ericlustbader.the ninja-第70章

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　He　caught　the　City　Hall　bus　on　the　corner　of　Eighth　and　Third　Avenue；　traced　the　Bowery　as　far　as　Canal　Street。　There　he　found　the　first　phone　booth。　He　stared　up　at　the　chunky　old…fashioned　clock　above　the　jewellery　store　on　the　corner。
　He　dialled　a　number；　got　the　correct　time。　He　hung　up　and　waited　precisely　one　minute　and　fifty　seconds。　Then　he　dialled　a　local　New　York　number。　He　detested　this　procedure　but　it　was　a　built…in　factor　and　a　logical　one；　he　did　not　fight　logic。
　At　the　other　end　the　receiver　was　picked　up。　The　Japanese　read　off　the　seven　digits　of　the　number　from　which　he　was　making　the　call；　then　immediately　replaced　the　receiver。　He　held　down　the　bar　while　lifting　the　receiver；　placing　it　against　his　ear。　A　woman　who　had　been　looking　at　him　turned　around　disgustedly；　searching　for　another　phone。
　Four　and　a　half　minutes　later　the　phone　rang。　The　Japanese　lifted　his　finger　from　the　bar。　The　conversation　was　in　Japanese。
　'Yes。'　He　could　hear　the　hollow　sound　of　the　overseas　line。
　'Status。'
　'We're　running。'
　'Tell　me　more。　What　results　have　you？'
　'Results？'　He　seemed　somewhat　taken　aback。　'I'm　in　place。　The　buy　is　running。'　Buy　was　his　own　word　for　mission。
　'I　see。'　There　was　a　pause　during　which　it　was　just　possible　to　hear　the　sibilants　of　another　call　far　in　the　open　background。　'The　line　is　secure？'
　'From　this　end；　absolutely。'
　The　voice　at　the　other　end　appeared　to　disregard　the　discourtesy。　'We　wish　a　rapid　denouement。〃
　〃That　was　made　clear　to　me　in　the　beginning。'　Every　fifteen　seconds　he　checked　his　immediate　area。　Not　that　he　expected　to　find　anything；　one　should　never　forget　security。　It　was　all　one　ever　had。
　'Precisely。'
　'These　things　can't　be　rushed。　You　know　that。　I　work　a　certain　way。　This　was　agreed　upon　or　I　never　would　have　taken　on　the　buy。'
　'Oh　yes。　We　are　well　aware　of　that。　But　life　is　ever　changing　and　recent　events　…　events　which　have　taken　place　while　you　were　out　of　the　country　…　necessitate　a　more　precipitate　closure。'
　'I　never　do　things　that　way；　I　…'
　'You　will　now。'　The　voice　was　as　soft　as　silk；　the　tone　even。　There　was　no　haste　to　the　words；　no　heavy…handed　menace。　'It　is　imperative　you　close　the　buy　within　the　next　seventy…two　hours。'
　'I　do　not　think　that　…'
　'Your　fee　is　doubled。'
　The　line　was　dead　in　his　hand。
　'Good　evening；'　Ah　Ma　said。　She　stitched　a　smile　on　her　face；　extended　an　arm。　'You　honour　this　house'
　'Is　it　all　ready？'
　Ah　Ma　kept　her　annoyance　at　this　serious　breach　of　ritual　courtesy　out　of　her　voice。　She　was　an　extremely　orderly　woman；　she　did　not　take　well　to　disruptions。　Or　to　rudeness。　She　thought　briefly　of　throwing　the　Japanese　out。　Certainly　she　did　not　need　his　money。　But　he　had　killed　munists　in　China。　Three　high　officials　that　she　knew　of；　that　surely　meant　the　true　figure　was　higher。　She　hated　the　munists　far　more　than　the　Japanese。　Besides；　the　arrangements　had　already　been　made。　It　would　have　been　a　cruel　waste　of　time　for　her　people　had　she　sent　him　away　now。
　Ah　Ma　gave　the　Japanese　her　warmest　smile。　'All　is　in　readiness；　as　we　discussed。'　Covertly；　her　wide…apart　black　eyes；　as　alert　as　a　bird's；　studied　him。　His　mood　is　different；　she　thought。　He　seems　less　relaxed；　almost　on　edge。　Perhaps　he　goes　from　here　to　kill　another　munist。　She　shrugged　inwardly。　It　was　none　of　her　concern。
　'Would　you　care　for　some　tea　first？'
　'No。'
　'Dumplings　are　just　now　being　prepared。'
　He　shook　his　head。
　Ah　Ma　lifted　her　shoulders。　'As　you　wish。'　Barbarian！　she　thought。　The　amenities　mean　nothing　to　him。　Time　rushes　him　as　if　he　were　a　Westerner。　Ah　well！　The　Japanese　are　much　like　the　Westerners　now；　they　are　great　mimics。　'Willow；'　she　called　softly。
　A　woman　glided　up。　She　was　tall　and　slender；　her　face　bony。　This　set　off　her　long　eyes　and　full；　wide　lips。　She　was　most　striking。　Yet　she　possessed　a　remarkable　icy　detachment。　No　one　could　mistake　her　for　one　of　Ah　Ma's　girls；　one　knew　immediately；　almost　instinctively；　that　she　was　far　more。　One　had　no　idea　what　that　might　be。
