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the Shinto shrine； and they did not see her。 She resented the fact that the two of them had apparently bonded。 She was jealous of the psychic link between them； but she also felt cheated because when it came to the crunch； they had both treated her like a woman。 Apparently； the interrogation of the Yakuza Zao was too dangerous for her。
She left the grounds of the shrine and entered the hotel。 She went upstairs； found the only open door。 Zao was twisted in his chair； trying to free his wrists。 He stopped when he became aware of her； jerked around。 She turned down the lights so that the room was almost dark。
〃Who are you？〃
She said nothing； just stood there regarding him levelly。
Zao gave her a twisted smile。 〃Sweetheart； I'm awfully unfortable。 Do you think you could do something about that？〃 He spread his legs lewdly。 〃That's why you're here； aren't you？ To soften me up。 Do your business； then leave。〃 The smile turned into a sneer。 〃And when you go； tell the shits who hired you that it won't work。〃
Seiko went to a table； set her handbag down on it。
〃Who the hell are you； anyway？ I know all the whores in Kyoto。〃
He watched as she dug deep into her handbag； extracted a pair of rubber surgeon's gloves。 Lightly powdering her fingers； she snapped on the gloves with practiced motions。
Zao had gone silent。 He was watching her with the paralytic fascination a rodent has for a poisonous serpent。
She put both hands into her bag； rattled around in there for what seemed a long time。
At length； Zao said； 〃You're not a prostitute； are you？〃
Seiko gave him a long； slow smile。 〃I'm a doctor。〃
〃Doctor？〃 He said it as if he were repeating a word wholly alien to him。 〃I don't need a doctor。〃
〃You certainly won't when I get through with you。〃
〃What does that mean？〃 His gaze was riveted on her forearms at the spot where they disappeared into her bag。
It was interesting seeing the expression on his face as she removed her hands from the bag。 One was holding a long； thin object。
Zao gave a tiny indrawn gasp。 〃A hypodermic。 What are you going to do？〃
〃Don't worry。 You won't feel a thing。〃 Seiko smiled again。 〃Ever。〃
Zao recoiled； almost tipping the chair backward。
〃Now keep those legs open； dear。〃
Zao clapped his knees together。 〃Don't touch me。〃
Seiko paused； holding the object high。 She looked down on him as a reproving schoolmaster would on an unrepentant truant。 〃What's the matter？〃
A smattering of Zao's old bravado surfaced。 〃If you kill me； you'll be hunted down with those two shits outside。〃
Seiko laughed。 〃Kill you？ What purpose would that serve？ No； you have broken your word and without that you are nothing … not even a man。〃 She took another step toward him； the object held menacingly in front of her。 〃I am going to inject you with a substance that will affect your prostate。〃
Zao goggled at her。 〃My prostate？ Why？〃
〃Remember sex； dear？〃 She took another step。 〃That's all it will be when I'm through with you； a memory。〃
〃No！〃 Zao shouted so loudly that the lampshades shuddered。 〃You can't。〃
〃Ready or not； here I e。〃
Later； when an exhausted Zao had told her everything he knew about the Russian V。 I。 Pavlov； she relinquished her hold on the long； thin object and； reversing it； put the mascara applicator back in its plastic pouch inside her capacious handbag。
11
Vietnam/Highlands/London
〃I've lost another one。〃
〃No matter；〃 Rock said； staring down into the chamber with the hot cell made of depleted uranium…238。 〃There's plenty more where he came from。〃
〃Jesus。〃 Abramanov stood before him in his lead smock and thick rubber gloves。 〃That makes twenty。〃 His eyes were bleak。 〃Pavlov's miracle shield doesn't work。〃
Rock grunted。 〃What a surprise。 You Russians haven't been able to get anything right for years。〃
Abramanov shook his head； for once trying not to be intimidated by the huge man。 〃You don't understand。 Element 114m is dirtier than any isotope I've ever worked with。〃
〃What do you mean？ You guaranteed me the fission detonation would be absolutely clean。〃
〃Of course it will be。 But in this state the isotope is deadly。 In order to work on the project it must be handled； moved in and out of the hot cell。 That's when the leakage occurs。〃
Abramanov shifted uneasily on his feet 〃What are you going to do with him； the latest man with radiation poisoning？〃
Rock stared at the Russian； pursed his lips； and gave a piercingly jaunty rendition of Be…Bop Deluxe's 〃Sleep That Bums。〃 He waited long enough to enjoy Abramanov's squirming before he said； 〃We'll do what we did with all the others： string him up by his ankles and hang him in the forest along the perimeter。 It's a good object lesson for the locals。 I don't like waste。〃
The Russian was shaking his head。 〃I'll have to train someone new and I don't have the time。〃
〃Work double shifts。〃 Rock's pale eyes blazed。 〃We've got ten days to March fifteenth。 Torch must be ready by then。〃
〃I don't know whether that's a realistic date。 I hadn't counted on losing so many men。〃
Rock pulled Abramanov off his feet with such abrupt force the Russian's teeth clacked together painfully。 The viselike grip of Rock's huge paws held him fast。 〃Doctor； I didn't save your life； retrieve your precious cargo； get you everything you wanted； just so you could fuck with me now。〃
〃But I had no idea then how dirty element 114m is。 I would not have …〃
〃Spare me your sanctimonious bullshit； Doctor； I've heard all the rationalizations the petty human mind can dream up； and they're all drivel。 You'd have done the same thing you're doing right now； and d'you know why？ Because you love it here in your scientific womb。 I've given you your heart's desire。 Your former Soviet masters didn't do that。 They belittled you and held you down because you're a Jew。 If you'd made it to the States instead of crashing off the coast of Vietnam； the U。S。 government would have spent a year picking apart your brain； and even then they never would have fully trusted you。 You know you're best off here。 Me； I don't give a shit what you are。 You're a fucking genius and that's all that matters to me。〃
〃But I have nightmares。 This project has terrible ramifications …〃
Rock abruptly turned away。 〃Get it done any way you see fit。 Just get it done。 Otherwise； all this … your dream playland … will disappear。 Is that what you want？〃
〃I …〃 Abramanov hung his head。 〃No。〃
People are so pathetic； and so easily manipulated； Rock； thought with satisfaction。 〃Torch will be detonated ten days from now；〃 he said。 〃I've never yet reneged on a promised delivery date； and I don't plan to start。〃
Rock left Abramanov to work on the final stage of Torch。 He went out of the hot…cell observatory； down two flights of stairs； and across the pound。 Various outbuildings； barracks； storehouses； guard posts； and the like fanned out from this nexus point； all enclosed by twenty…foot…high walls of interlocking cut trees of massive girth； anchored in six feet of cement footings。 The tremendous number of heavily armed men gave the impression of being inside a military installation。
Rock paused beside the cage。 It was six feet high；