Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第57部分

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out；　wind　snatched　the　door　out　of　her　grasp。　It　slammed　behind　her；　shaking　the　plywood　and
tarpaper　building。
“Ana！　Ana！”
She　pretended　not　to　hear　her　father’s　angry　cry。　Hunched　against　the　wind；　she　walked　to　the
women’s　latrine。　It　was　crowded　with　women　preparing　for　bed。　She　turned　away　and　walked
around　the　building；　waiting　for　it　to　empty　of　people。
Vanessa　heard　Ana’s　name　called　above　the　wind；　and　saw　her　stalk　out　of　39A。　Vanessa
hesitated；　then　followed；　believing　that　Ana　Oshiga；　lately　of　Juarez；　would　lead　her　to　the
Japanese　man　who　had　so　shrewdly　stolen　the　uranium。
Manzanar
42　Hours　41　Minutes　After　Trinity
The　knock　on　the　outer　door　was　hurried；　light；　barely　perceptible　over　the　wind。　Takeo　reached
to；　answer　it；　then　remembered　the　uninvited　guest　in　the　sleeping　cubicle。
“Who　is　knocking？”　called　Takeo　softly　in　Japanese。
“Kiku　sent　me；　Takeo；”　answered　a　man’s　voice　in　the　same　language。　“Come　quickly；　please。
Masataka　is　very　ill。　Kiku　asks　that　you　and　your　wife　come　now。”
“Yes；”　said　Takeo　quickly。
He　turned　to　tell　his　wife；　but　she　had　heard。　She　gathered　up　jackets　for　both　of　them　and
hurried　to　the　door。　As　Takeo　pulled　the　door　shut　behind　him；　a　tall　man　stepped　out　of　the
shadows。　Behind　him　waited　another　man；　a　soldier。
“Go　with　the　soldier；”　Finn　said　in　Japanese。　“You　won’t　be　hurt；　but　you　must　be　quiet。　Do　you
understand？”
Wind　blew；　nearly　drowning　Takeo’s　soft　“Yes。”
“Is　Ana　inside？”
Takeo　hesitated；　then　made　a　gesture　of　sadness　or　despair。　“No。”
“Where　is　she？”
“We　argued；”　said　Takeo；　his　face　expressionless。　“She　left。”
“When？”
“A　few　minutes　ago。”
Finn　looked　at　the　soldier　and　nodded。　The　soldier　led　Takeo　and　his　wife　away。　When　they
were　gone；　Finn　turned　and　quietly　opened　the　door。　The　wind　gusted　suddenly。　The　door
thumped　shut　despite　Finn’s　attempt　to　prevent　it。
The　sound　penetrated　Kestrel’s　sleep。　He　stumbled　to　the　surface　of　his　fever　dream；　carrying　a
tiny　mountain　in　a　silver　pail。　As　he　staggered；　the　mountain　grew；　a　silent　expansion　that
consumed　his　strength。　The　pain　crinkled；　turned　scarlet　and　peeled　away；　revealing　the　white
shine　of　the　growing　mountain。　Too　heavy　for　his　arms；　he　had　to　carry　the　mountain　on　his
shoulders；　his　body　bent　and　twisted　and　the　mountain　swelling　as　silently；　as　irrevocably；　as　the
dawn。
He　was　outside　himself；　watching　himself　struggle；　straining　to　balance　a　mountain　as　big　as
Japan　on　his　back。　The　mountain　continued　to　grow；　snow…topped；　conical；　an　immense　volcano
wrapped　in　its　own　perfection；　waiting　for　the　annihilating　instant　of　release。　His　body　and　the
mountain　trembled。　The　world　exploded　into　a　column　of　brilliant　white　silence。
He　screamed；　and　the　column　answered　in　a　burst　of　rolling　thunder　that　was　also　white；　the
flawless　white　of　death。
Kestrel　awoke；　feeling　the　last　of　his　dream　in　the　sweat　that　gathered　on　his　flesh。　He　was　very
thirsty。　He　rolled　onto　his　side　and　looked　around　the　tiny；　bare　corner　divided　from　the　rest　of
