el.angeleyes-第74节

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ately　out　into　the　street。
　Irina　turned　away　as　the　car　passed；　then　ran　to　the　anonymous…looking　blue　Volga　that　Mars　had　procured　for　her　from　God　only　knew　what　government　stockpile。　While　it　had　been　parked；　someone　had　stolen　the　windshield　wipers；　which　were　in　short　supply　and　consequently　in　great　demand　by　Moscow　motorists。　She　cursed　herself　for　forgetting　to　take　them　with　her。
　Irina　followed　the　Zil　through　the　city；　then　out　of　it。　Forty　minutes　later　they　were　entering　the　environs　of　Zvezdny　Go…rodok。　Star　Town。
　When　Mars　saw　the　blue　Volga　he　had　loaned　to　Irina　parked　across　from　the　Hero's　pound；　he　ordered　the　driver　of　his　Chaika　to　pull　over　fifty　yards　away。　He　sat　in　the　darkened　interior　and　watched　the　Volga　with　the　kind　of　suspicion　one　reserves　for　the　broken　lock　on　one's　apartment　door。
　Across　from　where　the　Volga　sat；　a　shiny　black　Zil　was　parked　in　front　of　the　entrance　to　the　Hero's　building。　As　Mars　watched；　Natasha　Mayakova　came　down　the　steps；　ducked　into　the　back…seat　of　the　Zil；　and　it　began　to　turn　around。
　Mars　got　out　of　the　Chaika　and；　as　the　Zil　drove　away；　he　came　up　to　the　Volga。　He　pulled　open　the　door；　stared　down　into　Irina's　face；　white　with　fear；　and　said；　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃Mars！〃　Irina　put　a　hand　to　her　throat。　〃You　scared　me　half　to　death！〃
　He　smiled。　〃I'm　sorry；　koshka；　but　you　gave　me　quite　a　turn　when　I　saw　you　here　in　the　Volga。　Are　you　interested　in　cosmonauts　now？〃
　Irina　stepped　out　of　the　car。　〃Why　is　it；〃　she　said；　〃that　there　are　no　peppers　or　zucchini　to　be　had　in　all　of　Moscow；　but　there　is　always　plenty　of　money　for　cosmonauts　and　rockets　to　the　moon？〃
　He　frowned。　〃To　Mars；〃　he　corrected。　〃We've　already　been　to　the　moon。〃　He　shrugged。　〃The　system　has　been　around　for　over　seventy　years；　and　it　isn't　yet　perfected。　But　we're　getting　there。〃
　〃Rockets　or　food；　is　that　it？〃　Irina　said。　There　was　a　silence　for　some　time。　When　she　saw　that　he　wasn't　going　to　answer　her　sardonic　question；　she　decided　she'd　better　switch　topics。　〃Actually；　I'm　working；〃　she　said。
　Mars's　frown　deepened。　〃Working？　How　so？〃
　〃I've　been　following　that　Zil　all　the　way　from　Moscow。〃
　〃Natasha　Mayakova's　car？　What　on　earth　for？〃
　〃You　know　her？〃
　〃Certainly；〃　Mars　said。　〃I　know　everyone　who　goes　into　that　building。〃
　〃Isn't　that　where　the　Hero　lives？〃　And　when　he　nodded；　she　added；　〃How　does　Natasha　know　him？〃
　〃The　more　pertinent　question；〃　Mars　said；　〃is　why　you　are　following　Natasha　Mayakova　all　around　Russia。〃　Then　he　snapped　his　fingers。　〃She　isn't　the　woman　Valeri　has　been　seeing。〃
　Irina　nodded。
　〃Good　night；〃　Mars　said。　〃Now　there's　an　intriguing　thought。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　see　the　Него？〃　Irina　asked。　〃I'd　love　to　meet　him。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　that's　out　of　the…〃　Mars　hesitated。　He　looked　at　Irina。　But　why　not？　he　thought。　What　more　perfect　way　to　assuage　the　Hero's　burning　animosity　than　to　let　him　talk　with　Irina。　She　was　ingenuous　enough　to　appeal　to　him；　more　than　intelligent　enough　to　keep　him　engaged。　And　since　she　was　his　friend；　she　might　in　some　way　offset　the　damaging　effects　the　Limited　Distribution　report　on　the　Odin…Galaktika　II　cosmic　ray　experiments　had　had　on　the　interrogation。　The　bond　of　trust　that　had　been　forming　between　himself　and　the　Hero；　no　matter　how　tenuous；　had　been　ruptured。
