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！
n's foolishness； he admonished himself。 I miss my two girls； is all。
His shirt was soaked； sticking to his skin like loose folds of ancient flesh。 Just as it did； he reflected； in the jungle so long ago。 And abruptly； he staggered； experiencing a fierce stab of vertigo。 It's the malaria； he thought； steadying himself against a resinous tree trunk。 My own form of malaria。 Because it's the summer。 In the fall； it will pass。
He ran one hand along the burning flank of the Ford； and； bending a bit； peering into the interior。 There was nothing to see。
He was still stooped over like dial； an old； balding man； sweating in the heat of the afternoon； when the shadow stretched itself across the side of the black sedan。
For a long moment； Doc Deerforth stared at it。 It recalled to him a moment in a ballet he had seen a long time ago in the city： the entrance of the Dark Angel。 On either side of him； his daughters … they were still young then … had cried at the vision。 Black wings clouded the sun and he was abruptly cold。
He began to turn； heard the weird whirring sound at that same instant。 A blur on the periphery of his vision and instinctively he raised his arm in front of his face。
Then something had wrapped itself about his' ankles and he was dragged off his feet。 Metal links scraped and dug painfully into his flesh。 He gasped and twisted； feeling like a fish on a line。
He looked down。 A long chain with a weight on its end was strung taut； pulling him into a stand of dense poplars beyond which stretched long fields of corn。
He rolled； puffing； tried to sit up。 There was a blade at his throat。
He looked up。 Before the sky； as rich a cerulean as he had ever seen it； he saw a face … at least part of one … that made him shudder。 All the breath went out of him。
He stared into eyes as dead as stones； madman's eyes。 So different from those others long ago； yet the same。 The ninja； Doc Deerforth thought。 His mind seemed to freeze with the thought； as if there could be no room in the world now for anything else。 His life seemed to shrivel down to the size of a pea and； disappearing altogether； bee totally insignificant。
Cicadas chimed； flies buzzed。 He was back in the Philippines； back in the tent； tied to the table。
And the soft； knowing voice said to him； 'Why have you followed me？'
'Why have you followed the girl？'
There was absolutely no change of expression in those staring eyes； of that he was quite certain。 But； without warning； the ninja jerked on the chain and the saw…toothed steel links bit through skin； sawing into tissue； ground against bone。
Doc Deerforth's head flew back and breath whistled through his half…open lips。 Blood drained from his face。
'Why have you followed me？'
The words came again and again like a litany； a friar's prayer at day's end … what did they call mat？ Vespers？
'Why have you followed me？〃
Time ceased to exist as the pain rose and fell like the tide …now faster； now slower； so dial he had no clear idea of when it would make his jaws clamp together in a rictus； make the sweat fly off him as he jerked this way and that； make his thighs tremble and the muscles in his legs turn to water。
At some point； it was impossible for him to say when； Doc Deerforth knew that there was something different about this one。 He was at once more cruel and less removed。 And there was an elemental power to him mat frightened him to the very core。 It was as if the devil himself had e to strip him of life。
That it was his time to die； Doc Deerforth had no doubt。 There would be no last…minute rescue this time and he was far too weak and old for muscular heroics。 But a human being； until the very moment of' death； has certain powers that can only be relinquished voluntarily。 Neither time nor terror had dominion over these few last possessions。
The ninja now had one knee across Doc Deerforth's heaving chest。 Gently； almost reverently； he took up Doc Deerforth's right hand and； using only the tips of his fingers； broke the thumb。 He waited just the right amount of time … the shock had worn off and the pain was a sharp throbbing。 He broke the index finger。 And so it went； one by one； slowly and inexorably。
Doc Deerforth shuddered； heaved and sighed。 He whispered the names of his daughters； of his long…dead wife。 He felt； rather than saw； the ninja crouching low to hear his faintly expelled words。 A curse and then a sharp crack。 Pain flared as his right wrist shattered。
Someone； someone； he thought hazily； will have to call the kids。 Then the pain blanketed him and his nerves； vibrating； screaming with agony； pitched him at last into unconsciousness。
A child's high cry perhaps decided Doc Deerforth's fate。 It was close at hand and Saigo； abruptly deciding that nothing could be gained from prolonging this game； took up the other end of the saw toothed kyotetsu…shoge and slit Doc Deerforth's throat with the double…edged blade。
'From the beginning；' Nicholas read； 'your father was suspicious of Satsugai。 From the first time they met； the Colonel understood that behind the man's vast power in the zaibatsu stretched a hidden network of immense size and strength。 He suspected； quite rightly； as further investigation bore out； that Satsugai was deeply involved with the Genyosha。 They were； perhaps； most responsible for sowing the seeds that led to the fateful decision to institute the pre…emptive strike at Pearl Harbor。
'Your father wished to crush the forces of Genyosha and it was to this end that he intervened on Satsugai's behalf when the SCAP tribunal was ready to try him for war crimes。 He thought that leaving Satsugai free to pursue his plans would eventually lead to the arrest of the Genyosha main body itself。
'It was a good plan except that Satsugai discovered it。 Now he was eternally in the Colonel's debt … a man who was out to destroy him。 This he could not abide。 Satsugai was of the old school and most honourable。 He knew that he could not touch or interfere with the Colonel in any way。
'Therefore； he sent his son； Saigo； as his emissary of death； sending him into Kumamoto to the most feared of all the Kan…aku na ninjutsu ryu； the Kuji…kjri。
'Over the years； the Colonel came to understand the nature of his folly。 He had gambled heavily and lost。 Now Satsugai was forever beyond the law and this had been the Colonel's doing。
'Your father was an Englishman by birth yet he could not have been more Japanese had he been born here and he came to a decision that was uniquely Japanese。 He killed Satsugai himself。'
Stunned； Nicholas raised his eyes。 And because of that shame to the family； Cheong had mitted seppuku。
'Continue reading；' Fukashigi said gently。 'There is more。'
'Your father was a fine warrior； Nicholas； and thus none suspected him。 Until； that is； Saigo returned home。 With the basic elements of Kan…aka na ninjutsu already at his disposal； it did not take him long to divine the truth。 This knowledge he kept to himself and； while stoking the fires of his hatred in the secret depths of him； he meanwhile presented only the image of a grief…stricken son to the outside world。 For already a plan of vengeance had formed in his mind。
'