按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
uty before。 They were like misty jewels； translucent； luminous； a blue that was not truly blue； a green that was not quite green； and that special color appeared to him now like a doorway through which； more than anything； he longed to step。
〃Tori…〃
〃Russell； I…〃
The moment had seemed so right； but now he recognized how wrong it had been。 He had the strong sense that if he insisted； she would give in； he had felt her melting against him。 But if she did acquiesce； he knew that he would never know why。 Was it vulnerability； despair； a need to be close to someone after two terrible losses？ Or was it something else； a feeling； perhaps； that at some point she would not be able to control？
It was of paramount importance for Russell to know…and for him to be assured that Tori； too； knew what she wanted。 Otherwise； what was the point？
Russell rose； pulled her to her feet。 He did not say he was sorry； because he wasn't。 He left her without a word； went forward to speak to the pilot and go over their route to Tokyo； feeling it was important for him to be aware of these things in case anything went wrong along the way。 He always liked to know where he was。 Which was ironic； considering the whirl of conflicting emotions flooding him。
When he returned to the main cabin； Tori was back in her seat。 He ordered sandwiches and hot coffee； and when they were served； he and Tori consumed it in great quantities while she briefed him on her expertise： the tangle of modern…day Japan。
〃The central issue in understanding the Japan of today；〃 Tori said； 〃is to keep in mind that no one person is ultimately in charge of the country。 Absolutely no one in America seems to get this； not the President； nor anyone on Capitol Hill； in business； or； God knows； the Pentagon。 They're all so mystified by this new Japan that they had such a major hand in creating； and so self…righteously pissed off when nothing much happens in response to their requests。
''Putting aside for the moment the fact that they're not asking the right questions； what they're all looking for…and not finding…is a place where the buck stops。 The truth is that no one in Japan will take responsibility for the buck stopping because； more often than not； buck…stopping is synonymous with loss of face。
〃Japan's society is unique in all the world…in all history； for that matter。 It is a country 'governed'…although that's too precise a term for so amorphous a concept…by a loosely knit organic conglomerate of entities including the prime minister and his ruling party； the Diet； the samurai bureaucracy； the corporations of the business world； and the Yakuza。 The death of the great Tokugawa shogunate at the dawn of the Meiji era in the late 1860s； the nineteenth…century intervention of the Western world； and the post…World War Two MacArthur constitution； made certain this uneasy alliance would continue into the twenty…first century。〃
Russell watched her while she talked。 He wondered what she must be feeling； how deep the facade she presented went。 She appeared quite herself now； as if the incident between them had never happened。 But could that be so？ Could anyone be in such iron control of their emotions？
He had to admit to himself that he found Tori Nunn to be a plete enigma。 She was like a code to which he was increasingly drawn yet could not break。 Being close to her； working with her in the field； had given him no insight； no new understanding of her underlying psyche。 Instead； he had merely bedazzled himself。
His attraction to her was suddenly so strong it had the potential to bee an obsession。 Up until now； Russell Slade's sole obsession had been the Mall。 When he had been appointed director； Bernard Godwin had taken him to dinner； during the course of which he had said。 Now you 'II know what it means to have a mistress； one who occupies you heart and soul。 I trust you will be up to the task of managing her。
Russell thought that because he had uncovered some of the lies his mentor had so easily told him； he had Bernard under control。 But just the opposite was true。 Bernard Godwin had attached invisible strings to him…just as he had to Tori…and he had been pulling those strings all along。 Of course Tori and I fought like brother and sister； Russell thought。 Bernard made certain that both of us saw him the same way： as a father figure。 We were both 〃bred〃 to please him。
And now； watching her explain to him the inner workings of Japan； he knew he wanted to draw closer to her still。 He saw how she still idolized Bernard； how she would do anything he asked。 Russell； feeling his heart filling up with emotion； wondered when he would cut the strings Bernard had so painstakingly attached to her。 He knew he must begin by telling her the truth about Bernard； that he was ready to sacrifice her if it came to it。 But not now； Tori was not yet ready to hear anything negative about Bernard Godwin； her spiritual father。 Besides； Russell thought； on a purely selfish level； there were more important matters to resolve。
In the electric moment when he and Tori had been closeted together； everything had changed。 A door had been unlocked； and once opened； it could never again be closed。 The world was different now； at least the world as Russell Slade knew it。 And； in the ing days； he would have to determine just what he was going to do about it。
Tokyo。 They had traveled almost nine thousand miles on the transatlantic route； touching down for refueling in Cartagena； Santo Domingo； and Frankfurt。 They were only through Japanese Customs and Immigration； and Russell was already feeling like an alien。 The Japanese had developed the uncanny ability of being extremely polite while firmly keeping you at arm's distance。 And by so doing； they neatly managed to lock you out of anything of importance。 Everything here was form； there was no substance。 It was as if the entire country were in the process of enacting a gigantic Kabuki play。
Smiles without meaning； cardboard bows； saying yes when they meant no； an obsession with minute detail while talking around the edges of major issues。 Could there be a more unfathomable people； a more opaque culture on the face of the earth？ Russell asked himself on the long； traffic…choked drive in from Narita Airport。 Well； the Chinese； yes； of course； but in a fit of self…mutilation； the Chinese had dealt themselves out of international play for years to e； so they didn't count。
〃We going directly to Hitasura's？〃 Russell asked。
〃No。 I think it would be advisable to learn a bit more about hafnium first。 If Hitasura is Estilo's buyer； I want to go into the first meeting with him with as much armament as I can。〃
For once Russell found himself in agreement with Tori。 And； much to his surprise； it wasn't an altogether disagreeable feeling。
〃This guy Deke is a little weird；〃 Tori said。
Russell glanced at her。 〃How weird？〃
〃You tell me；〃 Tori said as she led him down the steps into a grimy tattoo parlor somewhere in the inprehensible tangle of Shinjuku。 The sun was out； but you'd never know it this deep in the heart of Tokyo。 There was only reflected light here； a colorless illumination bounced off ten thousand panes of glass。
Russell pe