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urrounded by walls on all sides； its design and tiered lustiness fooled the eye into believing that one was at some countryside ryokan； where； in the distance； wooded slopes stretched away into the distance。
They were led down a hallway with polished wood floors。 The walls were painted a molded pewter and beige to resemble the plaster…cracked walls of an ancient villa。 More facade to fool the eye。
Koi noted that they were taken past seven rice…paper and ash…wood fusuma doors。 All were closed。 She paused outside each one； pressed her fingertips against the rice paper to see if she could pick up any minute vibrations that either movement or conversation would impart。 She felt nothing。
And yet she fell farther and farther behind。 Once she glanced over her shoulder。 What was bothering her？ Perhaps it was that the man with the misshapen ear had made no ment concerning the condition of the side of Yen Yasuwara's face。 Perhaps it was because he did not seek the identity of Yasuwara's guests。 （Of course； it might be that he was already familiar with Big Ezoe； but Koi refused to make such an assumption。） But most of all； she did not trust Yen Yasuwara。
The three men had stopped outside the sliding fusuma to the Green Room； and Koi hurried to catch up。 When the man with the misshapen ear put his hand on the door； Koi stopped him。
〃I'll do that；〃 she said and； before he had a chance to refute her； she whipped the fusuma back and slammed the heel of her hand into the small of Yen Yasuwara's back； catapulting him into the Green Room。
Nothing happened。
The man with the misshapen ear stared at Koi； and； turning around inside the room； Yen Yasuwara did the same。 Big Ezoe ignored them both。 He was looking at Kunio Michita； who； sitting cross…legged on the tatami mats； had twisted around。
〃What is the meaning of this？〃 Michita said in a voice of flint。
〃I'll tell you；〃 Big Ezoe said as he stepped across the threshold。
Koi heard the soft phut！； saw Big Ezoe's body stagger backward into the hallway。 He fell to his knees。 His eyes were turning upward in their sockets； and there was blood on his chest where his frantically pumping heart was sending it through the hole made by the bullet from the silenced gun。
Koi did not step into the trap so carefully laid out for them。 She saw that she could no longer help Big Ezoe； grabbed the man with the misshapen ear； pushed him hard into the Green Room； and took off back down the pewter and beige hallway。
Behind her； Hitasura stepped carefully over Big Ezoe's body； smiling on the corpse's opaque eyes。 In his hand was a Beretta。
〃One shot；〃 he said。 〃That's all it takes to silence anyone。〃
Then Russell Slade was beside him； saying； 〃I've got to get back to Tori。〃 Hitasura nodded。
Three of Hitasura's men rushed from the Green Room down the hall。 〃That's right；〃 Hitasura told them； still staring at Big Ezoe with satisfaction。 ''Track her down。 Then make quite sure you kill her。〃 But it was clear that he had already found the most important measure of his revenge。
rade Volkov is incapable of any real form of understanding。 What did Odysseus mean by that？ All of a sudden it seemed important for Irina to find out。 She felt like Methuselah； stirring from a centuries…old sleep； her brain still not at full speed； still partly cobwebbed； moving through a world she had not made； of which she would never be fully a part。
Using the key Valeri had given her； Irina let herself into his apartment on Kirov Street。 It was silent。 There was the smell of boiling cabbage down the hall； and Irina quickly shut the door behind her。
She went methodically through the apartment； looking in all the rooms； in the closets as well； feeling somewhat foolish； but less anxious； for all that； when she had determined the place was empty。
She paused at the bedroom window that overlooked the Church of the Archangel Gabriel。 She knelt； then bowed her head； made the sign of the cross。 She said a little prayer； then rose； turned away。
/ am concerned by your dependence on men。
。 。 。 Seeing the future as the past； Irina thought of the devastation visited on her family when her father had been taken away by the KGB。 How are we to live！ her mother had wailed。 Holy Mother； protect us！
Irina's mother did not sit around the house for long； however。 A week after her husband was taken from her； she dressed in her best clothing； went out day after day。 Irina assumed she was petitioning the state for the release of lrina's father。 Later； when her father did not return； she assumed her mother had found a job。
As it turned out； Irina's mother was far more pragmatic than Irina could have imagined； because one day she came home with a man； and introduced him to Irina and Yvgeny。 Pavel was a short； glowering man of partial Lithuanian descent。 He was a hod carrier； and his bulging muscles and hulking posture frightened Irina。
Pavel was only recently widowed； Irina's mother told her； and he was very sad。 Irina's mother had determined to provide Pavel with a new family。
Though Irina's mother said nothing of this； Irina understood immediately from her mother's demeanor that it was vital that they all do their best to make Pavel happy and content so that he would not leave them。
Yvgeny； older than Irina by four years； reacted badly to another man's presence in his father's house。 He was twelve； an age of rebellion。 Yvgeny was； by nature； a rebel anyway； and Pavel's presence merely served to drive him further along that path； so that he began to disappear evenings； staying out most of the night。
Irina's mother was so visibly distraught that； once or twice； Pavel went out after Yvgeny； bringing him forcibly back。 But after Yvgeny set fire to Pavel's shoes； in the process almost burning down the apartment； Pavel gave up。
〃He's not my son；〃 he said with a shrug。 〃Why should he listen to anything I tell him？〃
〃But he will get into trouble；〃 Irina's mother said； wringing her hands。
〃He's already in trouble；〃 Pavel said。 〃But you can't chain him to the bedpost。〃
〃Dear God； he needs his father。〃
Pavel got up and left the room。
Irina's mother and Pavel were married some weeks later。 That event hardly helped matters with Yvgeny； who did not show up for the ceremony。 During the next months； Irina's mother spent more and more time at church； praying for her son。
Irina found Pavel to be kind but dull…witted。 He had no ambition； seemed unaware； in fact； that a world existed beyond the confines of Moscow。 Irina remembered him ing through the door each night； white with concrete dust。 She used to watch him at the kitchen sink while she was preparing his dinner； meticulously washing the flesh beneath his fingernails free of ground red brick。
His hands were so large they seemed swollen； and when she ran her fingers over his palms； they felt like slabs of wood。 He was invariably gentle with her； though he spoke very little； mumbling something unintelligible when she set his dinner before him。
Irina would watch him eat； longing for him to say something； or even look at her； but he seemed totally absorbed with eating； as if he would die if he did not cram every bit of food on his plate i