ericlustbader.the ninja-第97章

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th　mingled　scents　and　clamouring　customers。
　They　returned　to　the　hotel　late　in　the　afternoon　with　the　light　receding　swiftly　from　the　sky。　The　mist　was　gone　and　the　hard　shell　of　the　cobalt　sky　seemed　distant　indeed。
　A　message　from　Saigo　was　waiting　for　him。　Dinner。　Saigo　would　e　to　the　hotel。
　'How　long　will　we　be　here？'　Yukio　asked　as　they　were　dressing。　The　door　between　their　rooms　was　open。
　'I　don't　know。　I　hadn't　thought　about　it。　Why？'
　'I　want　to　leave。　That's　all。'
　'We've　only　just　got　here。'
　'I　know；　but　it　already　feels　like　we've　been　here　a　year。　This　is　an　odd　city。'
　He　laughed；　pulling　on　his　trousers。　'You　just　don't　want　to　be　here。　Listen；　we're　not　so　close　to　the　water　here。'　He　smiled。　'No　chance　I'll　fall　overboard。'
　Her　smile　was　a　bit　bleaker　than　his。　'Yes。　Yes。　I　know。　But　haven't　you　noticed？　The　air　here　smells　different；　almost　as　if　it　were　burnt。'
　'It's　only　the　refinery；'　he　said。　'Or　maybe　Mount　Aso。　I've　never　been　near　a　volcano　before。　Isn't　there　one　on　Hokkaido？'
　Saigo　arrived　promptly　just　after　six。　Nicholas　opened　the　door　to　his　room。
　'Well；　Nicholas；　I　didn't　…'　His　dark　eyes　slid　across　Nicholas's　face；　over　his　shoulder。　The　colour　seemed　to　drain　from　him。　'What's　she　doing　here？'　It　was　said　in　a　hiss　but；　just　as　important；　in　a　different　speech　mode；　the　polite　form　had　been　abruptly　dropped。
　Nicholas　turned　his　head。　'Yukio？　She　decided　to　e　with　me。　Didn't　you　know　she　was　here？'　But　of　course　how　could　he？
　Saigo's　angry　eyes　flicked　back　to　regard　Nicholas。　The　stare　was　hard　and　cold。　'You　set　this'up　deliberately；　didn't　you？'
　'What　are　you　talking　about？'
　'You　know；　don't　you？　Don't　lie　to　me；　Nicholas。　She　told　you　everything。'
　Nicholas　felt　her　presence　close　and　warm　behind　him。
　'I　told　him　nothing。'　Yukio's　tone　was　chill　enough　to　freeze　the　blood。　'But　now　that　you've　brought　it　up　like　a　hysterical　child；　perhaps　you　ought　to　tell　him　yourself。'　…'Tell　me　what？　Hey；　wait　a　minute！'　Saigo　had　begun　a　lunge　around　him　towards　Yukio。　Nicholas　stepped　into　his　path；　using　his　shoulder　and　his　left　arm　as　a　wedge　against　the　doorframe。　Yukio　stepped　lithely　away。
　'I　think　you　had　better　tell　me　what　this　is　all　about。'
　Saigo　heard　the　warning　note　in　Nicholas's　voice　and　he　felt　his　blood　boil。　Leaned　forward　with　the　left　side　of　his　body；　half…concealing　the　horizontal　movement　of　his　right　hand　and　wrist。
　Nicholas　brought　his　forearm　down　in　a　blur；　striking　the　exposed　bone　in　Saigo's　wrist。　Physical　damage　was　minimal　but　nerve　disruption　was　considerable。　The　hand　went　numb。
　They　were　very　close　together　and　Saigo　used　his　foot；　aiming　for　the　side　of　the　knee。　The　doorjamb　was　his　ally；　caught　in　the　force　of　the　blow；　Nicholas's　knee　would　shatter　like　crystal。　But　he　stepped　back　and　the　side　of　Saigo's　foot　slammed　into　the　wood　with　a　crack　as　loud　and　as　sharp　as　that　of　a　house　collapsing。
　Saigo　recovered　enough　to　whirl　around　and　head　off　down　the　corridor　before　Nicholas　had　a　chance　to　react。　Without　a　word；　Nicholas　went　after　him。
　Yukio　ran　to　the　door。　'Nicholas！'　she　cried　after　him。　Then　she；　too；　followed　in　Saigo's　wake。
　The　angelfish；　all　grey　lace；　hovered　near　the　bottom。　It's　tiny　mouth　opened　and　closed。　It　might　have　been　trying　to　eat　the　algae　off　the　side　of　the　tank。
　A　pair　of　gourami　passed　by　it；　disturbing　its　concentration；　and　it　darted　off　behind　a　group　of　three　or　four　water　plants　twisting　gently　in　the　clouds　of　rising　bubbles　from　the　aerator。
　They　stood　across　the　street；　in　the　deep　shadow　of　a　doorway。　The　street　was　quiet；　every　step　of　the　few　passers…by　discernible。
　'What　are　you　waiting　for？'
　'Quiet；'　Nicholas　said；　thinking；　twelve；　thirteen；　fourteen。
　A　young　couple　turned　a　corner；　came　down　the　street。　He　gave　the　man　a　quick　glance；　went　back　to　watching　the　front　door　of　the　fish　store　where　Saigo　had　disappeared　moments　before。　Twenty…one；　twenty…two；　twenty…three。　When　he　had　reached　thirty　and　there　was　still　no　sign；　he　took　Yukio　by　the　hand　and　went　across　the　street。
