el.angeleyes-第90部分

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　〃Tori！　〃he　called。
　〃Jump！〃　she　shouted；　ing　abreast　of　him。
　〃What　the　hell…〃
　〃Jump；　damnit！〃
　Russell　jumped　down；　landing　on　her　slot。　They　passed　below　the　level　of　the　subbasement；　Tori　knew　where　they　were　headed；　she　had　known　it　the　moment；　ascending　Sisyphus'　hill；　she　had　looked　down；　past　the　subbasement；　into　the　tunnels　of　Tokyo's　subway。
　Tori　and　Russell　jumped　off　the　parking　tower　at　its　bottom；　before　their　slot　began　its　ascent。　This　is　the　place　she's　chosen；　Tori　thought…the　place　where　she　left　me　to　die。　Now　she's　intent　on　finishing　the　job。
　〃What　the　hell　happened　to　you？〃　Russell　said；　taking　her　roughly　bandaged　hands　in　his。
　〃I　tried　to　fly；〃　she　said；　trying　to　laugh　it　off；　〃but　I　didn't　quite　make　it。〃　She　was　thinking　of　her　numbed　middle　finger；　the　knife　thrust　into　the　Akita's　belly；　her　hand　slipping　in　the　blood；　riding　up　the　tiny　hilt　of　the　shuriken　onto　its　blade。
　〃Fukuda's　down　here；〃　he　said。　〃I　saw　her　riding　that　thing　you　were　on。〃
　〃I　know　where　she's　headed；〃　Tori　said；　leading　him　into　the　tunnels。　'〃This　is　approximately　where　she　left　me　the　last　time。〃
　〃The　subway　tracks？〃　Russell　looked　around。　〃But　these　tunnels　are　obviously　long…abandoned。〃　At　that　moment　they　heard　a　rumble；　felt　the　vibrations　ing　up　through　their　feet。　Russell　looked　down。　〃Underneath　us？〃
　Tori　nodded。
　〃This　is　madness；〃　he　said。
　〃I　warned　you。　I　told　you　to　stay　behind。〃
　〃But　this　is　personal。　It　has　nothing　to　do　with　what　we're　supposed　to　be　invest…〃
　〃It　has　everything　to　do　with　it！〃　Tori　snapped。　〃As　long　as　Fukuda　knows　I'm　in　Tokyo；　she'll　give　me　no　rest。　Do　you　seriously　believe　she'd　allow　us　to　continue　with　our　investigation？　''　Her　eyes　were　almost　black；　as　if　they　had　absorbed　the　darkness　of　the　tunnels　through　which　she　and　Russell　now　crept。　〃One　thing　you　can　be　sure　of；　one　of　us　is　going　to　die　here。　Karma。〃
　〃Fuck　karma；〃　Russell　said　hotly。　〃That　nonsense　is　only　in　your　mind。〃
　〃You　think　so？　I　told　you　you　wouldn't　survive　here　without　an　open　mind。　I　meant　it。〃
　〃I　could　knock　you　out；　put　you　over　my　shoulder；　and　carry　you　out　of　here；〃　he　said。
　〃Then　do　it；　hotshot。〃
　〃Think；　Tori。　You're　reacting　emotionally；　and　Fukuda　is　counting　on　that。〃
　〃Don't　get　in　my　way；　Russ。　I　won't　back　off。〃
　Russell　stood　very　still。　He　was　livid　with　rage；　but　he　also　recognized　that　most　of　his　anger　was　displaced　fear。　He　was　so　frightened　for　her　that　he　did　not　know　what　to　say　or　do。　One　thing　you　can　be　sure　of；　one　of　us　is　going　to　die　here。
　Finally；　he　nodded。　〃Karma。　〃　And　he　thought。　If　your　final　meeting　with　Fukuda　is　meant　to　be；　Tori；　then　my　presence　here　now　is　part　of　it。　My　karma　and　yours；　bound　together。　When　this　is　over；　who　will　tell　them　apart？
　They　pressed　on　and；　almost　immediately；　came　upon　a　poorly　shored…up　section　of　the　ground。　Here　wooden　boards　had　been　hastily　placed　over　a　length　of　track　bed　that　had　fallen　through　to　the　next　level。
　Russell　got　down　on　his　knees；　peered　through　a　gap　in　the　boards。　〃Christ；　it's　a　long　way　down。〃
　〃That's　where　she　is；〃　Tori　said。
　He　looked　up　at　her；　the　determined　expression　on　her　face；　nodded。　〃I'll　go　first。〃
　He　pushed　the　boards　apart；　produced　the　garrote　wire　and　jammed　one　of　the　wooden　ends　into　the　gap　between　the　boards　where　it　narrowed　to　a　crevice。　He　unspooled　the　wire　into　the　abyss；　lowered　himself　until　his　shoes　hit　the　other　wooden　end。　Using　it　as　a　foothold；　he　slithered　down　until　he　was　hanging　at　the　end　of　the　wire。
　Tori　lowered　herself　after　him　and；　locking　her　legs　around　him；　moved　slowly　down　his　length。　She　climbed　down　his　body；　dropped；　finally；　off　his　ankles　onto　the　track　bed　of　the　subway　system。　From　somewhere　beyond　a　connecting　wall　she　heard　and　felt　the　passage　of　a　train。
　She　reached　up；　said；　〃Now！〃　and　softened　his　fall　as　his　bulk　hurtled　down　at　her。
　〃Which　way？〃　Russell　said。
　〃Fukuda　will　tell　us；　the　more　she　shows　me　her　strategy；　the　more　I　learn　about　her。''
　Russell　said；　〃I'm　beginning　to　like　this　concept　of　karma　less　and　less。〃
