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like a poster boy or a talento。 His brainchild had given him a kind of instant celebrity； and since this devolved onto MITI； it was deemed beneficial for the beleaguered bureaucracy as a whole。
His inter was buzzing when he returned to the office。 His secretary announced that Yukio Haji wished to see him。 Ushiba glanced at his jam…packed schedule book。 He did not see Haji's name listed； but since Haji was one of the young ministers whom Ushiba was training； he bade his secretary send the man in。
Haji； in a somber mood； entered； sitting in a steel…frame chair that Ushiba indicated。 Haji was an earnest young man who had e to MITI with the highest possible grades； honors； and remendations。 Ushiba had been determined from the outset to make something special of him。
〃Daijin； I know how busy you are； but there is a serious matter that cannot wait。〃
Ushiba sat back； fit a cigarette while he studied the young man's unlined face。 Here was a product of the new Japan； under pressure to perform at full capacity at every level of his education； examined； probed； pushed at every level after graduation。 Being accepted at MITI was his reward； but Ushiba made certain he knew that was not the end of it。 Haji might be a product of postmodern life； but Ushiba was seeing to it that he was possessed of kanryodo； the spirit of the samurai…bureaucrat。 A code of honor； as strict as the ancient samurai's Bushido； operated here； and recruits either accepted it as gospel or they were transferred to another； lesser ministry。
〃What is the problem？〃 Ushiba said。
〃I went to my checking account to pay my rent this month and found that I had insufficient funds。〃 Haji drew forth a folded sheet of paper。 〃Please accept my resignation。 I am leaving ministry service。 It is clear that I have worked hard but learned little。〃
Ushiba took the proffered resignation but did not open it。 Instead； he opened his lighter； put the flame to the er of the paper。 When the last ash had crumbled from his fingers； he said； 〃How much do you owe？〃
When Haji told him； he wrote out a check； which he handed over to his astonished protégé。 〃Read the Hagakure； the Book of the Samurai。 Your ignorance of its wisdom is your true transgression。〃 He did not ask what Haji had spent his money on because he did not care。 All that mattered was that kanryodo be adhered to； that misconduct within the class remain undetected by those outside。 〃Youthful indiscretion is understandable； even to be expected。 I do not intend to lose one of my best recruits because of it。 I am your superior and so responsible for you。 Take the check and we will say no more of it。 The matter is settled。〃
The Vietnamese was not much of a man。 Nicholas was disappointed by the appearance of the slightly built individual in the doorway to his hotel room。 The cockroach was gone； scuttling for its lair the moment the rap fell upon the dosed door。 Nicholas had stood aside while he opened the door left…handed。
The man limned by the buzzing fluorescent of the hallway was slender； slim…hipped。 His face was partly in a shadow cast by his American…style fedora。 He was dressed in a finely tailored business suit that nevertheless had about it the unmistakable lines of a made…to…measure job。 His tie and shirt were woven of Thai silk； and he smelled faintly of a floral cologne that made Nicholas's nose itch。 The whole had a vaguely affected look that he did not care for； but the man was careful to keep Nicholas's right hand in view； and this was impressive because in this instance it would have been Nicholas's primary weapon。
The man stepped into the room； said； 〃You are Goto？〃 That was the pseudonym Nicholas had given the friend of Shindo's friend who had agreed to help them。
〃Right。〃
The man looked around the room with curiosity rather than suspicion。 〃Ready to go？〃
〃I don't know your name。〃
He shrugged。 〃Call me Trang。 One name's as good as another； isn't it； Chu Goto？〃 Trang smiled； revealing white； even teeth behind pouty lips。
Nicholas grabbed his jacket and they went out。 He didn't bother to lock the door behind him； he had paid for the room in advance and he wasn't ing back。
〃You always pick such； ah； luxurious acmodations？〃 Trang's voice had a husky； midrange tone； as if he were a heavy smoker and drinker； which； Nicholas thought； could be all too true。
A bevy of half…naked women were lounging in the entryway to the hotel。 They were as over…made…up as rock groupies and just as young； Nicholas thought。 What a life。 They made sucking sounds with their lips and grabbed at their breasts as the two men pushed past them。 They smelled of cheap perfume and of sex。
Trang had long； quick strides and Nicholas found himself having to push himself in order to keep up with the Vietnamese as he darted amid the late…night throngs that swarmed along Liem Van Chau Boulevard。 Choking exhaust from me traffic bined with clouds of smoke from street stalls in which meats and vegetables roasted over charcoal fires。
What Nicholas had told the skittish friend of Shindo's friend was that he had obtained a prototype of a second…generation neural…net chip。 What he needed was a theoretical…language technician： who could decipher the new technology and build a workable machine around it…fast。 And whoever it was； Nicholas had cautioned； had better know how to keep his mouth shut。 The idea had been that whoever had put together Tinh's puter with a first…generation neural…net chip would jump at the chance to get his hands on a second…generation chip； because upon learning of the illegal puter； Nangi had moved to shut it out of the East Asian gray market。
The promise of a second…generation chip was like being offered a billion dollars tax…free … the possibilities were unlimited for constructing a cybernetic machine so advanced it would blow all petition out of the water。
Seventy…two hours later； the friend of a friend had phoned him to give him the particulars of the meeting。 Nicholas had agreed to the date and time … the next day at midnight … but had changed the venue to the Anh Dan Hotel in Cholon； where Shindo was familiar with the layout； including entrances； exits； and cover as well as the general surroundings。 That was sensible； as well as prudent。 It was essential； Nicholas had long ago discovered； to catalog what he called 〃the smell〃 of a site for any rendezvous … a mosaic of sight； sound； smell； taste； and feel。 Because to know when a site didn't smell right you had to be familiar with all the pieces that fit together to make the whole。
Nicholas understood the pressure under which Shindo had been operating。 It was imperative in paranoid Vietnam to make any inquiries under cover of maximum security。 Unstable political factions still vied for power with a fractured military； mountain insurgents； and ethnic vigilantes； so all foreigners were automatically suspect。 But beyond that； neither Shindo nor Nicholas knew the identity or the strength of the enemy。 Vincent Tinh and those in his operation may have been involved with drug smugglers； black…market munitions specialists； power…crazed Chinese mountain warlords； Yakuza … the list was endless。 Still； there was one ubiquitous truth：