mc.risingsun-第40章

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　〃We　haven't　been　on　the　radio；〃　Connor　said。　〃You　know　I'm　careful　about　the　radio。　But　maybe　the　patrol　car　phoned　in　something　when　we　arrived。　Maybe　we　have　a　bug　in　this　car。　Maybe　he　just　figured　we'd　turn　up　here。　He's　a　scumbag。　And　he's　connected　to　the　Japanese。　He's　their　plant　at　the　Times。　Usually　the　Japanese　are　a　little　more　classy　about　who　they　associate　with。　But　I　guess　he'll　do　everything　they　want　done。　Nice　car；　huh？〃
　〃I　notice　it's　not　Japanese。〃
　〃Can't　be　obvious；〃　Connor　said。　〃He　following　us？〃
　〃No。　I　think　we　lost　him。　Where　are　we　going　now？〃
　〃U。S。C。　Sanders　has　had　enough　time　screwing　around　by　now。〃
　We　drove　down　the　street；　down　the　hill；　toward　the　101　freeway。　〃By　the　way；〃　I　said。　〃What　was　all　that　about　the　reading　glasses？〃
　〃Just　a　small　point　to　be　verified。　No　reading　glasses　were　found；　right？〃
　〃Right。　Just　sunglasses。〃
　〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　Connor　said。
　〃And　Graham　says　he's　leaving　town。　Today。　He's　going　to　Phoenix。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　He　looked　at　me。　〃You　want　to　leave　town；　too？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　〃Okay；〃　Connor　said。
　I　got　down　the　hill　and　onto　the　101　going　south。　In　the　old　days　it　would　be　ten　minutes　to　U。S。C。　Now　it　was　more　like　thirty　minutes。　Especially　now；　right　at　midday。　But　there　weren't　any　fast　times；　anymore。　Traffic　was　always　bad。　The　smog　was　always　bad。　I　drove　through　haze。
　〃You　think　I'm　being　foolish？〃　I　said。　〃You　think　I　should　pick　up　my　kid　and　run；　too？〃
　〃It's　one　way　to　handle　it。〃　He　sighed。　〃The　Japanese　are　masters　of　indirect　action。　It's　their　instinctual　way　to　proceed。　If　someone　in　Japan　is　unhappy　with　you；　they　never　tell　you　to　your　face。　They　tell　your　friend；　your　associate；　your　boss。　In　such　a　way　that　the　word　gets　back。　The　Japanese　have　all　these　ways　of　indirect　munication。　That's　why　they　socialize　so　much；　play　so　much　golf；　go　drinking　in　karaoke　bars。　They　need　these　extra　channels　of　munication　because　they　can't　e　out　and　say　what's　on　their　minds。　It's　tremendously　inefficient；　when　you　think　about　it。　Wasteful　of　time　and　energy　and　money。　But　since　they　cannot　confront　…　because　confrontation　is　almost　like　death；　it　makes　them　sweat　and　panic　…　they　have　no　other　choice。　Japan　is　the　land　of　the　end　run。　They　never　go　up　the　middle。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　。　。　。〃
　〃So　behavior　that　seems　sneaky　and　cowardly　to　Americans　is　just　standard　operating　procedure　to　Japanese。　It　doesn't　mean　anything　special。　They're　just　letting　you　know　that　powerful　people　are　displeased。〃
　〃Letting　me　know？　That　I　could　end　up　in　court　over　my　daughter？　My　relationship　with　my　kid　could　be　ruined？　My　own　reputation　could　be　ruined？〃
　〃Well；　yes。　Those　are　normal　penalties。　The　threat　of　social　disgrace　is　the　usual　way　you're　expected　to　know　of　displeasure。〃
　〃Well；　I　think　I　know　it；　now；〃　I　said。　〃I　think　I　get　the　fucking　picture。〃
　〃It's　not　personal；〃　Connor　said。　〃It's　just　the　way　they　proceed。〃
　〃Yeah；　right。　They're　spreading　a　lie。〃
　〃In　a　sense。〃
　〃No；　not　in　a　sense。　It's　a　fucking　lie。〃
　Connor　sighed。　〃It　took　me　a　long　time　to　understand；〃　he　said；　〃that　Japanese　behavior　is　based　on　the　values　of　a　farm　village。　You　hear　a　lot　about　samurai　and　feudalism；　but　deep　down；　the　Japanese　are　farmers。　And　if　you　lived　in　a　farm　village　and　you　displeased　the　other　villagers；　you　were　banished。　And　that　meant　you　died；　because　no　other　village　would　take　in　a　troublemaker。　So。　Displease　the　group　and　you　die。　That's　the　way　they　see　it。
