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s was； to a large extent； an enormous advantage； but her disconnectedness continued to concern Big Ezoe。 Koi was like a tap gushing water： that was all well and good for as long as one needed the force； but what happened when it was time to end the flow and the tap would not close？
It was just after eight in the evening。 The sky was the color of bronze； burnished by the ten billion lights of the city。 There seemed to be no night at all。 They had spent the day trying to get close to Hitasura and Tori Nunn； but even with Big Ezoe's vast network of informants； they could not even find out where they were。 A day that had begun in a most promising manner had turned aimless and frustrating。 On the other hand； Big Ezoe's lieutenants had assured him that； one way or another； an answer would be forthing before midnight as to the whereabouts of Hitasura and Tori Nunn。 Until then； Big Ezoe knew he must content himself with what was about to happen。
Koi slipped out of the car； walking toward a young man in an impeccable three…piece suit who was approaching the front gate of Yasuwara's house。 She had not said； 〃That's him；〃 but had moved on her own； as if once having been given the objectives by Big Ezoe； she was now making her own way toward them without seeking his counsel。 Big Ezoe again thought of the water tap that would not turn off。
Koi stopped Yen Yasuwara。 He did not seem pleased to be intercepted。 Koi said something to him； and Big Ezoe saw the young lawyer's face go white。 Big Ezoe smiled。 A moment later Koi had put Yasuwara into the backseat of the Mercedes； slid in beside him。
〃You're a very handsome man； Mr。 Yasuwara；〃 Big Ezoe said as he threw the Mercedes in gear； pulled out into the street。 〃You must attract many women。〃
〃Who are you people？〃 Yen Yasuwara said in a tense voice。 〃What do you want？ 〃
Big Ezoe noticed that Yasuwara could not take his eyes off Koi。 All the better； he thought。 I want to remain as invisible as possible。 It's Koi's job to take the heat of any fallout that might result from this interview。
Big Ezoe said； 〃It is my opinion； Mr。 Yasuwara； that being handsome is something of a gift。 It shouldn't be taken for granted。〃
''What nonsense are you talking？'' Yen Yasuwara was trying to seem angry； but he only succeeded in sounding more frightened。
Next to him； Koi hooked a bloodred fingernail； jabbed it into the center of his cheek。 Yasuwara yelped； jumping in shock and pain。 But Koi's left hand was already clamped firmly on his shoulder。 She twisted her fingernail in Yasuwara's flesh。
〃You 。 。 。〃 he wailed。 〃You； what is this？〃
''It's a picnic； Mr。 Yasuwara；'' Big Ezoe said in a jaunty tone。 〃At least it is for us。 We're out for a little fun。〃
Koi slit open the lawyer's cheek so that blood ran down his neck； soaking into his neat white shirt collar。 Eventually it began to dribble onto his blue and cream tie； beading on the expensive silk like tears。
〃Oh； God；〃 Yen Yasuwara said。
〃This might be an appropriate moment to begin our talk；〃 Big Ezoe said。
〃Talk？ Is that what you want to do？ Why didn't you say so at the beginning？''
Big Ezoe said； ''We wanted you to understand the seriousness of our intent； Mr。 Yasuwara。 I make money from information； and today you are going to make me rich。〃
〃I think you're mistaken。 You must have the wrong man。 These things happen。〃
Big Ezoe ignored him。 〃You are doing business with two men； Kunio Michita and Fumida Ten； chairman of Kaga。 Is that not so？〃
〃You're Yakuza； aren't you？〃 He stared in morbid fascination as Koi lifted her bloody fingernail in front of his face。 It was as curved as a hawk's talon。
〃It makes no difference who we are；〃 Big Ezoe said； 〃especially to you。 Now； I have asked you a question。 I expect a prompt answer。''
Yen Yasuwara said； 〃Let me go。 I don't know either of those men。〃
Koi's fingernail again buried itself in his cheek。 This time she did not wait to drag it all the way down。 Now there were two bloody parallel furrows along his right cheek。 They could hear his gasping breath in the car。
Big Ezoe said； ''Michita and Ten。 They are clients of yours。''
〃Yes；〃 Yen Yasuwara said immediately。 his eyes were almost crossed in their attempt to keep sight of the bloody talon。
〃What do you know of a West German firm owned by an Argentine named Estilo？〃
〃Look；〃 Yasuwara said； 〃I could get into trouble if I answered that。''
Big Ezoe laughed。 ''Mr。 Yasuwara； you could not be in more trouble than you already are。〃
''But you don't underst…'' his words were cut off in a scream as Koi's fingernail pierced his flesh just beneath his right eye。 Yen Yasuwara gave a reflexive jerk； but Koi held him fast。
〃Yes； yes；〃 he cried。 His right eye was bloodshot； and tears were streaming from it。 〃All right。 Estilo's firm employs me to facilitate moving unusual cargo from place to place。〃
〃By unusual；〃 Big Ezoe said； 〃I take it you mean illegal。 By place to place I take it you mean across international frontiers without being monitored by customs。〃
Yen Yasuwara said nothing until Koi dipped her fingertip into his blood； smeared it across his dry lips。 Then he whimpered； said 〃Yes；〃 in a voice made hoarse by fear。
When Koi said； 〃Where does Estilo's hafnium e from？〃 Yen Yasuwara jumped。 Perhaps he had not expected that she could speak。
〃Please； please； please；〃 he said。
Koi leaned toward him； and Yen Yasuwara began to tremble。
〃Estilo buys all his hafnium from a French firm； named La Lumiere d'Or；'' he said。 〃It is a privately held French pany； but its parentage is American。''
Koi said immediately； 〃Is the American who acpanied Kunio Michita in his dealings with Kaga the owner of this French firm？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃But he might have been。''
〃I don't think so；〃 Yen Yasuwara said。 〃I could tell the American was in control； although the two of them took pains to disguise the fact。 I'm far too knowledgeable about such things for me to have been fooled。 No； La Lumiere d'Or is simply the conduit through which the hafnium flows。 This man； you could see； was not a businessman。〃
Koi was thinking that Yasuwara was the second man who had said the mysterious American didn't give the appearance of being a businessman。 The Kaga vice…president had made the same observation。 In a moment she said； 〃Does Kaga buy the hafnium outright from Estilo？〃
〃No。 That's part of why I was retained。 Michita buys the hafnium from the West German firm by withdrawing funds from a blind offshore trust held at a bank on the Caribbean island of Monserrat。 I found a way for Michita to be involved without him having any connection with the account。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃He has to make the deposits。〃
〃He doesn't；〃 Yen Yasuwara said。 The sweat was streaming down his face； mixing unhealthily with the coagulating blood。 ''That is taken care of by a third party。''
〃Yeah？'' Big Ezoe said。 ''Who？''
Yen Yasuwara hesitated only long enough to see Koi's talon e up to the level of his eye。 He blinked furiously； swallowed hard。 〃Hitasura。〃 He said it as if it were a sigh and all the air was escaping from inside him。
There it is； Big Ezoe thought。 The link no one wanted to admit to