　Willow　looked　at　Ah　Ma　and　at　no　one　else。
　'Take　the　gentleman；'　Ah　Ma　said　softly；　'to　the　Gold　Suite。'　All　the　rooms　used　for　professional　purposes　were　designated　by　colour。
　Willow　bowed　and　led　the　man　down　a　dimly　lighted　hallway。　The　walls；　save　for　the　decorative　moulding　at　floor　and　ceiling；　were　covered　in　blue…green　Shantung　silk。　The　carpet　was　a　deep　beige；　as　were　the　moulding　and　the　closed　doors　they　passed。
　They　came　to　the　last　door　on　the　left　and　Willow　halted。　Her　hand　reached　out　for　the　knob。
　'Wait　a　minute。'　The　man's　fingers　encircled　her　slender　wrist。　He　pulled　her　round　to　face　him。　'Are　you　going　to　…'He　was　speaking　in　Cantonese；　saw　the　blank　look　on　her　face；　switched　to　Mandarin。　It　was　too　much　to　expect　that　they'd　know　Japanese。　'Has　the　old　woman　fixed　you　up　with　me　？　I　told　her　I　didn't　want　anyone　tall。'　Willow　stared　at　him　mutely。　'Listen；　I　don't　want　you。　Understand？　There's　been　some　mistake。'
　Willow　dropped　her　gaze　to　his　fingers　holding　her。
　'Tell　the　old　lady　there's　been　a　mistake。　For　the　money　I'm　…'　He　stopped；　puzzled。　She　had　made　no　move　to　break　away　from　him。　He　had　wanted　her　to　struggle；　even　to　whimper。　He　increased　the　pressure　of　his　fingers　but　there　was　no　response。　He　let　go　her　wrist。
　Willow　turned　and　silently　opened　the　door。　She　did　not　step　over　the　threshold。
　The　Japanese　went　inside　and　turned　around　to　look　at　her　but　the　door　was　already　closing　behind　him。
　The　room　was　large。　Green　carpet　covered　the　floor。　The　walls　were　gold；　the　ceiling；　an　eggshell　white。　The　room　contained　a　large　double　bed；　a　wide　sofa　and　a　trio　of　matching　chairs；　all　done　in　gold　cotton。　An　open　door　in　the　right　wall　led　to　a　rather　large　and；　upon　closer　inspection；　ornate　bath。　A　highly　polished　oak　armoire　stood　along　the　left　wall　next　to　a　large　window。
　He　crossed　to　this；　looked　out　on　Pell　Street。　There　was　a　conventional　black　iron　fire　escape　running　up　the　side　of　the　building；　there　was　no　window　in　the　bathroom。　Normal　security　precautions。　He　turned　round。
　He　saw　a　young　boy　and；　behind　him；　a　young　woman。
　'What　is　your　name？'　he　asked　the　boy。　He　did　not　ask　for　the　woman's　name。'
　'Sparrow。'
　'Do　you　have　it？'
　The　boy　nodded；　took　a　step　towards　the　Japanese。
　'Stop；'　he　manded。　'Give　it　to　the　girl。'
　The　boy　turned　and　handed　her　something；　…bring　it　to　me。'
　The　girl　bowed。　On　her　way　to　him；　she　stopped　to　pour　a　cup　of　hot　safe。　She　handed　it　to　him。
　He　stared　at　her；　his　eyes　boring　into　hers。　His　hand　flipped　out　in　a　blur；　knocking　the　cup　from　her　outstretched　hand。　She　stifled　a　cry　at　the　blow。　Her　fingers　stung　terribly。
　'Do　nothing；〃　he　said　coldly；　'unless　I　mand　it。　Then　be　quite　certain　you　do　precisely　as　you　are　told。　Is　that　clear？'　The　girl　nodded　dumbly。　These　remarks　seemed　directed　solely　at　her。　'Let　me　see　what　you　have。'
　She　opened　her　hand。　In　it　he　saw　two　brown　tablets　and；　beside　them；　a　chunk　of　a　black　substance。　He　picked　this　up　first；　sniffed　it。　He　nodded。　He　placed　it　back　in　her　hand；　picked　up　the　tablets。　These　he　tasted　with　the　tip　of　his　tongue。　Satisfied；　he　told　her　to　grind　them　up。
　This　bination　of　opium　and　synthetic　DMT　was　not　new　to　him。　He　had　acquired　a　taste　for　it　from　a　fellow　student　years　ago。　The　pressure　at　the　ryu　had　been　enormous。　Safe；　of　course；　was　often　used　as　a　source　of　relaxation。　But　it　was　not　for　him；　it　was　not　enough。
　He　watched　glassy…eyed　as　the　girl；　on　her　knees；　ground　the　mixture　in　a　stone　mortar　she　had　produced　from　within　the　armoire。
　When　she　had　finished　and　had　filled　a　pipe　for　him；　he　told　her　to　run　the　water　for　his　bath。
　'I　can　do　that；〃　Sparrow　said。
　'Stay　where　you　are；'　the　Japanese　barked。　His　gaze　shifted　to　the　girl。　'Do　as　you　are　told。'
　She　bowed　her　head；　half　ran　across　the　room。　By　the　time　he　had　the　pipe　lit；　he　heard　the　muted　sound　of　running　water。
　The　Japanese　took　three　long　drags　at　the　pipe　before　he　took　it　out　of　his　mouth。　'e　here；　Sparrow。　Now　inhale。　No；　deeply。　That's　right。'　He　returned　the　pipe　to　his　mouth；　finished　smoking。　He　could　hear　nothing　but　th