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ral。
Russell and Bernard Godwin had been desperate to bring Tori back into the Mall because Ariel had determined that the Japanese had created this lethal new form of cocaine； and were beginning to disseminate it。 Bernard wanted her to find out why。 But Tori saw now that this was not the only question she needed to find an answer to。 The new coke was in some way bound up with the hafnium pipeline。 When the coke left the factory in the llano negro of Colombia； so did the hafnium。 But what happened to the soft cell when it reached Japan？
And who was manufacturing it？ From Deke's tests of the residue on the hafnium pellet Russell had taken from the llano negro factory； it was clear the coke being refined there was 〃clean。〃 If Estilo was telling the truth about Hitasura being the buyer of his soft cell； then Ariel's intelligence was correct： the killer coke was being manufactured here in Japan。 And Hitasura would know where and why。
Tori closed her eyes； went into prana； deepening and strengthening her breathing； slowing her pulse。 She had to admit to herself that because her trust in Estilo had been shaken； her big fear was discovering that Hitasura was involved in what the Mall had termed 〃Ice Cream；〃 the supercoke。 If that turned out to be so； another important link from her past； her network； would have proved unreliable。
She knew that Russell must be impatient for her to begin interrogating Hitasura on the subject。 But the crisis of Hitasura's imminent war with Big Ezoe…and the reemergence of Fukuda…was providing Tori an excuse for procrastination。
Part of her wanted more than anything to steal a moment； to take Hitasura aside； to get it over with and find out the truth。 But it was not only her fear that made it impossible； this was Japan； and the iron dictates of custom made such a direct Western approach unthinkable。 Tori knew that she would have to find just the right moment； just the right way to approach Hitasura。
Russell came up to her while Hitasura was receiving last…minute information on the mobile phone。 〃Isn't it about time you told me the origins of your blood feud with this female assassin； Fukuda？〃
'' She tried to kill me once；'' Tori said； but Russell only stared at her。 It's only fair I tell him everything； she thought。 〃Do you remember what I was doing for you when I got hurt？〃
Russell nodded。 〃Sure。 You had picked up the improbable rumor of a joint Japanese…Russian venture hidden from even the ubiquitous Japanese bureaucracy。 To be frank； I thought it was a waste of your time and the Mall's money to keep you on it； but Bernard insisted。 You know how fanatical he is about the subject of the Soviets。 Even more so now； if that's possible。〃 He looked at her out of his penetrating blue eyes。 〃I wish I had held my ground on that one。 You'd still have both your hips。〃
Tori studied him for a moment； as if she could not make up her mind about him。 〃That's kind of you to say； but the fact is I wouldn't be able to do physically what I can do now without the aid of the Japanese…designed prosthesis； so you see； in a way you did me a favor。〃 She gave him a tentative smile； as if she were afraid to allow him…and herself…to see what she was really feeling。
''Anyway； it seemed there was something to the rumor of the Japanese…Russian venture；'' she said； ''though I ran into Fukuda before I got in deep enough to find out what exactly was happening。〃
''How did you happen to meet her？ 〃
''There was a man；'' Tori said。 ''He was no more than a boy； really。 Just twenty。 But there was something about him； both personally and professionally。 I had heard of him through Deke； who said he was tsukuru…hito； a 'maker。' In street slang； that means a go…getter； someone who is admired； who has great hara； great inner strength； which the Japanese prize above everything else。〃
〃Was this young man Yakuza？〃
〃Now that was the most interesting part；〃 Tori said。 〃He wasn't。 And yet it seemed； because he was tsukuru…hito； many Yakuza sought his advice in plicated affairs of business。 I suppose； in ways to circumvent international law； because the tsukuru…hito was an international lawyer。 He called himself Yen Yasuwara； though it seemed to me he had taken that first name as a kind of joke。 Yen was like that； sardonic； always laughing at the world through which he moved with such ease； though always in a dark way。
〃He despised convention； an odd bias for a Japanese。 And he hated burying his true nature beneath the countless layers that convention required him to form in order to survive in Japanese society。
〃But Yen's goal wasn't to survive； it was to succeed； to blaze like a shooting star across the firmament of the Japanese business munity。 I use those words because of their poetic nature。 Yen used them； and it's essential you get a plete picture of him。
〃Yen once confided in me that his dream was to put together an international deal of such proportions that it would stand all Japan on its ear。〃
〃Like maybe a Japanese…Russian deal？〃
Tori nodded。 ''That's why I went to see him。 'What this country needs is a swift kick in the ass；' he told me after I got to know him well； and I'm certain he meant it。〃
〃Just how well did you get to know him？〃 Russell asked。
〃Don't get ahead of the story；〃 Tori told him。 〃Yen worked at Budoko Associates； an exclusive Tokyo law firm。 It isn't large； but its prestige is first…rate。 Yen came from the right family…his father and Budoko's senior partners were born in the same Honshu village； he went to the right schools； and got the right grades。 In short； until the moment he was hired by Budoko； Yen was the very paradigm of Japanese convention。
〃 'Then；' he told me； 'when I got where I wanted to go； I started the process of fomentation。' ''
〃Fomentation？〃 Russell said。 〃What the hell did he mean by that？〃
''I to not certain；'' Tori said。 ''But making an educated guess； I'd say that Yen wanted to in some way undermine the modern system of Japanese society。 Like the author； Yukio Mishima； who mitted ritual suicide to protest what he saw as the softening of the powerful Japanese martial culture。 Yen saw the problems hidden within the astounding economic successes of modern…day Japan。 I think he saw the Japan of today as placent。 I think he was sickened by the sight of his countrymen running all over the world； buying out Tiffany's； Fred's； Cartier's； Ungaro's； you name it； gathering up real estate； building resorts…mini…Tokyos…all over Hawaii； unwrapping their endless rolls of money to snap up anything that caught their fancy。 〃The Japanese；' Yen said to me； 'are the technology…rich Ugly Americans of the fifties； the oil…rich Arabs of the seventies。 Now we are no better than the rednecks of any culture。 Progress has made a shambles of us。' 〃
〃Christ； just what was this philosopher turned international lawyer up to？〃 Russell said。
〃Now you're beginning to see the attraction；〃 Tori said。 〃But there was another side of Yen that you wouldn't be able to see。 He was enormously charismatic in a physical sense。 I didn't count on that when I first approached him。
〃I did it in the prescribed method。 I manufactured a seemingly accidental meeting while he was aw