　〃It　means　the　Japanese　are　exquisitely　sensitive　to　the　group。　More　than　anything；　they　are　attuned　to　getting　along　with　the　group。　It　means　not　standing　out；　not　taking　a　chance；　not　being　too　individualistic。　It　also　means　not　necessarily　insisting　on　the　truth。　The　Japanese　have　very　little　faith　in　truth。　It　strikes　them　as　cold　and　abstract。　It's　like　a　mother　whose　son　is　accused　of　a　crime。　She　doesn't　care　much　about　the　truth。　She　cares　more　about　her　son。　The　same　with　the　Japanese。　To　the　Japanese；　the　important　thing　is　relationships　between　people。　That's　the　real　truth。　The　factual　truth　is　unimportant。〃
　〃Yeah；　fine；〃　I　said。　〃But　why　are　they　pushing　now？　What's　the　difference？　This　murder　is　solved；　right？〃
　〃No；　it's　not；〃　Connor　said。
　〃It's　not？〃
　〃No。　That's　why　we　have　all　the　pressure。　Obviously；　somebody　badly　wants　it　to　be　over。　They　want　us　to　give　it　up。〃
　〃If　they　are　squeezing　me　and　squeezing　Graham　…　how　e　they're　not　squeezing　you？〃
　〃They　are；〃　Connor　said。
　〃How？〃
　〃By　making　me　responsible　for　what　happens　to　you。〃
　〃How　are　they　making　you　responsible？　I　don't　see　that。〃
　〃I　know　you　don't。　But　they　do。　Believe　me。　They　do。〃
　I　looked　at　the　line　of　cars　creeping　forward；　blending　into　the　haze　of　downtown。　We　passed　electronic　billboards　for　Hitachi　（#1　IN　PUTERS　IN　AMERICA）；　for　Canon　（AMERICA'S　COPY　LEADER）；　and　Honda　（NUMBER　ONE　RATED　CAR　IN　AMERICA！）。　Like　most　of　the　new　Japanese　ads；　they　were　bright　enough　to　run　in　the　daytime。　The　billboards　cost　thirty　thousand　dollars　a　day　to　rent；　most　American　panies　couldn't　afford　them。
　Connor　said；　〃The　point　is　the　Japanese　know　they　can　make　it　very　unfortable。　By　raising　the　dust　around　you；　they　are　telling　me；　'handle　it。'　Because　they　think　I　can　get　this　thing　done。　Finish　it　off。〃
　〃Can　you？〃
　〃Sure。　You　want　to　finish　it　off　now？　Then　we　can　go　have　a　beer；　and　enjoy　some　Japanese　truth。　Or　do　you　want　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　why　Cheryl　Austin　was　killed？〃
　〃I　want　to　get　to　the　bottom。〃
　〃Me；　too；〃　Connor　said。　〃So　let's　do　it；　kōhai。　I　think　Sanders's　lab　will　have　interesting　information　for　us。　The　tapes　are　the　key；　now。〃
　
　？
　Phillip　Sanders　was　spinning　like　a　top。　〃The　lab　is　shut　down；〃　he　said。　He　threw　up　his　hands　in　frustration。　〃And　there's　nothing　I　can　do　about　it。　Nothing。〃
　Connor　said；　〃When　did　it　happen？〃
　〃An　hour　ago。　Buildings　and　Grounds　came　by　and　told　everybody　in　the　lab　to　leave；　and　they　locked　it　up。　Just　like　that。　There's　a　big　padlock　on　the　front　door；　now。〃
　I　said；　〃And　the　reason　was？〃
　〃A　report　that　structural　weakness　in　the　ceiling　has　made　the　basement　unsafe　and　will　invalidate　the　university's　insurance　if　the　skating　rink　es　crashing　down　on　us。　Some　talk　about　how　student　safety　es　first。　Anyway；　they　closed　the　lab；　pending　an　investigation　and　report　by　a　structural　engineer。〃
　〃And　when　will　that　happen？〃
　He　gestured　to　the　phone。　〃I'm　waiting　to　hear。　Maybe　some　time　next　week。　Maybe　not　until　next　month。〃
　〃Next　month。〃
　〃Yeah；　Exactly。〃　Sanders　ran　his　hand　through　his　wild　hair。　〃I　went　all　the　way　to　the　dean　on　this　one。　But　the　dean's　office　doesn't　know。　It's　ing　from　high　up　in　the　university。　Up　where　the　board　of　governors　knows　rich　donors　who　make　contributions　in　multi…million…dollar　chunks。　The　order　came　from　the　highest　levels。〃　Sanders　laughed。　〃These　days；　it　doesn't　leave　much　mystery。〃
　I　said；　〃Meaning　what？〃
　〃You　realize　Japan　is　deeply　into　the　structure　of　American　universities；　particularly　in　technical　departments。　It's　happened　everywhere。　Japanese　panies　now　endow　twenty…five　professorships　at　M。I。T。；　far　more　than　any　other　nation。　Because　they　know　…　after　all　the　bullshit　stops　…　that　they　can't　innovate　as　well　as　we　can。　Since　they　need　innovation；　they　do　the　obvious　thing。　They　buy　it。〃
　〃From　American　universities。〃
