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old stone； red dust； and fight frenzy。 They were downwind of the red…eyed bull； currently facing a rail…thin matador。
〃Can you tell me why the hell we're here？〃 Russell said to Tori as the three of them settled onto the backless bench。
〃When Ariel and I were in the tunnels；〃 she said； 〃we overheard a fragment of conversation between the two Japanese Yakuza。 This was before they discovered we were there。 They had just finished killing a man named Rega； who had seemed to be their local contact。 It occurred to me； after the briefing you gave me； that this would be a good place to start。 Who was Rega？ That's why I called Estilo。〃
Russell glanced over at the silver…haired man。 〃Who is he？〃
〃Estilo is a friend of mine；〃 Tori said。 〃That's all you need to know。〃
〃It most assuredly is not；〃 Russell said。 〃He hasn't been vetted； they aren't under discipline。 I don't know him from a hole in the wall。〃
〃But I do。〃
〃Tori； I'm warning you；〃 Russell said。 〃If this mission deteriorates into another one of your personal…〃
〃Go home； Russ；〃 Tori said disgustedly。 〃I was wrong。 You don't belong out here。 Go back to your desk in Virginia and let me do my job。〃
The bull made a run at the matador； who turned a magnificent veronica three inches from the beast's left horn。
〃I 'm here for the duration；'' Russell said grimly。 ''You're not running me out of here。 But this person…〃
〃Estilo saved your life and mine back there on the road to the airport。'' Tori glared at him。 ''If you thought for a moment； you'd see that that was a far better test of his loyalty than any of your electronic vetting machines。〃
A roar went up from the crowd as the bull made another run at the matador； who this time stuck a lance into the powerful muscles of its neck。
〃This is barbaric；〃 Russell said。 〃Like something from the dark ages。〃
〃It's the art of death； Senor Slade；〃 Estilo said。 〃Beauty and death is what Medellin is known for。 There is no violence here in the corrida； only grace and an honorable way to die。 This is why the people e； this is what captures their fancy。〃
Russell shook his head。 〃I don't understand。〃
〃Estilo told me who Rega was；〃 Tori said； continuing their conversation。 〃A paisa runner who worked for one of the Machine…Gun City drug cartels。 These are all family run； very powerful。 Estilo can't understand…and neither do I…why the Japanese Yakuza terminated Rega。 The Japanese need the real stuff in order to manufacture their supercoke； so why cut off their supply？ It doesn't make sense； and until it does； we won't be on our way。〃
''But the corrida？''
〃We have to find out who Rega worked for…Cruz； the most powerful of the Medellin family cartels； or the Cali…based Or…olas； their rivals；〃 Tori said。 〃We'll start with Cruz because he was the one who sent the four sicarios after us。 We've got to talk to him； and this is where he is。〃 She pointed to a fat man sitting in the section of the arena almost directly across from them； in the border between sun and shade。 He was surrounded by sicarios wielding shotguns。 Next to him was a beautiful woman with heavy…lidded eyes who kept checking her makeup in a pact mirror。
Estilo turned to Tori and； indicating the woman next to Cruz； said； 〃Medellin may turn out the most deadly men； but Cali； where Cruz's woman； Sonia； was born； creates the most beautiful women； don't you agree？ It is said that when Cruz has that Cali…born body beneath him； he thinks only of his enemies； the Orolas。〃
〃Considering what's happened；'' Russell said； ''I don't think this Cruz wants anything to do with us。〃
〃Sure he does；'' Tori said； watching Cruz and his party。 ''He just doesn't know it yet。〃
Below them； in the corrida； the bull's energy was finally nagging。 It ran at the matador； but its head was lowered； and in triumph the thin man slid his blade as delicately and precisely as a surgeon just behind the back of the exhausted beast's skull； piercing its heart。 The bull's eyes rolled； its forelegs collapsed； and it went down。 The crowd was on its feet； screaming in delight and appreciation。 Flowers rained down upon the matador； who pirouetted slowly； hands to the cloudless sky。
During this tumult； Tori kept her eyes on Cruz's woman。 There was something odd about the way she kept looking in her mirror。 Now she adjusted herself a little； and Tori saw a flash of reflected light； a spotlight brighter even than the sun； that illuminated the face of a dark…skinned man。
Tori leaned over； spoke briefly in Estilo's ear。 Russell could see Estilo look in the direction Tori indicated。 He nodded； said something to Tori that Russell couldn't make out。
The two of them got up。 〃Stay here；〃 Tori said to Russell。
〃But…〃
〃You'll be all right as long as you don't move。〃 Her eyes fixed his。 〃Do you understand me？〃
Russell nodded unhappily。 It was perfectly clear。 He was a gringo in the middle of a hostile environment。 He needed the lowest possible profile。
Tori and Estilo made their way laterally across the tiers of cheering aficionados。 The man who Cruz's woman had been looking at had left his seat。 Tori knew there was a need to hurry； the noise was perfect cover。 But they could not afford to divert attention to themselves。
〃How do you want to do this？〃 Estilo asked。
〃You go up behind him；〃 Tori said。 〃I'll try to get between him and Cruz。〃
Estilo nodded； and the two of them split up。 Estilo made his way up the tiers； higher and higher； working through the throng； which was still on its feet； applauding the beautiful death of the bull。
Tori was now near enough to the dark…skinned man to see the death stare in his eyes。 It was a look she knew well； the mark of pure concentration； when the environment narrows down to one focus point： the kill。 In this case； the victim was Cruz。
Estilo had identified the dark…skinned man as a member of the Orola drug clan； Cruz's bitter rival。 The Orolas were from Cali； and Estilo knew them all。
The dark…skinned man was ing not with a shotgun or a MAC…10 machine pistol； but with a small…caliber handgun。 It was a suicide mission； for sure； but it was the kind of surgical strike the Orolas preferred。 It was the Medellin sicarios who loved to blow away half a city block to get their job done。 Moreover； there was an elegant sense of irony at work here； executing Cruz at the corrida； in the tumultuous moment after the kill； that was typical of the Orola mind。 Tori admired the strategy even as she worked herself into place to foil it。
She was very near the dark…skinned man now； and she stood still； contracting her wa； allowing his concentrated energies to pass over her。 He was aware of nothing but his target： Cruz。 He need not even concern himself with Cruz's bodyguards； who； in any case； were trained to look for weaponry； because he did not have to think about an escape。 There was no escape。
The crowd was chanting； roaring； surging as the matador ceremoniously withdrew his blade from the heart of the beast。 A single line of blood ran down his sword。
Tori waited until the dark…skinned man drew his gun。 He raised it； aiming at Cruz's heart。 With a great kiai shout。 Tori lunged forward； the hardened underedge of her hand snappin