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〃There's a pany my partner infiltrated that's also in the arms racket；〃 Croaker said。 〃It's tied in to an international cartel that's made up of members of the American Mafia and the Japanese Yakuza。〃 His eyes locked with Major's。 〃What's worse； last year my partner and I discovered that certain members of the U。S。 government are also implicated。 This pany's name is Avalon Ltd。 I have been under the impression that Avalon and Morgana…Malory were petitors。〃
Major was shaking his head； 〃Looks to me as if it's just the opposite： they're all part of one gigantic organization。〃
Croaker knew he had e upon a major breakthrough。 Ever since he had gone into hiding； Okami had been directing Croaker and Nicholas toward Avalon Ltd。 Why？ He had been assuming that Avalon was owned and operated by the Godaishu。 Then； when he had e upon Morgana； his first thought was that Okami and Goldoni had put into play their own arms network to try to put Avalon out of business。 Now that he knew Avalon； Morgana； and Malory were all one； he had to ask himself who was cornering the market on international arms shipments。 The most obvious answer was the Godaishu。 It fit。 This would also be why Okami would be directing them toward Avalon。 Vincent Tinh； the head of Nicholas's pany in Saigon； had been murdered … by Rock； Nicholas had told him。 The man who had spirited the body away had been a Yakuza giving Avalon as his pany and a fictitious address in London。 It was now virtually certain that the Godaishu had direct ties to Rock and Floating City。
But Johnny Leonforte had been the Godaishu's American head and he had been killed last year。 Who was directing the continued pipeline of stolen U。S。 government weapons out of DARPA？ It had to be the man who had hired Leonforte in the first place； and who oversaw DARPA： Sen。 Richard Dedalus。
〃I don't know。〃
The old woman； her back bent； hobbled down the stone path； stopped before the red torii； and pulled the thick hemp rope； setting the bronze bell to tolling。
〃Even if I knew； I wouldn't tell you。〃
The old woman； standing before the Shinto shrine； clapped her hands twice； bowed to the kami she had just awakened； and began her prayers。
〃You're dead men。〃 Zao looked from Nicholas to Tachi。 〃You have no idea …〃 The underoyabun's jaw dropped open as Tachi pulled back the sleeve of his shut； revealing his irizumi。
Zao looked up into Tachi's face。 He was seated in a chair； his wrists tied behind its back。 Then his face screwed into a mask of hatred。 〃Whoever you are； you're no one here in Kyoto。 You don't matter to me。〃
Nicholas； who had been looking out the window at the old woman praying at the shrine； now gave Tachi a look； and they retreated to a far corner of the room。 They had e to this Love Hotel because it was anonymous and traditionally no questions were asked of its patrons。 It was on a small side street in the Gion quarter； an ugly ferroconcrete building in a neighborhood otherwise made up of old restaurants that surrounded the beautiful； parklike Shinto shrine； one of Kyoto's many local surprises。
〃This is getting us nowhere；〃 Nicholas said。 〃And we're working against time；〃
Tachi nodded。 〃I know。 You can be sure his people have been mobilized and are bing the city for him。 If his oyabun has been informed。。。〃
Nicholas knew the end of that thought。 If Tachi should somehow be implicated in Zao's abduction； it could cause a major struggle for face between him and Zao's oyabun。
〃He knows time is on his side；〃 Nicholas said。 〃We have to get him to give us the information and get clear of Kyoto before his people find us。〃
Tachi turned to him and said； so softly that Zao could not hear； 〃Don't worry。 He'll give us what we want to know； and when it's over； he won't remember he told us a thing。〃
Tachi stood with his legs slightly apart； his hands at his sides； the fingers loosely curled。 He took deep breaths。 Meanwhile； Zao stared up at him as if he were a lunatic。
Nicholas； concentrating； could feel the marshaling of Tachi's psyche； an edgy curling as of an adder about to strike。 But it was only when Tachi began the chant that Nicholas began to sense the enormity of what was about to happen。
In his mind's eye he could almost see the confluence of two streams； the light and the dark； Akshara and Kshira； the two polar opposites of Tau…tau。 And now； magically； he saw swimming before him kyu； the sphere of Tau…tau。 Within it； he saw Akshara； the path of light； his own discipline； as well as its dark counterpart； Kshira。 And now as he watched the two halves curling and twisting like strands of DNA； he recognized both and all his worst fears were realized。 Because there were dark beads within the structure of Kshira that he recognized。 Kansatsu； his teacher； his enemy； had indeed spiked his teachings of Tau…tau's Akshara with kernels of Kshira。 Like deeply buried time bombs set to detonate on proximity； these precepts had bee part of Nicholas； and only integrating the light with the dark would save him now。
Nicholas was transfixed。 He was certain that what he was witnessing was Shuken。 Tachi possessed koryoku； the Illuminating Power； the one path to integration； to Shuken。 Nicholas had longed to learn the secret of koryoku from Mikio Okami； but the Kaisho had disappeared too quickly。
Shuken。 The sphere； kyu； swirled in coruscating patterns as Tachi tapped into koryoku to conjure the Dominion。 The chanting continued； the atmosphere of the room turned gluey and fluid。 But Zao； for his part； was aware of nothing。 His eyelids fluttered and his breathing became regular； then deep。 Nicholas was aware of his brain activity slowing through alpha； then into delta and theta。
That was when Tachi indicated that Nicholas should ask Zao the questions he would not answer before。 Zao spoke as if awake and alert。 He was not in a trance nor was he hypnotized。 He had； Nicholas realized； been incorporated into the sphere that he could not see but which rotated in the thick atmosphere just in front of his face。 Within the sphere； where Aishara and Kshira were no longer estranged enemies but rather two halves of one whole； Zao believed what Tachi wished him to believe。 Perhaps he thought he was asleep and dreaming； or that he was speaking with V。 I。 Pavlov。 It did not matter； Zao told them how Pavlov had e to see him at the Ningyo…ro； how he had taken the Russian home with him and； the next day； driven him to where he needed to go。 Names； places； deeds； he revealed everything。
At length； when Nicholas was done； Tachi ceased his chant。 The sphere； kyu； spun away into ten thousand strands； which broke up into a million fragments； winking like fireflies in the room before vanishing altogether。
Nicholas and Tachi looked at one another across the body of Zao； and what passed between them even Nicholas could not describe。
They left Zao in the room alone； the door ajar so that someone would eventually find him。
Seiko watched Nicholas and Tachi leave the Love Hotel。 They appeared to be in a hurry。 She had on an ankle…length raincoat and was carrying a large handbag。 She stood well back in the shadows of the Shinto shrine； and they did not see her。 She resented the fact that