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are here now； with me； and please believe me when I say that there are other alternatives to answering my questions。 All of them are extremely unpleasant。〃
〃 'Unpleasant；' I take it； is the current KGB euphemism for painful？〃
〃Why are you bent on making this difficult for yourself？〃
Natasha said； 〃I am only doing what I have to do。〃
''I can see in your eyes； Natasha； how frightened you are。''
〃Oh； yes； I'm exceedingly frightened。 But that will hardly change my mind。〃
Mars stared at her for some time。 〃What is your relationship with Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko？〃
''Valeri is my brother or my lover； or both。''
Mars flipped over another page。 〃And what is your relationship with the Hero？〃
〃Oh； there's no doubt there。 I'm fucking his brains out。〃
〃The vulgarity hardly suits you； Natasha。〃
〃Now； now； Mars。 Your prudishness is showing。〃
〃Are you providing the Hero with access to official government limited distribution documents？''
〃I 'm an actor； Mars。 Not a spy。''
〃Natasha； do you know what the penalty for spying is？〃
〃If it's being incarcerated in this shithole for the rest of my life； I'd rather die； thank you very much。〃
Mars nodded。 〃All right；〃 he said。 〃I've done what I can。〃
〃You certainly have。〃
Mars pressed a buzzer on the underside of the table。 〃It's time for the hard man；〃 he said to no one in particular。
Natasha was so frightened； she had been on the verge of vomiting throughout the interrogation。 She had always known what consequences her actions might bring。 She thought she had been prepared for them。 But； like the death of a parent； she reflected now； one can never truly prepare for the reality of this kind of nightmare。
It was odd； she thought； how disorienting being without a semblance of time could be。 Without watch or clock； without a window to know whether it was dark or light； let alone the hour； with the random switching on and off of the cell light； she had already lost an important guidepost to reality。 She had entered a new realm； where time did not seem to exist。 Had she been picked up an hour ago or half a day？ She tried to work it out but could not； and this loss frightened her even more。 But she knew that she must never show her fear to Mars。 If she did； she knew with a profound conviction that he would eat her alive。
〃Here es the hard man。〃
Natasha's head snapped up； and she saw； to her horror； an ugly dark…haired man approaching her with a hypodermic needle。
〃No！ 〃she cried。
But the needle had already pierced the flesh of her arm； the plunger was depressed； and a moment afterward an unfortable icy chill slipped through her like a wraith。 Natasha's spirit convulsed as if already in torment。
* * *
''Kunio Michita's not at home。'' Yen Yasuwara was in a panic。 He put down the receiver of the car phone。
〃Perhaps that's the way you planned it；〃 Big Ezoe said。
〃No； no。〃 Yen Yasuwara threw a fearful look Koi's way。 〃I know I can find him。〃 His brow furrowed。 〃Why don't we try Kaijin？〃
Both Big Ezoe and Koi were familiar with Kaijin。 They knew Yen Yasuwara meant Kaijin ni Kisuru； which was the full name of one of Tokyo's most exclusive tea houses。 It was an after…hours place； but unlike most akochochin； it clung tenaciously to the older； more sedate term so that a facade of respectability could be maintained。 Nevertheless； its name； loosely translated； meant 〃to be reduced to ashes； to burn to the ground；〃 which had nothing at all to do with drinking tea。
Kaijin was in Shimbashi； and without a word Big Ezoe turned the Mercedes around； headed there。
Like most of Japan's exclusive and expensive clubs； Kaijin had a wholly unprepossessing exterior。 All that was visible； in fact； was an oversized door made of thick vertical kyoki wood slabs bound in hand…beaten iron。 Though the door was obviously very old； it glowed； bespeaking the care lavished on it。 Local legend had it that this was the original door from the first Shogun； Ieyasu Tokugawa's castle keep。 In fact； the truth was unknown。 As was typical of a country where much of its history was oral； Japanese scholars found it impossible to discern fact from myth。
Stone steps were guarded by a pair of gnarled dark green Hinoki cypresses； trimmed to resemble fantastic creatures。 A buzzer one pressed sounded deep within Kaijin's heart； and it might be many minutes until the door was opened。 And then； unless one was known by sight or was acpanied by a member； one would not gain entrance。 Thus were the elite of Japan guarded against any unwanted intrusion。
