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A discreet knock on the door interrupted the interrogation。 Van Kiet's sergeant beckoned Tachi outside。 Nicholas wanted to wait until Tachi returned； but he knew there was no time to spare。
〃It was stolen？〃 Nicholas asked Pavlov。
〃Yes； stolen。 But I'll tell you this； I blame Abramanov because whoever shot me and took it must have known its worth。 He was waiting for me at the rendezvous point Abramanov himself gave me。 No one else knew where I was going。〃
Pavlov began to weep in earnest。 〃It was a usurious price； I know； but what was I to do？ The institute needed the money and I knew Abramanov had nowhere else to go。 Besides； that damn Jew。。。 bolting the country。 I got pleasure from the thought of squeezing so much money out of him。〃
Tau…tau made Nicholas aware of the blood spilling inside Pavlov； filling him with his own fluids。 The coughing fits were being more pronounced。
〃What was stolen from you； Dr。 Pavlov？ What did Abramanov want so desperately？〃
The Russian spasmed so badly that Nicholas could not hear what he said。 Only the continued projection of Nicholas's psyche had allowed him to live this long。
〃It was part。。。 part of a new type of contamination…control field to counteract the extreme toxicity of plutonium；〃 he managed to get out。
〃Why was Abramanov so desperate to have it？ Is he dealing with plutonium？〃
〃I believe it's far worse。 If。。。 if he has created this transuranic isotope； it will no doubt be even more highly toxic than plutonium； both chemically in。。。 in flaking particulates。。。 ah； ah。。。 and energetic gamma radiation。〃
Tachi returned。 He bent over； spoke urgently in Nicholas's ear。 〃That was a messenger from Van Kiet。 He wanted me to see the bullet they dug out of Pavlov's spine。 Van Kiet had never seen anything like it before； but I had。 It's a 。308 caliber； and by the markings on it I can tell it was fired from a Styers rifle。 That's top…of…the…line sniper's equipment； usually es equipped with a scope with about a six…hundred…yard range。〃
〃Then the Russian was right；〃 Nicholas said。 〃He was set up。〃
Pavlov's head was lolling on his neck and sweat was streaking his face。 His eyelids fluttered and blood began to leak from his nostrils。 Nicholas tried to keep his grip on the Russian； but now not even Tau…tau was enough to keep him from slipping away。
〃Dr。 Pavlov； we need to get to Abramanov。〃 Nicholas gripped the Russian's arm； digging his nails in。 〃He's your enemy。 Tell us how to get to him。〃
There was a film across Pavlov's eyes； the blue already glaucous。 But the pupils were still focused on Nicholas。
〃Pavlov； can you hear me？〃
〃Y…yes； I …〃 He began gasping for breath； blood was filling his mouth with pink bubbles。 He was literally drowning。
〃A name！ We need a name！〃
〃Zao。〃
〃What's he talking about？〃 Tachi said urgently。 〃That's Japanese！〃
Nicholas looked at him。 〃Remember what Van Kiet said about his passport？ He came here via Bangkok。。。 and Osaka。〃 He turned back to Pavlov。 〃Who is Zao？〃
But the Russian's eyes were fixed on a point far beyond Nicholas； far beyond the wails of this peeling hospital room。
Nicholas let go of Pavlov's arm。 〃Christ； he's gone。〃
Rock rarely left Floating City these days； it was his sanctuary and he was its absolute monarch。 When he did leave； it was for a good reason。 He met Timothy Delacroix at one of the new Western…style restaurants that seemed to be popping up all over Saigon。 Delacroix was one of a handful of the world's successful middleman arms merchants dependent on Floating City for his materiel。
Delacroix was waiting for him。 Rock had made certain of this by being forty minutes late。 In fact； he had arrived early at the rendezvous point that he had insisted upon。 Paranoid by nature； made even more so by the war and by his hard…won battle to found Floating City； he slowly and methodically reviewed every back alley； shadowed doorway； and open window overlooking the restaurant's entrance； every parked car。 Since he knew the restaurant's owner； perhaps it was not necessary to vet every member of the staff； but he did it anyway。 Rock was an exceedingly careful man。 Before he went back into the street by the rear entrance； he handed a small package to the owner。
Though Delacroix was sitting at a table against a rear corner of the dimly lit restaurant； Rock picked him out immediately。 Perhaps it was his eyes； which were so pale as to be virtually colorless。 Delacroix had about him the air of an adventurer who had spent all his forty…odd years in the bush or the outback。 His skin was like leather； lined and permanently reddened。 His sandy hair was long and unruly。 He licked his lips incessantly； as if he were always parched。
Rock could see Delacroix's clever； colorless eyes scrutinizing every inch of him as he made his way around the clustered tables filled with diners in trendy Western clothes； and he was glad he had e in unarmed。
Delacroix was nursing a beer when Rock came up。 They nodded to each other wordlessly。 A female Vietnamese singer warbled a Jacques Brel tune； the French lyrics world…weary and death…conscious。
A whiskey was placed in front of Rock before he had a chance to order。 Then the two men were left alone。
Rock took a sip of the liquor； then said； 〃How did that little piece of business I gave you work out？〃
〃Why ask me；〃 Delacroix said sullenly； 〃when you no doubt already know。〃
〃Oh； is that it？〃 Rock raised his eyebrows。 〃And you think I'm pissed that you didn't blow Linnear to kingdom e？〃
〃That's about the size of it from where I sit。〃
Rock laughed。 〃I only wanted to put the fear of God into him。 This god。 The god of Floating City。〃
〃I think I did that； all right。〃 Delacroix seemed to relax somewhat。
〃Good。〃 Rock appeared content to sip his whiskey。 The singer was hitting her stride now； wailing over the percussion of the three…piece band。 The sounds ricocheted off the walls like bullets。 At last； he said； 〃You know； I was worried for a while。 That sonuvabitch Vincent Tinh was running scam after scam while he was working for Sato International。 He was buying weapons from me； posing as a middleman； then turning around； making a huge profit posing as a supplier to you and other arms merchants。 And the fucker had the balls to claim he was an emissary of mine！〃 Rock grunted。 〃He claimed Floating City's aegis once too often。 I made an example of him； blew his brains all over that drug warehouse … but not before I dipped him in acid。〃 He chuckled。 〃Now there was a sight！〃
Delacroix said nothing； but seemed to shrivel into the corner。
Rock； who was trained to pick up and analyze the slightest nuance； smirked。 〃What's the matter； Tim； the real world too much for you？ Christ； you're part of it by your own choice； don't be plaining now that your stomach's weak。 I won't believe you anyway。 You've been through too many microwars； seen too much blood spilled。〃 The smirk widened to a knowing； sardonic grin。 〃You know the contribution you've made to the way the world is today。〃
Delacroix finished his beer。 〃I didn't expect you to pay me yourself。 The usual method would have sufficed。〃
〃But this is so much more pleasant。〃 Rock had to raise his voi