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young blond head slowly. 'Only if the guys come in. If the guys come in; then you'll see some action.'
'In what guise, though?' Mandamus said, as though to himself.
'Yeah; you wait,' Orrick said, tearing another piece of bread apart. 'You'll see.'
3: The Universal Company
'Hello? Hello? Hisako? Ms Onoda?'
'I am here.'
'Ah! How are you?'
'Well. Very well. And you?'
'Hisako, what are you doing? Why are you still on that ship? I've put the dates starting in Den Haag
back by exactly one month except for Bern. Not always the same venues, but we can sort that out later.
But you have to get out of there! ... Are you listening? Hello?'
'It's not easy to get out, Mr Moriya. Helicopters are shot down, small boats are attacked ... sometimes
near the coast of the lake; Panama airport is closed -- '
'They must have more than one!'
'- and because the ... no, the city only has one civilian airport. Colón is shut down for -- '
'I meant in the country!'
'And the Pan American is mined.'
'What? The airline? Mined?'
'No, the highway. Also, the rebels have taken hostages in Panama and Colón.'
'But you're Japanese, not American! I mean, why -- '
'They've kidnapped ... they've kidnapped Japanese, Americans, Europeans, Brazilians ... many different
people. One of the captains of the ships was taken hostage in Cristóbal; Captain Herval ... I might get
through, but I might not. At least here we are fairly safe.'
'Can't they get those ships out? Can't they move them?'
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'The rebels have missiles. Also, they could blow up the locks, or the Madden Dam, or the Mindi Dyke.
The canal is ... delicate, even though it is big.'
'Hisako, are these real names? No; never mind. Isn't there some way out? Somehow? There's more
interest than ever because it's been on the news you're there, but the Europeans won't wait for ever, and
you aren't -- forgive me -- but you aren't getting any younger, Hisako. Oh, I'm sorry. Say you forgive
me; I'm not sleeping well, and I'm on the phone to Europe half the night, and I'm snapping at people and
... I'm sorry I said that. Do say I'm excused ... '
'That's all right. You are correct, of course. But I have talked to the consulate in Panama; they say it is
safest to sit tight. They expect there will be peace soon, or that the Americans will take over the Zone
again.'
'Butwhen ?'
'Who knows? Watch the news.'
'I watch the news! I can't take my eyes off the news! When I'm not running up a phone bill to Europe the
size of the US national debt, I'm stuck to CNN Nippon! But watching the news does not get you to
Europe to play the cello!'
'I'm sorry, Mr Moriya. But I can't think of anything I can do.'
'Oh ... oh, me neither. But ... but ... oh, it's all just so frustrating! Ha! Why didn't I stay with the NHK
like my mother said? Never mind! Are you practising? How is the instrument?'
'I am practising. The instrument and I are both fine. I didn't know you were in the NHK.'
'What? Yes; many years ago. Trumpet. I left because I was making more money doing bookings for
other people. Also, playing it hurt my eardrums.'
'You are what they call "dark horse", Mr Moriya.'
'I am what they call broke agent, Hisako. And more broke the longer this call goes on. You keep
practising.'
'Hai.Thank you for calling. Goodbye.'
'Sayonara, Hisako.'
TheNakodo stayed at Pier 18 for a week; there was a problem with the ship's propeller, which had
stuck at one pitch. After two days of rioting and curfews the city had been declared safe again. Hisako
went back in with Mandamus, Broekman, and first officer Endo, while the divers tried to fix the prop.
Captain Yashiro paced impatiently up and down the bridge watching a succession of ships sail under the
Puente de las Americas, past Pier 18, and on towards the locks at Miraflores. Helicopters filled the
skies, clattering between the Southern Command base at Fort Clayton and US aircraft carriers and troop
ships stationed in the Gulf of Panama. Thevenceristas were said to be moving down from the Cordillera
Central and the Serrania de San Bias. Cuba had warned the US not to intervene, and offered help to the
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Republic. The US reinforced its base at Guantánamo, on Cuba. The Soviet ambassador visited the White
House to deliver a note to the President, the text of which was not released.
Mr Mandamus stirred his mint tea and looked out on to the Avenida Central, where the clogged traffic
honked and hooted furiously, and outrageously decorated buses full of brightly dressed people
contrasted with the matt camouflage of the Guards' jeeps and trucks.
They had started at the Santa Ana Plaza, where Mr Mandamus, guidebook in hand, led them down
Calle after having his shoes polished twice. Hisako, Mr Mandamus said, was the only Japanese person
he'd ever encountered who didn't own -- indeed had never owned -- a camera. She agreed it was
unusual. Officer Endo took photographs of everything, in a manner Mr Mandamus obviously considered
a much more satisfyingly traditional Japanese fashion.
Hisako spent much time and money on Calle 13. The street was packed with shops and shoppers. She
bought Kantule Perfume from the San Blas archipelago, achaquira necklace made by the Guaymí
Indians, a ring with a small Columbian emerald set in it, achácara bag, a circularpollera dress, a
montuna shirt and severalmolas; a small pillow, a bedspread, and three blouses. Mandamus bought a
hat. Broekman stocked up on Cuban cigars. Endo bought amola for his wife and two extra diskettes for [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]