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The groan came again； and Tori； drawing herself onto her knees； pulled Russell into a sitting position。 〃Are you okay？〃
He nodded； but his eyes still looked slightly dazed。
Tori looked around； but there was no sign of Hitasura amid the rubble。 Christ； she thought。 What's happened to him？
She got to her feet； Russell beside her。
〃Stupid；〃 Russell said。
〃What？〃
〃Remind me not to go off half…cocked like that。〃
〃Very funny。〃
They made a careful search for Hitasura； but they could find no sign that he had ever been there。 Russell looked at Tori。
〃Don't say it；〃 she said。 〃I won't believe that he's betrayed me； too。〃
〃I hope you're right；〃 Russell said。 〃But the evidence suggests that he led us straight into a trap。〃
They moved off； heading farther into the dimly lit interior of the hall。 Soon the hall narrowed into a corridor； the deeper they got； the darker it became。 Russell took out a pocket flash； handed it to Tori。 She flicked it on； played it in a shallow arc ahead of them…and immediately stopped in her tracks。
The concentrated beam of the flash picked up a shining strand； a thread like a spider's webbing； strung across their path。 Tori touched Russell； pointed wordlessly： the monofilament was strung approximately at waist height。 Even at walking speed； the monofilament would cut deeply into flesh。
Tori went down on her knees； then lay on her back。 Russell followed her lead。 Using the flash pointed upward； she began to slither beneath the deadly monofilament。
She was halfway past it when she felt a pressure across her shoulders。 Her scalp began to prickle and she felt a line of sweat snake itself between her shoulder blades。 She tried to turn her head； but she could not see what was directly in front of her。
〃Russ！〃 she hissed。 〃I'm stuck！ Get up here！〃
He began to slither up on her right； but she stopped him with a guttural noise。 〃Get on top of me！〃 she whispered。 〃What…ever's stopped me goes from shoulder to shoulder。〃
Russell moved； scrambling over her。
Tori felt the fortable fit of his body on hers； looked upward into his face。 〃What do you see？〃
〃Another monofilament；〃 he said softly。 〃I guess it was meant to get you at the ankles。''
〃Or stop anyone alert enough to have seen the first monofilament。〃
〃What do you want to do？〃 Russell asked。 〃I can easily drag you backward。''
〃No！〃 Tori said。 〃I can feel an odd tension that came into the monofilament as I stretched it。 I think there's some kind of trigger that will go off when the tension's broken。''
〃Okay。〃 Russell slithered forward and； using Tori's body as a base； passed over the second monofilament。 Then he reached back。
〃Don't use your fingers；〃 Tori warned。 〃The monofilament will cut right through your skin。''
〃Right。〃 Russell lay on his stomach； took out his knife； slid the blade between the monofilament and the hollow at the center of Tori's back。 Carefully； he brought the blade back toward him until it took the monofilament to the same tension it was at against Tori's shoulder blades。
〃Move；〃 Russell said。 〃Now。〃
Tori moved gingerly away from the monofilament； and Russell immediately felt that odd tension transferred to his arms。 It was like being near an electric current。 Then Tori had scrambled across the monofilament and had joined him on the other side。 She crouched down beside him； whispered in his ear； 〃I'm going to get behind you。 On my signal； take the blade away from the wire。〃
〃What？〃
''Don't worry。 Trust me。〃
Russell closed his eyes for a moment。 The sweat was burning on his face； and he could feel his hands beginning to tremble with the task of maintaining just the right amount of tension on the monofilament。
A moment later he felt Tori gripping his ankles。
〃I'm going to count to three。 Ready？〃
〃Ready。〃
〃One。 Two。 Three。 Now！〃
Russell； breathing a prayer； jerked the blade from its position against the monofilament。 At the same time； he felt himself being slid backward； hard and fast。
There was an ugly breeze against his face； a blur in front of his eyes as the monofilament flew to his left； and he heard a soft thock！
Tori played the beam of the flash along the right wall； and they saw embedded there a shuriken； a miniature steel dart； a thorn dark with an unknown substance on its tip。
〃This is one mean woman；〃 Russell said； wiping the sweat off his face。
〃Yes；〃 Tori said。 〃Clever； too。〃
〃I'd say diabolical。〃 Russell stood。 〃No wonder Hitasura split。 You picked one hell of a nemesis。''
〃Karma。 I must have sinned like a sonuvabitch in a previous life。〃
Russell grinned at her。 〃Time for atonement。〃
Tori came close to Russell； her eyes glittering。 〃I think you should stay here。 You've e far enough。 This is between Fu…kuda and me。〃
〃Like hell！〃
〃Russ； try to put your male ego aside for the moment。 There's no sense…〃
〃Forget it；〃 he said curtly。 〃How would you have e through back there without me？〃
〃I'd have found a way。〃
He gripped her shoulders。 〃Tori； I told you my feeling about vendettas…they have a way of eating people alive。 Everyone who gets involved in them。''
〃Nevertheless； I know Fukuda； and you don't。 I'm afraid that from now on you'll be more of a liability。〃
Russell sighed； then nodded。 〃Go on；〃 he said。 He put his hand on her hip； as he had in the library at Diana's Garden； which now seemed a lifetime ago。 〃I understand the need to pay her back for what she did to you。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Tori kissed him quickly on the lips； then she was gone； swallowed up by the darkness。
Russell stood quite still for a moment； then he said； 〃Bullshit；〃 under his breath。 〃I'm going to protect you whether you like it or not〃
When Tori left Russell； she removed her shoes； tying them to her belt； then she went very fast down the corridor。 Her steps were utterly silent across the marble squares。 It seemed as if she were barely touching the floor。 In fact she was using only the extreme outside of her soles； never putting her full weight on either foot。 The principle was akin to the way in which four…legged animals ran。 At times all their hooves were off the ground at once because they were able continually to redistribute their weight as they ran； their center of gravity rotating away from each leg as it struck the ground。
