man。 I thought it was the end for me。 He assigned me to protect his eldest daughter on the day of her wedding to the son of the oyabun of a neighboring town。 There were those against such a wedding because they saw a future where both clans would be joined into a single； far more powerful entity； and this they could not abide。
〃There was an attack； and in the melee the bride was struck by a stray bullet。 Even though I knew there had been nothing more I could have done to protect her； I had failed。 Six hours later； she died on the operating table and I went before my oyabun； certain of my fate。
〃Instead； he spoke to me of happenstance and loyalty； he spoke to me as if I were his own child。 In the end； I gave him this part of me and he forgave me； not only in word but with his heart。 That is a lesson I have never forgotten。 In the real world … the world of my youth … there was no honor； but among the ranks of the Yakuza I found what I was looking for。 I discovered what was important in life。〃
* * *
The first thing Croaker did when he woke up was check to see if Margarite was in the hotel。 He was told she wasn't。 Once again； he used his Looking…Glass ID to log on to the number given him by his former boss； William Justice Lillehammer。 A man answered with the light； chirpy voice of youth。 When the voice acknowledged the ID； Croaker asked to speak to Domino。
〃I'm sorry；〃 the voice replied。 〃There's no one here by that name。〃
〃But there must be。 I spoke with her last night；〃 Croaker said； but his mind was already running several steps ahead； and he could see his folly。
〃On this line？ Impossible。 I was on； duty then。 I didn't speak to you。〃
〃But I called …〃
〃Hold on。 All calls are electronically logged in by the central net。 Let me access。。。 Here we go。 What time was your call？〃
〃There were two of them。〃 Croaker gave him the times。
〃I don't know where you called； but it wasn't here。 I have no record of your ID logging in at all this year until right now。〃
Croaker closed his eyes； his mind continuing to race。 Who was Domino and how had she known he was going to call？ Just as importantly； how had she interrupted the federal net so he wouldn't be logged in？ Maybe she was a cyber hacker。 Or maybe。。。
Croaker gave a description of Domino to the OD operator； and the man laughed。 〃I don't know。 Except for the hair and the color of her eyes； I'd almost say you were describing Vesper Arkham。〃
Croaker gave a little choking sound； and the voice said； 〃She was Waxman's assistant； right？〃
〃Well； yeah； but now she works directly for Senator Dedalus。〃
〃Doing what？〃
〃Whatever he asks。 Rumor is she's trying to keep together the remnants of the active agents from Looking…Glass so they can all be thoroughly vetted。 The news of Waxman being Johnny Leonforte literally devastated the agency。 A clean sweep and all that。〃
〃But wasn't Vesper just an administrative assistant？〃 Croaker asked。
〃Yes； but again rumor is now she was much more。 Maybe Dedalus's mole； who knows？〃
Croaker considered this for a moment。 It was looking more and more as if he and Nicholas were right about her。 She was a mole and Dedalus's woman。 If she was also part of Okami's Nishiki network； was she working both sides of the street？ According to the agency rumor mill； she was used to a double role。 Clearly； he needed to find out more about her。 If she was putting Nishiki at risk； then Margarite was in danger。
〃Does she have a sister？〃 Croaker asked。
〃Vesper？ Not as far as her personnel file is concerned； and that's as thorough as they e。〃
〃Okay； then。〃 Croaker pulled himself together。 〃I need two things： Vesper's home address and a plete telephone record for the last three months for a strip club called Moniker's。 Also I want a trace on all the numbers。〃 He gave the voice the address。 Domino had lied to him； so it was logical to assume the documents she had given him were falsified。 Even if by some miracle they weren't； it was only prudent to double…check whatever she had provided。
〃I'm sorry；〃 the male voice said； 〃the addresses of agency personnel have been reclassified strictly Director Only。 However； the phone records will be no problem。 A courier will deliver the hard copy to you within two hours at the location of your choice。〃
〃My hotel will be fine。 You wouldn't be bringing them yourself； would you？〃
〃Are you kidding？ That's strictly against agency policy。〃
But it hadn't been against Domino's policy。 Croaker said； 〃By the way； who would have the proper authorization to requisition home addresses？〃
〃Mr。 Lillehammer would have； for example。 But； of course； he's dead。〃
〃Who else？〃
〃Well； Senator Dedalus； naturally。〃
〃How so？〃
〃It hasn't been made public knowledge； but he is head of the Senate mittee investigating Lean Waxman； who ran this federal agency until his death late last year。〃
〃Did the senator request his involvement be kept out of the press？〃
〃I'm not sure； but I'd guess so。 He's so busy overseeing DARPA I doubt he'd want it known he was dividing his time。〃
〃What is DARPA？〃
〃The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency。〃 The voice chuckled； 〃You wouldn't believe the kind of sci…fi crap these boys are funding。 Walking robots； weird weapons； all kinds of shit。 Where they get their money is beyond me； probably black budget … you know； off the public record； like the NSA。〃
That was interesting； Croaker thought。 The woman who identified herself as Domino had told him of Dedalus's involvement with interstate trucking and municipal…bidding reregulation but not this。
〃Who's your boss now？〃 he asked。
〃I suppose Senator Dedalus is making policy decisions until a new director can be found。〃
〃And who will appoint the new director？ The president？〃
〃I doubt it； presidents never have before。 This agency has always been Senator Dedaius's baby。〃
Croaker cradled the phone； looked at his watch。 It was almost four in the morning。 He slept for just under two hours； too exhausted to take off the rest of his clothes。 The alarm he had set woke him at six from a dream in which he was sitting on a stool； dressed in a jester's baggy clothes； being interrogated by officials of the U。S。 government who sounded suspiciously like Bad Clams Leonforte。 He tried not to think of Bad Clams's threat against Margarite； but that was like trying to tell a surgeon operating on his wife not to think about his patient。 He put a call in to Nick； leaving h