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point of the diamond…shaped framework were dirty； their bright colors made drab by time and
neglect。
Kestrel stared at the single eye； admiring its symmetry and symbolism… and the irony of its
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position over one of the busiest beds in Juarez。 Perhaps the Aztec god whose eye hung there
found the prepaid writhings of two or more bodies amusing； but Kestrel doubted it。 Even the
benign gods of his own Buddhist upbringing looked upon prostitution with displeasure。
As for himself； Kestrel felt like a man condemned to a curious penance in one of hell’s more
grubby anterooms。
Voyeurism was foreign to his nature； but he had spent many hours crouched in a tiny； concealed
alcove just off Rubia’s crib。 Through the imported Indian screen； Kestrel had seen a procession
of straining buttocks and heard a quantity of practiced moans and lusty grunts。
Kestrel eased his cramped muscles by flexing his body subtly； using the discipline of karate that
had become second nature to him。 The discipline was mental as well as physical。 It helped him to
endure all of this in order to learn what Japan must know。
With a sigh； Kestrel looked from the dead god’s eye to the intricately carved screen nine inches
from his face。 The figures on the screen depicted all the coital permutations that flexible；
determined human bodies could attain。 Kestrel wished that reality had one…tenth the elegance of
the screen’s stylized matings。 He had learned that viewing the unvarnished sex act was more
distasteful than titillating； and more tedious than either。
He had discovered military secrets from the GIs who thrashed so inelegantly on Rubia’s soiled
mattress。 He could not trust the little Rubia to pass on all that she learned； both her English and
her loyalty were erratic。 Thus； he was forced to crouch behind erotic carvings and witness acts
that were stupefyingly unerotic。
The soldier who had just come into the room with Rubia looked not much older than the
sixteen…year…old whore。 He was short and red…headed； one of the instant lieutenants that
America had ground out to meet the needs of war。 This was his fifth visit to Rubia。 She had told
Kestrel that the soldier never questioned why she spent an hour with him； yet charged no more
than she did for her ten…minute tricks。
From what the soldier had said； Rubia was the only diversion in a series of boring assignments
that stretched from the edge of California’s Saltón Sea to El Paso； Texas。 For months he had
observed； measured and retrieved the remnants of the empty bomb casings that were dropped
one at a time onto the desert from B…29s flying so high they were invisible。 For a very young
second lieutenant who had expected to return to civilian life laden with medals and war stories；
the assignment on the shores of a landlocked sea had been a bad joke with no punchline in sight。
As he often complained to Rubia； the whole purpose of the bombing runs seemed to be to test a
proximity fuse that was supposed to explode a bomb several thousand feet above the desert。 To
the lieutenant； developing a proximity fuse when there already were bombs that exploded on
impact made little sense。 Moreover； to develop a fuse that would explode two thousand feet up
was insane。 No bomb was powerful enough to do much damage if it exploded that far off the
ground。 His commander had speculated that the fuse was for a leaflet bomb to scatter
propaganda over Japan。
El Paso was even more boring； nothing to do but follow technicians around as they strung wires
between concrete bunkers and a tower five miles away in the desert。 Nothing about his
assignments made sense to the young soldier； except the smiling whore whose fingernails made
little dents in his erection。
“You are muy hombre today；” Rubia said； squeezing him。 “Almost I believe that you have no
other woman since you come here。”
“Another woman？” he said in a thick voice。 “Not a chance。 I’ve been on duty the whole
goddamn time。”
“Come；” Rubia said； tugging on him； leading him toward the battered mattress。 “Come and tell
your little Rubia how it was with your time。”
“Not a goddamn thing happened； as usual。”
The soldier let Rubia open his shin as she had already opened his pants。 She stood against him so
that every time she moved； her full breasts rubbed over his skin。 He watched her hands and his
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own body； liking the contrast between his full pink flesh and her narrow brown fingers。
“It was bad？” said Rubia sympathetically； kissing his neck。 She disliked kissing her tricks； but
Kestrel was paying her to make the gringo feel very special。 “Pobre…cito；” she murmured；
licking his throat with slow； deliberate strokes。
“We sat and fried our asses on the same goddamn piece of sand whle they measured and
muttered。 I mean； who the fuck cares if the tower is exactly five miles from the bunkers？ It’s
stupid！”
“Estupido；” agreed Rubia； pulling him down on to the bed； guiding him until he lay on his
stomach with her astride him； kneading the white； freckled flesh of his back。 “Muy estupido。 To
sit and sweat there when you could sweat with me in my bed。”
The lieutenant gasped as her hands moved between his legs。 He tried to roll onto his back； but
Rubia held him immobile。
“Not yet； muchacho；” Rubia said； laughing at his eagerness。
The lieutenant groaned and lay facedown on the mattress again。 Rubia bent over until her breasts
rested on his back。 Her teeth bit into his shoulder。 He shuddered； but did not object。 Marks
from other bites covered his back。
“I do not believe；” whispered Rubia； “that a man like you； so strong； does nothing more than sit
in the sand all day。 Do you not even play with your cock； muchacho？”
Rubia bit the soldier’s ear and cheek and neck； all the while moving her hips as though he were
already inside her。 She sat up and turned her face toward the screen。 Smiling； she put her hands
over her breasts and moved her hips in silent invitation to Kestrel。