　〃Sure。　Listen；　at　the　University　of　California　at　Irvine；　there's　two　floors　of　a　research　building　that　you　can't　get　into　unless　you　have　a　Japanese　passport。　They're　doing　research　for　Hitachi　there。　An　American　university　closed　to　Americans。〃　Sanders　swung　around；　waving　his　arms。　〃And　around　here；　if　something　happens　that　they　don't　like；　it's　just　a　phone　call　from　somebody　to　the　president　of　the　university；　and　what　can　he　do？　He　can't　afford　to　piss　the　Japanese　off。　So　whatever　they　want；　they　get。　And　if　they　want　the　lab　closed；　it's　closed。〃
　I　said；　〃What　about　the　tapes？〃
　〃Everything　is　locked　in　there。　They　made　us　leave　everything。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃They　were　in　a　hell　of　a　rush。　It　was　gestapo　stuff。　Pushing　and　prodding　us　to　get　out。　You　can't　imagine　the　panic　at　an　American　university　if　it　thinks　it　may　lose　some　funding。〃　He　sighed。　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　Theresa　managed　to　take　some　tapes　with　her。　You　could　ask　her。〃
　〃Where　is　she？〃
　〃I　think　she　went　ice　skating。〃
　I　frowned。　〃Ice　skating？〃
　〃That's　what　she　said　she　was　going　to　do。　So　you　could　check　over　there。〃
　And　he　looked　right　at　Connor。　In　a　particularly　meaningful　way。
　
　Theresa　Asakuma　wasn't　ice　skating。　There　were　thirty　little　kids　in　the　rink；　with　a　young　teacher　trying　in　vain　to　control　them。　They　looked　like　fourth　graders。　Their　laughter　and　yells　echoed　in　the　high　ceiling　of　the　rink。
　The　building　was　almost　deserted；　the　bleachers　empty。　A　handful　of　fraternity　boys　sat　up　in　one　corner；　looking　down　and　punching　each　other　on　the　shoulder。　On　our　side；　up　high；　near　the　ceiling；　a　janitor　mopped。　A　couple　of　adults　who　looked　like　parents　stood　at　the　railing；　down　near　the　ice。　Opposite　us；　a　man　was　reading　a　newspaper。
　I　didn't　see　Theresa　Asakuma　anywhere。
　Connor　sighed。　Wearily；　he　sat　on　the　wooden　bleachers　and　leaned　back。　He　crossed　his　legs；　taking　his　ease。　I　stood　there；　watching　him。　〃What　are　you　doing？　She's　obviously　not　here。〃
　〃Have　a　seat。〃
　〃But　you're　always　in　such　a　rush。〃
　〃Have　a　seat。　Enjoy　life。〃
　I　sat　down　next　to　him。　We　watched　the　kids　skating　around　the　perimeter　of　the　ice。　The　teacher　was　shouting；　〃Alexander？　Alexander！　I've　told　you　before。　No　hitting！　Don't　you　hit　her！〃
　I　leaned　back　against　the　bleachers。　I　tried　to　relax。　Connor　watched　the　kids　and　chuckled。　He　appeared　entirely　at　ease；　without　a　care　in　the　world。
　I　said；　〃Do　you　think　Sanders　is　right？　The　Japanese　squeezed　the　university？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Connor　said。
　〃And　all　that　business　about　Japan　buying　into　American　technology？　Buying　professorships　at　M。I。T。？〃
　〃It's　not　illegal。　They're　supporting　scholarship。　A　noble　ideal。〃
　I　frowned。　〃So　you　think　it's　okay？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　think　it's　okay　at　all。　If　you　give　up　control　of　your　own　institutions　you　give　up　everything。　And　generally；　whoever　pays　for　an　institution　controls　it。　If　the　Japanese　are　willing　to　put　up　the　money　…　and　if　the　American　government　and　American　industry　aren't　…　then　the　Japanese　will　control　American　education。　You　know　they　already　own　ten　American　colleges。　Own　them　outright。　Bought　them　for　the　training　of　their　young　people。　So　that　they　can　be　assured　of　the　ability　to　send　young　Japanese　to　America。〃
　〃But　they　already　can　do　that。　Lots　of　Japanese　go　to　American　universities。〃
　〃Yes。　But　as　usual；　the　Japanese　are　planning　ahead。　They　know　in　the　future　it　may　get　tougher。　They　know　that　sooner　or　later；　there　will　be　a　backlash。　No　matter　how　diplomatically　they　play　it　…　and　they　are　in　the　acquisition　phase　now；　so　they're　playing　it　very　diplomatically。　Because　the　fact　is；　countries　don't　like　to　be　dominated。　They　don't　like　to　be　occupied　…　economically　or　militarily。　And　the　Japanese　figure　some　day　the　Americans　will　wake　up。〃
　I　watched　the　kids