ericlustbader.the ninja-第87章

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r　　　　　deaths　by　taking　an　estimated　count　for　real？
　He　went　south　on　Park；　taking　it　slow　and　circuitous；　arriving　back　at　the　phone　booth　on　Lexington　a　half　hour　later。　Now　was　not　the　time　to　get　careless。
　The　duffel　bag　was　where　he　had　stowed　it；　between　piles　of　plastic…wrapped　garbage。　He　checked　his　watch。　Thirty　seconds。　He　unzipped　the　duffel　bag　for　the　last　time。　He　took　off　his　light…coloured　suit；　flipped　the　hat　into　the　gutter。　Then　he　stooped　and　threw　the　contents　of　the　bag　over　his　shoulder　in　a　version　of　a　fireman's　lift。
　The　small　but　powerful　incendiary　device　he　had　dropped　under　a　car　at　the　end　of　the　north　face　of　the　building　in　his　guise　as　the　old　man　erupted　with　a　white　and　green　flash　into　the　night。　Even　a　full　block　away；　he　could　feel　the　slight　concussion　as　the　force　of　the　explosion　forced　the　hot　air　away　from　the　epicentre。　There　was　a　pattering　of　metal　and　powdered　glass　as　bright　as　diamonds　in　the　streetlights。　Flame　licked　skywards。
　Crouching；　he　ran　directly　towards　the　building's　facade　and；　within　its　dense　shadows；　he　went　along　its　south　face；　through　the　first…class　cover　of　the　dormant　machinery　…　the　double　shifts　had　ceased　two　days　ago；　after　they　had　discovered　he　had　infiltrated　the　place　as　a　construction　worker。　Within　four　seconds　he　had　disappeared　entirely。
　Now　he　went　from　thick　stanchion　to　thick　stanchion；　feeling　under　his　fingers　the　rough　texture　of　the　rust…retardant　undercoat。　Concrete　dust　still　hung　in　the　air　and；　as　he　dropped　down　from　the　height；　free　of　his　heavy　burden；　he　saw　that　the　sharp　shadows　cast　by　the　huge　machines　gave　the　place　the　rather　disconsolate　air　of　a　deserted　carnival。　There　had　been　a　carnival　once；　at　Shimonoseki。　The　thought　of　it；　and　the　sea　slowly　closing　over；　caused　him　to　reach　into　a　side　pocket。　He　put　a　rough…textured　square　into　his　mouth　and　swallowed。
　He　squatted；　perched　like　a　bird　of　prey；　waiting　for　the　drug　to　hit。　He　had　been　forced　to　leave　the　Kuji…kiri　when　he　had　bee　careless　enough　to　drop　the　stuff　during　practice。　Not　stupid；　he　reminded　himself。　He　could　not　help　it；　he　had　been　driven　to　it。　By　the　rocking　boat　and　the　howling　wind　and　the　heavy　splash　as　the　sea　closed　over　…
　Hit！　In　bright　light。　Form　and　line　became　stark；　almost　two…dimensional；　like　the　backdrop　on　a　theatre　stage。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　could　see　in　all　directions　at　once。　He　became　at　once　more　intensely　aware　of　the　driving　dust　in　the　air。　This；　too；　this　little　thing　could　be　turned　into　an　advantage。　Because　of　the　pollutant；　his　adversaries'　eyes　would　be　forced　to　blink　more　rapidly　to　avoid　irritation。　That　minuscule　amount　of　time　would　be　the　difference　between　life　and　death　for　some　of　them。
　He　raised　his　gaze。　He　hoped　that　he　would　not　have　to　use
　the　thing　on　the　ledge；　but　if　he　did　。。。
　He　saw　the　first　one。　He　was　dressed　differently　from　the　ones　in　Doyers　Street。　Too；　he　carried　himself　more　confidently。
　Saig5　spent　several　minutes　studying　the　policeman。　He　wanted　to　know　several　things　before　he　made　a　move。　Did　he　have　a　specific　territory　assigned　to　him？　And；　if　so；　did　it　intersect　with　someone　else's？
　When　he　was　satisfied；　he　lifted　the　double　curve　from　the　side　and　screwed　the　two　pieces　together。　It　became　a　bow　of　high…tension　plastic　with　a　light　aluminum　centre　and　sight。
