el.angeleyes-第93部分

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　onto　the　top　of　her　head；　surrounding　her　in　spray。
　〃Now；　at　last；　I　see　beyond　all　the　lies；　to　the　buried　truth；〃　she　said。　She　was　not　looking　at　Big　Ezoe　nor　at　anything　in　the　room。　〃Being　born　hinoeuma　was　a　blessing；　not　a　curse。　Because　I　was　hinoeuma；　I　was　taken　to　the　Man　of　One　Tree；　and　there　learned　the　ways　of　the　warrior。　But　when　I　returned　to　the　outside　world；　I　was　thrust　once　more　into　the　caldron　of　my　family；　and　I　was　obliged　to　suppress　much　of　what　I　was　taught　by　the　Man　of　One　Tree。　I　learned　to　fit　in；　to　be　the　model　daughter　as　preparation　for　being　the　model　wife。　I　was　no　longer　afraid　of　being　hinoeuma；　because　the　Man　of　One　Tree　had　given　me　the　strength　I　needed　to　bat　it。　He　told　me　that　I　was　now　strong　enough　to　decide　not　to　be　hinoeuma。
　〃But　he　was　wrong…or；　in　the　end；　because　he　was　a　man；　he　lied　to　me。　Here　is　the　Truth：　I　am　hinoeuma；　and　being　so　gives　me　an　altogether　different　power。　My　evil　passions；　my　bloody　nature；　is　a　divine　gift。〃
　And　with　this　she　rose　up　out　of　the　bath；　the　water　purling　down　her　taut　muscular　body；　a　dark…haired　leviathan；　opal…eyed　and　omnipotent；　emerging　from　the　deep。
　On　the　Tokyo　waterfront　mist　was　rising　off　the　Sumida。　It　was　already　too　late　in　the　morning　for　the　daily　fish　auction　at　the　Tsukiji　Fish　Market；　but　the　stalls　were　busy　as　the　city's　best　restaurateurs　continued　to　buy　provisions　for　the　afternoon　and　evening　meals。
　Big　Ezoe　and　Koi　emerged　from　the　gray　steel…paneled　Mercedes；　walked　across　concrete　slick　with　water　sluicing　away　fish　entrails。　They　went　to　a　little　row　of　stalls；　numbered　5　through　9；　entered　the　tiny　restaurant　in　the　middle　of　the　row。
　It　was　more　a　coffee　shop　than　a　restaurant；　a　tiny　kitchen　behind　a　plain　counter　fronted　by　no　more　than　a　dozen　stools　in　a　sixteen…by…seven…foot　area。
　There　was　only　one　customer　at　the　counter。　A　middle…aged　executive　with　a　pencil　mustache　wearing　a　regulation　dark　gray　three…piece　suit　appropriate　for　corporation　work。　With　a　start；　Koi　recognized　him　as　the　senior　vice…president　for　administration　for　the　Kaga　conglomerate；　the　man　she　had　seen　lose　so　much　money　at　Big　Ezoe's　gambling　house；　the　one　she　had　had　a　hand　in　sending　into　debt。
　The　two　men　nodded　to　one　another；　but　otherwise　there　was　no　traditional　greeting。　No　names　were　exchanged；　and　Big　Ezoe　did　not　in　any　way　seek　to　explain　Koi's　presence。　Koi　got　the　eerie　sensation　of　being　back　in　Kunio　Michita's　office　because；　for　this　moment；　she　had　ceased　to　exist。
　Big　Ezoe　ordered　asari；　a　soupy　dish　made　with　a　ladleful　of　fresh　baby　clams；　white　and　briny。　Koi　asked　for　oyako…ni；　a　hot　dish　of　eggs　and　browned　onions；　and　three　slices　of　toro　sashimi。
　Big　Ezoe　said；　〃There　is　a　great　deal　of　money　outstanding。''
　〃I　cannot　pay　principle；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。
　Big　Ezoe　nodded。　〃I　understand。　I　will　be　satisfied　with　a　payment　of　interest。〃
　This　exchange　sounded　to　Koi　as　if　it　were　a　rote　call　and　response。　Nevertheless；　the　Kaga　vice…president's　head　seemed　to　sink　between　his　shoulder　blades。　But　he　nodded。　Koi　could　not　see　his　face。
　Big　Ezoe　said；　''Your　pany　has　a　joint　venture　with　Kunio　Michita。　What　does　it　involve？〃
　The　mustachioed　man　seemed　to　consider　this　for　some　time。　At　length　he　said；　〃Our　people　stumbled　upon　a　technology　about　two　years　ago。　They　thought　it　was　a　dead　end；　until　Kunio　Michita　showed　up　and　began　talks　with　them。''
　〃How　did　Michita　know　about　Kaga's　technology？〃　Koi　asked。
　The　mustache　twitched。　〃Good　question。　We　are　still　trying　to　find　the　answer。　I　have　no　idea　how　Michita　did　it。　Perhaps　like　your　friend　here；　he's　got　a　spy　inside　Kaga。''
　〃And　yet；〃　Koi　said　thoughtfully；　〃Michita　must　have　obtained　the　information　from　someone。〃
　〃In　any　event；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　went　on；　as　if　this　point　were　of　no　concern　to　him；　〃it　seems　Michita　had　a　use　for　this　technology　even　though　it　involved　nuclear　devices。　We　did　not　want　to　give　him　the　technology；　but　we　could　see　no　conceivable　use　for　it。　It　seemed　logical；　then；　for　the　two　panies　to　form　a　joint　venture。''