At length the corridor ended and Tori found herself at a bank of elevators。 She could see that they were all shut down。 To her right was a wide flight of sculpted marble stairs curving upward in the classical style that in this venue seemed wildly out of place。
Tori mounted the stairs。 The way to ascend under these circumstances was with her back to the wall。 The idea was to put herself in Fukuda's mind and try to outthink her。
One quarter of the way up； Tori paused； she could feel a kind of grit on the stairs。 Otherwise the marble was immaculately smooth。 Just in this spot。。。
Tori squatted down。 Another shuriken！ In the feeble light she saw the glint of the miniblade not two paces in front of her； stuck between two squares of the marble wall。 She examined the blade。 It； too； was dark with some kind of herb toxin。
Tori reached down beneath her feet； picked up some of the grit on her fingertip； rubbed it。 Fukuda had cleverly carved out a slitlike niche for the blade in the grout between the marble slabs。
Keeping her fingers away from the darkened tip； Tori carefully pulled the blade from the wall； took it with her。
Now she went directly up the center of the stairs； peering intently ahead as she wound her way up to the second…floor gallery。
She was almost at the top of the stairs when a ball of darkness came hurtling down at her。 It struck her folly on her chest； and she crashed backward down the staircase until she landed painfully against the curved marble wall。
Hot breath in her face； claws digging into the flesh of her shoulders； she had no space in which to work and； worse； her position left her no chance to use either momentum or her greater weight against the creature。
She saw the red eyes of the Akita； knew immediately it had been trained as a guard dog。 It was utterly silent； all its efforts directed at subduing her。 It was very powerful； and she was still slightly dazed from its initial attack。 She knew she had to disable it quickly or its teeth would eventually find her throat。
She jammed her elbow far back into its mouth； reached down for the poisoned blade she had taken from the wall； slammed it all the way into the Akita's belly。 The paws scrabbled at her； but their fall power was already waning。
Tori threw the creature off her； scrambled over it； gaining the second…floor gallery。
Silence。
Then a slight singing； as of a draft through a grate or a cord being vibrated。 Tori looked around； there was something odd about the bank of elevators。
As soon as she moved cautiously toward them； she saw that one of the doors was open； revealing a gaping shaft； the source of the singing。 Tori could see the main cable moving against the auxiliary one。 Gripping either side of the doorway； she looked down； and could just make out Fukuda； already below the first…floor level； descending the cable。
Tori leaned out and； gripping the cable； wrapped her legs around it。 Down she went。 It was not easy。 The cable was thick； coated with grease。 She put a great deal of tension in her thighs； knees； and ankles。
It took her several moments to get the hang of it； but then she was making good progress。 She had just passed the main floor when she felt the cable grow taut。 Beside her the auxiliary cable began to move and； soon； she saw the counterweight soaring upward past her and knew what was happening。 Fukuda was sending the elevator car down。
Tori； trapped between the main floor and the basement； looked up； saw the car plummeting down on her。 Its shadow was already covering her； and she could feel the kineticism in the cable she was gripping so tightly。
She realized there was only one thing to do； released her grip with ankles； knees； and thighs and； using only her hands to guide her； shot down the cable。
Without the grease coating； she knew the friction would have flayed the flesh off her palms。 As it was； she felt the abrasion building； but the elevator was still gaining and； in the instant she raised her head to glance at its progress； she missed the basement level； shot on past； heading for the subbasement
Here there were no doors； and the shaft ended abruptly。 With mounting honor； Tori looked down at the concrete bed of the elevator shaft： a dead end。
Shadows descending； a hot wind on her neck。 She felt the encroachment of the oning car； thought。 What have I to lose？ and let go pletely。
She dropped the last fifteen feet； willed herself to relax。 She landed in a ball on the oil…stained concrete； rolled； came out of her tuck； took a great leap sideways。 Behind her； with a whir and a whine； the elevator settled into its bed。
Tori heard swift footfalls echoing in the chamber of the sub…basement。 She turned； headed in their direction。 Bare bulbs burned in sockets along the walls。 By their light she could see that the subbasement of this new building was far from finished。 Rough concrete walls were interspersed with spackled wall…board on which hurried instructions for electrician or plumber had been scribbled。
She put on her shoes； the floor was poured concrete； filthy with oil and debris。 But； often； gaping holes opened into noisome trenches strung with enormous bundles of cables； the lifelines of the Kinji…to。
Tori leaped over these holes； moving farther into the building's interior。 Abruptly she came to the far side of the Kinji…to； the end of the subbasement。 There was no wall； but rather a vast space opening onto the Japanese solution to the utter lack of parking space in Tokyo。 An automated parking tower had been incorporated in the design of the Kinji…to。 It was made up of a kind of vertical Ferris wheel of steel slots onto which cars were driven； then parked； which were then rotated like a dry cleaner's rack to get to the car needed。
Tori turned briefly back the way she had e； but she could neither see nor hear any sign of Fukuda。 She stepped onto the steel slot of the parking tower； and it immediately began to move upward。
Behind her； through imm