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It took some effort for Okami not to laugh in the face of his naiveté。
Iwanushi appeared to be sunk deep in thought for some time。 At length； he said； 〃What if I could guarantee you enough money to pay all your gambling debts and keep on going？〃
Okami looked at him。 〃That kind of sum would pay for a lot of food for you and your family。〃
〃Like power； money is an illusion。 The future of mankind is more important；〃 Iwanushi said in the voice of the true zealot。 〃As a capitalist； you will be doomed with all the rest。 My destiny is to help mankind on the proper path to a true classless society。〃
〃And paying me will do that？〃
〃In pensation； you will supply me with ongoing intelligence that Donnough provides to you as to the workings of the Gang of Fifteen and any other operation of significance the American SCAP forces are planning to put into action。〃
Okami could see that Iwanushi had been a busy boy since the time they had first spoken in the bar。 And his superiors had bitten。 〃What kind of money are we talking about？〃
〃Ten thousand dollars a month；〃 Iwanushi said hopefully。
Okami laughed。 〃You should go gambling with me more often。 I go through that amount in a week。〃
Iwanushi stood as firmly as he could。 〃I would have to evaluate a sample of your intelligence。 If it proved interesting enough； well； who knows？ Ten thousand might be just the beginning。〃
Okami was pleased。 He now had confirmation that the munists were directly handling Iwanushi。 Only they would have deep enough pockets to provide this kind of monthly payout。
〃Do you have the current intelligence on the Gang of Fifteen？〃 Iwanushi asked； his greed showing。
So much for Utopia； Okami thought。 〃I could gather it together tonight。 I have it in memo form at home。 A couple of days …〃
〃Do you think the man you owe will wait that long？〃
〃You're right。 The sooner the better。 Do you have the money？〃
〃I want to see the intelligence first〃
Okami took him to a small apartment in an affluent section of the city。 Iwanushi goggled at how the other half lived； even in postwar Tokyo。 Inside； Okami gathered the copies of the intelligence Donnough had provided； showed two of the juicier memos to Iwanushi； who devoured them； goggling some more。
〃But this is infamous；〃 Iwanushi said； echoing Okami's own words to the Colonel。 〃It is proof positive that all governments are the same。 Saving these war criminals to use for their own ends while public war tribunals are making headlines is the height of hypocrisy。 You see？ This is what democracy has in store for us。 More lies and deceit。〃
Okami wished he had an adequate rebuttal to present； but the truth was in this instance he agreed with the socialist。 The world was awash in cynicism； only the Colonel's vision of the future provided Okami with any sense that what he did now would have some positive effect for all the tomorrows that stretched ahead of him。 How eerily similar his yearnings were to those of Iwanushi。 But he had no time to examine that particular phenomenon。
〃Let me see more；〃 Iwanushi said。
〃After I see the money。〃
〃I can't authorize payment until this has been evaluated and authenticated。〃
〃That wasn't our deal。〃
Iwanushi shrugged。 〃I may be poor； but I'm not stupid。 If this material proves false； I'd have paid you for nothing。〃
〃All right。 I'll give you half the material and you pay me half now。 Then we can see if we can trust one another。〃
Iwanushi nodded。 〃That makes sense。 I don't have to like you in order to trust you。〃
Within forty…eight hours Iwanushi was back in touch with Okami。 His handlers were elated with the material； they wanted to consummate the deal by exchanging money for the rest of the memos。 This was what Okami had been waiting for。 In among the remainder of the Donnough memos he had slipped one he had created that gave the location of the pound where the Gang of Fifteen was being housed。 This was information Donnough would never have mitted to paper； let alone delivered to a third party。 The location came from another source entirely； and it had cost Okami plenty； not in cash or services but in the weight it had placed on his conscience。
He had discovered that Donnough's male secretary was a homosexual。 He and his Japanese lover had shown up in one of Okami's late…night establishments that drew people from the soft underbelly of society like flypaper。 Okami had only to show this man black…and…white photos of him and his lover entwined in several entertaining embraces for him to break down。 Okami had seen numerous Japanese weeping in the throes of clamorous drunks； but this was different。 Looking at the naked back of this slender man； Okami saw in his mind the image of his mother； bent over his father； her hand literally filled with his blood as she tried to stanch the mephitic flow from multiple sword slashes。
This disturbing vision did not stop him from using the man to get what he wanted； but the incident did not pass from his memory as many more violent and traumatic events had done。 Now it flashed again in his mind as if a spotlight had been cast upon a darkened stage。 He could count the vertebrae； see the pale pink pigmentation； the mole on the left shoulder blade。 He could smell blood。
〃Was the man you owed content with half his money？〃 Iwanushi asked when they met。
''Content； no。 But he's a realist。 On the other hand； if I don't appear tonight with the remainder； I will be in big trouble。〃
〃Don't worry。〃 Iwanushi handed over a thick packet wrapped in rice paper。 〃I am giving you your life back。 Remember that if you ever think about selling your information elsewhere。〃
Okami had no idea why but he felt pelled to follow Iwanushi back to his wood…and…plaster hovel beside the railroad tracks。 He watched from the nighttime shadows as Iwanushi trudged to his front door and opened it。 His tiny wife bowed to him； and though he came empty…handed into a house that had nothing； still she weled him with genuine respect and affection。
Okami stood in the darkness long after the door had closed and the lights had been extinguished。 The stench of garbage and urine was very strong。 A dog barked； presaging the passing of a tram； and when it came； it rattled the row houses as if they were made of paper and wattle。
Ten days later； the headlines were splashed across the newspapers。 A strong bomb blast had rocked a small residential section of the city that the SCAP forces had mandeered。 Information was sketchy because the American military was involved； but it seemed clear from preliminary reports that as many as twenty people had been killed； most of them Japanese nationals working for SCAP。 Whether the explosion was an accident or had been the work of saboteurs was at the present time a matter for speculation。
Halfway through his breakfast of tofu and broiled fish Okami's phone rang。 It was the Colonel。
〃Have you heard the radio reports？〃 Colonel Linnear asked。
〃No； but I'm reading the account in the paper now。〃
〃The munists got to the Gang of Fifteen。 It seems your problem's solved。〃
Okami did not understand the tautness in the Colonel's tone。 〃If that is who was killed； you're right。 It would make me hap