el.angeleyes-第66部分

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　''Putting　aside　for　the　moment　the　fact　that　they're　not　asking　the　right　questions；　what　they're　all　looking　for…and　not　finding…is　a　place　where　the　buck　stops。　The　truth　is　that　no　one　in　Japan　will　take　responsibility　for　the　buck　stopping　because；　more　often　than　not；　buck…stopping　is　synonymous　with　loss　of　face。
　〃Japan's　society　is　unique　in　all　the　world…in　all　history；　for　that　matter。　It　is　a　country　'governed'…although　that's　too　precise　a　term　for　so　amorphous　a　concept…by　a　loosely　knit　organic　conglomerate　of　entities　including　the　prime　minister　and　his　ruling　party；　the　Diet；　the　samurai　bureaucracy；　the　corporations　of　the　business　world；　and　the　Yakuza。　The　death　of　the　great　Tokugawa　shogunate　at　the　dawn　of　the　Meiji　era　in　the　late　1860s；　the　nineteenth…century　intervention　of　the　Western　world；　and　the　post…World　War　Two　MacArthur　constitution；　made　certain　this　uneasy　alliance　would　continue　into　the　twenty…first　century。〃
　Russell　watched　her　while　she　talked。　He　wondered　what　she　must　be　feeling；　how　deep　the　facade　she　presented　went。　She　appeared　quite　herself　now；　as　if　the　incident　between　them　had　never　happened。　But　could　that　be　so？　Could　anyone　be　in　such　iron　control　of　their　emotions？
He　had　to　admit　to　himself　that　he　found　Tori　Nunn　to　be　a　plete　enigma。　She　was　like　a　code　to　which　he　was　increasingly　drawn　yet　could　not　break。　Being　close　to　her；　working　with　her　in　the　field；　had　given　him　no　insight；　no　new　understanding　of　her　underlying　psyche。　Instead；　he　had　merely　bedazzled　himself。
　His　attraction　to　her　was　suddenly　so　strong　it　had　the　potential　to　bee　an　obsession。　Up　until　now；　Russell　Slade's　sole　obsession　had　been　the　Mall。　When　he　had　been　appointed　director；　Bernard　Godwin　had　taken　him　to　dinner；　during　the　course　of　which　he　had　said。　Now　you　'II　know　what　it　means　to　have　a　mistress；　one　who　occupies　you　heart　and　soul。　I　trust　you　will　be　up　to　the　task　of　managing　her。
　Russell　thought　that　because　he　had　uncovered　some　of　the　lies　his　mentor　had　so　easily　told　him；　he　had　Bernard　under　control。　But　just　the　opposite　was　true。　Bernard　Godwin　had　attached　invisible　strings　to　him…just　as　he　had　to　Tori…and　he　had　been　pulling　those　strings　all　along。　Of　course　Tori　and　I　fought　like　brother　and　sister；　Russell　thought。　Bernard　made　certain　that　both　of　us　saw　him　the　same　way：　as　a　father　figure。　We　were　both　〃bred〃　to　please　him。
　And　now；　watching　her　explain　to　him　the　inner　workings　of　Japan；　he　knew　he　wanted　to　draw　closer　to　her　still。　He　saw　how　she　still　idolized　Bernard；　how　she　would　do　anything　he　asked。　Russell；　feeling　his　heart　filling　up　with　emotion；　wondered　when　he　would　cut　the　strings　Bernard　had　so　painstakingly　attached　to　her。　He　knew　he　must　begin　by　telling　her　the　truth　about　Bernard；　that　he　was　ready　to　sacrifice　her　if　it　came　to　it。　But　not　now；　Tori　was　not　yet　ready　to　hear　anything　negative　about　Bernard　Godwin；　her　spiritual　father。　Besides；　Russell　thought；　on　a　purely　selfish　level；　there　were　more　important　matters　to　resolve。
　In　the　electric　moment　when　he　and　Tori　had　been　closeted　together；　everything　had　changed。　A　door　had　been　unlocked；　and　once　opened；　it　could　never　again　be　closed。　The　world　was　different　now；　at　least　the　world　as　Russell　Slade　knew　it。　And；　in　the　ing　days；　he　would　have　to　determine　just　what　he　was　going　to　do　about　it。
　Tokyo。　They　had　traveled　almost　nine　thousand　miles　on　the　transatlantic　route；　touching　down　for　refueling　in　Cartagena；　Santo　Domingo；　and　Frankfurt。　They　were　only　through　Japanese　Customs　and　Immigration；　and　Russell　was　already　feeling　like　an　alien。　The　Japanese　had　developed　the　uncanny　ability　of　being　extremely　polite　while　firmly　keeping　you　at　arm's　distance。　And　by　so　doing；　they　neatly　managed　to　lock　you　out　of　anything　of　importance。　Everything　here　was　form；　there　was　no　substance。　It　was　as　if　the　entire　country　were　in　the　process　of　enacting　a　gigantic　Kabuki　play。