Keeping a handkerchief to the side of his face。 Yen Yasuwara rang the buzzer； waiting impatiently on Kaijin's doorstep。 When the front door at last opened inward； a voice from the darkness inside said； 〃Wele； Mr。 Yasuwara。 Two guests this evening？〃
Yen Yasuwara nodded； mumbled something unintelligible as he stumbled over the threshold。
The kind of silence that enfolded the interior of Kaijin was sepulchral； almost holy； as if one had entered the innards of a church。 Lights were few。 What there was of them created indirect pools across whitewashed stone walls on which hung scrolls so ancient they depicted landscapes from China rather than Japan。
This stark； rather cold shell was in direct contrast to the furniture in the rooms； which was sybaritic。 Long leather couches with sensuously curved backs； plush chairs wide enough to acmodate two； luxurious chaise longues across which were thrown animal pelts…all contributed to the bizarre； almost schizophrenic interior design。
〃Mr。 Michita is expecting us；〃 Yen Yasuwara said to a heavyset man with a scar on the lobe of one misshapen ear。
The man looked from the young lawyer to his two panions and back again。 Then he nodded。 〃This way；〃 he said； beckoning to them。 〃Mr。 Michita is taking tea in the Green Room。〃
Each environment within Kaijin was named for a different color which corresponded to either its design or location。 The Green Room happened to be set as a traditional tea house overlooking a minuscule but dense interior garden。 Though the garden was surrounded by walls on all sides； its design and tiered lustiness fooled the eye into believing that one was at some countryside ryokan； where； in the distance； wooded slopes stretched away into the distance。
They were led down a hallway with polished wood floors。 The walls were painted a molded pewter and beige to resemble the plaster…cracked walls of an ancient villa。 More facade to fool the eye。
Koi noted that they were taken past seven rice…paper and ash…wood fusuma doors。 All were closed。 She paused outside each one； pressed her fingertips against the rice paper to see if she could pick up any minute vibrations that either movement or conversation would impart。 She felt nothing。
And yet she fell farther and farther behind。 Once she glanced over her shoulder。 What was bothering her？ Perhaps it was that the man with the misshapen ear had made no ment concerning the condition of the side of Yen Yasuwara's face。 Perhaps it was because he did not seek the identity of Yasuwara's guests。 （Of course； it might be that he was already familiar with Big Ezoe； but Koi refused to make such an assumption。） But most of all； she did not trust Yen Yasuwara。
The three men had stopped outside the sliding fusuma to the Green Room； and Koi hurried to catch up。 When the man with the misshapen ear put his hand on the door； Koi stopped him。
〃I'll do that；〃 she said and； before he had a chance to refute her； she whipped the fusuma back and slammed the heel of her hand into the small of Yen Yasuwara's back； catapulting him into the Green Room。
Nothing happened。
The man with the misshapen ear stared at Koi； and； turning around inside the room； Yen Yasuwara did the same。 Big Ezoe ignored them both。 He was looking at Kunio Michita； who； sitting cross…legged on the tatami mats； had twisted around。
〃What is the meaning of this？〃 Michita said in a voice of flint。
〃I'll tell you；〃 Big Ezoe said as he stepped across the threshold。
Koi heard the soft phut！； saw Big Ezoe's body stagger backward into the hallway。 He fell to his knees。 His eyes were turning upward in their sockets； and there was blood on his chest where his frantically pumping heart was sending it through the hole made by the bullet from the silenced gun。
Koi did not step into the trap so carefully laid out for them。 She saw that she could no longer help Big Ezoe； grabbed the man with the misshapen ear； pushed him hard into the Green Room； and took off back down the pewter and beige hallway。
Behind her； Hitasura stepped carefully over Big Ezoe's body； smiling on the corpse's opaque eyes。 In his hand was a Beretta。
〃One shot；〃 he said。 〃That's all it takes to silence anyone。〃
Then Russell Slade was beside him； saying； 〃I've got to get back to Tori。〃 Hitasura nodded。
Three of Hitasura's men rushed from the Green Room down the hall。 〃That's right；〃 Hitasura told them； still staring at Big Ezoe with satisfaction。 ''Track her down。 Then make quite sure you kill her。〃 But it was clear that he had already found the most important measure of his revenge。
rade Volkov is incapable of any real form of understanding。 What did Odysseus mean by that