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language he had never used with her。
“Welcome；” Finn said； walking out through the café door。 His brief bow was as graceful as his
Japanese。 “Follow me； please。 This café cannot equal your elegance； but the tables are clean and
the beer is as cold as a winter moon。”
Reflexively； Ana began to return Finn’s courtesy in the same language he had used。 Then she
realized that it was Japanese； not Spanish he had spoken。 Startled by the purity and fluency of his
speech； she stared at Finn； almost expecting to see Kestrel’s dark eyes looking back at her。 But
this was Finn； not Kestrel。 Finn’s pale eyes； catlike in their predatory appraisal； watching her。 At
first she thought his eyes expressionless。 Then； gradually； she realized that expression was there；
very controlled； a shadow in the depths of his round Western eyes。 Emotion so completely
controlled was more unsettling than no emotion at all。
Finn saw Ana’s discomfort。 His smile did not make her feel more at ease。 Off…balance； she
allowed him to lead her into the café and seat her。
“What do you want？” she demanded in English。
“My words are for you； not for the Mexicans across the aisle drinking beer。 Speak Japanese
unless you’d prefer the privacy of my house。” Finn smiled again。 “Of course； no one would be
surprised if we went there； just two lovers wanting to spend a little time between the sheets；
talking about the softness of a bud’s inmost petals。”
Ana’s flush showed even beneath her white powder。 When she tried to stand； to leave； Finn
moved so quickly she had no time to resist。 His hands held her in the chair。 As he bent across the
table toward her； he saw that her lips were slightly swollen。 There were rosy shadows on her
throat。 It was obvious that she had come to the café from a lover’s bed。 No wonder she had
been late。
“Which will it be？” said Finn。 “English at my house or Japanese here？”
“Here；” whispered Ana。
Finn’s hand moved with surprising quickness。 His fingertip brushed her lips。 “Tell your lover
not to be so rough next time。”
Ana flushed so completely that Finn felt the heat on the skin of her arms。 He let go of her；
thinking how ill…suited she was for her chosen role as spy。 Hatred of America and fluency in five
languages had made her invaluable to Taka…gura Omi。 But she needed more discipline to be a
good covert agent or more cunning to survive being a bad one。
“It doesn’t matter；” said Finn gently。 “The last petal is unfolding。 The game is almost over。”
“I don’t know what you mean about petals and games；” said Ana； her voice as rigid as her body。
“It’s a shame you aren’t a samurai； Ana； or a sparrow hawk。 Then you could fly north with me
and watch the war end just after midnight tomorrow。 Then America； not Japan； will be the true
Land of the Rising Sun。 Two dawns will come； two dawns within the space of a few hours。 What
samurai would not kill or die to see that？ What sparrow hawk could resist flying there？”
“I don’t know what – “
“ – I’m talking about？” finished Finn； smiling。 “Then listen very carefully； Little Blossom。 Listen
as though Japan’s life depended on it。 America has a new ally – the sun。 Our sunrises will shake
the earth and change the face of the world。 I’ll think of you when unscheduled dawns rise over
Japan and cities vanish in one white instant of fire。 Are you listening； Little Blossom？”
Page 42
Ana was still except for the slight trembling of her lips。 “Yes；” she whispered； wondering why at
this moment Finn should remind her of Kestrel。 Then she realized it was Finn’s uncanny ability
to focus himself completely on the moment that reminded her of her lover。 “Yes； I’m listening。”
Finn smiled and switched to English。 “Don’t comfort yourself by thinking I’m crazy。 I’m not。
I’m simply a man who will watch dawn come twice to an obscure New Mexican peak。” He stood
in a single movement and leaned over until his lips brushed her perfumed ear。 “Goodbye； Ana。
You picked the losing side。”
Juarez
37 Hours Before Trinity
（Radio transmission received by Kestrel。 Decoded。）
REQUEST DENIED。 DISREGARD SAN FRANCISCO。 PURSUE TEST RUMORS TO
ALAMOGORDO。 MAJ。 GEN。 ARISUE
Juarez
37 Hours Before Trinity
Finn stared down the alley that held nothing but sunlight and shadows。 The taste of Mexican
beer was in his mouth and echoes of the Japanese language in his throat。 It had been a long time
since he had spoken Japanese。
The sun was hot； yellow…white； its light like a hammer blow。 He squinted； pulled his hat lower
