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〃Same thing as you； it would seem。〃
Tachi twirled his beer bottle between his hands。 〃Tell me； does this second…generation chip actually exist？〃
〃It does；〃 Nicholas said。 〃But it's safe in a Tokyo lab。 I wouldn't have taken the enormous risk of bringing it with me。〃
〃What were you going to show Abramanov？〃
〃Then Abramanov exists？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 Tachi said。 〃He exists and he's working feverishly in Floating City on a project unrelated to Rock's drug trade。〃
〃Rock isn't merely into drug trafficking；〃 Van Kiet interjected。 〃He's also one of the main suppliers of illegal arms worldwide。 I mean these days just about anyone with cash can buy any weapon they want； within reason； from the Russians or the Chinese。 But then you're stuck with basically shoddy equipment。 That's all right for some minor despots and terrorists； but the big boys want more。 They play for keeps and want to e out on top。 They want American weapons … and the latest ones； to boot。〃
〃That's where Rock es in。〃 Tachi pulled another beer out of the cooler； popped the top。 〃He somehow has a pipeline into … what？ The U。S。 military？ The Pentagon？ The arms manufacturers？ Who knows？ The point is； he's the only source。 Middlemen e to him and him alone and pay top dollar for his consignments。 That's what happens when you have a monopoly。 Where are you going to go when you get gouged？〃
〃And if you are stupid enough to plain？〃 Van Kiet cocked his thumb and forefinger like a gun； pulled the trigger。
〃Is that what happened to Vincent Tinh？〃
〃Possibly；〃 Van Kiet said。 〃But my own theory is the little bastard just get too greedy and Rock decided to make an example of him。 In Rock's business it pays to do that every once in a while。 Keeps the citizens from getting restless。〃
〃How can the Vietnamese government allow such a place to exist？〃 Nicholas asked。
Van Kiet grunted。 〃Are you kidding？ Rock's made his life's work a gold mine for them。 Floating City got its name because Rock has managed to make it into its own miniature city…state； he pays key officials in the government so much that they deny the existence of his independent kingdom … his Floating City。〃
Nicholas finished his beer； but declined Van Kiet's offer of another。 Despite his rapid recovery； it felt like a long day； and he was feeling the accumulated effects。 There was a buzzing in his head he suspected only sleep would finally conquer。
〃Have either of you heard of something called Torch 315？〃 He told them how he had e across the entry in the Avalon Ltd。 puter； and what Croaker told him it meant。 〃We're talking a major bang here； a disaster for what could be a large number of innocent bystanders。〃
〃It could be what Abramanov is working on；〃 Van Kiet said。
〃Isn't he a cyberneticist and theoretical…language technician？〃
〃That's right；〃 Van Kiet said。 〃But apparently that's not all he is。 Disturbing rumors surfaced about six months after Abramanov appeared that Rock was transporting enormous quantities of lead and depleted uranium 238。〃
〃Do you know what that stuff is used for？〃 Tachi asked。
〃Usually to contain radioactive material；〃 Nicholas said with mounting excitement。 〃This could be it。 Have you done some background digging on Abramanov？〃
〃Yes； and I've gotten nowhere。〃 Tachi grunted。 〃We're speaking of Russia。 Bureaucrats are far too busy trying to survive to dig out bios of former citizens。 And every time I've found a less…than…distracted bureaucrat over there； he's been replaced a week later。〃
Van Kiet was tapping his upper lip with his empty beer bottle。 〃You know； there is someone in Saigon who may be of some help。 He arrived four days ago from Bangkok via Osaka； but according to his passport his original point of departure was Moscow。 I remember the memo ing in and noting it because these days we get so few Russians。 The people here hate their guts； will spit at them； curse them； try to beat and rob them。 We get a fair number of plaints from Americans who have been mistaken for Russians。〃
〃So he's Russian；〃 Nicholas said。 〃That doesn't mean he'll know anything about Abramanov。〃
〃Oh； but he will。〃 Van Kiet showed his yellow teeth in a disfiting grin。 〃If Abramanov is a nuclear scientist； this man will know him。 He's the head of the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy in Moscow。〃
〃What's he doing here？〃 Nicholas asked。
〃In Saigon； he's looking for only one of two things。〃 Van Kiet rose； turned on the engine； and began to raise the anchor。 〃Money or opportunity。〃
〃Maybe both；〃 Tachi said； stowing the cooler underneath a bench。 〃And that could mean he's headed straight for Rock and Floating City。〃
Croaker got out of the taxi at the building demolition site。 After the countrified Gordian knot of Senator Dedalus's estate the damp urban wind seemed to cleanse him。 It was good to be amid the clamor and grime of the city； he'd had enough of Senator Dedalus and his odd James Bond manque。 Dedalus must have been born understanding how to manipulate people。 His control of power was quite extraordinary。 Croaker； whose business had been to size up people in an instant； did not know what to make of the senator。 Was he sincere as he professed to be； or was he hiding behind a mask of seamless manufacture？ Had Vesper and Margarite been there two nights ago as Croaker suspected； or was Dedalus telling the truth？
Croaker stopped the first man he saw at the demolition site。 〃I'm looking for John Jay Arkham。 His office said he was here。〃
The worker pointed into the abandoned office building。 〃He's inside； directing the placement of the charges。〃 He meant the explosives that would implode the building； bringing it safely down upon itself。 〃Big guy； blond hair。 You can't miss him。〃 He handed Croaker a hard hat。 〃Here。 Wear this while you're on the site； even if you have to go pee。〃
Croaker thanked the man； settled the hat on his head； and went inside。 It hadn't been difficult tracking down Arkham； his demolition pany was the largest in the area。 Since he was often on…site； his office was used to directing potential clients in the field。
The inside of the building was eerie； all empty vaults； creaking wood joists； and half…exposed metal girders。 The air was filled with drywall dust and paint flecks。 Here and there； exposed pipes and ductwork attested to the diligent work of the homeless； who had torn loose pieces of insulation as blankets to huddle beneath during the long winter nights。 They might not freeze to death； but God only knew what the exposed asbestos and torn fiberglass was doing to their lungs。
Croaker made his way through the rubble until he spotted a small group of men bending over an area where four girders met at the concrete subfloor。 The sound of a high…speed drill could intermittently be heard as concrete dust billowed up。 One man； oversize and blond； gave terse orders。
〃Mr。 Arkham？〃 Croaker had to shout several times。 It wasn't until the drill stopped that the big man looked over。 〃Lew Croaker。〃 He dropped his badge open。 〃Can I have a minute of your time？〃
The blond said something to one of the men and the drill started up。 He walked over to where Croaker was standing and took off a pair of thick plastic safety