ericlustbader.the ninja-第86部分

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　Yukio；　as　usual；　was　filled　with　lust　and；　in　the　jouncing；　empty　car；　she　sat　on　his　lap；　lifting　her　skirt　up　and　making　the　hot　connection。　Neither　of　them　needed　to　move　at　all。
　Kumamoto　was　a　town　that　no　doubt　in　feudal　times　had　been　dominated　by　the　stone　and　mortar　castle　perched　high　on　a　dun…brown　hill　that　in　the　spring　would　turn　lushly　verdant。　In　these　modern　times；　however；　the　castle；　though　still　quite　imposing；　seemed　overshadowed　by　the　industrial　plant　flung　across　the　valley　to　the　northwest。　Its　fifteen　or　so　smokestacks　seemed　like　inelegant　fingers　stretching　themselves　irreverently　towards　the　heavens。
　This　afternoon；　as　Nicholas　and　Yukio　stepped　off　the　smoking　train；　one　could　not　see　their　tops　and　the　mist　made　them　seem　as　if　they　had　been　covered　by　gloves。
　Oddly　enough；　Kumamoto　itself　was　not　as　modern　as　this　new　appendage　might　lead　one　to　believe。　There　was　little　evidence　of　Western　erosion　and　they　saw　more　traditional　Japanese　garb　than　they　had　seen　anywhere　else　in　their　travels。　Even　through　the　mist；　which　now　appeared　to　be　at　last　lifting；　they　could　see　how　mountainous　Kyushu　was。　Dark　masses　loomed　on　every　side；　filling　the　land　with　a　kind　of　undulating　light　and　shadow　pattern　of　the　kind　one　might　see　from　an　airplane　riding　high　above　patchy　clouds。
　They　booked　into　a　hotel　along　the　Street　of　the　Wrestlers。　'Here；'　the　bustling　proprietor　said；　flinging　open　the　doors　to　their　rooms；　'you　will　have　a　perfect　view　of　Mount　Aso。'　He　put　down　their　bags；　crossed　to　the　window　of　Nicholas's　room。　'Of　course；　you'll　need　a　clear　day　but　no　doubt　by　tomorrow　you　will　be　able　to　view；　well；　perhaps　not　all　five　summits　but　most　assuredly　Nakadake。'　He　turned　around；　rubbing　his　palms　together。　'It's　actively　volcanic；　you　know；　and　always　smoking。'　He　waved　one　pudgy　hand　towards　the　mist　outside。　'We　get　this　kind　of　weather　when　the　wind's　the　wrong　way。〃　He　walked　to　the　door　and　his　finger　touched　the　knob。　'We've　had　ash　and　pumice；　the　sky　so　dark　you'd　think　it　was　night；　when　it　erupts。'　He　shook　his　head。　'Can　you　imagine？　ing　all
　that　way。'　He　clucked　his　tongue　against　the　roof　of　his　mouth。　'Still；　one　shouldn't　plain。　Mount　Aso　brings　many　people　here　every　year　and　where　would　I　be　without　tourism？'　He　shrugged　deprecatingly。　Nicholas　tipped　him　and　he　gave　them　a　rather　stiff　little　bow。　'Anything　I　can　do　to　make　your　stay　here　more　pleasant；'　he　said；　opening　the　connecting　door　between　their　rooms　before　leaving。
　Nicholas　phoned　Saigo　but　he　was　not　there。　He　left　a　message　including　the　hotel's　number。
　They　spent　some　time　searching　for　a　stable　but　there　seemed　to　be　no　riding；　at　least　within　the　town's　limits。　Yukio　could　not　hide　her　disappointment。
　They　ate　a　light　lunch　at　a　tiny　teahouse　in　a　square　surrounded　by　trees。　Birds　called　as　they　flitted　from　branch　to　branch。　The　food　was　impeccable　but　Nicholas　was　not　able　to　eat　much。　His　stomach　was　tense　and　he　needed　to　move　around。