and crossed the street to the office of the Juarez telephone exchange。 In the hot； crowded lobby；
he paid his pesos； gave a number in El Paso and went to a booth。 The phone was hot to his
touch。 A woman answered。
“Sarah？”
“Yes。”
“Must be at least 102° in the shade today。”
“You’re getting soft；” Sarah said automatically； as she dialed into the trunk line his code word
designated。 If he had said 89° or 93° or 98° he would have been given a different line。
“May I help you？” asked a polite male voice。
“Once in a blue moon；” replied Finn。
Finn heard relays closing； then one ring。 The phone was answered immediately。
“Yes。”
“That’s what I like about you；” said Finn as he heard the familiar voice。 “You’re agreeable。”
“And you’re negative。”
“Affirmative；” said Finn； completing the recognition code。 “I’ve set the hook。 I’ll stay with the
fish until I’m sure he’s headed in the right direction。”
“It would be nice to know exactly where the fish was going。”
“I’ll stay with him as long as I can。 Or would the General prefer me to miss my ride？”
“No。 Be on the runway by 2000。”
“By 2000？ That’s cutting it very thin。 He may just be crossing the border then。 I can’t be sure
he’ll get close enough for our purposes。”
“The General is more worried about him getting too close。”
Finn felt the sweat gather in his palm； then descend his wrist in a slow trickled “I don’t like it。”
“Write a memo。” Then； “Relax。 The General has complete confidence in you。”
“Wonder what it feels like；” muttered Finn。
“What？”
“Complete confidence。”
The voice at the end of the line laughed once； a sound without humor。 But Finn did not expect
humor from a man whose self…given code name was “Basket Case；” a war casualty with neither
legs nor eyes nor testicles； just one hand； a voice and a mind that knew every shade of green。
Page 43
Finn hung up and headed out of the telephone office； leaving the voice trapped in the hot black
phone。
He drove quickly to his house。 In the sandy vacant lot next door a Mexican boy was kicking
pebbles with naked brown feet and great intensity。 Finn watched for a moment as the child took
aim； kicked； and sent a stone clicking against two others。 Jorge was alone but not lonely；
absorbed in a game no one else understood。 His small grunt of satisfaction told Finn that the
boy had just scored well。
“Jorge？” said Finn； requesting rather than demanding the boy’s attention。
Jorge turned； recognizing the voice。 “Hello； Finn。”
Jorge carried eight years on his thin shoulders and three times that much in his clear black eyes。
“Ghost has had kittens；” said Finn。
Jorge shrugged； but anticipation tugged at the corner of his mouth。 “Again？”
“Again。 These things happen；” continued Finn； sitting on his heels so that his eyes were on a
level with the boy’s。
“Yes；” Jorge said； rubbing a scratch on the back of his left hand。 “My mother is the same way。”
Finn smiled； but his voice did not change。 The cat’s well…being was a serious thing to the boy。
His family had been too poor to buy milk for the starving gray kitten Jorge had brought home。
Finn’s oblique intervention had saved the cat’s life and the boy’s pride。
“Ghost has a hard time with kittens； for she has no husband to help her；” Finn said。 “But she’s
used to that by now。”
“Yes；” agreed Jorge with a sigh。 “It’s hard on her。”
“Ghost could survive by herself；” said Finn。
“Yes。” The boy seemed to shrink back into himself。
“But；” Finn’s hand opened； revealing two silver American dollars； “a little canned milk would
make it easier for her。”
“Yes！” said Jorge； his eyes reflecting the silver shine of the coins。
“I must go for a while； and Ghost can’t buy or open cans of milk。”
Jorge nodded。
“Will you do that for her？” asked Finn； holding out the two coins。
“Oh yes！ But；” said Jorge； putting his hands behind his back to lessen the silver temptation of the
dollars； “that is too much money。 That would buy milk for every kitten in Mexico。”
Finn laughed。 “There is no other favor；” he said； gently pulling the boy’s hands to the front of
his body and giving him the coins。 “While you are at the store； get some milk for your brothers
and sisters as well。”
“My mother – “ began Jorge； closing his hands without taking the coins。
“Your mother；” said Finn； “is too pregnant to shop for kittens and milk。”
Jorge hesitated。 Finn waited。
“Yes；” said the boy at last； “she is too much pregnant。”
Jorge’s hands closed around the coins； one dollar to each brown palm； one smile for each silver
dollar。 A rare thing； two smiles so close together。
Before the boy coul