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〃Hubba； hubba！〃 Greg said； and slipped out of his chair before Tori could do anything to stop him。 This was Japan； but Greg had no conception of what that meant； especially in his current state。
〃Damnit； Greg！〃
But he couldn't hear her。 As Tori watched him make his way down toward the beautiful young woman； she thought of the kind of place this was； and what that said about its habitues。 Drug dealers and sex peddlers were only the tamer elements wending their way through the yellow…and…blue…lit throng。 The Lemon Crush； it was whispered； was a favored hangout of the Yakuza。
Tori had never met a Yakuza； and even through her sake…induced buzz she thought that this was not the night to do so。 Macho was one thing； suicide quite another。 Greg would not understand this。 Tori did not think they had enough time together for her to adequately explain the inner workings of the Yakuza mind to him。
Now she could see Greg talking to the woman； could see her smiling in return。 Greg was so handsome； he had never had trouble getting girls； just the opposite； in fact。 Tori could remember when he was in high school； there were too many girl…friends to make life simple。 And at one point Greg's after…school and practice life became something of a slapstick farce； plete with slammed doors； lightning changes of clothes； and； at least on Greg's part； iron…man stamina。 Tori had had an active part in this； playing…in Laura Nunn's parlance…the straight man who stooged for the star； making sure no two girls would catch him in the same room at the same time。
And； recalling this； seeing him laughing with the beautiful； exotic Japanese； Tori discovered that it wasn't only apprehension she was feeling； it was anger。 She and Greg saw each other so infrequently； she thought it insensitive of him to go off and leave her like this。 And from the secure distance of the future； Tori was able to see the truth： she had wanted to spend the night with her brother； matching his macho with hers； at last on her turf； showing Greg…and Ellis Nunn…that she could pete on his level。
Could she really be jealous of this creature？ Tori had asked herself then。 Yes； yes； as she slid through the crowd； moving toward them。
Tori was still some distance away when she saw the tall； square…shouldered young man heading on a collision course with her brother and the woman。 He was a Japanese dressed in a stylish suit。 His hair was shorter even than Greg's； almost a military cut。 There was something in his direct gaze that disturbed her even before she was close enough to feel the power of his wa。 That was when the fright took over。 By that time she had had more than enough training to know a dangerous opponent when she saw one。
The young man was heading straight for Greg； his gaze fixed steadily on him。 Tori watched him move through the crowd。 It was like seeing a hot knife slice through butter。 He did not have to fight his way through； did not have to elbow people aside。 No one was disturbed； there was no ripple to mark his passage。
Then abruptly； shockingly； he reached out and the sleeve of his jacket rode up his arm； exposing a wrist covered with an irizumi demon spitting fire。 And Tori's heart lurched。 Oh； my God； she thought。 Greg's making a move on the girlfriend of a Yakuza。
She and the Yakuza converged on Greg and the woman。 Tori had just enough time to say； 〃Greg； let's get out of here！〃 before the Yakuza's hand clamped down on Greg's shoulder。
Greg spun； shoving the hand off him。 Greg was in a semi…crouch； the standard first position of the sort of unarmed bat taught by the United States government agencies。 It would mean nothing to the Yakuza。 Unless Greg pulled a gun and shot him dead； the Yakuza's skills would quickly overpower anything Greg could throw at him。
Greg grinned。 〃Hey； I don't want any trouble；〃 he said suddenly； ing out of his crouch。 He put up his hands。 〃No law I know of against talking to a beautiful woman。〃
〃The woman belongs to me；〃 the Yakuza said。 He had gone very still。 One arm was out from his body； rigid； the other one was close to the lapel of his suit jacket。
Greg said； 〃You've got it all wrong； pal。 Slavery was abolished almost a hundred years ago。''
〃The world doesn't belong to America；〃 the Yakuza said。
〃Yeah？ Well； it sure doesn't belong to Japan。〃
The Yakuza grinned。 〃Not yet。〃
〃Greg； e on；'' Tori said。 ''We didn't e here to debate cultural differences。〃
〃Stay away； woman！ This does not concern you； 〃the Yakuza growled； curtly dismissing her。
〃Like hell！〃 Tori said； for the moment forgetting everything she had been taught。 〃When you threaten my brother； you threaten me。〃
The Yakuza slowly turned to her； said in the most condescending voice； 〃You're cute； you know that？〃 He produced a snub…nosed automatic。 〃But that's all you are； so…〃
At that point Tori jammed the stiffened fingers of her right hand into the Yakuza's solar plexus。 His eyes opened wide and he was jolted backward。
Greg lunged for the automatic； and the Yakuza's left hand chopped down on his forearm。 As if in slow motion； Tori saw the Yakuza turn his gun on Greg； she went for the nerve cluster in his right arm； and using her own left arm as a brace； bent the Yakuza's gun arm backward until she heard the snap。
His savage kick caught her on the edge of her pelvis。 She cried out in surprise and pain； slammed into him again and； almost simultaneously； heard the report of the single shot。
The Yakuza's face went white； he said something unintelligible in all the electronic noise and motion； then slipped to the floor。 Blood； a dark flower； spread its lethal petals。
Tori bent； touched him on the side of the neck。 Then she grabbed Greg and pushed her way through the throng； farther and farther； blue and yellow mutating the shadows all around； the origami unfolding； unfolding； the strained faces now so alien to her。
Outside in the spangled night she said； ''e on！ Let's go！〃
Greg hesitated。 〃But that guy's wounded。 He might die。 I think we ought to wait。〃
