ericlustbader.the ninja-第86节
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Yukio； as usual； was filled with lust and； in the jouncing； empty car； she sat on his lap； lifting her skirt up and making the hot connection。 Neither of them needed to move at all。
Kumamoto was a town that no doubt in feudal times had been dominated by the stone and mortar castle perched high on a dun…brown hill that in the spring would turn lushly verdant。 In these modern times； however； the castle； though still quite imposing； seemed overshadowed by the industrial plant flung across the valley to the northwest。 Its fifteen or so smokestacks seemed like inelegant fingers stretching themselves irreverently towards the heavens。
This afternoon； as Nicholas and Yukio stepped off the smoking train； one could not see their tops and the mist made them seem as if they had been covered by gloves。
Oddly enough； Kumamoto itself was not as modern as this new appendage might lead one to believe。 There was little evidence of Western erosion and they saw more traditional Japanese garb than they had seen anywhere else in their travels。 Even through the mist； which now appeared to be at last lifting； they could see how mountainous Kyushu was。 Dark masses loomed on every side； filling the land with a kind of undulating light and shadow pattern of the kind one might see from an airplane riding high above patchy clouds。
They booked into a hotel along the Street of the Wrestlers。 'Here；' the bustling proprietor said； flinging open the doors to their rooms； 'you will have a perfect view of Mount Aso。' He put down their bags； crossed to the window of Nicholas's room。 'Of course； you'll need a clear day but no doubt by tomorrow you will be able to view； well； perhaps not all five summits but most assuredly Nakadake。' He turned around； rubbing his palms together。 'It's actively volcanic； you know； and always smoking。' He waved one pudgy hand towards the mist outside。 'We get this kind of weather when the wind's the wrong way。〃 He walked to the door and his finger touched the knob。 'We've had ash and pumice； the sky so dark you'd think it was night； when it erupts。' He shook his head。 'Can you imagine？ ing all
that way。' He clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth。 'Still； one shouldn't plain。 Mount Aso brings many people here every year and where would I be without tourism？' He shrugged deprecatingly。 Nicholas tipped him and he gave them a rather stiff little bow。 'Anything I can do to make your stay here more pleasant；' he said； opening the connecting door between their rooms before leaving。
Nicholas phoned Saigo but he was not there。 He left a message including the hotel's number。
They spent some time searching for a stable but there seemed to be no riding； at least within the town's limits。 Yukio could not hide her disappointment。
They ate a light lunch at a tiny teahouse in a square surrounded by trees。 Birds called as they flitted from branch to branch。 The food was impeccable but Nicholas was not able to eat much。 His stomach was tense and he needed to move around。
When they left； they proceeded to walk aimlessly around； through the wide main avenues； down small shop…lined streets； filled with mingled scents and clamouring customers。
They returned to the hotel late in the afternoon with the light receding swiftly from the sky。 The mist was gone and the hard shell of the cobalt sky seemed distant indeed。
A message from Saigo was waiting for him。 Dinner。 Saigo would e to the hotel。
'How long will we be here？' Yukio asked as they were dressing。 The door between their rooms was open。
'I don't know。 I hadn't thought about it。 Why？'
'I want to leave。 That's all。'
'We've only just got here。'
'I know； but it already feels like we've been here a year。 This is an odd city。'
He laughed； pulling on his trousers。 'You just don't want to be here。 Listen； we're not so close to the water here。' He smiled。 'No chance I'll fall overboard。'
Her smile was a bit bleaker than his。 'Yes。 Yes。 I know。 But haven't you noticed？ The air here smells different； almost as if it were burnt。'
'It's only the refinery；' he said。 'Or maybe Mount Aso。 I've never been near a volcano before。 Isn't there one on Hokkaido？'
Saigo arrived promptly just after six。 Nicholas opened the door to his room。
'Well； Nicholas； I didn't …' His dark eyes slid across Nicholas's face； over his shoulder。 The colour seemed to drain from him。 'What's she doing here？' It was said in a hiss but； just as important； in a different speech mode； the polite form had been abruptly dropped。
