el.angeleyes-第29部分

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r　better…and　more　fitting…fate　for　him　than　a　mere　broken　face；　although　the　picture　of　Slade　with　his　jaws　wired　together　did　have　a　certain　charm。
　She　smiled。　〃If　you're　talking　about　the　Yakuza；　yes；　I　still　have　my　contacts。〃
　Russell　nodded；　almost　as　if　she　had　passed　some　kind　of　test。　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃Because　the　Yakuza　are　involved　up　to　their　bushy　little　eyebrows。〃
　〃Are　you　talking　about　Ariel　Solares's　murder？〃
　Russell　pushed　the　swivel　light　away　from　him；　pressed　the　tips　of　his　fingers　against　his　eyelids。　His　face　had　retreated　into
the　shadows。　Outside；　the　clouds　streamed　by　below　them；　rent　asunder　by　their　screaming　passage。
　〃Remember　the　Yakuza　assassins　you　and　Solares　overheard　in　the　Argentine　tunnels？〃　he　said。　〃Well；　they're　just　a　tiny　part　of　what　is　ing　our　way；　and　I'm　afraid　they've　got　something　particularly　nasty　in　store　for　us。〃
　Tori　said；　〃If　the　Japanese　are　involved　in　a　big　way；　I　can　see　why　you　came　to　see　me　yourself。　You　need　my　expertise。''　She　peered　into　his　face　with　mock　concern。　〃That　isn't　flop　sweat　I　see　on　your　lip；　is　it？〃
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous。〃
　He　seemed　genuinely　annoyed；　and　Tori　was　pleased　she　had　found　a　nerve。
　〃Just　how　deeply　are　the　Japanese　involved？〃　Tori　asked。
　Russell　stared　at　her。　〃You　know；　your　Japanese　friends　are　infuriating；　they　don't　know　how　to　play　by　the　rules。〃
　〃Oh；　they　play　by　the　rules　all　right；〃　Tori　said。　〃The　only　problem　is　you're　like　every　other　member　of　American　government：　you　haven't　the　slightest　idea　what　the　rules　are。〃
　He　stared　at　her　in　the　way　someone　will　contemplate　an　enigmatic　work　of　modern　art；　with　a　bination　of　shock；　confusion；　and；　certainly；　a　degree　of　anger。
　Before　he　could　say　anything　more；　Tori　got　up；　went　into　the　lavatory　to　clean　up　and　change。　She　emerged　twenty　minutes　later　dressed　in　a　natural　mohair　cardigan　over　a　pale　lace　camisole。　She　wore　a　short　fawn…colored　suede　skirt；　brown　lizardskin　shoes；　heavy　dull…gold　earrings。
　〃Bit　of　a　show；　isn't　it？〃　Russell　said；　taking　her　in。
　〃That's　what　L。A。　reminds　you；〃　Tori　said　perversely；　〃that　all　of　life's　a　show。〃　She　smiled。　〃Bernard　will　appreciate　the　effort；　even　if　you　don't。〃
　A　thick　mist　was　rising　off　the　Potomac　when　they　landed　in　Washington。　One　of　Russell's　specialized　limos　was　waiting　for　them　on　the　tarmac　beside　the　runway；　its　powerful　engine　purring；　its　blackened　windows　up　as　protection　against　the　capital's　humidity　as　well　as　an　assassin's　bullet。
　Once　into　the　Virginia　countryside；　Tori　slid　her　window　down　over　Russell's　protests。　''I　want　to　hear　the　birds；''　she　said；　just　before　they　turned　onto　a　four…lane　highway。　Five　miles　farther　the　limo　made　a　left　into　a　vast　mall。　Tori　saw　the　stores　typical　of　a　mall　nearly　anywhere　in　the　country：　Sears；　JCPenney；　Radio　Shack；　a　huge　chain　drugstore　outlet；　Filene's。　The　limo　cruised　through　the　mall；　entered　an　underground　car　park；　kept　descending。　It　stopped　at　the　lowest　level；　pulled　up　against　the　far　wall：　painted　concrete；　blank。　They　waited　while　the　limo　was　scanned。　When　a　green　light　appeared　on　a　small　console　by　Russell's　right　arm；　he　punched　in　a　ten…digit　access　code。　A　portion　of　the　concrete　wall　rose；　and　the　limo　slid　through。
　They　were　in　a　tunnel　built　around　a　two…lane　blacktop。　Strip　lights　glowed　orange…yellow　on　the　far　side　of　both　lanes。　Otherwise　the　road　and　tunnel　were　absolutely　featureless。　Ten　minutes　later　the　roadway　sloped　up　and　they　once　again　appeared　in　the　Virginia　countryside。　This　time　they　were　within　the　borders　of　a　150…acre　horse　farm。　This　was　the　true　home　of　the　Mall。
　Bernard　Godwin　was　waiting　for　them　at　the　entrance　to　Central。　His　face　lit　up　when　Tori　emerged　from　me　dark　confines　of　the　limo。　He　looked　to　her　to　be　not　one　moment　older　than　when　they　had　last　met：　a　Roman　general　with　all　the　cunning　and　deceit　of　a　master　statesman。　She　had　never　met　anyone…including　Russell；　especially　Russell…for　whom　the　mantle　of　power　was　so　well　suited。　She　believed　that　Bernard　Godwin　actually　thrived　on　what　he　had　bee；　he　needed　the　power　just　as　her　mother　needed　to　slip　in　and　out　of　her　guises。　Strip　him　of　his　power；　and　he　would　be　dead　within　a　day。