〃Greg； he's dead。 He had no pulse。 The only thing that will happen if we wait is we'll be killed。 That guy was Yakuza； a gangster of the most dangerous sort。''
Greg seemed bewildered。 〃But we can explain 。 。 。 they'll understand…〃
〃The only thing his family understands is giri… obligation。 And their obligation now is to destroy us。 For the love of God； e on！〃 Pulling him away from The Lemon Crush。 〃Even if we run； there'll be trouble！〃
Who had killed the Yakuza with the demon on his wrist？ Tori？ Greg？ Or had he； himself； pulled the trigger by accident？ No one would ever know。 The simple fact was that he had died as a result of the bullet wound。
〃That was really something！〃 Greg exclaimed later。 They were sitting in a cheap dive somewhere in the sludge pit of Kita…senju。 〃I've never seen you defend me； Tori。 It's always been the other way around。''
〃It was a stupid incident；〃 Tori said sourly。 〃It never should have happened。〃
〃But it did。 The happenstance of life！ It's like why I came here to a place I 'd never been to before； a culture I know nothing about。 Like fate。 Karma； wouldn't you say？〃
〃It never should have happened。 If you hadn't…〃
〃No； no。 It showed me something。 Something I was supposed to see。〃
〃I don't know what the hell you're talking about。〃 She was still angry with Greg； still partly in shock over what had happened。 She had never liked guns； now she liked them even less。 But staring at her brother across the dirty table； she saw another kind of light in his angel eyes。 It was the same disturbing darkness she had seen that late afternoon years before when he had risen from beneath the water of the pool in Diana's Garden where she had held him as the air had leaked out of him。
It was as if the shooting had galvanized him…no； that word wasn't quite right。 It was more like it had elated him。 But that could not be possible； Tori told herself over and over。 Her brother； the golden boy； the NASA astronaut； couldn't harbor such an antisocial； such an amoral emotion。 No； not Greg。 But she was facing the incontrovertible evidence。
〃Don't you？ But you must understand。 You're the mystic in the family； Tori。 That's why you came here to study； isn't it？ Me； I'm the pragmatist。 The mathematician； the pilot； soon to be the man in the moon。 I hope。 But first； I've e here to see you。'' He looked at her。 ' 'You don't understand。''
〃No。〃
Greg nodded。 〃Okay。 After how you defended me； I guess you deserve to hear this； and anyway； we're far too drunk to have it make a difference。〃 He took a deep breath。 〃I imagine you always thought I loved the pool； the diving。〃
〃Well； sure；〃 Tori said； confused。 〃You were always so good at it。〃
〃Not always；〃 Greg said。 〃You see； I never wanted to dive。 Never。 Never。 Dad made me。 He shamed me into it。 I was afraid to get on the diving board； so one night he made me go with him to the UCLA Olympic diving plex。 Dad had done all their new outdoor lighting； so he had access to everything on campus。
''He took me by the scruff of the neck and climbed with me all the way to the top of the high…dive board。 By this time I had a good idea of what he was going to do； so I was crying。 Even after all this time； I'm ashamed to admit that。 I was so frightened； I almost wet my pants。
〃Dad took me to the edge of the board。 He pushed my head down； forced me to look。 Arc lights on the water。 It was such a long way down！ My teeth were chattering； and he had to hold me up。
〃 'Go on！' he shouted at me。 〃The only way you'll learn to dive is to dive！'
〃 'But I don't want to dive！' I protested。
〃 'You're too young to know what you want！' he shouted。 'Do as I say！' And with that he shoved me off the end of the board。〃
Greg shuddered。 〃Christ； but it was a long way down。 I remember the wind whistling in my ears and the world turning； turning。 I think； for just an instant； I saw him standing at the end of the diving board； smiling。 Or maybe I just thought I saw him。 I don't know。 The lane lines painted on the bottom of the pool were rushing up； so goddamned clear I was sure there was no water in the pool。 Then I hit the water and all me breath exploded out of me。
〃Dad came and got me。 I was limp as a noodle； but he just lapped me on the back a couple of times to make sure all the water was out of me。 And up we went again。 This time I gritted my teeth and went down on my own。 By the fourth clumsy dive； I ached all over and I was ready to listen to his instructions。〃
Greg's eyes were bleak as he looked at Tori。 〃That was how I learned to love diving。〃
〃But it was horrible！ How could you ever have loved it after such an introduction？〃
〃That；〃 Greg said； 〃is what I've been asking myself ever since then。〃
〃Tori？〃 Russell Slade said in the present of futuristic Roppongi。 Across the kissaten the bank of Quotron machines…Free Use to Patrons！…flashed their minute…by…minute update of the progress of the stock market。 〃Where have you been these past several minutes？〃
〃I…〃 Tori made an effort to e fully back to the present。 〃I was thinking of what Deke said about the hafnium。〃 Why am I lying to him？ she asked herself。 〃All the terrible possibilities； given the kind of minds； the evil out in the world。〃
''Yeah； well； there's no use dwelling on nightmares；'' Russell said。 〃We'd just better make sure the nightmares never occur。 Where is this hafnium ending up？ That's what we've got to find out。 The question now is； will Hitasura help us？〃
〃Let's go find out；〃 Tori said。
Getting an audience with Hitasura was approximately as difficult as finding the treasure chamber inside the Pyramid of Cheops。 He was a cautious man…some said paranoid； but these were his enemies； and their envy evidently distorted their judgment。 There had never been an assassination attempt made on Hitasura； and this spoke volumes for his strategy and caution。
This was not to say that he was inactive。 On the contrary； Hitasura was a hands…on oyabun。 He was as yet perhaps too young to feel fortable with delegating power to his lieutenants。 Just as well。 In the three years since he had e to power； he had already found it necessary to execute two lieutenants whose loyalty was to the yen rather than to himself。
Tori had met Hitasu