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easy； laughing summers when the girls would e in from the surf like two brown…skinned mermaids。
Caught in faded photographs； irretrievably caught between Kodak paper and photographic chemicals； as real as Coleridge's dream of Xanadu； gone up in smoke like an addict's hopes。
'You said he's ing。' Tomkin's voice was clotted with emotion and he had to clear his throat before he could continue。 'What are you going to do？'
'Sit down；' Nicholas said。 'I want you away from the windows。'
'I want to know 1' Tomkin shouted。 'It's my life I'
'Sit down； Tomkin。' Nicholas's voice was even lower than it had been a moment before。 'Keep yelling and you will guide him right to you。'
Tomkin glared at him for a long moment。 His chest heaved beneath his suit jacket。 Then； abruptly； he collapsed into his chair。
Nicholas turned his head towards the rear of the office。 Next to the open door of the bathroom was a narrow hallway leading first to the electrical and air…conditioning circuits for the floor and then to the offices on the far side of the floor。
He did not believe that Saigo would e through the front doors。 For one thing； they were bulky and slow…moving。 Too much time and effort was involved in opening them。 He could not； of course； discount the ledge outside the windows but； as in the manner of most newer； centrally temperature…controlled buildings； these windows could not be opened。 Certainly they were easily breached but that also would take time and； worse； an inordinate amount of sound。
It was logical； then； to expect the attack from the rear of the office。 He thought briefly about positioning himself more advantageously； in the air…conditioning alcove； perhaps。 But if Saigo chose another way in； he might take too long recovering and he could not chance that。
That Saigo was at this moment on his way up he had no doubt。
It was quiet now； just the gentle white…noise hissing in the inner ear； as of the aftermath of a violent tornado。 With the front doors secured； no sound seeped in from the street； all
the glass was in place here。
He could hear the sound of Tomkin's heavy breathing； as if he were an asthmatic with his mouth partly open。 Where he sat； behind his desk； he was in total shadow。
'Move a bit to your right；' Nicholas said softly。 'No； with the chair。 That's right。' He turned his head。 'Now keep still。' A bar of light shone over a portion of the steel…grey hair； quartering the head。
The place was alive with them。
But； of course； that was to be expected。
Two at the entrance to the stairwell； three more guarding the cage elevator。 He had not even considered using the main elevator bank。
The easiest thing would have been to use hypnosis。 The 。plan was practical as well as amusing。 The idea of having one of those plain…clothesmen shepherding him skyward in the elevator appealed to him。 But that would depend on a very specific set of circumstances。 Given time； he had no doubt that he could execute them。 He did not； at this point； think that he had the time。 They would have begun to sort things out down there。 They'd turn on the lights； tot up the casualty figures and send for reinforcements。 He did not want to risk a get…out through a cordon of a score of men all on the hair…trigger lookout for one thing and one thing alone。
Not that he could not do it but it was foolish to take such risks when there was absolutely no need to。
In the shadows； he reached out four pads from his belt。 These he carefully tied； one on each soft…soled shoe and over the palm of each hand。 He slung his katana obliquely across his back。 He could take no step now without attracting attention； for sprouting from the outer side of the pads were two…inch steel spikes set in a plex pattern。
Saigo unwrapped from his waist a long nylon cord； weighted on one end by a small； sharp triangular hook。 He looked up； studying the sides of the atrium though he already knew them quite well。 He found what he was looking for and began to twirl the weighted cord about his head。
He let it go and it shot high into the atrium； arcing around a
transverse iron beam。 It was close enough to the wall so that； as he flung himself upwards； he was swung inwards by his momentum。 He drew his legs up so that the soles of his shoes faced outwards。 He felt the impact as the spiked foot pads dug into the pitted face of the pseudo…marble facing。
This was one of the most ancient of ninjutsu techniques； used for centuries in infiltrating an enemy's castle stronghold。 Mere walls； no matter how sheer； could not confound a ninja。
Upwards he went with appalling rapidity。 A fly on the wall； he was quite invisible to those below； even had they chanced to look this far up。 He had； once again； total security。
To the shocked and bewildered men on the atrium's floor it was as if。 he had vanished into thin air and this was what they reported to Croaker via walkie…talkie。
The hallucinogen was raging full force within him。 His involvement with his immediate environment was total。 He could see…smell…taste…hear…feel simultaneously as he crawled up the wall。
Small sounds； brittle and three…dimensional； drifted to him from below； funnelled by the peculiar acoustics。 It was curious because he could hear specific sounds with more clarity from this vantage point than he might have if he were still down below： voices talking； shoes pounding against the cool flooring as they called for the ambulances。 Do you no good； he thought。 Talking； unanswered。 The walkie…talkie； he thought。 No matter。
The fine dust of his passage took to the slowly swirling air； a minute； ineffectual cyclone passing through the light。
There was silence on the top floor； this was Nicholas's doing； this was why he had insisted that none of Croaker's men be on the floor。 Sound was his greatest potential enemy now。
'I want you；' he had said to Tomkin some time before； 'to face away from him when he es。 Do you think you can do that ？' Because it was a most difficult thing to turn your back on someone who meant to kill you。 But this was essential。 Nicholas was afraid of what the Kuji…fyri might do to Tomkin。 Kick out the glass and take one last step down； that was only one possibility。
'Yes； I can do it。'
He heard the fear shivering Tomkin's voice and wondered again at it。
'Is that where you're going to stand when he es？'
'Don't worry about that。 Just remember what I've told you。 If you do anything else； chances are you'll be dead before you know it。 This is no time to think about being in control。'
'What can you know about that？' Part of his fear； Tomkin realized belatedly； was that somehow he had recognized a kind of a kindred spirit in Linnear。 He had neither the knowledge nor the insight to understand in what way this was so； only knew that it was。 This was a deadly man； a sort of a raw animal spirit held in check by a thin veneer of civilization。 Tomkin shuddered to think of what might happen if that veneer should crack apart。 Perhaps that was why he wanted to trust Linnear with his secrets yet could never bring himself so to unburden himself。 Kindred they were and he judged Nicholas in the same light as he judged himself。 He would do anything to