Nicholas turned his head。 'Yukio？ She decided to e with me。 Didn't you know she was here？' But of course how could he？
Saigo's angry eyes flicked back to regard Nicholas。 The stare was hard and cold。 'You set this'up deliberately； didn't you？'
'What are you talking about？'
'You know； don't you？ Don't lie to me； Nicholas。 She told you everything。'
Nicholas felt her presence close and warm behind him。
'I told him nothing。' Yukio's tone was chill enough to freeze the blood。 'But now that you've brought it up like a hysterical child； perhaps you ought to tell him yourself。' …'Tell me what？ Hey； wait a minute！' Saigo had begun a lunge around him towards Yukio。 Nicholas stepped into his path； using his shoulder and his left arm as a wedge against the doorframe。 Yukio stepped lithely away。
'I think you had better tell me what this is all about。'
Saigo heard the warning note in Nicholas's voice and he felt his blood boil。 Leaned forward with the left side of his body； half…concealing the horizontal movement of his right hand and wrist。
Nicholas brought his forearm down in a blur； striking the exposed bone in Saigo's wrist。 Physical damage was minimal but nerve disruption was considerable。 The hand went numb。
They were very close together and Saigo used his foot； aiming for the side of the knee。 The doorjamb was his ally； caught in the force of the blow； Nicholas's knee would shatter like crystal。 But he stepped back and the side of Saigo's foot slammed into the wood with a crack as loud and as sharp as that of a house collapsing。
Saigo recovered enough to whirl around and head off down the corridor before Nicholas had a chance to react。 Without a word； Nicholas went after him。
Yukio ran to the door。 'Nicholas！' she cried after him。 Then she； too； followed in Saigo's wake。
The angelfish； all grey lace； hovered near the bottom。 It's tiny mouth opened and closed。 It might have been trying to eat the algae off the side of the tank。
A pair of gourami passed by it； disturbing its concentration； and it darted off behind a group of three or four water plants twisting gently in the clouds of rising bubbles from the aerator。
They stood across the street； in the deep shadow of a doorway。 The street was quiet； every step of the few passers…by discernible。
'What are you waiting for？'
'Quiet；' Nicholas said； thinking； twelve； thirteen； fourteen。
A young couple turned a corner； came down the street。 He gave the man a quick glance； went back to watching the front door of the fish store where Saigo had disappeared moments before。 Twenty…one； twenty…two； twenty…three。 When he had reached thirty and there was still no sign； he took Yukio by the hand and went across the street。
A tiny bell rang in the back of the shop like a call to the penitent。 It was a narrow； bare floor boarded place； its walls stocked with glass tanks of varying sizes。 Only one or two were dry； cloudy with dust。
A man； thin； worn down by the passage of time； his skin as grey as yesterday's mist； sat on a high wooden stool in front of a wall filled with filters； rolls of clear plastic tubing and stacked boxes of dried fish food。
No one was in the shop。
'Is there a back way out of here？' Nicholas asked him。
'Hm？' He looked up belatedly。 'Oh； yes but …'
Nicholas； with Yukio a step behind him； was already loping past him； through the short； dark passageway and out at the unbolted door。
They found themselves in a dim brick alleyway that was more a cul…de…sac。 Only one way for Saigo to have gone and they followed。
They spotted him； already a block away； heading west。 Twice
he doubled back and once； when he thought he had lost him altogether； Nicholas began to sweat because he didn't think now that he would get a second chance； Yukio had seen to that。 But they got lucky。 He had been hidden within a small jostling crowd around a news kiosk； in plain sight； really。 It might have been accidental or an extremely sophisticated manoeuvre。 There was no way of telling。 But the question remained。 Why was Saigo taking any precautions at all？ Why was he concerned about being followed？
Above their heads a full moon rode； blue…white； as large as a hanging paper lantern； harbinger of winter's first snow。 Clouds appearing as flat and substantial as curtains turned the illumination inconstant and； with it； perspective kept changing so that Nicholas was obliged to stop them now and again to check their proximity to the dark； hurrying figure in front。
Once Saigo turned around； his face a pale blur struck by the moonlight； and Nicholas forced Yukio into a doorway； hearing only the soft rasp of her violent breathing and the hammering of his own heart。
…Sai
