按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the glass was in place here。
He could hear the sound of Tomkin's heavy breathing； as if he were an asthmatic with his mouth partly open。 Where he sat； behind his desk； he was in total shadow。
'Move a bit to your right；' Nicholas said softly。 'No； with the chair。 That's right。' He turned his head。 'Now keep still。' A bar of light shone over a portion of the steel…grey hair； quartering the head。
The place was alive with them。
But； of course； that was to be expected。
Two at the entrance to the stairwell； three more guarding the cage elevator。 He had not even considered using the main elevator bank。
The easiest thing would have been to use hypnosis。 The 。plan was practical as well as amusing。 The idea of having one of those plain…clothesmen shepherding him skyward in the elevator appealed to him。 But that would depend on a very specific set of circumstances。 Given time； he had no doubt that he could execute them。 He did not； at this point； think that he had the time。 They would have begun to sort things out down there。 They'd turn on the lights； tot up the casualty figures and send for reinforcements。 He did not want to risk a get…out through a cordon of a score of men all on the hair…trigger lookout for one thing and one thing alone。
Not that he could not do it but it was foolish to take such risks when there was absolutely no need to。
In the shadows； he reached out four pads from his belt。 These he carefully tied； one on each soft…soled shoe and over the palm of each hand。 He slung his katana obliquely across his back。 He could take no step now without attracting attention； for sprouting from the outer side of the pads were two…inch steel spikes set in a plex pattern。
Saigo unwrapped from his waist a long nylon cord； weighted on one end by a small； sharp triangular hook。 He looked up； studying the sides of the atrium though he already knew them quite well。 He found what he was looking for and began to twirl the weighted cord about his head。
He let it go and it shot high into the atrium； arcing around a
transverse iron beam。 It was close enough to the wall so that； as he flung himself upwards； he was swung inwards by his momentum。 He drew his legs up so that the soles of his shoes faced outwards。 He felt the impact as the spiked foot pads dug into the pitted face of the pseudo…marble facing。
This was one of the most ancient of ninjutsu techniques； used for centuries in infiltrating an enemy's castle stronghold。 Mere walls； no matter how sheer； could not confound a ninja。
Upwards he went with appalling rapidity。 A fly on the wall； he was quite invisible to those below； even had they chanced to look this far up。 He had； once again； total security。
To the shocked and bewildered men on the atrium's floor it was as if。 he had vanished into thin air and this was what they reported to Croaker via walkie…talkie。
The hallucinogen was raging full force within him。 His involvement with his immediate environment was total。 He could see…smell…taste…hear…feel simultaneously as he crawled up the wall。
Small sounds； brittle and three…dimensional； drifted to him from below； funnelled by the peculiar acoustics。 It was curious because he could hear specific sounds with more clarity from this vantage point than he might have if he were still down below： voices talking； shoes pounding against the cool flooring as they called for the ambulances。 Do you no good； he thought。 Talking； unanswered。 The walkie…talkie； he thought。 No matter。
The fine dust of his passage took to the slowly swirling air； a minute； ineffectual cyclone passing through the light。
There was silence on the top floor； this was Nicholas's doing； this was why he had insisted that none of Croaker's men be on the floor。 Sound was his greatest potential enemy now。
'I want you；' he had said to Tomkin some time before； 'to face away from him when he es。 Do you think you can do that ？' Because it was a most difficult thing to turn your back on someone who meant to kill you。 But this was essential。 Nicholas was afraid of what the Kuji…fyri might do to Tomkin。 Kick out the glass and take one last step down； that was only one possibility。
'Yes； I can do it。'
He heard the fear shivering Tomkin's voice and wondered again at it。
'Is that where you're going to stand when he es？'
'Don't worry about that。 Just remember what I've told you。 If you do anything else； chances are you'll be dead before you know it。 This is no time to think about being in control。'
'What can you know about that？' Part of his fear； Tomkin realized belatedly； was that somehow he had recognized a kind of a kindred spirit in Linnear。 He had neither the knowledge nor the insight to understand in what way this was so； only knew that it was。 This was a deadly man； a sort of a raw animal spirit held in check by a thin veneer of civilization。 Tomkin shuddered to think of what might happen if that veneer should crack apart。 Perhaps that was why he wanted to trust Linnear with his secrets yet could never bring himself so to unburden himself。 Kindred they were and he judged Nicholas in the same light as he judged himself。 He would do anything to preserve himself thus …
'I know all about that。 I've been too much in control all my life。 That's hard to take。 Callouses don't grow on hands。'
'What do you mean？' But already he suspected that he knew。
'I feel like my head's been full of novocaine for years。' He paused for a moment； his head cocked at an angle as if listening to a far…off sound； and Tomkin felt his guts turn to water。 Was he ing already？ Dear God but he wanted to make a break for the bathroom 1
'Your daughter's a very special person。'
'Who； Justine？' Tomkin snorted； feeling better now that he was on safe ground again。 'Sure； if you call loony special。 I don't。'
'You really are a fool； aren't you？' There was a small silence as they glared across the darkened room at each other。 Nicholas wondered if Croaker had overheard all of this and was chuckling to himself。
'It's all a matter of opinion； isn't it？' Tomkin said； backing off somewhat。 It would not do to have Linnear angry with him now。 'I mean； I've been through a lot with her。 You've only known her a short time。 But； listen ' … he tapped a forefinger on the desk top … 'I told you where she was； didn't I？ I helped you find her。 I want you two to make it。 I've told you that and I
mean it。 You're good for her。 Your strength can keep her from going back …'
'You don't know her at all；' Nicholas said。 'She's got more strength than a lot of men I know。' He let that hang in the air。 Had it been a glove thrown down at Tomkin's feet？ If so； Tom…kin chose to ignore it as such。
'Perhaps there has been some change。 I haven't seen her for some time； I'll grant you that。 I suppose I still think of her as the baby of the family。 Gelda； my oldest； always seemed so much more capable of taking care of herself； even when they were both much younger。 She was always so much more social than Justine。' Oh yes； social。 He had to laugh at that。 Women fucking women。 My God； where had she picked that up？ 'I am afraid we aren't exactly a closely knit family。' How in hell could we be？ 'There is little sense of family loyalty among my daughters。 I regret that most bitterly but it's to be expected； I suppose。 When there is not enough time' … Nicholas could sense the shrug in the dark of the office … 'the children inevitably turn away from their parents； find others who can satisfy their needs。' The finger stopped tapping； hung suspended for a time in the air。 'I imagine you could say that both my daughters are arrested adolescents in a sense。 Ah well。'
No one had uttered a word for some time。 The silence seemed absolute； totally antithetical to what one es to expect in any big city。 The outside did not exist for any of them。 Here they were sealed into a violent world of their own manufacture where the laws of the world did not apply。 Now dark and bloody gods stalked these corridors as they did the warren chambers of the Great Pyramid of Cheops。 Years falling away like crimson leaves whirled in an autumn storm。
ing； thought Nicholas。 At last he's ing。
He was born into the element earth。 Dai…en…tyo…chi；