　Mars　decided　that　Irina　being　here　at　this　moment　was　just　the　stroke　of　good　fortune　he　needed。　Though　he　did　not　altogether　believe　in　omens；　this　seemed　to　be　as　close　to　one　as　he　was　likely　to　encounter。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　taking　her　by　the　elbow。　〃If　that's　what　you'd　like；　I'm　sure　it　can　be　arranged。〃
　Irina　heard　the　lapping　of　the　pool　first；　then　the　siren　call　of　the　dolphin。　〃My　God；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃what　a　magnificent　creature！〃
　She　went　to　the　edge　of　the　pool；　knelt　down；　held　her　hand　out　to　touch　the　dolphin's　bottle　nose。　〃What's　your　name；　handsome？〃　Irina　said；　then　gave　a　tiny　startled　scream　as　the　Hero's　head　burst　up　through　the　water。
　〃Her　name's　Arbat；〃　Odysseus　said；　laughing　at　the　expression　on　Irina's　face。　〃What's　yours？〃
　Irina　forgot　all　about　the　dolphin。　She　stared　wide…eyed　at　the　Hero；　at　his　chiseled　features；　the　pale；　almost　phosphorescent　skin；　the　wide…apart　eyes。
　And　what　eyes！　Pilled　with　all…color/no…color；　she　saw　and　didn't　see　（perhaps　imagined）　in　their　depths　colors　she　never　suspected　existed。　His　eyes　were　absolutely　translucent；　like　scrims　across　the　front　of　a　stage；　at　once　revealing　and　concealing　what　lay　behind　them。
　Irina　was　utterly　captivated；　she　could　not　take　her　eyes　off　him；　as　if　she　could　devour　him；　absorb　into　herself　the　timeless　wavelength　that　she　felt　emanating　from　him。
　The　long　lashes　of　his　eyes　were　the　only　hair　on　his　face。　There　was　not　even　the　shadow　of　a　beard　on　his　cheeks　or　lips；　but　rather　than　making　him　seem　effeminate；　the　smoothness　somehow　increased　his　aura　of　sensuality。　It　was　almost；　Irina　told　herself；　as　if　she　were　face　to　face　with　a　merman；　some　mythical　being；　half　human；　half　dolphin。
　There　was　a　playfulness　about　him　that　seemed　similar　to　Arbat's；　but　Irina　could　sense　a　darkness　that　the　chattering　mammal　did　not　possess。　And　it　was　this　darkness　at　noon；　this　anomaly；　this　black　hole　in　his　human　horizon；　that　drew　her　inexorably；　until　he　was　the　only　thing　of　which　she　was　aware。
　She　heard　Natasha　saying；　One　day　you　will　meet　your　Albee；　and　he　will　change　your　life　utterly。　The　answer　for　you　is　to　seize　your　moment。　You　must　say　to　yourself；　〃Damn　the　risks！〃　and　plow　straight　ahead。
　〃Irina。　My　name　is　Irina；〃　someone　with　her　voice　whispered　over　the　water。
　〃Wele；　Irina；〃　the　Hero　said；　pulling　her　into　the　pool　with　him　so　that　Irina　felt　surrounded　by　the　sun；　the　moon；　the　stars。　A　universe　of　strange　music　was　washing　over　her；　making　her　vibrate　with　an　unknown　excitement　from　the　inside　out。　〃Call　me　Odysseus。〃