　Smiles　without　meaning；　cardboard　bows；　saying　yes　when　they　meant　no；　an　obsession　with　minute　detail　while　talking　around　the　edges　of　major　issues。　Could　there　be　a　more　unfathomable　people；　a　more　opaque　culture　on　the　face　of　the　earth？　Russell　asked　himself　on　the　long；　traffic…choked　drive　in　from　Narita　Airport。　Well；　the　Chinese；　yes；　of　course；　but　in　a　fit　of　self…mutilation；　the　Chinese　had　dealt　themselves　out　of　international　play　for　years　to　e；　so　they　didn't　count。
　〃We　going　directly　to　Hitasura's？〃　Russell　asked。
　〃No。　I　think　it　would　be　advisable　to　learn　a　bit　more　about　hafnium　first。　If　Hitasura　is　Estilo's　buyer；　I　want　to　go　into　the　first　meeting　with　him　with　as　much　armament　as　I　can。〃
　For　once　Russell　found　himself　in　agreement　with　Tori。　And；　much　to　his　surprise；　it　wasn't　an　altogether　disagreeable　feeling。
　〃This　guy　Deke　is　a　little　weird；〃　Tori　said。
　Russell　glanced　at　her。　〃How　weird？〃
　〃You　tell　me；〃　Tori　said　as　she　led　him　down　the　steps　into　a　grimy　tattoo　parlor　somewhere　in　the　inprehensible　tangle　of　Shinjuku。　The　sun　was　out；　but　you'd　never　know　it　this　deep　in　the　heart　of　Tokyo。　There　was　only　reflected　light　here；　a　colorless　illumination　bounced　off　ten　thousand　panes　of　glass。
　Russell　peered　at　phoenixes；　dragons；　lissome　seminude　ladies；　spiders；　serpents；　warriors　out　of　history　and　demons　out　of　myth。　All　were　on　display　in　astounding　detail　on　the　walls　of　the　shop；　which　was　lit　with　sodium　lamps；　giving　it　the　appearance　of　a　highway　or　an　industrial　park。　
　A　Japanese　who　improbably　seemed　to　be　in　his　late　teens　looked　up　when　they　walked　in。　He　made　no　sign　of　recognition；　returned　to　his　work　on　the　back　of　a　very　heavy　individual。　He　had　a　punk's　spiky　haircut　and　a　laborer's　ink…stained　hands。　He　wore　sandals；　long…legged　Day…Glo　surfer　shorts；　and　a　T…shirt　cut　off　just　above　the　navel　that　had　PEPPERDINE　U。　VOLLEYBALL　TEAM　emblazoned　across　the　back。
　〃Greetings　from　Tokyo　General；　dudette；〃　he　said　without　looking　up。
　〃Howzit；　Deke？〃
　〃Bitchin'。〃　Deke　dipped　a　small　circle　of　needle…sharp　wooden　picks　into　colored　ink；　applied　it　beneath　the　skin。　He　was　an　artist　with　his　canvas。　〃As　ever。〃
　Tori　stood　behind　him。　''Got　a　problem　for　you。''
　〃Solution's　my　middle　name；　dudette。〃
　Tori　displayed　the　dark　metal　pellet　in　its　plastic　envelope。　〃A　to　Z。〃　When　he　nodded；　she　slipped　it　into　the　pocket　of　his　shorts。
　〃One　hour；〃　he　said。　〃I　just　opened。〃　Deke　opened　for　business　after　noon；　worked　late　into　the　early　hours　of　the　morning。　He　dipped　the　picks　into　the　ink；　applied　it。　〃Go　get　a　milkshake　or　something；　you　dudes　are　making　my　client　nervous。〃
　When　they　returned；　just　over　an　hour　later；　there　was　no　one　in　the　tattoo　parlor。
　〃Where'd　this　weirdo　split　to　with　my　evidence？〃　Russell　said　suspiciously。
　〃Deke's　space　goes　all　the　way　to　the　next　street；〃　Tori　told　him。　〃In　the　back　of　the　shop　is　his　lab。〃
　〃Isn't　this　kid　a　bit　young　to　be　running　sophisticated　diagnostic　tests？　I　mean；　he　might　set　his　diapers　on　fire。〃
　Tori　smiled。　〃Deke　is　young；〃　she　said。　〃But　he's　also　brilliant。　Don't　let　his　age　prejudice　you。　In　Japan　it's　often　best　to　keep　an　open　mind。〃
　At　that　moment　Deke　appeared。　He　had　on　thick　rubber　gloves；　a　heavy　apron；　and　was　grasping　the　pellet　at　the　end　of　a　pair　of　metal　tongs。　Around　his　neck　was　a　filtering　mask。　He　peered　at　Tori。　〃You　still　playing　v…ball；　dudette？　We　got　a　bitchin'　game　going　this　P。M。〃
　〃I'm　a　little　short　on　play　time　this　trip；〃　Tori　said。　〃Catch　you　next。〃　She　nodded　at　what　he　was　holding。　〃First；　you　scope　the　traces　of　white　shit　on　the　pellet？　〃
　〃Colombian；　mon。　Happenin'　premium　stuff。〃　Deke　smacked　his　lips。　〃Mmm　mmm　good。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃What　else　were　you　expecting？〃
　Tori　glanced　at　Russell；　then　said　to　Deke；　〃Let's　hear　the　rest。〃
　〃Cool；〃　Deke　said。　〃This　here's　a　pellet　of　hafnium；〃　he　said；　nodding　at　the　pellet。　〃Good　quality　shit。〃　He　looked　at　Tori。　〃You　have　any　more　of　this　stuff　to　sell？〃
　〃Not　in　the　business；〃　Russell　said　tersely。
　〃Can　you　give　us　some　background　on　hafnium？〃　Tori　said；　before　Russell's　American　aggressiveness　could　get　them　into　trouble。
　〃No　sweat；〃　Deke