　A　tiny　bell　rang　in　the　back　of　the　shop　like　a　call　to　the　penitent。　It　was　a　narrow；　bare　floor　boarded　place；　its　walls　stocked　with　glass　tanks　of　varying　sizes。　Only　one　or　two　were　dry；　cloudy　with　dust。
　A　man；　thin；　worn　down　by　the　passage　of　time；　his　skin　as　grey　as　yesterday's　mist；　sat　on　a　high　wooden　stool　in　front　of　a　wall　filled　with　filters；　rolls　of　clear　plastic　tubing　and　stacked　boxes　of　dried　fish　food。
　No　one　was　in　the　shop。
　'Is　there　a　back　way　out　of　here？'　Nicholas　asked　him。
　'Hm？'　He　looked　up　belatedly。　'Oh；　yes　but　…'
　Nicholas；　with　Yukio　a　step　behind　him；　was　already　loping　past　him；　through　the　short；　dark　passageway　and　out　at　the　unbolted　door。
　They　found　themselves　in　a　dim　brick　alleyway　that　was　more　a　cul…de…sac。　Only　one　way　for　Saigo　to　have　gone　and　they　followed。
　They　spotted　him；　already　a　block　away；　heading　west。　Twice
　he　doubled　back　and　once；　when　he　thought　he　had　lost　him　altogether；　Nicholas　began　to　sweat　because　he　didn't　think　now　that　he　would　get　a　second　chance；　Yukio　had　seen　to　that。　But　they　got　lucky。　He　had　been　hidden　within　a　small　jostling　crowd　around　a　news　kiosk；　in　plain　sight；　really。　It　might　have　been　accidental　or　an　extremely　sophisticated　manoeuvre。　There　was　no　way　of　telling。　But　the　question　remained。　Why　was　Saigo　taking　any　precautions　at　all？　Why　was　he　concerned　about　being　followed？
　Above　their　heads　a　full　moon　rode；　blue…white；　as　large　as　a　hanging　paper　lantern；　harbinger　of　winter's　first　snow。　Clouds　appearing　as　flat　and　substantial　as　curtains　turned　the　illumination　inconstant　and；　with　it；　perspective　kept　changing　so　that　Nicholas　was　obliged　to　stop　them　now　and　again　to　check　their　proximity　to　the　dark；　hurrying　figure　in　front。
　Once　Saigo　turned　around；　his　face　a　pale　blur　struck　by　the　moonlight；　and　Nicholas　forced　Yukio　into　a　doorway；　hearing　only　the　soft　rasp　of　her　violent　breathing　and　the　hammering　of　his　own　heart。
　…Saigo's　silhouette　was　fast　diminishing　down　the　dark　street　and　he　grabbed　her　hand；　pulling　her　along　until；　at　length；　he　saw　his　quarry　pause　before　a　narrow　doorway　in　a　rather　rundown　wood…frame　building；　windowless　and　hulking。　Disappeared　like　a　nocturnal　animal。
　Nicholas　stood　perfectly　still　in　deep　shadow　with　Yukio　by　his　side　for　several　moments。　'Now；'　he　said　in　a　low　tone　and　took　her；　running　across　the　wide　street。
　There　was　no　sign　on　the　building's　face　to　indicate　what　it　might　contain；　no　bells　to　ring。　Nothing。　The　door　was　metal；　painted　in　deep　red　enamel。　He　grasped　the　brass　handle　half　expecting　the　door　to　be　locked。　Pulled　it　open。
　Inside；　they　found　themselves　in　a　plain　hallway　without　a　true　ceiling。　A　wide　industrial…type　stairway　led　upwards；　it　too　was　metal。　There　were　no　doorways　on　the　ground　level。　Nor　were　there　any　on　the　first　floor；　they　discovered。　There　seemed　to　be　a　lot　of　empty　space；　however。
　The　building　seemed　silent　but　for　a　peculiar　kind　of　intermittent　vibration　ing　through　the　rough　wooden　planks　；　of　the　vast　landings。
　They　found　the　one　door　…　closed　and　padlocked　…　on　the　third　floor。　Yukio　coughed　twice　before　putting　her　palm　against　her　mouth；　there　seemed　to　be　a　great　deal　of　sawdust　hanging　in　the　unquiet　air。
　One　had　an　odd　feeling　here。　Not　merely　the　prickly　sensation　of　trespassing　but　the　unfortable　hollowness　in　the　pit　of　the…stomach　that　might　e　from　standing　in　the　foyer　of　a　haunted　house　at　midnight。
　'I　want　to　get　out　of　here；'　Yukio　whispered　in　his　ear。　She　tugged　at　Nicholas's　arm。
　'Shhh。'
　He　went　slowly；　cautiously　across　the　landing　towards　the　closed　door。　He　had　thought　…　yes。　The　light　was　so　dim　that　he　had　not　been　certain。　But　now　as　he　approached；　he　saw　clearly　the　sign　that　had　been　hand…painted　in　black　ink　squarely　on　the　centre　of　the　door：　a　circle　within　which　were　nine　black　diamonds。　They　in　turn　surrounded　an　ideogram；　Komuso。
　Nicholas　stared　at　the　sign。　Where　had　he　seen　that　before？　Surely　he　had　…　a　ryu。　It　was　a　ryu。　But　which　one？　He　had　seen　this　sign　quite　recently。　Just　befor