ericlustbader.the ninja-第53节

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eatre　he　sat　down。　The　floor　was　sticky；　the　place　smelled　of　accelerated　age。　His　head　swivelled　around。　People　were　ing　and　going。　Flickering　light　played　over　their　faces。　He　turned　back。
　His　hands　had　begun　to　shake　but　this　might　be　because　of　the　increased　adrenalin。　His　mouth　was　dry　and　his　breathing　raspy。　Otherwise；　he　felt　better　than　he　had　before。　Obviously　the　dose　had　been　less　than　lethal。　He　tried　to　〃lax；　breathing　deeply；　but　his　side　hurt　intermittently；　perhaps　from　the　frantic　running。　Meanwhile；　his　mind　was　going　over　the　alternatives。　There　didn't　seem　to　be　many。　Having　e　in　here；　he　was　now　quite　effectively　trapped。　The　ninja；　too；　was　here　somewhere。　If　he　made　a　move　to　leave；　he　would　be　dead　before　he　got　half　way　to　the　door。
　He　would　have　to　fight。　It　was　the　only　alternative。　He　was　not　a　sensei　or　a　haragei　adept　as　Nicholas　was　…　or　Terry　had　been。　He　turned　his　mind　away　from　Terry：　that　way　led　to　despair；　if　Terry　had　been　defeated　。。。
　But　Terry　had　been　surprised　and　then　there　had　been　Ei　to　think　of。　Vincent　was　forewarned。　He　needed　time　and　he　was　getting　it；　he　was　feeling　better　every　moment。　Think　I　he　screamed　at　himself。　You've　got　to　get　out　of　this　somehow。
　There　were　people　in　back　of　him；　to　his　left。　Shadows　moving　in　the　aisle；　up　and　down；　bobbing；　rustling　as　people　sat　down　or　got　up。　Someone　slid　into　his　row；　one　seat　away　from　him；　and　he　stiffened；　his　eyes　sliding　that　way　so　that　he　could　see　。。。　a　youngish　businessman；　clean…cut；　Brooks　Brothers　suit；　thin　leather　attache　case　on　his　knees。　A　model　businessman。
　Vincent　removed　his　attention；　went　back　to　thinking。　Something　touched　his　arm　and　he　jumped；　turned　his　head。　It　was　the　businessman；　clean…shaven；　reddened　cheeks；　lived　just　over　the　river　along　the　Jersey　Palisades　perhaps　with　the　wife　and　two　kids；　the　dog　and　the　two　cars。　The　man　was　tapping　him　gently　on　the　arm。　He　leaned　forward；　his　eyes　searching　Vincent's。　He　whispered　something　but　Vincent　could　not　hear　him　over　the　amplified　moaning。　He　leaned　over；　across　the　vacant　。。cat　between　them。　'Want　to　move　over　here　next　to　me？'　the　man　said　hopefully。
　Vincent　stared　at　him　dumbfounded　for　a　full　minute　until　he　shook　his　head　violently　from　side　to　side；　withdrew。
　He　wiped　at　his　forehead　and　his　fingers　came　away　wet。　But　he　knew　what　he　had　to　do　now　and　all　he　could　do　was　wait。
　There　was　a　movement　along　the　aisle；　a　shadow　had　stopped　at　the　end　of　his　row。　Vincent　turned　his　head　slightly　but　all　he　saw　was　a　black　blotch。　The　businessman　who　had　propositioned　him　was　moving　slightly　in　his　seat；　his　hands　invisible　under　the　shield　of　his　attache　case；　it　was　too　warm　to　carry　a　raincoat。
　Someone　was　ing　into　Vincent's　row　now　and　he　held　his　breath；　his　heart　pumping　furiously。　Was　it　the　ninja？　The　figure　moved　slowly；　approaching　Vincent。　He　looked　up。　The　man　was　just　on　the　other　side　of　the　engrossed　businessman。　He　saw　a　glint　of　reflected　light　from　the　screen　dance　off　the　man's　eyes。　It　was　the　ninja。　He　bent；　said　something　to　the　businessman；　who　moved　his　legs；　not　taking　his　eyes　off　the　screen。
