el.angeleyes-第86部分

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　〃I　don't　expect　I'm　describing　this　adequately；〃　Tori　said；　''but　I　suspect　that　the　effect　of　that　singular　place　had　something　to　do　with　how　quickly　I　was　drawn　into　Yen's　universe。　Understand；　there　was　nothing　boyish　about　him；　save　his　looks。　And　even　then　the　lack　of　lines　in　his　face　only　served　to　keep　at　bay　the　hardness　that　sooner　or　later　life　inflicts　on　most　countenances。
　〃At　that　moment；　in　that　spot；　Yen　seemed　perfect；　just　as　the　moss　garden　was　perfect；　almost　as　if　he　were　an　extension　of　the　spirit　that　pervaded　the　place。　He　was　irresistible。〃
　〃Tori…〃
　〃Oh；　Russ；　don't　tell　me　it's　never　happened　to　you。　Haven't　you　ever　found　a　woman　irresistible？〃
　〃Not　while　I　was　on　the　job。〃
　Tori　automatically　thought　of　Ariel　and　the　legacy　he　had　left　to　her　safekeeping。　〃You　mean　pushing　the　papers　around　your　desk？　I'm　hardly　surprised。〃
　〃Thank　you　very　much。〃
　〃Sorry；〃　she　said。　〃You　don't　deserve　that。　But　the　old　Russell　Slade；　the　one　I　used　to　know；　was　so　judgmental…and　thought　himself　so　perfect。〃
　〃God；　no；　never　perfect。〃
　〃But　that's　just　the　mask　you'd　put　on。〃
　〃Did　I？〃　Russell　was　surprised。　〃It　seems　you're　describing　another　Russell　Slade。〃
　Tori　looked　at　him。　〃In　a　way；　that's　true。〃
　〃It　seems　to　me　he　died　somewhere　in　Machine…Gun　City。　In　the　red　dust。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Tori　looked　at　him。　〃I　never　told　you　how　you　surprised　me　that　afternoon　at　Cruz's　apartment；　when　you　took　the　lead　and　won　him　over　by　being　the　famous　mole　hunter。〃　Russell　laughed　and　Tori　joined　him；　for　the　first　time　realizing　that　she　was　enjoying　his　pany。　〃And　then　in　the　jungle；　and　in　the　corrida。　I　thought　you'd　fall　apart…that's　why　I　coerced　Bernard　into　ordering　you　to　e　into　the　field　with　me。　I　was　sure　I　could　humiliate　you。''
　His　blue　eyes　had　turned　dark。　''Just　as　I　humiliated　you　when　I　severed　you　from　the　Mall　for　my　own　selfish　reasons。''
　〃It　almost　seems　as　if　Bernard　deliberately　set　us　against　one　another。〃　And　she　was　suddenly　aware　again　of　Estilo's　story　of　how　he　had　set　the　German　twins　against　one　another；　destroying　their　intimate　bond。　But　this　was　so　different。　Of　course；　Bernard　hadn't　meant　her　or　Russell　any　harm。　Yet　it　was　odd　how　the　story　seemed　to　remain　in　her　mind。
　Russell　seemed　to　think　about　what　she　had　said　for　some　time。　He　was　about　to　say　something；　abruptly　changed　his　mind。　〃It's　funny　the　curves　life　throws　you；〃　he　remarked。　〃No　matter　how　organized；　how　ready　you　are；　you're　never　prepared　for　what　happens。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Tori　said。　〃That's　what　happened　to　me　with　Yen。〃　She　waited　for　him　to　make　a　ment；　but　he　was　silent。　''We　had　a　glorious　afternoon；〃　she　went　on；　〃and　then　we　parted　pany。　But　not　forgetting　why　I　had　made　contact；　I　doubled　back　and　followed　him。
　''It　was　twilight；　near　the　dinner　hour　at　that　time　of　the　year；　and　I　followed　Yen　into　a　restaurant　in　Kyoto。　Someone　was　waiting　for　him。〃
　〃Don't　tell　me。　It　was　Fukuda。〃
　〃Yes。　She　and　Yen　were　having　an　affair。〃
　〃Dear　God。〃
　〃You're　not　wide　of　the　mark；〃　Tori　said。　〃Once　I　determined　the　nature　of　their　relationship　and　that　Yen's　real　purpose　in　ing　to　Kyoto　was　to　meet　his　girlfriend；　I　backed　off。
　〃But　I　got　some　background　on　Fukuda；　and　I　began　to　worry。　The　more　I　found　out　about　her；　the　worse　the　situation　seemed　to　be。　I　already　knew　enough　about　Yen　that　I　realized　I　couldn't　let　him　go。　If　there　was　a　Japanese…Russian　connection；　surely　it　was　flowing　through　him。　But　how　was　I　going　to　avoid　Fukuda？
　〃Back　in　Tokyo；　I　contrived　another　ploy。　I　approached　Yen　again；　this　time　as　a　client。　Remember　those　dummy　corporation　papers　I　asked　you　for？''
　〃Yeah；〃　Russell　said。　〃They　put　our　myths　department　in　a　snit。　They　worked　straight　through　the　July　Fourth　holiday　for　you。〃
　''I　tried　to　keep　our　relationship　strictly　business；''　Tori　said；　〃but　Yen　wouldn't　let　me。　He　even　admitted　to　seeing　Fukuda。　He　said　it　didn't　matter。　He　wanted　me；　and　no　one　was　going　to　stop　him。〃
　〃Sensitive　guy。〃
