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Croaker unloaded the gun； shaking the bullets out onto the ground。 Then he returned the weapon to its holster。 As he did so； he extruded the stainless…steel nails from their sheaths in the tips of his biomechanical fingertips； hooked them over the collar of the mole man's shirt。 He jerked down； and the nails shredded shirt； tie； undershirt； flesh from neck to navel。
〃Christ！〃
Mole man tried to jerk away but Croaker held him fast with adamantine fingers。 He exerted pressure on mole man's naked chest； jamming him back against the slats of the bench back。
〃Don't threaten people you can't kill in a tenth of a second。〃
Mole man was covered in gooseflesh； but his eyes burned so brightly Croaker could tell he was still more frightened of Bad Clams than he was of Croaker。
〃I want you to give your boss a message。〃
〃Fuck you。 Who cares what you want？〃
Croaker exerted more pressure。 〃You should。〃
The mole man smirked。 〃What're you gonna do？ Kill me here among the birds and the kids in prams？ Get real。〃
Croaker hauled him to his feet。 〃I've had about enough of you。 Let's go over to New Scotland Yard。 They have pits for people like you。〃
The mole man began to struggle mightily。 〃You've got nothing on me。 You can't lock me up …〃 He broke free and； depressing the dial of his watch； opened his right hand as a small…caliber pistol appeared in it from a spring…loaded wrist…grip。 He pulled the trigger just as Croaker lowered his shoulder and barreled into him。
Croaker closed his titanium and polycarbonate fingers over the weapon； wrenching its muzzle away from him。 He took a pounding for it。 The mole man was strong and he knew how to street…brawl。 He got in two quick jabs to Croaker's ribs before he went for the groin。
Pain flared in Croaker's pelvis and he thought he heard the crack of a rib giving way。 The mole man pressed his advantage； pummeling Croaker's right side； but this gave Croaker the opportunity he needed； and he exerted full force into his biomechanical hand。 The mole man's wrist snapped back just as he landed a vicious blow into the flesh over Croaker's kidney。
Croaker saw stars； almost passed out； but managed to swing his left hand away from the fractured wrist。 The extended stainless…steel nails slashed in a horizontal plane； flailing the skin and flesh from the mole man's cheek； the cartilage from the bottom of his nose。 Croaker dug his nails in； catching them on bone and viscera； pulled down。 The side of the mole man's head slammed into the pavement with a sickening sound。 Then Croaker let go of consciousness。
He was roused by an urgent voice。 He opened his eyes and found himself staring up into a bobby's face。 He was young； almost boyish； and he appeared very frightened。 Croaker was aware of a crowd and thought； Christ； what a cock…up； as Major would say。
〃Don't move。〃 The bobby swallowed hard。 〃You've been hurt and there's a lot of blood。 A police ambulance is on its way。〃
Then； despite the bobby's warnings； he turned painfully over； saw the open eyes of the mole man staring blankly into his。 He could hear the two…tone rise and fall of a siren； ing closer； but his ears were filled with Bad Clams's voice：
Don't try to cross me in London or wherever the fuck you wind up with this thing； because I'll e down on you with both my hobnailed boots strapped on and it won't be a pretty picture。
〃Tachi's dead。〃
Chief Inspector Van Kiet looked up at Nicholas。 〃Shit。 What happened？〃
〃Seiko happened。 She put a crossbow bolt through his heart。〃
Van Kiet slammed his palms down on his desk as he jumped up。 〃That bitch！ I told Tachi not to trust her。 Where is she？ I want to interrogate her。〃
〃She's dead； too。 Karma。〃 His words were far colder than he felt； but Van Kiet had held no love for Seiko； and Nicholas Saw no point in expressing his feelings。 Grieving had always been best left as a private affair； as far as he was concerned。
〃One thing about this job；〃 Van Kiet said； apparently not hearing him； 〃it's filled with roads not taken。〃
〃That's not a very oriental attitude。 Don't you believe in karma？〃
〃Not anymore；〃 Van Kiet said wearily。 〃I've been hanging out with too many Americans。〃 He looked at Nicholas。 〃But Tachi must have proved his innocence。 He knew the Yakuza who claimed Vincent Tinh's body。〃 Carefully monitoring the expression on Nicholas's face； he said； 〃He did show you the copies of the photos I gave him。〃
〃He didn't；〃 Nicholas said with a feeling of cold dread。
Van Kiet's office was so cramped he would not have been able to close his door had he wanted to。 Dossiers； leaflets； post…ups； wanted flyers； interoffice and interdepartmental memos； floated everywhere like polka dots in a spotlight。 The place smelled of stale food and staler sweat。 A meat locker would have been preferable。
He rummaged around in a pile so high it seemed to be intact through sheer willpower。 With all the élan of a magician he extracted a manila folder from the center without disturbing any of the other flies； folders； and circulars above and below it He opened the folder； shoved three black…and…white surveillance shots into Nicholas's hands。
They showed a Yakuza in his midtwenties。 In one； he was seen entering a massage parlor。 In the second； he was stripped to the waist。 In the third； he was lying prone on a mat while a naked young woman with long hair bent over him。
〃We're not as backward here as some might believe；〃 Van Kiet said dryly。
Staring hard at the Yakuza's irizumi … his tattoos … Nicholas said； 〃This man belongs to Tachi's clan； the Yamauchi。〃 He pointed。 〃The subject matter of Yakuza tattoos are as identifiable as signatures。〃
Van Kiet seemed to brighten。 〃But this happened last winter； before Tachi became oyabun of the Yamauchi。〃
〃True； but according to Seiko； Tachi was already in Tokyo and had gained Tomoo Kozo's trust。 By then； he was handling the Yamauchi's interests in Southeast Asia。〃
〃He could have been sent by Tachi； in other words。〃 Van Kiet seemed very sad indeed。
Nicholas nodded。 〃At the very least； it's likely that Tachi knew about him；〃 he said as he put the photos back into their folder。 This was evidence that Seiko had been telling the truth about Tachi。 On the other hand； Nicholas still felt the Tau…tau pull of the Shuken。 He suspected that given time； Tachi would have confessed his involvement in the scheme to kill Nicholas。 Nicholas preferred to believe that their friendship would have defeated Tachi's pragmatism。 But perhaps that was just wishful thinking； and in any event； time had run out for both of them。
Nicholas looked at Van Kiet。 〃Are you prepared to tell me now who murdered Vincent Tinh？〃
Van Kiet nodded。 〃Sure。 What do I have to lose now？ I trust you not to open your mouth about it。 It was Rock。 Tinh thought he could weasel his way into Floating City； bee a partner。 Rock made an example of him； he needed to show very clearly what happened to people whose ambition gets out of control。〃
Outside； downtown Saigon sizzled with the inexpert giddiness only a massive infusion of capitalism and money could perpetrate。 Music and horns blared in concert； and the sound of raised voices was； like diesel exh