ericlustbader.the ninja-第120章

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behind　him　and；　slipping　the　black　nylon　cord　with　its　centre　knot　around　his　neck；　he　pulled　tight；　whipping　his　wrists　powerfully　so　that　the　knot　bit　cruelly　into　the　man's　Adam's　apple。　The　back　arched　as　the　man　fought　for　breath。
　Saigo　was　momentarily　taken　by　surprise。　The　man　whirled　and　went；　for　him　instead　of　for　the　encircling　cord。　He　was　monstrously　strong　and　Saigo　felt　his　balance　going　in　these　close　quarters。　He　felt　the　arms；　as　thick　as　beams；　around　his　waist　squeezing　as　he　squeezed。　He　stamped　with　his　shoe　onto　the　man's　instep　and　he　let　go。　Saigo　hurtled…　to　one　side；　the　momentum　too　strong　to　pensate　for。
　The　policeman　was　on　him　at　once；　gasping；　his　bulk　nevertheless　stultifying。　He　used　kite…　and　sword…strikes　which　were　only　partially　successful　but　his　enormous　weight　made　proper　leverage　impossible　for　Saigo。
　He　fought　for　the　reverse；　giving　up　all　but　token　defence；　taking　massive　punishment；　struggling；　sweat　running　down　the　sides　of　his　neck；　staining　his　black　suit。
　He　cursed　himself　for　the　sin　of　over…confidence　and；　struggling　to　free　his　right　hand；　he　let　go　a　spring　blade。　It　pierced　the　other's　shoulder　just　centre　of　the　collarbone。　The　man　grunted　and；　disconcertingly；　applied　even　more　force。　Saigo　heard　a　sharp　crack　in　his　right　ear；　knew　his　bow　was　now　useless。
　The　policeman　put　all　his　weight　into　his　knees；　which　were　on　Saigo's　chest；　in　an　attempt　to　force　all　air　out。　This　was　a　mistake。　But　how　could　he　know　that　Saigo　could　last　for　at　least　seven　minutes　without　any　air　at　all？
　Saigo　now　concentrated　on　the　man's　upper　torso。　He　lacked　the　space　to　use　the　claws　effectively。　He　stiffened　the　fingers　on　his　right　hand；　using　them　as　one　would　the　point　of　a　knife。　He　rammed　them　into　the　man's　side　just　under　the　rib　cage。　This　time；　'die　protective　vest　did　its　work　and　the　killing　blow；　though　painful；　was　deflected。
　In　desperation；　Saigo　used　the　tettsui　against　the　sternum。　It　cracked　and　all　breath　went　out　of　the　massive　body　above　him。
　Saigo　got　the　reverse　at　last　and　now；　sitting　astride　the　policeman；　re　wrapped　the　cord　about　his　throat；　heaving　with　his　arms　and　shoulders。
　He　heard　it；　escalating　up　the　register　until　the　decibels　were　so　high　they　passed　beyond　human　hearing。　He　moved　at　the　same　time。　Felt　the　white…hot　blast　along　his　right　temple　and；　half　stunned；　began　to　roll　along　the　atrium　floor。　Scrambled　for　the　shadows　as　the　deadly　sound　followed　him；　whining　away　in　ricochet。
　Another　sniper！　He　crouched　in　the　shadow　of　a　thick　pillar；　hearing　the　night　erupt　into　sound　and　motion　all　around　him。　Blood　seeped　from　the　wound　and　he　automatically　put　a　hand　up。　Just　a　crease。　Still；　he　had　bee　careless。　We　cannot　advocate　the　use　of　drugs　…　any　drugs　whatsoever　…　he　heard　his　sensei　say。　Drugs　tend　to　narrow　consciousness；　intensifying　the　narrow…beam　awareness　while；　at　the　same　time；　giving　the　impression　of　just　the　opposite。　A　false　reality　set　is　therefore　presented。　Narrow…beam　consciousness　bees　a　tendency　in　any　form　of　bat；　especially　during　the　latter　stages。　Even　veterans　must　guard　against　it。　You　must　effect　the　Rat's　Head；　Ox's　Neck　when　this　occurs。　If　preoccupied　by　minute　points；　step　back　and　review　the　bat　from　a　distant　stance。
　This　is　precisely　the　trap　he　had　set　for　himself　and　one　into　which　he　had　neatly　fallen；　otherwise　he　never　would　have　been　grazed　by　that　bullet。
　Hearing　was　still　a　problem　and　he　scrambled　away　from　the　epicentre　of　the　motion。　He　needed　some　time　to　recover。
　Movement　to　the　left　and　in　front　of　him　as　he　lay　at　an　oblique　angle　within　the　building's　interior。　Above　him；　the　partially　pleted　atrium　swept　away　in　a　narrowing　pattern　of　dim　light　and　deep　shadow；　the　dark　air　hovering　above　him　like　a　column　of　water；　heavy　and　oppressive。
　For　the　first　time　he　considered　the　depressing　possibility　that　he　had　seriously　underestimated　his　foes。　He　felt　helpless　and　terribly　alone　as　he　had　that　night　of　the　howling　winds　upon　the　Straits；　carving　out　a　part　of　him　into　the　deep　with　dry　eyes　and