　〃The　odd　thing　was；　he　was　sensitive；〃　Ton　said。　〃Just　selectively　so。　He　was　like　a　searchlight。　Whatever　was　illuminated　by　his　attention　was　so　well　taken　care　of。　But　as　soon　as　the　beam　moved　on；　the　subject　was　left　alone　in　the　dark。〃
　〃Like　Fukuda。〃
　Tori　nodded。　''Yen　said　the　affair　was　winding　down；　at　least　as　far　as　he　was　concerned。　It　was　fun；　he　admitted；　getting　off　on　the　danger。　Until　it　got　too　intense。　Perhaps　that　was　his　way　of　giving　me　a　warning　for　what　I　might　conceive　of　as　our　future　together。〃
　〃In　other　words；　there　wasn't　to　be　any；〃　Russell　said。
　〃Not　necessarily。　I　think　he　was　saying　there　was　going　to　be　a　future　only　if　he　wanted　it。〃
　〃Nice。〃
　''But　isn't　that　typical　of　men？''
　〃Tori；　don't　start。　Most　women　have　minds　of　their　own；　too。〃
　〃Yes；　but　it's　what's　been　drummed　into　those　minds　that　troubles　me。〃　She　shrugged。　〃Anyway；　as　far　as　Yen　was　concerned；　he　wanted　us　to　start　where　we　left　off　that　afternoon　in　the　Kokedera。　I　did　my　best　to　dissuade　him。''
　〃I'll　bet。〃
　〃All　right。　Part　of　me　wanted　to　be　with　him。　I've　never　aspired　to　sainthood。　What　possible　good　would　it　do　me？　I'm　only　human。〃
　〃From　this　confession　can　I　assume　that　you　allowed　the　affair　to　continue？''
　Tori　was　silent　for　some　time。　''In　a　matter　of　speaking；''　she　said　after　a　while。
　〃You're　going　to　have　to　do　better　than　that；〃　Russell　said。　But　there　was　no　edge　to　his　voice；　for　which　Tori　was　grateful。
　〃The　affair　continued；〃　she　said；　〃only　under　my　conditions。　Which　were　that　we　not　be　seen　in　public　together；　and　that　I　never　under　any　circumstances　e　to　his　house。　And　it　worked；　for　a　while。　I　continued　to　mind　the　business　aspect；　hoping　at　some　point　to　hint　to　him　my　interest　as　an　investor　in　unconventional　multinational　deals。
　〃I　never　got　the　chance　to　make　my　pitch。　A　territorial　war　erupted　between　Hitasura　and　Big　Ezoe。　Fukuda　was　recalled　from　Kyoto；　where　she　had　been　managing　a　large；　plicated　arms　deal　for　Big　Ezoe；　and　that　was　that。
　〃Within　twenty…four　hours　of　Fukuda　setting　foot　in　Tokyo；　she　knew　Yen　was　seeing　someone　else。　Within　forty…eight　hours；　she　had　discovered　that　that　someone　was　me。〃
　〃Efficient　bitch；〃　Russell　said。
　〃You　don't　know　the　half　of　it；〃　Tori　said。　〃She　methodically　tracked　me　down。　She　had　more　contacts　than　I　had；　and　a　great　deal　more　obsessiveness。　In　the　end；　it　was　Deke　who　warned　me；　but　by　then　it　was　too　late。　Fukuda　was　locked　on　to　me；　and　I　couldn't　shake　her。〃
　〃What　happened？〃　Russell's　expression　showed　that　he　was　plainly　fascinated　by　this　dance　of　death。
　Tori　described　the　confrontation　in　the　tunnels　below　Tokyo。　〃When　the　explosive　she　threw　tore　open　my　hip；　Fukuda　knew　I　was　helpless。　Then　she　heard　the　train　ing；　and　she　left　me　on　the　tracks　to　die。''
　〃Stupid　of　her。〃
　〃Yes。　Hitasura　got　to　me　before　the　train　did。〃
　〃That's　too　bad　for　Fukuda；〃　Russell　said。
　Tori　couldn't　help　laughing　at　his　bravado；　even　though　she　knew　that　where　Fukuda　was　concerned；　nothing　was　amusing。
　Then　he　said；　〃Damnit；　you　should　have　told　me　all　this　at　your　original　debriefing。''
　〃You　wouldn't　have　listened；〃　Tori　said。　〃At　that　point　in　time　you　weren't　interested　in　my　views　about　anything。〃
　〃That　judgment　wasn't　for　you　to　make。〃
　〃It's　the　truth。〃
　〃You　were　under　discipline；〃　Russell　said。　〃The　truth　has　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃
　He　was　right；　of　course；　but　Tori　was　damned　if　she　was　going　to　give　him　the　satisfaction　of　eliciting　an　apology　from　her。
　〃Hitasura　is　ing；〃　Big　Ezoe　said　in　Fukuda's　ear。
　〃I　can　see　the　vehicle　now；〃　she　said　into　the　pinpoint　mike　wrapped　around　her　head。
　''Where　are　you？''
　''At　the　Kinji…to；''　Fukuda　said。　It　was　amazing；　she　thought；　what　the　new　fiber　optics　could　do。　Big　Ezoe　sounded　as　if　he　were　inside　her　head　instead　of　some　miles　away。
　〃Good；〃　the　voice　in　her　head　said。　〃Everything　is　ready。　You　are　the　guide。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Fukuda　said。　She　could　see　the　moving　van　ing　her　way；　and　she　stepped　inside　the　glass…doored　entrance　to　the　Kinji…to。　〃That　is　what　you　trained　me　to　be。〃
　〃Hitasura　has　an　ally。''
　〃From　your　tone　of　voice；〃　Fuku