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the　apartment　by　two　sheets。　A　small　window　with　four　panes　of　glass　looked　out　onto　the　blank
wall　of　another　barracks。　The　curtain　had　been　washed　so　many　times　it　was　nearly　transparent。
An　origami　bird　and　two　pictures　clipped　out　of　a　magazine　were　all　that　decorated　the
plywood　walls。　Dust　sifted　through　the　ill…fitted　window；　coating　a　floor　bleached　by　repeated
scrubbings。　Near　the　bed；　a　pitcher　of　water　and　a　glass　made　intersecting　rings　on　the　floor。
Kestrel　lifted　himself　on　one　elbow　and　poured　a　glass　of　water。　He　drank　slowly；　despite　his
hot　thirst。　His　stomach　and　bowels　accepted　the　water　without　rebellion。　Feeling　stronger；　he　lay
back　and　tried　to　sleep；　but　something　kept　intruding　into　his　awareness。
Quiet。　It　was　too　quiet。　He　had　gone　to　sleep　with　the　murmur　of　Ana’s　family　in　his　ears；　but
now　there　was　nothing。　Even　if　everyone　was　asleep；　there　should　be　a　multitude　of　small　noises；
breathing　and　the　rustle　of　sheets；　the　random　sounds　of　people　in　the　grip　of　dreams。
But　there　was　only　the　wind。
Beyond　the　sheet　dividers；　footsteps　suddenly　sounded；　crossing　the　floor；　coming　closer。　One
sheet　was　pulled　aside。　A　man　stepped　into　Kestrel’s　small　room。　In　one　hand　the　man　carried　a
black　box　set　with　dials。　In　the　other　was　a　gun。
Kestrel　recognized　Finn　immediately；　not　from　his　height　or　race；　but　from　the　way　he　moved　–
like　a　hunting　cat；　utterly　controlled。
Finn　tore　down　the　sheet　dividers　with　two　hard　jerks。　He　cataloged　the　area　in　a　glance；　from
the　thin　curtains　and　the　fresh　water…rings　on　the　floor；　to　the　calm；　powerful　man　lying　on　the
bed；　watching　him　with　the　opaque　black　eyes　he　had　last　seen　across　a　cockfighting　pit　in　Juarez。
“Kestrel。”
Finn’s　statement　was　barely　louder　than　the　wind。　Kestrel　knew　he　could　deny　the　name；　and
knew　that　denial　would　be　futile。　There　had　been　no　doubt　in　Finn’s　tone。
Cautiously　Finn　approached　the　bed。　He　stopped　just　beyond　arm’s　reach。　The　Japanese　smiled
and　opened　his　hands　on　top　of　the　Army　blanket。
“You　have　nothing　to　fear　from　me；”　said　Kestrel　in　Japanese。　“I　am　ill；　a　scabbard　without　a
sword；　harmless。”
“You　are　samurai；”　answered　Finn　in　the　same　language。　“Like　fire；　you　are　always　armed；
always　dangerous。”
“Ana　was　right　to　fear　you；”　murmured　Kestrel。　With　subtle　movements；　he　gathered　himself
for　the　fight　that　must　come。
Finn　glanced　quickly　around　the　room；　missing　nothing。　If　the　uranium　was　here；　it　was　hidden
beneath　the　floor。　With　his　left　hand　he　set　down　the　radiation　counter　and　switched　it　on。　The
counter　clicked　excitedly。　He　pointed　the　probe　toward　Kestrel。　A　sound　like　cloth　ripping
filled　the　room。
“Get　out　of　bed；　slowly。”
Finn　spoke　in　English；　but　Kestrel　responded　immediately。　He　sat　up　in　stages；　feigning　more
weakness　than　he　felt。　Fever　had　dulled　his　reflexes；　until　he　knew　the　extent　of　his　weakness；　he
would　not　attack。　Nor　would　he　acknowledge　despair。　That　would　drain　his　strength　as　surely　as
fever。