　Interesting；　he　thought。　The　explosion　had　not　caused　as　much　havoc　as　he　had　thought　it　might。　It　had；　however；　given　him　enough　time　to　infiltrate　the　tower's　perimeter。　But　not　much　more。　Now　he　could　hear　the　piercing　wail　of　the　fire　engine　as　it　approached。　The　policemen　here；　having　at　once　determined　that　no　person　was　inside　the　car　or　had　been　hurt　while　passing　by；　had　left　the　mop…up　to　the　fire　department。
　From　this　vantage　point　he　could　see　the　slight　clandestine　movement　of　the　sniper。　He　waited　until　the　policeman　on　his　level　was　at　the　extreme　edge　of　his　patrol。　Fitting　a　steel…tipped　arrow　to　the　bow；　he　drew　back　and　aimed。　These　were　not　normal　hunting　arrows。　Their；　points　were　made　by　the　careful　layering　of　steel　in　precisely　the　same　manner　as　katana　were　forged。　In　ancient　times；　they　were　known　as　armour…piercing　arrows。　They　could　get　through　anything　short　of　a　two…inch　steel　block。
　He　let　the　arrow　fly。　There　was　a　quiet　humming　as　of　an　inquisitive　bee　and　a　soft　thunk。　The　glint　of　the　rifle's　barrel　was　no　longer　visible；　but　the　unruffled　feathers　protruded　darkly　from　the　sniper's　neck。
　The　policeman　on　his　level　had　turned　round　and　was　ing　back。　He　stopped　directly　in　front　of　Saigo　and　lifted　his　head。　Something　dark　and　wet　dripped　down　onto　his　shoulder。　He　shifted　his　submachine…gun　to　his　left　arm；　preparatory　to　phoning　in　via　walkie…talkie。
　Saigo　leaped　at　him；　an　animated　shadow。　His　left　arm　was　lifted　high　in　an　arc；　it　made　a　hissing　sound　as　it　descended。　His　hand　was　encased　in　a　thin　steel　network；　running　from　the　wrist　out　past　the　fingertips　in　what　amounted　to　a　set　of　claws；　curved　and　razor…sharp。　Articulated　steel　tendons　across　the　back　of　the　hand；　along　each　ringer。
　The　policeman　had　time　but　to　open　his　mouth　before　the　claws　ripped　viciously　through　his　throat；　embedding　themselves　in　his　chest；　piercing　cloth；　bullet…proof　vest；　skin；　flesh　and　internal　organs。
　There　was　a　great　gout　of　black　blood　and　'the　body　convulsed　as　if　charged　with　electricity。　Strips　of　flesh　as　if　flayed　flew　through　the　air　and　the　stench　of　death　was　abruptly　as　strong　as　jasmine　in　some　far…off　and　peaceful　clime。
　He　left　the　corpse；　laughing　silently　at　the　ineffectual　addition　of　the　vest　and　retrieved　his　bow　from　the　dense　shadows。
　First　the　vast　atrium；　he　thought。　He　was　in　no　hurry。　Upstairs；　they　could　well　wait　for　him。　He　visualized　Tomkin's　broad　face　slick　with　sweat　in　the　tense　period　of　not　knowing　what　was　happening　below。
　He　moved　with　no　more　sound　than　the　passing　of　the　warm　night　wind　through　the　pillars　of　the　tower。　In　the　next　sector　he　came　upon　another　of　the　plainclothesmen。　He　moved　up　behind　him　and；　slipping　the　black　nylon　cord　with　its　centre　knot　around　his　neck；　he　pulled　tight；　whipping　his　wrists　powerfully　so　that　the　knot　bit　cruelly　into　the　man's　Adam's　apple。　The　back　arched　as　the　man　fought　for　breath。
　Saigo　was　momentarily　taken　by　surprise。　The　man　whirled　and　went；　for　him　instead　of　for　the　encircling　cord。　He　was　monstrously　strong　and　Saigo　felt　his　balance　going　in　these　close　quarters。　He　felt　the　arms；　as　thick　as　beams；　around　his　waist　squeezing　as　he　squeezed。　He　stamped　with　his　shoe　onto　the　man's　instep　and　he　let　go。　Saigo　hurtled…　to　one　side；　the　momentum　too　strong　to　pensate　for。