　Honno；　staring　out　over　the　vast　grid　of　Tokyo；　thought　how　much　the　city　resembled　a　pachinko　board。　Sunlight　coruscated　across　the　tops　of　the　massive　forest　of　high　rises；　steel　and　mirrored　glass　behemoths；　leaving　their　middle　floors　in　the　pale；　filtered　light　of　an　undersea　world；　their　lower　floors　in　deepest　shadow。
　She　thought；　I　have　only　to　open　my　hand；　flick　the　ball　of　my　wa…my　intrinsic　energy…outward；　set　it　careening　through　the　gutters　and　trenches　I　see　down　there。　Just　like　pachinko。
　How　far　she　had　e！　How　distant　her　other　life　seemed　to　her　now；　a　set　of　fading　photographs；　ill…lit；　slightly　out　of　focus；　best　packed　away　in　some　dust…strewn　attic；　forgotten。　Another　person's　life；　surely。
　〃Mrs。　Kansei。〃
　Who　is　Mrs。　Kansei？　Honno　thought　as　she　watched　a　747…SP；　silver　in　the　brilliant　sunshine；　begin　its　descent　into　Narita　Airport　miles　away。
　〃I　want　another　name；〃　Honno　said　abruptly；　turning　away　from　the　glittering；　enthralling　grid　of　Tokyo。　〃Isn't　there　something　of　a　custom　for　Yakuza　to　take　a　new　name？''
　Big　Ezoe　nodded。　〃Sometimes；　yes。〃　He　was　watching　Honno　carefully；　trying　to　absorb　the　changes　firing　through　her。　Each　moment　she　seemed　to　alter；　flickering　like　a　series　of　dynamos　being　switched　on　one　after　another；　illuminating　the　darkness　of　the　night。
　〃Koi；〃　Honno　said　at　length。　〃I　like　Koi。〃　The　name　she　had　chosen　had　many　meanings　besides　the　magnificent　species　of　Japanese　carp；　it　meant；　variously；　dark；　strong；　the　power　of　the　Imperial　throne；　even；　as　a　verb；　to　change　one's　clothes。　All　these　meanings　seemed；　in　some　fashion；　to　fit　this　new　Honno。
　''Koi；''　Big　Ezoe　said　from　his　seat　behind　the　massive　black　rosewood　desk；　a　kind　of　free…form　sculpture　which　Americans　would　recognize　and　cherish　as　retro。
　〃Your　samurai　friend；　Kakuei　Sakata；　had　good　reason　to　mit　ritual　suicide。〃　He　shuffled　the　papers　he　had　taken　from　the　apartment　of　Asaku　Hitasura；　Giin's　protege。　〃These　are　the　plete　translations　of　the　ledgers　Sakata　kept。　He　was　a　meticulous　man。　Everything　is　here；　details　of　corruption：　bribes；　extortion；　ministerial　appointments　for　private　profit　and　professional　gain。　This　is　a　veritable　catalogue　of　sins：　greed；　lust；　envy；　gluttony；　pride；　you　name　it；　it's　certain　to　be　here。　And　the　trail　goes　from　the　industrialist；　Kunio　Michita…your　former　boss　and　Sakata's…all　the　way　to　the　Ministry　of　International　Trade　and　Industry。　And　what　do　you　know？　The　one　link　between　them　all；　the　go…between；　was　not　your　friend　Sakata…though　he　served　that　purpose　as　a　facade…but　my　old　enemy；　Hitasura。〃
　〃Hitasura；〃　Koi　said；　running　her　fingers　over　Kakuei　Sakata's　ledgers　which　she　had　liberated。　〃Isn't　that　the　last　name　of　the　man　I　killed　last　night？''
　For　a　moment　Big　Ezoe　said　nothing。　He　was　astounded　by　the　matter…of…fact　tone　in　her　voice。　Had　she　felt　nothing　at　all　when　she　had　crushed　Asaku　Hitasura's　windpipe？　Well；　good。　Fukuda　had　done　her　job　well；　then。　But　Big　Ezoe's　finely　tuned　sense　of　wa　sent　off　a　distant　alarm。
　This　woman　is　an　addict；　he　thought。　She　devours　power　in　the　same　way　others　consume　food。　She　cannot　help　herself；　she　needs　it　now　simply　in　order　to　exist。　For　one　such　as　she；　there　can　be　no　such　thing　as　honor　or　giri。　She　is　bound　on　t