　〃I　see。〃　Big　Ezoe　worked　a　tiny　clamshell　around　his　mouth　until　he　had　gotten　all　the　delicious　juice　out　of　it。　Then　he　spit　it　out。　〃So　this　joint　venture　isn't　research　and　development　at　all。〃
　〃No；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。　〃It's　a　manufacturing　setup。〃
　〃What　is　it　manufacturing？〃
　''I　don't　know。　All　I'm　aware　of　is　that　we　are　getting　illegal　shipments　of　hafnium　into　the　joint　pany。''
　Big　Ezoe　said；　〃What　the　hell　is　hafnium？〃
　The　Kaga　vice…president　told　him　about　hafnium　being　used　to　manufacture　control　rods　for　reactor　cores；　and　how　hafnium　kept　absorbing　neutrons　long　after　other　materials　became　saturated　and　had　to　be　replaced。　〃It　seems　evident　that　the　setup　must　be　manufacturing　parts　for　some　kind　of　nuclear　reactors；''　the　Kaga　vice…president　concluded。
　〃Nuclear　reactors？〃　Big　Ezoe　shook　his　head。　This　wasn't　turning　out　as　he　had　expected。　〃Kunio　Michita's　business　doesn't　include　atomics。〃
　〃I　guess　it　does　now；〃　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。
　〃Who　is　selling　him　the　hafnium？〃
　〃A　West　German　firm　owned　by　an　Argentine　named　Estilo。〃
　Koi　said；　〃Does　Estilo's　pany　manufacture　the　hafnium？〃
　''How　should　I　know？''
　Big　Ezoe　looked　at　her；　and　she　said；　〃I　know　of　this　West　German　pany。　It's　had　a　number　of　dealings　with　Kunio　Michita。　Estilo　is　a　middleman；　a　broker　for　all　sorts　of　hardware　and　esoteric　raw　materials　like　hafnium。〃
　Koi　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　she　looked　at　the　Kaga　vice…president。　〃Who　does　Estilo　buy　his　hafnium　from？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　the　man　said。　〃I　doubt　that　even　Ten…san　knows。〃　He　meant　Fumida　Ten；　the　chairman　of　Kaga。　The　vice…president　shrugged。　''I　don't　even　know　anything　about　this　West　German　pany；　except　that　it's　represented　in　this　country　by　Budoko　Associates。〃
　〃That　law　firm　is　huge；〃　Big　Ezoe　said。　〃Who　at　Budoko　is　handling　the　transactions？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　shouldn't　even　be　aware　of　Budoko。　Normally　I　have　to　approve　all　corporate　bills　before　they're　sent　on　to　accounting；　but　these　were　routed　around　me。　I　only　came　across　one　by　accident。〃
　Big　Ezoe　finished　his　asari；　making　smacking　sounds　of　satisfaction。　〃Is　there　anything　else　that　might　be　of　use　to　me？〃
　''I　can't　think　of　anything；''　the　Kaga　vice…president　said。　He　had　not　touched　his　breakfast。　He　looked　at　the　food　wistfully；　as　if　he　could　recall　a　time　when　he　had　had　an　appetite。　〃Well；　the　only　thing　was；　I　don't　think　Michita　was　the　original　instigator　of　the　joint　venture　talks。　He　brought　an　American　with　him。〃
　〃A　businessman？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　No。　The　American　was　introduced　to　us　as　Mr。　Smith。　What　does　that　tell　you？〃
　Big　Ezoe　nodded；　threw　some　yen　on　the　table；　and　he　and　Koi　left　the　coffee　shop。　They　strolled　for　some　time　amid　the　thinning　throngs　at　the　fish　market。　It　was　a　good　place　to　talk。
　Big　Ezoe　said；　〃Now　there　are　some　intriguing　new　players　to　the　game。　It　isn't　just　Michita　and　Hitasura　we're　chasing；　it's　Kaga　and　someone　in　the　largest　law　firm　in　Tokyo。　And　where　does　Hitasura　fit　into　all　this？　It　seems　we're　no　closer　to　finding　the　link　between　him　and　Michita。　Not　to　mention　this　mysterious　American。　Do　you　remember　a　'Mr。　Smith'　or　any　likely　American　who　did　not　fit　the　typical　businessman　mold　being　in　touch　with　Michita？''
　〃No。〃
　〃Let's　leave　that　for　the　moment；〃　Big　Ezoe　said。　〃Why　were　you　so　interested　in　where　the　hafnium　is　ing　from？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　Koi　said。　〃But　it　seems　to　me　that　none　of　this　quite　hangs　together。〃
　〃Do　you　think　our　man's　lying？〃
　〃No。　He's　too　frightened　of　you　to　lie。　But　I　don't　think　he　knows　what's　really　going　on。　Neither　do　we；　yet。　What　we're　beginning　to　get　a　look　at　is　flesh　without　any　bones。　It's　not　yet　making　sense。〃
　They　walked　in　silence　for　some　time　while　Big　Ezoe　digested　this。　At　last　he　said；　〃Does　anything　else　occur　to　you？〃
　〃Yes。　I　think　we　should　put　the　deciphered　pages　of　Kakuei　Sakata's　ledgers　to　good　use。　Let's　use　them　as　leverage　to　find　out　what　Hitasura　is　up　to。〃
　Big　Ezoe　was　already　shaking　his　head。　〃I　can't　be　certain　that