　He　was　ing。　Vincent　prepared　himself　for　what　he　had　to　do。　It　would　take　speed　and　strength　and　…　Now　the　man　was　at　the　seat　next　to　Vincent's。　He　did　not　sit　down。
　Now　was　the　time。　Now！
　Vincent　moved。　Nothing　happened。　His　eyes　bulged　in　disbelief。　He　was　paralysed。
　He　struggled　to　lift　his　hands　but　his　arms　were　immobile；　as　if　they　had　been　encased　in　lead　while　his　attention　had　been　elsewhere。　He　tried　to　stand　up　but　there　was　no　feeling　in　his　legs。　No　feet；　no　ankles；　nothing。　Then　he　knew　with　a　swift　unalterable　certainty　that　the　spray　had　never　been　meant　to　kill　him　but　merely　to　render　him　motionless。
　The　shadow　loomed　over　him；　blotting　out　all　light。　He　heard　animal　cries；　lustful　sobs；　he　felt　the　movement　over　him　with　exaggerated　slowness；　watching　calmly　and　detachedly　as　the　ninja　leaned　over　him　and　gently　put　one　forearm　against　his　left　clavicle。　He　felt　the　pressure　and　his　eyes　blinked。　Perhaps　the　tip　of　one　finger　twitched　where　it　lay　on　the　wooden　arm　of　the　seat。　There　was　no　fear　in　him；　no　sorrow；　only　an　image　of　Japan；　of　a　rocky　seashore　outside　Uraga　with　its　ramshackle　houses；　the　pure　white　sails　of　the　fishing　boats　as　they　set　sail　against　the　red　and　yellow　sunrise。　He　saw　the　lone　pine　standing　on　the　bluff；　limned　by　the　light；　a　dark　sentinel　standing　watch　over　its　homeland
　The　other　forearm　broke　against　the　left　side　of　his　face；　pressing　at　his　ear。　The　force　was　enormous。　The　first　arm　held　the　rest　of　his　body　immobile。　Homeland　expanding　outward；　outward　into　…　snap。
　
　
　II
　Tokyo　Suburbs；　Autumn　1963
　'This　is　the　perfect　place　to　watch　the　sun　set；'　Cheong　said。　She　turned　to　Tai；　handed　her　the　lacquer　tray。　Tai；　bowing；　took　it　and　silently　left　them　alone　in　the　kitchen。
　'You　see；　I　had　your　father　take　the　shoji　out　and　put　the　glass　in。'　She　gave　a　little　laugh。　'It　scandalized　Itami；　of　course。　She　would　never　do　a　thing　like　that　in　her　house。'　She　sighed；　perfectly　serious　now。　'Sometimes　your　aunt　can　be　extremely　trying；　I　am　most　ashamed　to　admit。'
　'Itami　is　not　blood；　Mother。'
　She　put　a　slender　hand　over　his　and　smiled。　'Sometimes；　Nicholas；　the　spirit　is　more　binding　than　the　blood。　You　may　find　such　a　thing　out　for　yourself　as　you　grow　older。'　She　took　her　hand　away。　'Are　you　hungry？'
　'Yes。'
　'Good。　Tai　has　made　your　favourite。'　She　showed　him。
　'My　favourite　is　dim　sum；'　he　said。　'Tai　does　not　make　them　as　well　as　you　do；　though　you　tell　her　what　to　do。'
　Cheong　laughed　and　leaning　over；　kissed　his　cheek。　'All　right；　she　said　lightly。　'This　weekend　I'll　make　you　dim　sum。'
　'How　many　kinds？'
　'Enough；'　she　said。　'Enough。'
　She　stared　out　of　the　window。　The　sky　near　the　horizon　was　as　lemony　as　custard　but；　high　aloft；　the　blue　was　as　deep　as　midnight。　'You　do　not　get　to　see　this　sight　often　enough；　do　you？'
　'Bujutsu　takes　a　great　deal　of　time；　Mother。'
　'I　know。'　She　hesitated　fractionally。　'Your　school　work　isn't　suffering。'　It　did　not　seem　to　be　a　question。
