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tasura's deal with Kunio Michita。 Michita must be paying Hitasura a fortune for his go…between work。 The breadth and depth of the political corruption Sakata's ledgers revealed is breathtaking； the tapestry of bribes they recorded is priceless。 Why should he have his fingers in that pie and not me？
''But it will not be easy。 As you know； there is a gap in Kakuei Sakata's ledgers。 The physical connection between the two… Hitasura and Michita…is never mentioned。 Is it because of ignorance or by design？
〃Second； we must punish Hitasura for his transgressions against members of my family。 Third； we must destroy Tori Nunn for her part in all this。 She murdered Fukuda。〃
There was a gull on the river； Koi saw； whose body incorporated every shade of gray in its environment as it passed from shadow to light to shadow again。 I am like that gull； Koi thought。 I am every shade of gray。 I am my environment。
〃I would have liked；〃 she said； 〃to have had more time with Fukuda。 I was looking forward to that。〃
Big Ezoe stared at her。 She was lit from behind by the early morning light ing in through the windows。 Her features； cloaked in darkness； seemed unreal to him； so much like the god mask at the Bunraku play that； for a moment； he was transfixed； for he could not tell one from the other。
Then she moved； and orange light brushed her cheek； warming her flesh； illuminating one dark eye。 And； with a shock； he saw in there the hint of some mad thing； a black force like a maelstrom still far off on the horizon of night； and it made him shudder； for he suspected that it would be a struggle for him to control it。
Big Ezoe pushed these disturbing thoughts aside； said in a businesslike voice； 〃I want you to think back to when you were working for Kunio Michita。 Can you give me a list of names； important clients and associates he saw with some regularity…say； more than three times a month？''
Koi began； just as if she were a puter sorting through vast files。 〃Of course；〃 she said； reeling off more than a half…dozen names。 ''But that's not counting the Kaga people involved in the joint venture with Michita；〃 she said。
〃What kind of joint venture？〃
〃A bined research and development laboratory；〃 Koi said。 ''But I don't see how that could be of interest to us。〃
Big Ezoe looked at his watch； made a quick call。 When he hung up； he said； 〃I think it's time we went to breakfast。〃
〃Bathe me first；〃 Koi said。 Her eyes were glittery with hunger。 〃Then we will go and do what must be done。〃
Big Ezoe was unused to being ordered around。 He found that he did not much care for it。 He opened his mouth to protest； then closed it again； deciding that at this point it was far better to humor Koi than to oppose her。 With Fukuda gone； he needed Koi…not that he could ever afford to let her know this。 But； with the manner in which Fukuda was disposed of； if he did not retaliate quickly and successfully； his loss of face would be devastating to his authority over his people。 So he acquiesced as obediently as if he were a woman。
The bath was modern primitive； an S…shaped curve of translucent glass blocks created a wall of aqueous green light that shimmered its diamondlike reflections on the gushing water。 Outside； the geometric grid of Tokyo was reduced to smears of gray； an inplete template for a city of the future which Koi would； through the force of her will； perfect。
Rare Ainu fetishes hung on the wall opposite the glass bricks； the stark faces of dark gods now consigned to myths already forgotten。 But for Koi； in these hard visages of the gods of Japan's indigenous ethnics lived the souls of the clouds； the rain and wind which for centuries had scoured Nippon； carving it into its present image。 Here were the keys to the kingdom； the real Japan； lying in wait with its breathless heart beneath the modern iconographic facade where image and symbol were melded to create a new language devoid of significance。
Naked； Koi climbed into the steaming water； sinking down until she sat in the lotus position； the hot water streaming onto the top of her head； surrounding her in spray。
〃Now； at last； I see beyond all the lies； to the buried truth；〃 she said。 She was not looking at Big Ezoe nor at anything in the room。 〃Being born hinoeuma was a blessing； not a curse。 Because I was hinoeuma； I was taken to the Man of One Tree； and there learned the ways of the warrior。 But when I returned to the outside world； I was thrust once more into the caldron of my family； and I was obliged to suppress much of what I was taught by the Man of One Tree。 I learned to fit in； to be the model daughter as preparation for being the model wife。 I was no longer afraid of being hinoeuma； because the Man of One Tree had given me the strength I needed to bat it。 He told me that I was now strong enough to decide not to be hinoeuma。
〃But he was wrong…or； in the end； because he was a man； he lied to me。 Here is the Truth： I am hinoeuma； and being so gives me an altogether different power。 My evil passions； my bloody nature； is a divine gift。〃
And with this she rose up out of the bath； the water purling down her taut muscular body； a dark…haired leviathan； opal…eyed and omnipotent； emerging from the deep。
On the Tokyo waterfront mist was rising off the Sumida。 It was already too late in the morning for the daily fish auction at the Tsukiji Fish Market； but the stalls were busy as the city's best restaurateurs continued to buy provisions for the afternoon and evening meals。
Big Ezoe and Koi emerged from the gray steel…paneled Mercedes； walked across concrete slick with water sluicing away fish entrails。 They went to a little row of stalls； numbered 5 through 9； entered the tiny restaurant in the middle of the row。
It was more a coffee shop than a restaurant； a tiny kitchen behind a plain counter fronted by no more than a dozen stools in a sixteen…by…seven…foot area。