　When　they　left；　they　proceeded　to　walk　aimlessly　around；　through　the　wide　main　avenues；　down　small　shop…lined　streets；　filled　with　mingled　scents　and　clamouring　customers。
　They　returned　to　the　hotel　late　in　the　afternoon　with　the　light　receding　swiftly　from　the　sky。　The　mist　was　gone　and　the　hard　shell　of　the　cobalt　sky　seemed　distant　indeed。
　A　message　from　Saigo　was　waiting　for　him。　Dinner。　Saigo　would　e　to　the　hotel。
　'How　long　will　we　be　here？'　Yukio　asked　as　they　were　dressing。　The　door　between　their　rooms　was　open。
　'I　don't　know。　I　hadn't　thought　about　it。　Why？'
　'I　want　to　leave。　That's　all。'
　'We've　only　just　got　here。'
　'I　know；　but　it　already　feels　like　we've　been　here　a　year。　This　is　an　odd　city。'
　He　laughed；　pulling　on　his　trousers。　'You　just　don't　want　to　be　here。　Listen；　we're　not　so　close　to　the　water　here。'　He　smiled。　'No　chance　I'll　fall　overboard。'
　Her　smile　was　a　bit　bleaker　than　his。　'Yes。　Yes。　I　know。　But　haven't　you　noticed？　The　air　here　smells　different；　almost　as　if　it　were　burnt。'
　'It's　only　the　refinery；'　he　said。　'Or　maybe　Mount　Aso。　I've　never　been　near　a　volcano　before。　Isn't　there　one　on　Hokkaido？'
　Saigo　arrived　promptly　just　after　six。　Nicholas　opened　the　door　to　his　room。
　'Well；　Nicholas；　I　didn't　…'　His　dark　eyes　slid　across　Nicholas's　face；　over　his　shoulder。　The　colour　seemed　to　drain　from　him。　'What's　she　doing　here？'　It　was　said　in　a　hiss　but；　just　as　important；　in　a　different　speech　mode；　the　polite　form　had　been　abruptly　dropped。
　Nicholas　turned　his　head。　'Yukio？　She　decided　to　e　with　me。　Didn't　you　know　she　was　here？'　But　of　course　how　could　he？
　Saigo's　angry　eyes　flicked　back　to　regard　Nicholas。　The　stare　was　hard　and　cold。　'You　set　this'up　deliberately；　didn't　you？'
　'What　are　you　talking　about？'
　'You　know；　don't　you？　Don't　lie　to　me；　Nicholas。　She　told　you　everything。'
　Nicholas　felt　her　presence　close　and　warm　behind　him。
　'I　told　him　nothing。'　Yukio's　tone　was　chill　enough　to　freeze　the　blood。　'But　now　that　you've　brought　it　up　like　a　hysterical　child；　perhaps　you　ought　to　tell　him　yourself。'　…'Tell　me　what？　Hey；　wait　a　minute！'　Saigo　had　begun　a　lunge　around　him　towards　Yukio。　Nicholas　stepped　into　his　path；　using　his　shoulder　and　his　left　arm　as　a　wedge　against　the　doorframe。　Yukio　stepped　lithely　away。
　'I　think　you　had　better　tell　me　what　this　is　all　about。'
　Saigo　heard　the　warning　note　in　Nicholas's　voice　and　he　felt　his　blood　boil。　Leaned　forward　with　the　left　side　of　his　body；　half…concealing　the　horizontal　movement　of　his　right　hand　and　wrist。
　Nicholas　brought　his　forearm　down　in　a　blur；　striking　the　exposed　bone　in　Saigo's　wrist。　Physical　damage　was　minimal　but　nerve　disruption　was　considerable。　The　hand　went　numb。
　They　were　very　close　together　and　Saigo　used　his　foot；　aiming　for　the　side　of　the　knee。　The　doorjamb　was　his　ally；　caught　in　the　force　of　the　blow；　Nicholas's　knee　would　shatter　like　crystal。　But　he　stepped　back　and　the　side　of　Saigo's　foot　slammed　into　the　wood　with　a　crack　as　loud　and　as　sharp　as　that　of　a　house　collapsing。
