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instructions for electrician or plumber had been scribbled。
She put on her shoes； the floor was poured concrete； filthy with oil and debris。 But； often； gaping holes opened into noisome trenches strung with enormous bundles of cables； the lifelines of the Kinji…to。
Tori leaped over these holes； moving farther into the building's interior。 Abruptly she came to the far side of the Kinji…to； the end of the subbasement。 There was no wall； but rather a vast space opening onto the Japanese solution to the utter lack of parking space in Tokyo。 An automated parking tower had been incorporated in the design of the Kinji…to。 It was made up of a kind of vertical Ferris wheel of steel slots onto which cars were driven； then parked； which were then rotated like a dry cleaner's rack to get to the car needed。
Tori turned briefly back the way she had e； but she could neither see nor hear any sign of Fukuda。 She stepped onto the steel slot of the parking tower； and it immediately began to move upward。
Behind her； through immense green glass windows； Tokyo glittered like a toy city within a glass ball。
Tori looked above and below her； but she could not find Fukuda。 It seemed unsafe to stay in one spot； so she began to climb from slot to slot。 This was not difficult； as the slots were immense gridworks of iron and steel； affording ample hand and footholds。
To be the master of your enemy's fate。 Sun Tzu wrote； one must be as unknowable as one is silent。
Fukuda is doing a good job of it； Tori thought。 So far。 She is leading me in circles： up； down； up。 Why is she doing that？ Tori looked down； past the gridwork of the parking tower； past the skeleton of the Kinji…to's subbasement； into the deep strata below Tokyo itself； and she knew： up； down； up； down。
Thoomp！ Her head jerked up at the sound。 She had just enough time to glimpse Fukuda in the center of the parking tower where the machinery was housed； before her grinning face was blotted out。 A black sphere； expanding as it approached。 Tori saw immediately that the sphere…some kind of gas…propelled and inflated projectile that Fukuda had invented…would fill the entire area of the slot on which she stood by the time it hit。
There was no time to climb upward。 Tori leaped downward onto the next slot。 But by then； with the movement of the parking tower； she was again level with Fukuda。
Thoomp！ The sphere exploding； expanding toward her。
Leap down onto the next slot。
Thoomp！ The sphere exploding； expanding toward her。
Leap down onto the next slot。 She had a vision of Sisyphus rolling his burden up the hill； only to see it roll down again。
Thoomp！ The sphere exploding； expanding toward her。
And Tori； coiled into a ball； leapt backward； kicking out at the last instant； the soles of her shoes crashing through a window panel。 She extended herself； reaching out and backward simultaneously。 Gripped a horizontal steel rim。 Glass cut her hands； and she gritted her teeth。 Blood ran down her wrists。
She was alone in the night； hanging from the sloping side of the pyramid of Kinji…to。 Wind brushed her cheek。 She could hear the sounds of the city； a vast engine humming on like a star spinning endlessly in its orbit。 It seemed so far away。
But at least she was off Sisyphus' hill； the dreadful treadmill that Fukuda had devised for her。
Tori refused to look down； she did not want to know how high up she was； how far away the pavement was from where she hung。 The weight on her shoulder sockets was increasing with every moment she stayed in one position。
Carefully； she felt for purchase with her feet； she encountered nothing but smooth glass。 Her only chance was to curl upward so that her thighs were pressed tight against her chest； until her feet were over the sill of the steel window rim。 In her contorted position she could barely breathe； she was sweating profusely； and her heartbeat was dangerously high。
She hung on a moment more； going into prana； her deep； controlled breathing。 Then； having marshalled herself； she gave one final heave； felt herself launched upward and forward toward the building。 Her backside cleared the steel rim； and she let go with her hands； flew back through the rent window。
The parking tower had ceased its movement； and Tori climbed through one slot into the center of the conveyance where she had seen Fukuda。 She threw the switch to start the engine； then climbed aboard a slot for the ride down。
She pulled out the small shuriken blade she had used to kill the Akita； sliced strips from her blouse； bound her bleeding palms。 As she did so； she saw a small cut on the middle finger of her right hand。 What differentiated it from the other cuts and abrasions on her hands was the flesh surrounding it。 It was dark and swollen。 Tori flexed the finger。 Motion was restricted； and when she touched the cut； she felt no pain； nothing。
She looked down。 She was almost back at the subbasement。 She saw； to her surprise； that Russell was standing at the edge of the parking tower； looking up at her。
〃Tori！ 〃he called。
〃Jump！〃 she shouted； ing abreast of him。
〃What the hell…〃
〃Jump； damnit！〃
Russell jumped down； landing on her slot。 They passed below the level of the subbasement； Tori knew where they were headed； she had known it the moment； ascending Sisyphus' hill； she had looked down； past the subbasement； into the tunnels of Tokyo's subway。
Tori and Russell jumped off the parking tower at its bottom； before their slot began its ascent。 This is the place she's chosen； Tori thought…the place where she left me to die。 Now she's intent on finishing the job。
〃What the hell happened to you？〃 Russell said； taking her roughly bandaged hands in his。
〃I tried to fly；〃 she said； trying to laugh it off； 〃but I didn't quite make it。〃 She was thinking of her numbed middle finger； the knife thrust into the Akita's belly； her hand slipping in the blood； riding up the tiny hilt of the shuriken onto its blade。
〃Fukuda's down here；〃 he said。 〃I saw her riding that thing you were on。〃
〃I know where she's headed；〃 Tori said； leading him into the tunnels。 '〃This is approximately where she left me the last time。〃
〃The subway tracks？〃 Russell looked around。 〃But these tunnels are obviously long…abandoned。〃 At that moment they heard a rumble； felt the vibrations ing up through their feet。 Russell looked down。 〃Underneath us？〃
Tori nodded。
〃This is madness；〃 he said。
〃I warned you。 I told you to stay behind。〃
〃But this is personal。 It has nothing to do with what we're supposed to be invest…〃
〃It has everything to do with it！〃 Tori snapped。 〃As long as Fukuda knows I'm in Tokyo； she'll give me no rest。 Do you seriously believe she'd allow us to continue with our investigation？ '' Her eyes were almost black； as if they had absorbed the darkness of the tunnels through which she and Russell now crept。 〃One thing you can be sure of； one of us is going to die here。 Karma。〃
〃Fuck karma；〃 Russell said hotly。 〃That nonsense is only in your mind。〃
〃You think so？ I told you you wouldn't survive here without an open mind。 I meant it。〃
〃I could knock you out； put you over my shoulder； and carry you out of here；〃 he said。
〃T