"We suspect that the terms he wants to discuss, in exchange for the funds, may involve her in some way. When our people questioned her in Greece, she claimed that a man named Vance had a duplicate copy of the protocol. At the time we had no idea—"
"And now you think this is the same man?" His steely eyes narrowed again.
"Hai, so deshoo. It does lend credibility to his claim he has access to the funds. If he is involved in both our problems—"
"He has been involved in my 'problems' before." At last, he thought. This was going to be more poetic than he'd realized.
"If he knows where the protocol is, then—"
"Then he thinks he is dealing from a position of strength," Tanzan Mino allowed himself a tiny smile. "I would like to contact him directly, through the secure facilities at Westminster Union."
"Hai, Mino-sama," the man bowed again. "I can so inform Nogami-san in London."
Below, in the blazing streets of Ueno, the traffic continued to flow. Time. Time was slipping away.
"Authorize it." He turned back, his silver hair backlighted from the window. "Once we have him . . . perhaps both problems can be solved at once." And, he told himself, I can finally settle an account that has been outstanding far too long. "But I want this solved. Now. No more delays and bungling."
The sharpness in his voice momentarily startled Neko, who growled her readiness for another steak, then dropped into a defensive crouch.