　Saigo　recovered　enough　to　whirl　around　and　head　off　down　the　corridor　before　Nicholas　had　a　chance　to　react。　Without　a　word；　Nicholas　went　after　him。
　Yukio　ran　to　the　door。　'Nicholas！'　she　cried　after　him。　Then　she；　too；　followed　in　Saigo's　wake。
　The　angelfish；　all　grey　lace；　hovered　near　the　bottom。　It's　tiny　mouth　opened　and　closed。　It　might　have　been　trying　to　eat　the　algae　off　the　side　of　the　tank。
　A　pair　of　gourami　passed　by　it；　disturbing　its　concentration；　and　it　darted　off　behind　a　group　of　three　or　four　water　plants　twisting　gently　in　the　clouds　of　rising　bubbles　from　the　aerator。
　They　stood　across　the　street；　in　the　deep　shadow　of　a　doorway。　The　street　was　quiet；　every　step　of　the　few　passers…by　discernible。
　'What　are　you　waiting　for？'
　'Quiet；'　Nicholas　said；　thinking；　twelve；　thirteen；　fourteen。
　A　young　couple　turned　a　corner；　came　down　the　street。　He　gave　the　man　a　quick　glance；　went　back　to　watching　the　front　door　of　the　fish　store　where　Saigo　had　disappeared　moments　before。　Twenty…one；　twenty…two；　twenty…three。　When　he　had　reached　thirty　and　there　was　still　no　sign；　he　took　Yukio　by　the　hand　and　went　across　the　street。
　A　tiny　bell　rang　in　the　back　of　the　shop　like　a　call　to　the　penitent。　It　was　a　narrow；　bare　floor　boarded　place；　its　walls　stocked　with　glass　tanks　of　varying　sizes。　Only　one　or　two　were　dry；　cloudy　with　dust。
　A　man；　thin；　worn　down　by　the　passage　of　time；　his　skin　as　grey　as　yesterday's　mist；　sat　on　a　high　wooden　stool　in　front　of　a　wall　filled　with　filters；　rolls　of　clear　plastic　tubing　and　stacked　boxes　of　dried　fish　food。
　No　one　was　in　the　shop。
　'Is　there　a　back　way　out　of　here？'　Nicholas　asked　him。
　'Hm？'　He　looked　up　belatedly。　'Oh；　yes　but　…'
　Nicholas；　with　Yukio　a　step　behind　him；　was　already　loping　past　him；　through　the　short；　dark　passageway　and　out　at　the　unbolted　door。
　They　found　themselves　in　a　dim　brick　alleyway　that　was　more　a　cul…de…sac。　Only　one　way　for　Saigo　to　have　gone　and　they　followed。
　They　spotted　him；　already　a　block　away；　heading　west。　Twice
　he　doubled　back　and　once；　when　he　thought　he　had　lost　him　altogether；　Nicholas　began　to　sweat　because　he　didn't　think　now　that　he　would　get　a　second　chance；　Yukio　had　seen　to　that。　But　they　got　lucky。　He　had　been　hidden　within　a　small　jostling　crowd　around　a　news　kiosk；　in　plain　sight；　really。　It　might　have　been　accidental　or　an　extremely　sophisticated　manoeuvre。　There　was　no　way　of　telling。　But　the　question　remained。　Why　was　Saigo　taking　any　precautions　at　all？　Why　was　he　concerned　about　being　followed？
　Above　their　heads　a　full　moon　rode；　blue…white；　as　large　as　a　hanging　paper　lantern；　harbinger　of　winter's　first　snow。　Clouds　appearing　as　flat　and　substantial　as　curtains　turned　the　illumination　inconstant　and；　with　it；　perspective　kept　changing　so　that　Nicholas　was　obliged　to　stop　them　now　and　again　to　check　their　proximity　to　the　dark；　hurrying　figure　in　front。
　Once　Saigo　turned　around；　his　face　a　pale　blur　struck　by　the　moonlight；　and　Nicholas　forced　Yukio　into　a　doorway；　hearing　only　the　soft　rasp　of　her　violent　breathing　and　the　hammering　of　his　own　heart。
　…Sai