el.angeleyes-第100部分

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are　here　now；　with　me；　and　please　believe　me　when　I　say　that　there　are　other　alternatives　to　answering　my　questions。　All　of　them　are　extremely　unpleasant。〃
　〃　'Unpleasant；'　I　take　it；　is　the　current　KGB　euphemism　for　painful？〃
　〃Why　are　you　bent　on　making　this　difficult　for　yourself？〃
　Natasha　said；　〃I　am　only　doing　what　I　have　to　do。〃
　''I　can　see　in　your　eyes；　Natasha；　how　frightened　you　are。''
　〃Oh；　yes；　I'm　exceedingly　frightened。　But　that　will　hardly　change　my　mind。〃
　Mars　stared　at　her　for　some　time。　〃What　is　your　relationship　with　Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko？〃
　''Valeri　is　my　brother　or　my　lover；　or　both。''
　Mars　flipped　over　another　page。　〃And　what　is　your　relationship　with　the　Hero？〃
　〃Oh；　there's　no　doubt　there。　I'm　fucking　his　brains　out。〃
　〃The　vulgarity　hardly　suits　you；　Natasha。〃
　〃Now；　now；　Mars。　Your　prudishness　is　showing。〃
　〃Are　you　providing　the　Hero　with　access　to　official　government　limited　distribution　documents？''
　〃I　'm　an　actor；　Mars。　Not　a　spy。''
　〃Natasha；　do　you　know　what　the　penalty　for　spying　is？〃
　〃If　it's　being　incarcerated　in　this　shithole　for　the　rest　of　my　life；　I'd　rather　die；　thank　you　very　much。〃
　Mars　nodded。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I've　done　what　I　can。〃
　〃You　certainly　have。〃
　Mars　pressed　a　buzzer　on　the　underside　of　the　table。　〃It's　time　for　the　hard　man；〃　he　said　to　no　one　in　particular。
　Natasha　was　so　frightened；　she　had　been　on　the　verge　of　vomiting　throughout　the　interrogation。　She　had　always　known　what　consequences　her　actions　might　bring。　She　thought　she　had　been　prepared　for　them。　But；　like　the　death　of　a　parent；　she　reflected　now；　one　can　never　truly　prepare　for　the　reality　of　this　kind　of　nightmare。
　It　was　odd；　she　thought；　how　disorienting　being　without　a　semblance　of　time　could　be。　Without　watch　or　clock；　without　a　window　to　know　whether　it　was　dark　or　light；　let　alone　the　hour；　with　the　random　switching　on　and　off　of　the　cell　light；　she　had　already　lost　an　important　guidepost　to　reality。　She　had　entered　a　new　realm；　where　time　did　not　seem　to　exist。　Had　she　been　picked　up　an　hour　ago　or　half　a　day？　She　tried　to　work　it　out　but　could　not；　and　this　loss　frightened　her　even　more。　But　she　knew　that　she　must　never　show　her　fear　to　Mars。　If　she　did；　she　knew　with　a　profound　conviction　that　he　would　eat　her　alive。
　〃Here　es　the　hard　man。〃
　Natasha's　head　snapped　up；　and　she　saw；　to　her　horror；　an　ugly　dark…haired　man　approaching　her　with　a　hypodermic　needle。
　〃No！　〃she　cried。
　But　the　needle　had　already　pierced　the　flesh　of　her　arm；　the　plunger　was　depressed；　and　a　moment　afterward　an　unfortable　icy　chill　slipped　through　her　like　a　wraith。　Natasha's　spirit　convulsed　as　if　already　in　torment。
　
　*　*　*
　''Kunio　Michita's　not　at　home。''　Yen　Yasuwara　was　in　a　panic。　He　put　down　the　receiver　of　the　car　phone。
　〃Perhaps　that's　the　way　you　planned　it；〃　Big　Ezoe　said。
　〃No；　no。〃　Yen　Yasuwara　threw　a　fearful　look　Koi's　way。　〃I　know　I　can　find　him。〃　His　brow　furrowed。　〃Why　don't　we　try　Kaijin？〃
　Both　Big　Ezoe　and　Koi　were　familiar　with　Kaijin。　They　knew　Yen　Yasuwara　meant　Kaijin　ni　Kisuru；　which　was　the　full　name　of　one　of　Tokyo's　most　exclusive　tea　houses。　It　was　an　after…hours　place；　but　unlike　most　akochochin；　it　clung　tenaciously　to　the　older；　more　sedate　term　so　that　a　facade　of　respectability　could　be　maintained。　Nevertheless；　its　name；　loosely　translated；　meant　〃to　be　reduced　to　ashes；　to　burn　to　the　ground；〃　which　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　drinking　tea。
　Kaijin　was　in　Shimbashi；　and　without　a　word　Big　Ezoe　turned　the　Mercedes　around；　headed　there。
　Like　most　of　Japan's　exclusive　and　expensive　clubs；　Kaijin　had　a　wholly　unprepossessing　exterior。　All　that　was　visible；　in　fact；　was　an　oversized　door　made　of　thick　vertical　kyoki　wood　slabs　bound　in　hand…beaten　iron。　Though　the　door　was　obviously　very　old；　it　glowed；　bespeaking　the　care　lavished　on　it。　Local　legend　had　it　that　this　was　the　original　door　from　the　first　Shogun；　Ieyasu　Tokugawa's　castle　keep。　In　fact；　the　truth　was　unknown。　As　was　typical　of　a　country　where　much　of　its　history　was　oral；　Japanese　scholars　found　it　impossible　to　discern　fact　from　myth。
