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He was already arcing downwards when he heard the report of the long gun。 In the midst of tumbling； he could not tell how close the sniper had e to him； but he took no chances。 Barely had his feet touched the metal catwalk when he had re…launched himself through the air。 But now the atmosphere around him seemed thick and humid； as turbulent as cloud turned to smoke。
Automatically he ceased to inhale。 Briefly； as he turned over in mid…air； he saw the dull Sash of the metal canister rolling along the catwalk in the pool of light。 He counted the spang and whine of four bullets； a quick heat sear along one calf； and then he was in darkness again； on his feet； hurtling down the catwalk towards the sniper。 He ignored the pain in his right leg； partmentalizing and thus trivializing the nerve shock； the disruption to his thirstily questing senses。
The sniper； seeing at last the full outline of the onrushing figure； did not drop to one knee and aim but turned his rifle crosswise across his body； using it as one might an ancient long…staff。 He jammed the heavy stock forward in an attempt to wreck the figure's momentum； felt a jarring crash as it hit a protrusion； the figure's elbow perhaps。
He took one step back and to the side； bringing the muzzle end forward and down in an oblique slash。 Saigo struck it away and down with his forearm while extending his leading leg。 This brought him within intimate range and he used a kite； the edge on his hand as hard as a block of concrete。 The entire right side of the sniper's rib cage collapsed like an eggshell。
The man had time only to grunt once； as if in surprise。 As his head and torso came forward； Saigo kicked high； catching him on the bridge of the nose。 Skin ripped away and cartilage tore itself from its tendon foundations。 Blood gouted and； spinning； the sniper followed his useless weapon； cart wheeling over the side of the catwalk。
Leaping； Saigo was away； racing towards the stairs。 At his side； he gripped his scabbarded katana。
'They got him。 Listen to all that noise。'
He meant the firing。
Tomkin stood behind his desk； torso canted forward at the hips； the way an athlete might hold himself。 The columns of his thick arms were rigid； his fists against the desktop。
The sounds of the machine…guns had e like an echoing roll of thunder； amplified and hurled upwards by the vast core of air in the atrium。
Nicholas； at his post near the double metal doors； had not moved at all。
'What do you think； Nick？'
He wondered at Tomkin's sudden nerves。 He had been as cool and relaxed as a man about to leave on a long vacation the last time he had seen him。 Now he seemed on edge。
Across the room； faced with the reality of the situation； Tom…kin was sweating。 He was having serious second thoughts about his deal with the ninja。 There seemed to be an inordinate amount of activity down there。 He knew just how many men Croaker had deployed and with what armaments。 Had they got him？ It sounded like a world war down there。 What if he made it up her？？ What if I can't trust him？ My God； Linnear is my last line of defence and I've sacrificed him。
Tomkin opened his mouth to speak； bit back the words at the last minute。 He could not tell Nicholas what he had done； no matter what。 He put his shaking hand inside his suit jacket and felt his fingers slip in sweat against the warm edge of his gun。 He felt wildly out of place； a piranha stripped of its teedi； watching the shark as it swam ever closer。 The feeling did not sit well with him。 He enjoyed being in control … at his desk； in the boardroom in the midst of proxy fights； overseas taming recalcitrant buyers … while others hung precariously on to the twists and turns of a destiny he was creating。 Now； for this moment； others controlled his life and he felt a brief stab of a fear he had not known since one sun…drenched day sixteen years ago； the house on Gin Lane； the summer's heat； the sound the wind made as it raced through the high beach grass； the dryness of the sand like beads of glass； sounds on the sigh of the wind； a rising and falling tide； moaning； and movement and … Gelda。 My God； Gelda。Geldal
His heart pounded in his chest as upon an anvil and some…
thing sat astride his intestines； racing up from his genitals； squeezing； squeezing。
'。。。 better sit down and do as I told you。'
4 What？ What？'
'Sit down； Tomkin。 He'll be ing soon now。'
'ing？ Who？'
'Saigo。 The ninja。'
Tomkin's face was shiny in the half…light ing in through the wall of windows to his left。 All the lights were off on that floor。
'They didn't get him？'
'I think not。'
'What about all those men … down there？' He was thinking of them as lines of his defence。 They could not all be crumbling； so quickly； so easily。
Nicholas misunderstood him。 I'm surprised you care。 This wasn't my idea。 It should just have been me and you … and him。 They're all innocents down there。'
'Meaning；' Tomkin said； moving a little towards the windows； wondering if Nicholas would follow him as the ninja had suggested he might； 'that we … you and me and the cop …are not。'
Nicholas might have been a statue。 'No。 Up here on Olympus morality has little meaning。 When you get used to watching people from such a lofty distance their features blur； being at last so indistinct that they bee as interchangeable as ants … and as insignificant。 What does one less ant mean to the course of history ？ It's too insignificant even to think about。'
'You're crazy；' Tomkin said。 'I don't know what the hell you're talking about。' The trouble is； he thought； I do know what he's talking about。 He pressed his hands against his temples； squeezing his eyes shut against the sun…dazzle tumble of images limned against his eyelids。 Gelda and another girl。 How his pulse raced？ Now the hatred sluiced like venom through his veins。 His head pulsed as if being blown up like a balloon。 How could she have 。。。 He'd meted out retribution all right。 Deservedly so。 His thoughts began to race dangerously。
Where had the days of innocence got to？ he asked himself。 The Easter egg hunts in Connecticut； the school dances； the
easy； laughing summers when the girls would e in from the surf like two brown…skinned mermaids。
Caught in faded photographs； irretrievably caught between Kodak paper and photographic chemicals； as real as Coleridge's dream of Xanadu； gone up in smoke like an addict's hopes。
'You said he's ing。' Tomkin's voice was clotted with emotion and he had to clear his throat before he could continue。 'What are you going to do？'
'Sit down；' Nicholas said。 'I want you away from the windows。'
'I want to know 1' Tomkin shouted。 'It's my life I'
'Sit down； Tomkin。' Nicholas's voice was even lower than it had been a moment before。 'Keep yelling and you will guide him right to you。'
Tomkin glared at him for a long moment。 His chest heaved beneath his suit jacket。 Then； abruptly； he collapsed into his chair。
Nicholas turned his head towards the rear of the office。 Next to the open door of the bathroom was a narrow hallway leading first to the electrical and air…conditioning circuits for the floor and then to the offices on the far side of the floor。
He did not believe that Saigo would e through the front doors。 For one thing； they were bulky and slow…moving。 Too much time and effort was involved in opening them。 He could not； of course； discount the ledge outside the windows but； as in the manner of most newer； centrally temperature…controlled buildings； these windows could not be opened。 Certainly they were easily breached but that also would take time and； worse； an inordinate amount of sound。
It was logical； then； to expect the attack from the rear of the office。 He thought briefly about positioning himself more advantageously； in the air…conditioning alcove； perhaps。 But if Saigo chose another way in； he might take too long recovering and he could not chance that。
That Saigo was at this moment on his way up he had no doubt。
It was quiet now； just the gentle white…noise hissing in the inner ear； as of the aftermath of a violent tornado。 With the front doors secured； no sound seeped in from the street； all
the glass was in place here。
He co