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！
ble。 Nicholas asked the bartender if he knew how to deal。 The man nodded； a bit fearfully。 His fear escalated when Nicholas asked him to be the dealer。
Zao； sitting across from Nicholas； appeared to have no objection。 He tapped the top card on the deck。 〃Since you have chosen the game； I will decide on the stakes。 Is this acceptable？〃
〃It is；〃 Nicholas said； even as he was aware of Tachi shifting nervously at his elbow。
Zao looked about the room shrewdly。 〃When I win this game； you will forget who sent you to me and why you were sent。 Also； you will ascend the karaoke stage and publicly apologize to me。〃
〃And if I win？〃
〃You won't。〃
〃If I win； you will tell us everything you know about the Russian and why he was here。〃 Nicholas ignored the Yakuza's stare； which was meant to be intimidating； and concentrated on the man's body language。 This would tell him what he needed to know during the game。
Zao ordered the bartender to deal。 The first hand； both were dealt winning binations； the second proved a bust for both men。 But on the third hand； Nicholas exposed a winning bination。 Zao held an eight； a nine； and a three。 This was a losing hand and an ironic one； because those three numbers formed the kanji for the word Yakuza。
〃I have won；〃 Nicholas said； standing。 〃Remember the stakes； Zao…san。 You must tell me what you know of the Russian Pavlov。〃
〃In one hour I will leave here。 We will talk outside； then。〃
Nicholas nodded； and he and Tachi rose。 Zao glared at them as they walked back to the bar。
〃I don't trust this fellow；〃 Tachi said。 〃He didn't like losing； especially to you。〃
〃I agree。〃 Nicholas ordered drinks for both of them。 〃But we have no choice now。 We attracted him； now we have to make sure he doesn't pin us both to the wall。〃
It was late when Zao left the nightclub。 Nicholas and Tachi followed。 A cold wind was blowing； the red lanterns along the narrow street rocking crazily on their iron rings。 There were few people about； but several cars were parked half on the sidewalk。
〃Where did he go？〃 Tachi looked from one end of the street to the other。 〃He's not going to talk to us。〃
Nicholas had the same feeling。
The headlights of a car facing them were switched on； bathing them in brittle light。
〃Iteki！〃
〃Zao；〃 Tachi murmured。
He watched the powerful figure of Zao emerge like a black bird from out of the blinding sun。
〃You owe me my winnings；〃 Nicholas called out。 〃Time to pay up。〃
〃I want a rematch。〃 Zao's voice boomed and echoed across the deserted street。
〃Forget it；〃 Nicholas said。 〃You lost。 Accept the inevitable。〃
〃I cannot forget that you； a half…breed； caused me to lose face。〃
〃And you will not remember your word。〃
Zao； close now； laughed harshly。 〃My word is worthless to an iteki。〃
'〃Then you are without honor；〃 Nicholas said。
〃Stupid joke！ What would a barbarian know about honor。〃 The pistol bloomed in his huge fist like a malevolent creature。 〃You are no more to me than an insect who has had the stupidity to crawl into my path；〃 He took another step toward Nicholas and Tachi。 〃Get out of my way or I will crush you。〃
Nicholas was moving … so fast that even to Tachi's trained eye he was a blur。 Nicholas had heard the hammer snap back on the pistol； and his instincts had taken over。
The natural human reaction to an attack was to move directly toward it。 The aikido Nicholas had learned as a child broke that instinct； replacing it with others that dealt with evading an assault and redirecting the intrinsic force of that attack away from you。
And instinct was the only thing that mattered。 At the split instant of attack … perhaps a hundredth of a second … there was no time to consider options； work out strategies； and employ them。 There was only time to act out of pure instinct。
This Nicholas did。 From his own sense of power； of the centralization that is hara； Nicholas struck out； an extension that was known as ki； the inner force。
Instead of advancing toward Zao； Nicholas engaged the extended pistol with his right hand as he swung to his right。 As he did so； he brought his left hand against the Yakuza's hip； using the heel of it as if it were a meat cleaver； chopping into Zao's exposed hipbone。
Zao gave a little grunt as his left leg began to collapse beneath him。 Nicholas swept the pistol from his right hand； twisting the wrist as he did so until he heard the bone snap。 With Zao semiconscious at his feet； Nicholas heard the grate of leather soles on the cement sidewalk … Zao's kohun。
Tachi spun； went into a crouch as he swept the Yakuza's gun into his hand； and shattered the car's headlights with a brace of shots。 Dimly； then； he could make out the faces like pale satellites in the night。
〃This is not your fight；〃 he told them softly。 〃Your oyabun broke his oath； what has happened is his responsibility alone。 This is an affair without honor。 You are not required to take any action on his behalf。〃
Nicholas felt the tension humming through the air like heat lightning。 The foot soldiers had not yet retreated； they stood their ground。 Nicholas began to speak to them。 He pitched his voice just so； using that primeval sound that came from the back of the throat； the one the best hypnotists could just touch； the one that Tau…tau had taught him to master。
He kept talking to them； a kind of litany； until he felt the psychic tension resolve into a tolerable level。 He knew they had about twenty seconds to do what had to be done。 Without breaking his concentration； he motioned to Tachi to pick Zao off the ground and throw him into the backseat of his car。
Tachi got behind the wheel； gunned the engine。 Nicholas jumped in beside the groggy Zao； slammed the door behind him； and they took off into the deepening night。
10
Tokyo/London/ Kyoto
〃She's not here；〃 the man in the wheelchair said。 〃My mother's away for several days。 Can I be of some help？〃
Ushiba smiled。 〃That is very kind of you； Ken。 But I wouldn't think of imposing。〃
〃On a cripple？〃 Those powerful shoulders shrugged。 〃I have time enough to spare for you； Daijin。 I know you didn't e all the way out here just to exchange idle gossip with Kisoko。〃
Ushiba nodded。 He was used to Ken's odd ways。 What others might term impolite was merely Ken's shorthand。 He had little patience with proprieties … admittedly； an odd quirk in a Japanese … considering them nothing more than long…windedness。 But perhaps this was nothing more than an affectation； one more attribute that was remarkable about him。
Not that he needed it； Ken was quite remarkable without it。 He was powerful； and an acplished martial artist even without considering that he had no use of his legs。 He was a fanatic collector； he had an astonishing collection of museum…quality antique weapons … many of them arcane … from Japan's past。
Ushiba actually liked the younger man； though it often seemed to the chief minister that Ken tried his hardest to be disagreeable。 He liked to probe and prod； Kisoko had once told Ushiba with an odd kind of pride； because he was interested in what lay beneath the facade of people。
In his own way； Ken was a master sociologist； and Ushiba often thoug