　Tori　gave　him　a　thin　smile。　〃Wrong　approach。　You　can't　like　or　dislike　karma。　You　accept　it。〃
　〃That　seems　to　be　something　of　a　paradox；〃　Russell　said　thoughtfully。　〃Is　this　acceptance　supremely　pragmatic　or　supremely　delusory？〃
　〃Russ；　remember　our　talk　about　the　merging　of　myth　and　reality？〃
　〃Yes；　but　how　does　that　apply　here？〃
　〃When　you　can　tell　me；〃　Tori　said；　〃then　you　will　understand。〃
　〃Is　that　a　Zen　riddle？〃
　〃You　mean　a　koan？　Tori　laughed　despite　herself；　〃In　a　sense；　I　guess　it　is。〃
　A　rumbling　filled　the　tunnel。
　〃This　track？〃　Russell　asked。
　〃Next　one　over。〃
　He　relaxed　somewhat。　〃It's　only　a　matter　of　time　before　a　train　es　through　this　tunnel。''
　〃We'll　let　Fukuda　worry　about　timetables　and　schedules；〃　Tori　said　as　they　moved　off　down　the　tunnel。　〃She's　so　good　at　it。〃
　Privately；　Russell　thought　this　was　a　mistake。　He　could　not　understand　why　Tori　was　refusing　to　take　the　initiative。　He　had　been　taught　to　attack　whenever　possible。　Why　was　Tori　allowing　Fukuda　to　dictate　the　pace　of　the　encounter？　All　this　esoteric　talk　of　strategy　made　little　sense　to　him。　I've　got　to　find　a　way　to　end　this；　quickly　and　finally；　he　thought。
　Ahead　of　them；　they　saw　a　light。
　〃Train？〃
　Tori　shook　her　head。　She　had　one　foot　on　the　rail；　and　there　was　no　vibration。　〃Fukuda；〃　she　said。　They　had；　at　last；　e　to　the　killing　ground。
　〃Sit　tight；〃　Russell　said；　so　unexpectedly　that　when　he　pressed　Tori　back　against　the　damp　tunnel　wall；　she　made　no　resistance。
　Russell；　keeping　to　the　shadows；　gun　drawn；　ran　quickly　and　silently　down　the　extreme　edge　of　the　tunnel　toward　the　light。
　Russ；　you　idiot！　Tori　thought；　heading　after　him。　I　thought　I'd　persuaded　you　to　give　up　being　my　protector。　Didn't　you　promise　that　you　weren't　going　to　go　off　half…cocked　again？
　Tori　heard　the　crack　and；　almost　simultaneously；　Russell's　sharply　indrawn　breath。　As　she　came　up　to　where　he　had　been；　she　saw　the　cleverly　disguised　hole　beside　the　track　bed；　he　had　fallen　into　it；　had　stumbled　to　his　right　onto　the　tracks；　catching　his　right　ankle　between　two　rails　where　they　branched　into　an　adjacent　tunnel。
　〃Don't　touch　him！〃　a　voice　cried；　and　Tori　stopped　on　her　way　to　try　to　free　Russell。　She　stared　at　Fukuda；　who　was　standing　not　fifty　yards　down　the　track；　her　hand　on　a　chrome　lever。
　〃This　is　the　manual　override　to　the　automatic　switching；〃　Fukuda　said。　〃If　you　don't　do　as　I　say；　I'll　put　this　lever　and　crush　his　ankle。〃
　〃Tell　her　to　shove　it；〃　Russell　said；　frantically　searching　for　his　pistol；　which　he　had　dropped　when　the　ground　had　given　way　beneath　him。　He　cursed　his　stupidity；　thought　of　what　his　impetuosity　had　caused。　He　sat　up；　tried　to　free　his　ankle。　Christ；　but　it　hurt！
　Tori　said；　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　〃You　know　the　answer　to　that。〃　Fukuda's　hand　was　curled　menacingly　around　the　lever。　〃I　want　you　to　die。〃　She　beckoned　with　her　free　hand。　〃This　way。〃
　Tori　moved　toward　her。
　''That's　enough！''　Fukuda　manded。
　Yes；　Tori　thought；　she's　still　afraid　of　me。　She　doesn't　want　me　too　close。　A　useful　bit　of　information。　She　had　a　few　weapons　at　her　disposal；　but　she　suspected　now　that　they　would　not　be　enough。
　Her　right　hand　was　at　her　side；　surreptitiously；　she　flexed　the　fingers。　The　middle　three　were　pletely　numb。　She　still　had　some　feeling　in　her　thumb；　but　her　little　finger　was　a　mass　of　tingles。
　Tori　thought；　Dear　God；　she's　already　won。
　〃One　doesn't　often　get　a　second　chance　in　this　life。''　Fukuda　cocked　her　head　as　she　stared；　black…eyed；　at　Tori。　〃I　can't　tell　you　what　a　wonderful　feeling　it　is　to　see　you　down　here　again。　I　knew　you'd　get　past　the　shuriken　and　the　dog；　but　how　you　outmaneuvered　me　in　the　elevator　shaft　and　on　the　moving　carpark；　I'll　never　know。〃　She　laughed。　〃But；　you　see；　it　doesn't　matter；　because　here　you　are；　and　here　you'll　the。　In　just　the　way　I　want　you　to。〃
　She's　gloating；　Tori　thought。　She's　human；　after　all。　Tori　began　to　breathe　again。　There　was　no　point　in　formulating　a　strategy；　the　place；　the　time；　the　circumstances　had　dictated　what　she　must　do；　in　any　case。　Karma。　An