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〃Stop it！〃 Tori said。
Godzilla ignored her。 A small blade snicked into his left hand。 It headed for Bernard's throat。
Tori drove her doubled…up knuckles into Godzilla's sternum while simultaneously smacking him in the groin with her knee。 For a moment nothing happened； then Godzilla's eyes began to water； his mouth flopped open； and he dropped Bernard Godwin to the none too clean floor。
Tori knew her exit cue。 She grabbed Bernard by the back of the neck and got out of there。
Across town in Roppongi； in an infinitely more savory neighborhood； they entered an all…night sushi restaurant。 A sign over the door had imprinted on it the image of a round； spiky fish。
〃You 're buying； 〃 Tori said as they sat down。 〃You owe me。〃
〃It will be a pleasure；〃 Bernard Godwin said； inclining his head in a gesture that seemed both old…fashioned and appropriate。 She was surprised that he appeared none the worse for his ordeal。
Tori ordered for them： bowls of baby eels to start； then an assortment of sushi that included abalone； flying fish roe； and sea urchin。 Lastly； she ordered broiled fugu。 All this was quite deliberate： the Japanese Unique Culture Test。 Tori had been subjected to it on her arrival； she saw no reason why she shouldn't subject Bernard Godwin in the same way。 She had taken him to one of the restaurants licensed to serve blowfish； which； in the wrong hands； could be lethally poisonous。
They were given hot towels。 The hot sake came first； and Tori watched Bernard as he drank his。 They were on their second bottle when the baby eels arrived： tiny white things in a clear broth。 The eels were without doubt disgusting to look at； but really were quite tasty。 Tori ate with gusto； and was mildly disappointed when Bernard dug in without so much as twitching an eyelid。 Oh； well； she thought。 There's plenty more to e。
All the sushi she had ordered was food for which； after a long time； one might possibly acquire a taste。 It was true that many Japanese themselves did not care for sea urchin。 But to impress Westerners as well as to prove their superiority and separate…ness； they ate it anyway； pretending to savor its strong rancid taste。
To her dismay； Bernard tackled the sushi with a good deal of aplomb。 He even asked for more marinated ginger and wasabi； the fiery green horseradish。
〃I once read a report；〃 he told her； 〃that said this ginger was a natural protection from any nasty microorganisms that might be in the raw fish。 Had you heard that also？〃
Tori said she hadn't。
The fugu came； and Tori told him what it was。 Bernard looked at the fish； shrugged； ate it。 When they were both finished with their food； and Tori ordered their sixth bottle of sake； Bernard said； 〃Tell me； young lady； how did I do？〃
〃Pardon me？〃
〃How did I do on the test you just gave me？〃 he said patiently。 〃Did I pass？〃
Tori looked at him for a moment； then laughed until the tears came to her eyes。 〃Jesus Christ；〃 she said； wiping at her eyes； ''you really are the limit。〃
〃Funny；〃 Bernard Godwin said with a serious face； 〃that was just what I was thinking about you。〃
Tori took him back to her apartment； a tiny place in an ugly； colorless building that looked like a cracker box stood on end。 But inside it was fortable； if cramped。
Bernard seemed content to settle in。 He was an exceedingly magnetic man； for he carried with him a singular kind of power。 He reminded her of images she had seen of Julius Caesar： the planular face； dominated by the long patrician nose； the prominent chin； the mander's eyes； so full of good humor as well as power。 It was a good face； strong and at the same time gentle。 It was a glyph which； if you read it correctly； seemed to say； If you are my friend； I will take care of you forever； but if you are my enemy； I will take you down in such a way that you will not even know it's happening。 Much later she would e to see the guile； lurking like a pike in deep water； behind his bright blue eyes。
Tori got a couple of Kirin beers from the half refrigerator； opened them； handed him one。 She liked that Bernard was fortable drinking it from the bottle。 He was dressed in a pair of dark blue trousers； a polo shirt of the same color； and a handsome jacket of soft chocolate…colored lambskin。 He wore highly polished John Lobb stalking shoes that made no sound when he walked。
Tori liked the way he moved…not quickly； but lithely； with a sense of purpose always。 His were not the mannerisms of a young man； but they certainly weren't the mannerisms of an old man； either。 Far from it。 Bernard Godwin had obviously put his years to good use； learning as he went； from many sources。 Tori found this interesting。 In fact； she found Bernard Godwin altogether fascinating； but after the incident in the fugu restaurant when he had so effortlessly seen through her； she was careful not to let him know this。 He wanted something from her。 She thought that the chances were good that he would get it； but it was she who wanted to set the price。
〃You said something about a proposition；〃 Tori said； flopping down beside Bernard Godwin on the rolled…up futon she slept on that doubled as a sofa。
〃Yes； indeed。〃 Bernard had stretched out his long legs； crossing them at the ankles。 His eyes were hooded； as if the sake was finally catching up to him or he had passed his bedtime。 〃This is something I've no doubt will pique your interest。〃
〃First I'd like to know how you heard about me。〃
Bernard took a sip of the Kirin。 ''The Yakuza might call you the Wild Child； but there are others to whom you are known as the Female Ronin。'' He turned his head toward her。 ''In certain circles you really are quite famous。''
〃Like a celebrity。〃 Tori got up； turned on the stereo。 Jefferson Airplane。 Stomping backbeat； swirling melody。 Grace Slick singing ''White Rabbit。'' Yeah； Tori thought。 You tell 'em； Gracie。 Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men？ When Tori came back to sit beside Bernard； she said； 〃What circles？〃
〃My kind of circle；〃 he said in his sleepy voice。 〃Yours； too； I imagine。'' He sucked at his Kirin。
〃Yeah？ What makes you so sure？〃
〃You want it straight？ Okay。 You're an angry young woman looking for direction。 Right now； you'd as soon throw yourself in the furnace as someone else。 Right now； it doesn't matter all that much to you as long as someone burns。 But I'm here to tell you that it does matter。 It matters very much。〃
〃Why？〃
For some time Bernard Godwin was quiet。 Then he leaned forward； put the Kirin bottle on the free…form glass and iron coffee table。 He put his elbows on his knees。 〃There was a guy I know；〃 he said at last。 〃This was a long time ago。 This guy was about your age； perhaps a couple of years younger。 His mother had just died； and all through the funeral he was hoping his father would walk into the funeral parlor…just for a minute； even…to pay his respects。
〃This guy's father had run out on his wife when his son was five years old。 He found another woman； maybe； or maybe he liked to go from woman to woman； who knows？ Anyway； the guy hadn't seen his father in all those years。 He hadn't thought that he really wanted to…harboring in his heart this hatred for his old man…but n