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dn't get it from mommy and daddy。 Where did it e from？〃
〃She went to New York； scammed her way into a job working for the Democratic mayoral candidate。 You know Vesper； once she was inside an organization； she would find a way to make it open up like a flower。〃
〃But the pay wouldn't have been enough to put her through a munity college； let alone Yale and Columbia。〃
Arkham nodded。 〃She once told me that she had been very lucky。 The candidate got elected。 He was so impressed with her he remended her to a foundation that helped deserving students in financial need。
〃Has she been scamming again？ She can't help it； you know。〃 The man's pain was palpable； and Croaker felt sorry for him。 He'd never stop bleeding for his ex…wife。
〃I can't say yet。 Tell me； do you know the name of the foundation？〃
Arkham's face was lined in thought。 〃Acton？ Andover？ I remember it started with an A just like my name。〃 He snapped his fingers。 〃Avalon！ That's it！ As in King Arthur。〃
Croaker stood stunned for a moment。 Avalon Ltd。 was the name of an international arms merchant concern。 It was also the name of a foundation that had put Vesper through years of higher education。 Coincidence？ In Croaker's world； coincidence did not exist。 Was Dedalus stealing from his own organization； DARPA； and getting rich selling the booty through Avalon Ltd。？
〃Mr。 Croaker； she's not a bad person；〃 Arkham said desperately。 〃Bad things have happened to her。 That's not the same thing； is it？〃
〃No； it's not。〃
Croaker watched the big man melt into the shadows of the building that would soon e crashing down upon itself in much the same manner as Arkham's world had e down on him。
Ushiba went to see Tetsuo Akinaga； the oyabun of the Shikei clan。 Given the Daijin's clandestine relationship with Akira Chosa； this was a most difficult decision to make。 But Yoshinori's revelation that Chosa had enlisted Tachi Shidare； the new oyabun of the Yamauchi clan； to destroy Nicholas Linnear had given Ushiba no choice。
The truth was that Ushiba did not trust anyone…least of all a revenge…minded Chosa … to have success against a man such as Nicholas Linnear。 The truth was that Ushiba did not believe any of Chosa's well…reasoned arguments for Linnear's demise。 Not that they didn't have validity … far from it But Ushiba knew Chosa well enough to understand that； like the doomed； mad Tomoo Kozo； who had tried to kill Linnear on New Year's Day； he had his own personal reasons to see Linnear destroyed。 And the ultimate truth was that Ushiba did not believe in personal revenge。 It went against every tenet of kanryodo； the creed of the samurai…bureaucrat； by which he lived his life。 It also went against everything he had observed in life。 How many men had he seen consumed by their need for personal revenge？ More than one was often too painful to remember。
In his lifelong battle against the Americans； Ushiba had tried with varying success to remember the painful penalties of obsession。 Surely those who chose to define morality to suit their own vision were doomed。 Tomoo Kozo and Chosa came immediately to mind。 There had to be an absolute morality； Ushiba believed； like the tenets of kanryodo or Buddhism； upon which the world worked and the human heart flourished； or else it would merely survive like an organ preserved in formaldehyde。
After the debacle with Kozo； Ushiba thought that Chosa had learned his lesson。 But Chosa was hardheaded； more； he still had the arrogance of youth； whose chief illusion was that mortality and disaster could be kept at arm's length merely by force of will。 Ushiba could detect nothing but danger in such a cavalier attitude； and he had no desire to be pulled into the vortex that must surely ensue from Chosa's irresponsible actions。
Ushiba stared out the tinted window of his car； but he saw nothing of the passing panoply of Omotesando； one of Tokyo's beautiful wide avenues。 Instead； he continued to gaze inward； thinking of Chosa and Akinaga； and how much the inner council had changed since the attempt on the Kaisho's life had forced Okami into exile。
Tetsuo Akinaga ran many large and plex businesses in Tokyo； but his favorites were his smaller boutique panies。 These he took a direct hand in starting up and multiplying like crickets all over town。 His current interest was Big White Men。
Ushiba's car had e to a stop without his knowing it。 He got out when the driver opened the rear door for him。 He suppressed a wince as his stomach regurgitated pain like rotten food。
This particular Big White Men was in Harajuku； near the Meiji Shrine。 Ushiba went across the busy sidewalk； into the store。 Of course； Big White Men wasn't really a store。 It was a discreet laundry service specializing in men's underwear。 For a monthly fee； the patron received the key to an anonymous…looking box； approximately the size and shape of a mailbox in the post office。 The patron paid one hundred yen per item； then deposited the soiled garments in the box and； forty…eight hours later； returned to find them laundered and neatly pressed。 Business； Akinaga said； was booming； particularly since underwear was being stolen off clotheslines in apartment blocks。 〃Who would have thought it；〃 Akinaga said jocularly。 〃I'm getting rich protecting people from fetishists。〃
Ushiba and Akinaga spoke in one of the back rooms of Big White Men。 The smell of detergent and bleach permeated the air； and the low thumping din of the machines was felt as tremors through the floor。
Akinaga； looking particularly gaunt； poured tea for them both。 They were sitting on low chairs； a stubby…legged table between them。 These sparse furnishings were of modern Japanese design and manufacture； and as was typical； they displayed a bizarre hybridization of traditional Japanese sensibilities and European flair。
On the table was a phone and a small plate with sweet pastilles to counteract the extreme bitterness of the macha green tea。 The two men drank in silence； each immersed in the ritual； savoring the confluence of two extreme tastes in their mouths。 When they were finished； the young woman who had brought the tea cleared the low table。
When they were alone； Ushiba said； 〃I have a matter of the utmost urgency to discuss with you。〃
Akinaga inclined his head slightly； the only indication he would give of his surprise。 〃I am honored that it is to me you have e； Daijin；〃 he said with great deference。
〃I have most recently received word that Chosa has taken a most incautious path。〃
〃Chosa is often rash and hardheaded about personal matters。〃 Akinaga's perpetual frown lifted slightly； as if he were talking of a wayward child。 〃What has he done now？〃 As if he were going to be asked to provide the cloth to wipe this baby's behind after an unfortunate accident。
〃It seems that he has somehow enlisted the aid of the new oyabun； Tachi Shidare； to carry out his desire to destroy Nicholas Linnear。〃
If Akinaga had been capable of dropping his jaw in astonishment； he would have done so now。 Instead； his frown deepened so that two vertical lines appeared between his eyes。 〃Yes。 That was a most foolhardy decision to make。 I cautioned him against any such act after you and I ha