　'There's　no　problem。'
　'You　know；　my　father'　…　she　called　So…Peng　her　father　just　as　if　he　had　sired　her　…　'used　to　say；　it　makes　a　great　deal　of　difference　where　you　have　been。　Your　ancestors　live　on　in　your　blood。'
　'I　don't　know；'　Nicholas　said。　'I　have　a　number　of　American　friends　who　do　all　they　can　to　break　away　from　such　things。　You　know；　their　parents　and　…'
　'Then　you　tell　me；　my　son；　if　their　ancestors　have　not　set　the　course　of　their　lives？'
　He　looked　at　her；　thinking　that　she　must；　after　all；　be　quite　correct。
　'Everything　your　grandfather　was；　am　I；'　Cheong　said。　'This　he　bequeathed　me　long　before　I　left　Singapore　with　your　father。　In　Asia；　this　is　quite　special；　quite'　…　she　sought　for　the　proper　word　…　'unique。　Now　I　am　able　to　do　the　same　thing　for　you。'
　〃But　I　know　so　little　about　him。'
　'In　time　you　will　learn。　You　are　young　yet。'
　'But　you　were　far　younger　than　I　am　when　you　began　to　…'
　'Those　were　different　times。　Dangerous　times。　I　am　very　grateful　that　you　could　be　spared　such　misery。　No　one　should　have　to　suffer　so。'　Her　beautiful　face　broke　into　a　smile。　'But　let　us　speak　of　more　pleasant　matters。'
　I　want　to　know；　he　told　her　in　his　mind。　I　very　much　want　to　know　what　happened。　But；　of　course；　this　was　something　he　could　not　say　to　her。　Never。　If　she　chose　to　tell　him　one　day。。。　But　she　would　not。　He　doubted　whether　even　his　father　knew。　Only　Cheong　and　So…Peng。　And　he　was　long　dead　now。
　'Your　aunt　asked　about　you　today；'　she　said；　breaking　into　his　train　of　thought。　'She　always　does　when　you　are　not　around。〃
　'It　was　kind　of　her　to　think　of　me。'
　'Yes。'　Cheong　smiled　and　touched　him。　'You　should　tell　her　that。　It　will　make　her　most　happy。'
　'I　cannot　think　…　that　is　to　say　…'
　'Nicholas；　Itami　thinks　of　us　…　all　of　us　…　as　part　of　her　family。　She　is　very　fond　of　you。'
　'Sometimes　…　it's　very　difficult　to　know　with　her。'
　'Yes；　well；　people　are　plex。　They　need　getting　to　know。　Seeping　in。　Patience。　This　is　perhaps；　difficult　for　you。　Your　father　makes　it　so。　He　is　patient　and　impatient。'　She　shook　her　head；　as。　if　bewildered。　'Very　inconsistent；　yes。　This　is　still　strange　to　me。'　She　stroked　the　nape　of　his　neck。　'You　are　so　much　like　him　in　that　way。　He　does　not　make　friends　easily　as　most　foreigners　seem　to　do。　But　then；　he　is　no　foreigner。
　Asia　is　his　home；　as　it　is　mine。　We　are　both　children　of　the　East；　forging　our　own　pasts。'
　'It　sounds　so　difficult；　so　plex。'
　She　smiled。　'We　could　live　no　other　way。〃
　Increasingly　now；　Satsugai　and　Itami　came　to　dinner。　His　aunt　had　always　been　somewhat　of　a　fixture　around　the　house　…　Cheong　saw　to　that。　However；　now　her　husband　began　to　acpany　her　more　frequently。
　Listening　to　Satsugai　talk；　Nicholas　began　to　understand　how　Japan　had　been　led　blindly　into　the　disastrous　war　by　this　man　and　others　like　him　in　the　powerful　zaibatsu。　Not　that　Satsugai　ever　spoke　of　events　before　the　war　or　even　of　the　war　itself。　As　far　as　he　was　concerned；　the　war　might　as　well　never　have　occurred。　Ostrich…like；　he　seemed　utterly　bl