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Tori did not move。 She was staring at the blank face of Fukuda。 It seemed in that horrific instant that she saw her future； black and bitter； there。 The end of the path she had set out on when she had discovered that in some way she needed to confront death again and again。
〃Tori； goddamnit； get up！ Your vendetta's finally over！〃 Russell knelt down beside her。 He picked her up； carried her back to another worker box； shoved her in； crawled painfully in beside her。 The darkness was electric with sound and vibration。
〃She's dead。〃 Russell's voice was hoarse。 He was shivering with shock and pain。 〃I hope you're satisfied。〃
He was trying to examine her； but the lack of light made it impossible。 〃How badly are you hurt？〃
〃If you hadn't kept calling to me；〃 Tori whispered； 〃I would have been the one left lying on the tracks。〃 She put her head wearily on his shoulder； felt his arm e around her。 She closed her eyes； but that only made her more dizzy。 She felt unutterably sick。
〃Russell； your leg…〃
The tunnel was lit up as if by a display of fireworks； and they were shaken by the train's rumbling passage。 When it was gone and semidarkness had descended again； Russell said； 〃Everything's all right。 We'll make our way out of here now。〃
But when he pulled Tori to her feet； she immediately collapsed； and seeing her stricken face； he said； 〃Tori； what's the matter？〃
〃You're wrong； Russ。 It's not over。〃 Tori thought again of her hand slipping in the Akita's blood； sliding up the narrow hilt of the shuriken knife that she had removed from the stairway wall； being cut by the blade。
〃I can't move；〃 she said； showing him the swollen wound； black as death； on her middle finger。 〃Fukuda's damned homemade toxin has poisoned me。〃
BOOK THREE
THE ZEN POLICEMAN
It is always with the best intentions that the worst work is done。 …OSCAR WILDE
TEN
TOKYO/STAR TOWN/MOSCOW/ARKHANGELSKOE
〃That bastard Hitasura。''
Big Ezoe； standing in the wet subway tunnel beneath the Kinji…to； looked down at the broken body of Fukuda。 He saw the blow tube still gripped between her teeth； noted with sorrow that the tiny steel shuriken had not been launched。 On the other hand； her ferocious expression； not unlike a tigress about to strike its prey； filled him with satisfaction。 She had died a warrior's death。
〃That bastard Hitasura。''
Still； he did not like losing a member of his family； especially one as valuable as Fukuda had been。
The rumble of the subway trains in adjacent tunnels filled the flickering semidarkness； building to crescendos； then dying away in echoes。
〃That bastard Hitasura came in here with his troops and did this。〃
Koi； the hard machine who had once been Honno Kansei； knelt by his side。 Her fingers touched the crepuscular flesh of Fukuda's cheek。 ''Hitasura's men didn't do this。'' Her voice was cool； detached。 〃Before she was shot； she went one on one with someone。 Someone better than she was。〃
〃Tori Nunn。〃 Big Ezoe spit out the name。 〃That's why； at the first sign of the trap； Hitasura escaped the Kinji…to to get his men。 He brought them back into the museum； down here into the subway system where Fukuda had lured Tori Num。 He risked the Metropolitan Police for that woman。 She's teamed up with Hitasura again。 That's bad news for me。''
〃No；〃 Koi said； rising。 〃It's bad news for her。〃
The first streaks of sunlight； pressed like orange pulp through the gun…metal gauze of the clouds； filled the eastern sky。 When they struck the curve of the Sumida River which Big Ezoe's apartment overlooked； the sluggish water was transformed into a ribbon of molten lead。
Koi stared out and down at the increasing dazzle； broken now by the pewter bow wave of a fishing boat heading toward the Tsukiji Fish Market。 There were so many shades of gray on the river； in the long shadows along its banks； that Koi kept counting them； as if there was a lesson to be learned in attempting to measure infinity。
〃We have several tasks before us；〃 Big Ezoe was saying。 〃First； I want us to find a way to usurp Hitasura's deal with Kunio Michita。 Michita must be paying Hitasura a fortune for his go…between work。 The breadth and depth of the political corruption Sakata's ledgers revealed is breathtaking； the tapestry of bribes they recorded is priceless。 Why should he have his fingers in that pie and not me？
''But it will not be easy。 As you know； there is a gap in Kakuei Sakata's ledgers。 The physical connection between the two… Hitasura and Michita…is never mentioned。 Is it because of ignorance or by design？
〃Second； we must punish Hitasura for his transgressions against members of my family。 Third； we must destroy Tori Nunn for her part in all this。 She murdered Fukuda。〃
There was a gull on the river； Koi saw； whose body incorporated every shade of gray in its environment as it passed from shadow to light to shadow again。 I am like that gull； Koi thought。 I am every shade of gray。 I am my environment。
〃I would have liked；〃 she said； 〃to have had more time with Fukuda。 I was looking forward to that。〃
Big Ezoe stared at her。 She was lit from behind by the early morning light ing in through the windows。 Her features； cloaked in darkness； seemed unreal to him； so much like the god mask at the Bunraku play that； for a moment； he was transfixed； for he could not tell one from the other。
Then she moved； and orange light brushed her cheek； warming her flesh； illuminating one dark eye。 And； with a shock； he saw in there the hint of some mad thing； a black force like a maelstrom still far off on the horizon of night； and it made him shudder； for he suspected that it would be a struggle for him to control it。
Big Ezoe pushed these disturbing thoughts aside； said in a businesslike voice； 〃I want you to think back to when you were working for Kunio Michita。 Can you give me a list of names； important clients and associates he saw with some regularity…say； more than three times a month？''
Koi began； just as if she were a puter sorting through vast files。 〃Of course；〃 she said； reeling off more than a half…dozen names。 ''But that's not counting the Kaga people involved in the joint venture with Michita；〃 she said。
〃What kind of joint venture？〃
〃A bined research and development laboratory；〃 Koi said。 ''But I don't see how that could be of interest to us。〃
Big Ezoe looked at his watch； made a quick call。 When he hung up； he said； 〃I think it's time we went to breakfast。〃
〃Bathe me first；〃 Koi said。 Her eyes were glittery with hunger。 〃Then we will go and do what must be done。〃
Big Ezoe was unused to being ordered around。 He found that he did not much care for it。 He opened his mouth to protest； then closed it again； deciding that at this point it was far better to humor Koi than to oppose her。 With Fukuda gone； he needed Koi…not that he could ever afford to let her know this。 But； with the manner in which Fukuda was disposed of； if he did not retaliate quickly and successfully； his loss of face would be devastating to his authority over his people。 So he acquiesced as obediently as if he were a woman。
The bath was modern primitive； an S…shaped curve of translucent glass blocks created a