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〃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。
〃Then do it； hotshot。〃
〃Think； Tori。 You're reacting emotionally； and Fukuda is counting on that。〃
〃Don't get in my way； Russ。 I won't back off。〃
Russell stood very still。 He was livid with rage； but he also recognized that most of his anger was displaced fear。 He was so frightened for her that he did not know what to say or do。 One thing you can be sure of； one of us is going to die here。
Finally； he nodded。 〃Karma。 〃 And he thought。 If your final meeting with Fukuda is meant to be； Tori； then my presence here now is part of it。 My karma and yours； bound together。 When this is over； who will tell them apart？
They pressed on and； almost immediately； came upon a poorly shored…up section of the ground。 Here wooden boards had been hastily placed over a length of track bed that had fallen through to the next level。
Russell got down on his knees； peered through a gap in the boards。 〃Christ； it's a long way down。〃
〃That's where she is；〃 Tori said。
He looked up at her； the determined expression on her face； nodded。 〃I'll go first。〃
He pushed the boards apart； produced the garrote wire and jammed one of the wooden ends into the gap between the boards where it narrowed to a crevice。 He unspooled the wire into the abyss； lowered himself until his shoes hit the other wooden end。 Using it as a foothold； he slithered down until he was hanging at the end of the wire。
Tori lowered herself after him and； locking her legs around him； moved slowly down his length。 She climbed down his body； dropped； finally； off his ankles onto the track bed of the subway system。 From somewhere beyond a connecting wall she heard and felt the passage of a train。
She reached up； said； 〃Now！〃 and softened his fall as his bulk hurtled down at her。
〃Which way？〃 Russell said。
〃Fukuda will tell us； the more she shows me her strategy； the more I learn about her。''
Russell said； 〃I'm beginning to like this concept of karma less and less。〃
Tori gave him a thin smile。 〃Wrong approach。 You can't like or dislike karma。 You accept it。〃
〃That seems to be something of a paradox；〃 Russell said thoughtfully。 〃Is this acceptance supremely pragmatic or supremely delusory？〃
〃Russ； remember our talk about the merging of myth and reality？〃
〃Yes； but how does that apply here？〃
〃When you can tell me；〃 Tori said； 〃then you will understand。〃
〃Is that a Zen riddle？〃
〃You mean a koan？ Tori laughed despite herself； 〃In a sense； I guess it is。〃
A rumbling filled the tunnel。
〃This track？〃 Russell asked。
〃Next one over。〃
He relaxed somewhat。 〃It's only a matter of time before a train es through this tunnel。''
〃We'll let Fukuda worry about timetables and schedules；〃 Tori said as they moved off down the tunnel。 〃She's so good at it。〃
Privately； Russell thought this was a mistake。 He could not understand why Tori was refusing to take the initiative。 He had been taught to attack whenever possible。 Why was Tori allowing Fukuda to dictate the pace of the encounter？ All this esoteric talk of strategy made little sense to him。 I've got to find a way to end this； quickly and finally； he thought。
Ahead of them； they saw a light。
〃Train？〃
Tori shook her head。 She had one foot on the rail； and there was no vibration。 〃Fukuda；〃 she said。 They had； at last； e to the killing ground。
〃Sit tight；〃 Russell said； so unexpectedly that when he pressed Tori back against the damp tunnel wall； she made no resistance。
Russell； keeping to the shadows； gun drawn； ran quickly and silently down the extreme edge of the tunnel toward the light。
Russ； you idiot！ Tori thought； heading after him。 I thought I'd persuaded you to give up being my protector。 Didn't you promise that you weren't going to go off half…cocked again？
Tori heard the crack and； almost simultaneously； Russell's sharply indrawn breath。 As she came up to where he had been； she saw the cleverly disguised hole beside the track bed； he had fallen into it； had stumbled to his right onto the tracks； catching his right ankle between two rails where they branched into an adjacent tunnel。
〃Don't touch him！〃 a voice cried； and Tori stopped on her way to try to free Russell。 She stared at Fukuda； who was standing not fifty yards down the track； her hand on a chrome lever。
〃This is the manual override to the automatic switching；〃 Fukuda said。 〃If you don't do as I say； I'll put this lever and crush his ankle。〃
〃Tell her to shove it；〃 Russell said； frantically searching for his pistol； which he had dropped when the ground had given way beneath him。 He cursed his stupidity； thought of what his impetuosity had caused。 He sat up； tried to free his ankle。 Christ； but it hurt！
Tori said； 〃What do you want？〃
〃You know the answer to that。〃 Fukuda's hand was curled menacingly around the lever。 〃I want you to die。〃 She beckoned with her free hand。 〃This way。〃
Tori moved toward her。
''That's enough！'' Fukuda manded。
Yes； Tori thought； she's still afraid of me。 She doesn't want me too close。 A useful bit of information。 She had a few weapons at her disposal； but she suspected now that they would not be enough。
Her right hand was at her side； surreptitiously； she flexed the fingers。 The middle three were pletely numb。 She still had some feeling in her thumb； but her little finger was a mass of tingles。
Tori thought； Dear God； she's already won。
〃One doesn't often get a second chance in this life。'' Fukuda cocked her head as she stared； black…eyed； at Tori。 〃I can't tell you what a wonderful feeling it is to see you down here again。 I knew you'd get past the shuriken and the dog； but how you outmaneuvered me in the elevator shaft and on the moving carpark； I'll never know。〃 She laughed。 〃But； you see； it doesn't matter； because here you are； and here you'll the。 In just the way I want you to。〃
She's gloating； Tori thought。 She's human； after all。 Tori began to breathe again。 There was no point in formulating a strategy； the place； the time； the circumstances had dictated what she must do； in any case。 Karma。 And； as she launched herself toward Fukuda； she found herself wondering if Russell would at last understand the nature of acceptance。
She saw Fukuda's eyes open wide in shock； saw the tension e into her left hand where it grasped the manual override； saw the lever begin its descent； the squeal of the rail behind her a harbinger of the pain Russell would suffer。
Then Tori was on Fukuda； her left hand； the fingers stiffened like a bar of steel； chopping down in a percussive atemi； breaking Fukuda's hold on the override。 Tori and Fukuda crashed as one onto the tracks。
Tori had several advantages beside surprise： Fukuda would be reluctant to let go of the lever； since it was her primary hold on her。 That meant she was stationary and essentially one…handed。 Fukuda was also afraid of her； which would slow her response time to any sudden attack。 And her aversion to frontal assaults made her hesitate a fraction more before reacting。 Just time enough for Tori； with the