“Lie　down　on　your　stomach；”　said　Finn；　pointing　toward　the　opposite　corner　of　the　room。
“Turn　your　face　to　the　wall　and　put　your　hands　behind　your　head。”
Kestrel　looked　at　the　perfect；　circular　eye　of　the　gun　that　followed　each　of　his　movements。　He
stretched　out　on　the　cold　floor　as　Finn　had　ordered。
“Lie　very　still。”
With　quick；　wary　glances　back　at　Kestrel；　Finn　shook　out　the　bedclothes。　When　he　was　sure
there　were　no　hidden　weapons；　he　swept　the　probe　over　the　bed　Kestrel　had　occupied。　There
was　radiation；　but　not　as　much。　Kestrel；　not　hidden　uranium；　was　the　source　of　the　counter’s
excitement。　Finn　controlled　his　disappointment　with　an　effort。　To　be　so　close　and　not　to　find　it

“Where　is　the　uranium？”
Kestrel　did　not　answer。
He　measured　Kestrel　with　pale　eyes。　The　Japanese　was　ill；　but　hardly　incapacitated。　Kestrel
would　be　more　difficult　to　break　than　the　Mexican　at　the　winery。　Finn　did　not　have　enough
hours　to　try　Kestrel’s　threshold　of　pain；　and　then　to　separate　lies　from　half…truths　and　misleading
truths。
“Where　is　Ana？”
Kestrel　said　nothing；　merely　watched　Finn　and　waited　for　an　instant　of　carelessness。　Finn　swept
the　probe　over　Kestrel　as　he　lay　on　the　floor。　The　counter　shrieked。　He　stepped　back；　set　down
the　counter；　and　turned　it　off。　In　the　drafty　corner；　Kestrel　shivered　and　tried　to　suppress　the
metallic　taste　of　defeat。
“You　can　get　back　in　bed。”
Kestrel　went　to　the　bed。　He　pulled　the　thin　Army　blanket　around　his　shoulders　and　sat；　watching
his　enemy；　waiting　for　the　chance　to　win　or　die。
“How　much　do　you　know　about　what　you　stole？”　asked　Finn。
“I’m　a　physicist。”
“I　see。”　Finn’s　voice　was　almost　gentle；　Kestrel　must　know　he　had　absorbed　too　much　radiation。
Finn’s　eyes　measured　the　Japanese　spy；　wondering　what　was　the　quickest　way　to　break　him。　How
do　you　threaten　a　man　who　might　already　be　dying？　Kestrel　stared　back；　measuring　Finn　in　turn。
With　a　quickness　that　was　not　lost　on　Kestrel；　Finn　holstered　his　。45　and　faced　the　Japanese　with
empty　hands。
“You　could　trade　the　uranium　for　a　hospital　bed　or　safe…passage　home。”
“No。”
Finn　accepted　it。　He　had　expected　no　less。
“What　do　you　think　you　can　do　with　the　uranium？　Japan　doesn’t　have　the　ability　to　turn　it　into　a
bomb。”
For　a　long　moment　Kestrel　said　nothing。　Then；　“The　uranium　will　be　returned　to　America　when
Japan　is　offered　something　less　degrading　than　unconditional　surrender。”
“That　won’t　happen。”
Kestrel　became　very　still；　his　expression　as　opaque　as　his　eyes。
“I’m　not　taunting　you；”　said　Finn；　switching　to　Japanese。　“I’m　merely　weighing　time　against　the
fall　of　cherry　blossoms。　The　world　has　moved　much　faster　since　you　saw　two　dawns　rise　over
Jornada　del　Muerto。　The　bomb　may　be　more　merciful　than　any　other　choice　your　nation　has。”
Wind　hissed　through　the　silence。
“Listen　to　me。”　Finn　spoke　in　English　now；　his　words　as　plain　as　the　rings　of　water　next　to
Kestrel’s　bed。　“If　the　uranium　is　not　in　my　possession　before　dawn；　America　will　be　committed
to　invading　Japan。”
Finn　paused；　but　Kestrel　neither　moved　nor　spoke。
“Japan　will　fight　to　the　last　child；