　The　policeman　was　on　him　at　once；　gasping；　his　bulk　nevertheless　stultifying。　He　used　kite…　and　sword…strikes　which　were　only　partially　successful　but　his　enormous　weight　made　proper　leverage　impossible　for　Saigo。
　He　fought　for　the　reverse；　giving　up　all　but　token　defence；　taking　massive　punishment；　struggling；　sweat　running　down　the　sides　of　his　neck；　staining　his　black　suit。
　He　cursed　himself　for　the　sin　of　over…confidence　and；　struggling　to　free　his　right　hand；　he　let　go　a　spring　blade。　It　pierced　the　other's　shoulder　just　centre　of　the　collarbone。　The　man　grunted　and；　disconcertingly；　applied　even　more　force。　Saigo　heard　a　sharp　crack　in　his　right　ear；　knew　his　bow　was　now　useless。
　The　policeman　put　all　his　weight　into　his　knees；　which　were　on　Saigo's　chest；　in　an　attempt　to　force　all　air　out。　This　was　a　mistake。　But　how　could　he　know　that　Saigo　could　last　for　at　least　seven　minutes　without　any　air　at　all？
　Saigo　now　concentrated　on　the　man's　upper　torso。　He　lacked　the　space　to　use　the　claws　effectively。　He　stiffened　the　fingers　on　his　right　hand；　using　them　as　one　would　the　point　of　a　knife。　He　rammed　them　into　the　man's　side　just　under　the　rib　cage。　This　time；　'die　protective　vest　did　its　work　and　the　killing　blow；　though　painful；　was　deflected。
　In　desperation；　Saigo　used　the　tettsui　against　the　sternum。　It　cracked　and　all　breath　went　out　of　the　massive　body　above　him。
　Saigo　got　the　reverse　at　last　and　now；　sitting　astride　the　policeman；　re　wrapped　the　cord　about　his　throat；　heaving　with　his　arms　and　shoulders。
　He　heard　it；　escalating　up　the　register　until　the　decibels　were　so　high　they　passed　beyond　human　hearing。　He　moved　at　the　same　time。　Felt　the　white…hot　blast　along　his　right　temple　and；　half　stunned；　began　to　roll　along　the　atrium　floor。　Scrambled　for　the　shadows　as　the　deadly　sound　followed　him；　whining　away　in　ricochet。
　Another　sniper！　He　crouched　in　the　shadow　of　a　thick　pillar；　hearing　the　night　erupt　into　sound　and　motion　all　around　him。　Blood　seeped　from　the　wound　and　he　automatically　put　a　hand　up。　Just　a　crease。　Still；　he　had　bee　careless。　We　cannot　advocate　the　use　of　drugs　…　any　drugs　whatsoever　…　he　heard　his　sensei　say。　Drugs　tend　to　narrow　consciousness；　intensifying　the　narrow…beam　awareness　while；　at　the　same　time；　giving　the　impression　of　just　the　opposite。　A　false　reality　set　is　therefore　presented。　Narrow…beam　consciousness　bees　a　tendency　in　any　form　of　bat；　especially　during　the　latter　stages。　Even　veterans　must　guard　against　it。　You　must　effect　the　Rat's　Head；　Ox's　Neck　when　this　occurs。　If　preoccupied　by　minute　points；　step　back　and　review　the　bat　from　a　distant　stance。
　This　is　precisely　the　trap　he　had　set　for　himself　and　one　into　which　he　had　neatly　fallen；　otherwise　he　never　would　have　been　grazed　by　that　bullet。
　Hearing　was　still　a　problem　and　he　scrambled　away　from　the　epicentre　of　the　motion。　He　needed　some　time　to　recover。
　Movement　to　the　left　and　in　front　of　him　as　he　lay　at　an　oblique　angle　within　the　building's　interior。　Above　him；　the　partially　pleted　atrium　swept　away　in　a　narrowing　pattern　of　dim　light　and　deep　shadow；　the　dark　air　hovering　above　him　like　a　column　of　water；　heavy　and　oppressive。
　For　the　first　time　he　considered　the　depressing　possibility　that　he　had　seriously　underestimated　his　foes。　He　felt　helpless　and　terribly　alone　as　he　had　that　night　of　the　howling　winds　upon　the　Straits；　carving　out　a　part　of　him　into　the　deep　with　dry　eyes　and