There was only one customer at the counter。 A middle…aged executive with a pencil mustache wearing a regulation dark gray three…piece suit appropriate for corporation work。 With a start； Koi recognized him as the senior vice…president for administration for the Kaga conglomerate； the man she had seen lose so much money at Big Ezoe's gambling house； the one she had had a hand in sending into debt。
The two men nodded to one another； but otherwise there was no traditional greeting。 No names were exchanged； and Big Ezoe did not in any way seek to explain Koi's presence。 Koi got the eerie sensation of being back in Kunio Michita's office because； for this moment； she had ceased to exist。
Big Ezoe ordered asari； a soupy dish made with a ladleful of fresh baby clams； white and briny。 Koi asked for oyako…ni； a hot dish of eggs and browned onions； and three slices of toro sashimi。
Big Ezoe said； 〃There is a great deal of money outstanding。''
〃I cannot pay principle；〃 the Kaga vice…president said。
Big Ezoe nodded。 〃I understand。 I will be satisfied with a payment of interest。〃
This exchange sounded to Koi as if it were a rote call and response。 Nevertheless； the Kaga vice…president's head seemed to sink between his shoulder blades。 But he nodded。 Koi could not see his face。
Big Ezoe said； ''Your pany has a joint venture with Kunio Michita。 What does it involve？〃
The mustachioed man seemed to consider this for some time。 At length he said； 〃Our people stumbled upon a technology about two years ago。 They thought it was a dead end； until Kunio Michita showed up and began talks with them。''
〃How did Michita know about Kaga's technology？〃 Koi asked。
The mustache twitched。 〃Good question。 We are still trying to find the answer。 I have no idea how Michita did it。 Perhaps like your friend here； he's got a spy inside Kaga。''
〃And yet；〃 Koi said thoughtfully； 〃Michita must have obtained the information from someone。〃
〃In any event；〃 the Kaga vice…president went on； as if this point were of no concern to him； 〃it seems Michita had a use for this technology even though it involved nuclear devices。 We did not want to give him the technology； but we could see no conceivable use for it。 It seemed logical； then； for the two panies to form a joint venture。''
〃I see。〃 Big Ezoe worked a tiny clamshell around his mouth until he had gotten all the delicious juice out of it。 Then he spit it out。 〃So this joint venture isn't research and development at all。〃
〃No；〃 the Kaga vice…president said。 〃It's a manufacturing setup。〃
〃What is it manufacturing？〃
''I don't know。 All I'm aware of is that we are getting illegal shipments of hafnium into the joint pany。''
Big Ezoe said； 〃What the hell is hafnium？〃
The Kaga vice…president told him about hafnium being used to manufacture control rods for reactor cores； and how hafnium kept absorbing neutrons long after other materials became saturated and had to be replaced。 〃It seems evident that the setup must be manufacturing parts for some kind of nuclear reactors；'' the Kaga vice…president concluded。
〃Nuclear reactors？〃 Big Ezoe shook his head。 This wasn't turning out as he had expected。 〃Kunio Michita's business doesn't include atomics。〃
〃I guess it does now；〃 the Kaga vice…president said。
〃Who is selling him the hafnium？〃
〃A West German firm owned by an Argentine named Estilo。〃
Koi said； 〃Does Estilo's pany manufacture the hafnium？〃
''How should I know？''
Big Ezoe looked at her； and she said； 〃I know of this West German pany。 It's had a number of dealings with Kunio Michita。 Estilo is a middleman； a broker for all sorts of hardware and esoteric raw materials like hafnium。〃
Koi thought for a moment。 Then she looked at the Kaga vice…president。 〃Who does Estilo buy his hafnium from？〃
〃I have no idea；〃 the man said。 〃I doubt that even Ten…san knows。〃 He meant Fumida Ten； the chairman of Kaga。 The vice…president shrugged。 ''I don't even know anything about this West German pany； except that it's represented in this country by Budoko Associates。〃
〃That law firm is huge；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃Who at Budoko is handling the transactions？〃
〃I don't know。 I shouldn't even be aware of Budoko。 Normally I have to approve all corporate bills before they're sent on to accounting； but these were routed around me。 I only came across one by accident。〃
Big Ezoe finished his asari； making smacking sounds of satisfaction。 〃Is there anything else that might be of use to me？〃
''I can't think of anything；'' the Kaga vice…president said。 He had not touched his breakfast。 He looked at the food wistfully； as if he could recall a time when he had had an appetite。 〃Well； the only thing was； I don't think Michita was the original instigator of the joint venture talks。 He brought an American with him。〃
〃A businessman？〃
〃I don't think so。 No。 The American was introduced to us as Mr。 Smith。 What does that tell you？〃
Big Ezoe nodded； threw some yen on the table； and he and Koi left the coffee shop。 They strolled for some time amid the thinning throngs at the fish market。 It was a good place to talk。
Big Ezoe said； 〃Now there are some intriguing new players to the game。 It isn't just Michita and Hitasura we're chasing； it's Kaga and someone in the largest law firm in Tokyo。 And where does Hitasura fit into all this？ It seems we're no closer to finding the link between him and Michita。 Not to mention this mysterious American。 Do you remember a 'Mr。 Smith' or any likely American who did not fit the typical businessman mold being in touch with Michita？''
〃No。〃
〃Let's leave that for the moment；〃 Big Ezoe said。 〃Why were you so interested in where the hafnium is ing from？〃
〃I'm not sure；〃 Koi said。 〃But it seems to me that none of this quite hangs together。〃
〃Do you think our man's lying？〃
〃No。 He's too frightened of you to lie。 But I don't think he knows what's really going on。 Neither do we； yet。 What we're beginning to get a look at is flesh without any bones。 It's not yet making sense。〃
They walked in silence for some time while Big Ezoe digested this。 At last he said； 〃Does anything else occur to you？〃
〃Yes。 I think we should put the deciphered pages of Kakuei Sakata's ledgers to good use。 Let's use them as leverage to find out what Hitasura is up to。〃
Big Ezoe was already shaking his head。 〃I can't be certain that