　〃By　God；　Tori；　you　look　a　damn　sight　better　than　when　you　left　here　a　year　and　a　half　ago。''　Bernard　embraced　her　warmly。　〃It's　good　of　you　to　have　e　back；〃　he　said　so　softly　that　she　was　the　only　one　to　hear。　Then　he　broke　away。　〃Russell；　you've　done　well　to　bring　her　home。''
　Briefings　were　traditionally　held　in　a　plush　suite　of　rooms　which　were　insulated　from　and　surrounded　by　the　Mail's　own　electrical　generators。　The　entire　plex　was　totally　self…sufficient；　a　prerequisite…albeit　an　expensive　one…that　Bernard　Godwin　had　insisted　upon　when　the　Mall　was　first　founded。　Besides　anything　else；　the　placement　of　the　enormous　generators　ensured　that　no　listening　devices　could　penetrate　to　the　suite。
　The　rooms　were　furnished　in　the　typical　style　of　a　men's　club；　fortable；　broken…in；　masculine。　Which　was；　in　part；　why　Tori　had　chosen　to　wear　so　provocative　and　feminine　an　outfit。　She　had　not　been　back　to　this　center　of　clandestine　power　in　eighteen　months；　and　now　that　she　was；　she　wanted　the　men　who　ruled　it　to　feel　her　presence　in　every　way。
　The　three　of　them　settled　around　a　burl　table。　Sandwiches；　fresh　fruit；　coffee；　juices　were　waiting　for　them；　and　they　ate　while　they　talked。　Tori　found　that　she　had　lost　the　sense　of　whether　or　not　she　was　hungry；　but　she　ate　anyway　out　of　force　of　habit。　She　automatically　helped　herself　to　the　blueberries。　They　were　one　of　a　number　of　what　was　known　in　the　Mall　as　〃mission　food。〃　Blueberries　had　been　fed　to　fighter　pilots　during　World　War　II；　they　were　filled　with　an　enzyme　that　temporarily　increased　visual　acuity。
　Tori　looked　at　Bernard；　but　he　merely　said；　〃Russell；　you're　on。〃
　Russell　Slade　opened　a　buff…colored　file。　Tori　saw　that　it　was　imprinted　with　the　title　ICE　CREAM　and　had　a　scarlet　band　in　the　upper　right…hand　corner；　signifying　it　contained　〃Eyes　Only〃　documents；　the　most　highly　classified　in　the　Mall：　they　could　not　be　photocopied　or　taken　from　the　premises；　and　one　needed　D。C。…〃Director's　Clearance〃…to　access　them。
　Russell　cleared　his　throat；　said；　〃Tori；　I　told　you　on　the　plane　that　our　adversaries　had　e　up　with　something　particularly　nasty。　I　wasn't　kidding；　and　I　wasn't　exaggerating。　This　concerns　the　global　transshipping　of　drugs。〃
　〃Cocaine？〃
　Russell　and　Bernard　Godwin　exchanged　a　brief　glance。　〃Yes；〃　Russell　said；　〃and　no。　It　was　bad　enough　when　the　South　American　drug　lords　bribed　their　own　governments　into　being　witting　acplices　to　the　growing；　manufacturing；　and　shipping　of　cocaine；　but　now　an　entirely　new　element　has　entered　the　arena；　and　the　implications　are　staggeringly　dire　for　the　United　States。〃
　He　paused　here　to　take　a　sip　of　orange　juice。　Russell　was　a　good　public　speaker；　Tori　remembered。　His　sense　of　timing　was　impeccable。
　〃The　first　hint　we　had　of　something　sinister；〃　Russell　continued；　〃was　just　under　a　year　ago。　A　Washington　kid　died。　Doesn't　sound　like　much；　I　know。　But　the　death　got　odder；　its　implications　more　frightening　as　the　investigation　went　on。　First　off；　the　kid　was　a　girl　of　about　fifteen；　a　white　girl　from　a　socially　prominent　family。　That；　sadly；　was　a　break　for　us。　Had　the　victim　been　an　inner　city　kid；　her　case　most　likely　would　never　have　e　to　our　attention。
　〃But　this　girl's　father　has　plenty　of　bread　and…and　this　counts　for　much　more…clout。　He　hires　a　forensic　specialist…　a　former　New　York　City　chief　medical　examiner　who's　off　writing　his　memoirs。　This　M。E。's　a　smart　cookie；　and　he　begins　to　dig。　He　delivers　his　prelim　report　to　the　father；　who's　so　appalled　he　phones　several　of　his　government　pals。　At　this　point　a　red　flag　pops　up　on　our　puter　screen；　and　I　send　someone…Ariel　Solares…out　to　interview　the　principals。〃
　Russell　detached　a　sheet　from　the　file；　slid　it　across　to　Tori。　''This　is　the　M。E。's　report；　but　I　can　summarize　it　for　you。　This　fifteen…year…old　white　girl　died　not　of　a　drug　overdose；　which　had　been　the　original　diagnosis；　but　of　chronic　cocaine　use。〃
　There　was　silence　for　some　moments；　an