　Stone　steps　were　guarded　by　a　pair　of　gnarled　dark　green　Hinoki　cypresses；　trimmed　to　resemble　fantastic　creatures。　A　buzzer　one　pressed　sounded　deep　within　Kaijin's　heart；　and　it　might　be　many　minutes　until　the　door　was　opened。　And　then；　unless　one　was　known　by　sight　or　was　acpanied　by　a　member；　one　would　not　gain　entrance。　Thus　were　the　elite　of　Japan　guarded　against　any　unwanted　intrusion。
　Keeping　a　handkerchief　to　the　side　of　his　face。　Yen　Yasuwara　rang　the　buzzer；　waiting　impatiently　on　Kaijin's　doorstep。　When　the　front　door　at　last　opened　inward；　a　voice　from　the　darkness　inside　said；　〃Wele；　Mr。　Yasuwara。　Two　guests　this　evening？〃
　Yen　Yasuwara　nodded；　mumbled　something　unintelligible　as　he　stumbled　over　the　threshold。
　The　kind　of　silence　that　enfolded　the　interior　of　Kaijin　was　sepulchral；　almost　holy；　as　if　one　had　entered　the　innards　of　a　church。　Lights　were　few。　What　there　was　of　them　created　indirect　pools　across　whitewashed　stone　walls　on　which　hung　scrolls　so　ancient　they　depicted　landscapes　from　China　rather　than　Japan。
　This　stark；　rather　cold　shell　was　in　direct　contrast　to　the　furniture　in　the　rooms；　which　was　sybaritic。　Long　leather　couches　with　sensuously　curved　backs；　plush　chairs　wide　enough　to　acmodate　two；　luxurious　chaise　longues　across　which　were　thrown　animal　pelts…all　contributed　to　the　bizarre；　almost　schizophrenic　interior　design。
　〃Mr。　Michita　is　expecting　us；〃　Yen　Yasuwara　said　to　a　heavyset　man　with　a　scar　on　the　lobe　of　one　misshapen　ear。
　The　man　looked　from　the　young　lawyer　to　his　two　panions　and　back　again。　Then　he　nodded。　〃This　way；〃　he　said；　beckoning　to　them。　〃Mr。　Michita　is　taking　tea　in　the　Green　Room。〃
　Each　environment　within　Kaijin　was　named　for　a　different　color　which　corresponded　to　either　its　design　or　location。　The　Green　Room　happened　to　be　set　as　a　traditional　tea　house　overlooking　a　minuscule　but　dense　interior　garden。　Though　the　garden　was　surrounded　by　walls　on　all　sides；　its　design　and　tiered　lustiness　fooled　the　eye　into　believing　that　one　was　at　some　countryside　ryokan；　where；　in　the　distance；　wooded　slopes　stretched　away　into　the　distance。
　They　were　led　down　a　hallway　with　polished　wood　floors。　The　walls　were　painted　a　molded　pewter　and　beige　to　resemble　the　plaster…cracked　walls　of　an　ancient　villa。　More　facade　to　fool　the　eye。
　Koi　noted　that　they　were　taken　past　seven　rice…paper　and　ash…wood　fusuma　doors。　All　were　closed。　She　paused　outside　each　one；　pressed　her　fingertips　against　the　rice　paper　to　see　if　she　could　pick　up　any　minute　vibrations　that　either　movement　or　conversation　would　impart。　She　felt　nothing。
　And　yet　she　fell　farther　and　farther　behind。　Once　she　glanced　over　her　shoulder。　What　was　bothering　her？　Perhaps　it　was　that　the　man　with　the　misshapen　ear　had　made　no　ment　concerning　the　condition　of　the　side　of　Yen　Yasuwara's　face。　Perhaps　it　was　because　he　did　not　seek　the　identity　of　Yasuwara's　guests。　（Of　course；　it　might　be　that　he　was　already　familiar　with　Big　Ezoe；　but　Koi　refused　to　make　such　an　assumption。）　But　most　of　all；　she　did　not　trust　Yen　Yasuwara。
　The　three　men　had　stopped　outside　the　sliding　fusuma　to　the　Green　Room；　and　Koi　hurried　to　catch　up。　When　the　man　with　the　misshapen　ear　put　his　hand　on　the　door；　Koi　stopped　him。
　〃I'll　do　that；〃　she　said　and；　before　he　had　a　chance　to　refute　her；　she　whipped　the　fusuma　back　and　slammed　the　heel　of　her　hand　into　the　small　of　Yen　Yasuwara's　back；　catapulting　him　into　the　Green　Room。
　Nothing　happened。
　The　man　with　the　misshapen　ear　stared　at　Koi；　and；　turning　around　inside　the　room；　Yen　Yasuwara　did　the　same。　Big　Ezoe　ignored　them　both。　He　was　looking　at　Kunio　Michita；　who；　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　tatami　mats；　had　twisted　around。
　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　Michita　said　in　a　voice　of　flint。
　〃I'll　tell　you；〃　Big　Ezoe　said　as　he　stepped　across　the　threshold。
　Koi　heard　the　soft　phut！；　saw　Big　Ezoe's　body　stagger　backward　into　the　hallway。　He　fell　to　his　knees。　His　eyes　were　turning　upward　in　their　sockets；　and　there　was　blood　on　his　chest　w