“Tú eres muy macho；” Rubia said in a husky voice； staring at the screen while she stroked her
own body。 “I will do anything you want。 Anything。”
Kestrel heard the promise in the girl’s voice。 The lieutenant heard it also。 He moved
convulsively； forcing Rubia to let him roll over。 When he was lying on his back； Rubia slowly
moved her hips over the soldier without letting him penetrate her； teasing him； prolonging his
pleasure。 Rubia was very good at her work； a natural whore。
“Let me – “ gasped the soldier； his hands grabbing Rubia’s maddening hips。
Rubia laughed。 Her laughter sounded genuine； surprising Kestrel。 He had not thought her
capable of emotion。 Then he realized that she was amused by the man who was helpless between
her experienced legs。 Kestrel felt almost sorry for the young lieutenant。
“No； no； muchacho；” Rubia laughed。 “You have not yet promised to me that you will come
back soon。” She reached down and pinched him firmly。 It was enough to dull his need so that
she could bring him to an even sharper pitch of excitement。 She lay full length on him； teasing
him mercilessly。 “Promise you come back only to me。”
“I’ll try to get back before we leave；” he groaned。
“Leave？” Her teeth paused above the vein beating blue against his neck。 “You come back； no？”
“I’ll try。 But the tests went well。 Those fly boys said if we ever got to Wendover； the drinks were
on them。”
“Wendover？” said Rubia； fondling him with her tongue。 “Is that a – how you say it – a bar？”
The soldier laughed and pinched her nipples hard enough to hurt。 Rubia did not pull away； she
was used to rough handling。
“No； baby；” said the lieutenant。 “Wendover is an air…base in Utah。 But don’t worry。 I’m not
going way up there。 From what I overheard yesterday； I’m going to stay in the goddamn desert
with that goddamn tower and all those goddamn wires going out across the flattest； hottest
desert this side of hell。”
“Must you go far from here？” she pouted。 “I miss you when you’re gone too long。”
“Not that far；” he said； grabbing her breasts。 “It’s north of some place called Magord or
Amgordo； some Mex name。 There’s gonna be some big test soon and we’re supposed to be
Johnny on the spot。”
“Test？” asked Rubia； working her Angers down his body。 “It sounds of danger； no？”
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“Shit；” said the lieutenant in disgust。 “We should be so lucky。 Unless they give purple hearts for
sunburn； I’m gonna finish this damned war with nothing to show for my time。 Now come here！”
The soldier grabbed a handful of Rubia’s tangled； dark blond hair and forced her mouth down
on his。
Behind the screen； Kestrel squatted on his heels； waiting。 Either conversation or sex would begin
soon。 If it was the latter； he could get out of this grubby peephole。
Rubia freed her lips and tried to get the soldier to talk more。 After a moment； she sensed his
determination and knew that she could not put him off much longer。 It would be better if sex
appeared to be her desire； too。
“No more talk；” Rubia said in a low voice as she slid off his white body。 She lay on her back and
moved invitingly。 “Or do you not want your little Rubia like she wants you？”
The lieutenant mounted Rubia in an ungainly rush。
Silently； Kestrel eased out of the cramped passageway through a side door； removing himself
from the purview of the god’s eye staring blindly over the sweating buttocks of the red…headed
soldier。
Juarez
66 Hours Before Trinity
（Radio transmission received by Kestrel。 Decoded。）
WE HAVE NO INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION OF YOUR SUGGESTION THAT A
SPECIAL WEAPON IS BEING SHIPPED OUT OF LOS ALAMOS。
RUMORS OF IMPENDING TEST OF NEW； VERY POTENT AMERICAN WEAPON。
IMPERATIVE YOU REMAIN IN JUAREZ TO CONFIRM OR DENY RUMORS。
REPEAT。 IMPERATIVE。 MAJ。 GEN。 SEIZO ARISUE IMPERIAL ARMY
INTELLIGENCE
Juarez
61 Hours Before Trinity
Takagura Omi’s house was on the edge of Colonia Chino； the Oriental ghetto surrounded by
Juarez。 It was a cultural rather than an economic ghetto； since Takagura was a very wealthy man。
Some of his business dealings were legitimate。 Most were not。 In 1930； his export…import
business had been financed by the Japanese Imperial Army。 Today the business thrived by itself；
especially the illegal portions。 The profits went into financing a network of spies； thugs and
politicians who made Takagura’s influence felt from Mexico City across the entire northern tier
of Mexico； and into the Little Tokyos of southwestern America。 Takagura was still an officer in
the Imperial Army； a believer in the Son of Heaven’s divinity； and a fanatical militarist。 His utter
loyalty to Emperor Hirohito was one of the few certainties Kestrel had found in Juarez。
Kestrel set aside his cup of tea； silently wishing it had been coffee。 He had acquired a taste for
coffee in America； a preference that was reinforced during his years in Lisbon。 Takagura’s home；
however； was rigidly in accord with traditional Japanese diet and manners。 The few exceptions –
shortwave radio； telephone； electricity – did not include such Occidental amenities as chairs；
raised beds； or coffee。
The sound of footsteps came through translucent walls。 Kestrel turned and stood up in a single
motion that spoke of controlled power。 He waited； motionless。 The light from a corner lamp
poured over him； making the silver strands of hair at his temples gleam。 Outside the room； a
silhouette flowed over the shoji screen like a black ghost。 The paper screen whispered aside；
revealing Ana Oshiga； Takagura’s secretary。 She bowed and greeted him in precise Japanese。
“I hope you are comfortable； Kestrel…san。”
Kestrel looked at Ana’s pale； heart…shaped face。 Like electricity in Takagura’s traditional
Japanese home； Ana did not wholly fit her surroundings。
“Yes； Ana…san；” he answered politely； although he had not slept at all and had yet to wash the
Page 26
whorehouse grime off his body。
Ana naturally walked with the long…legged stride of an American woman； but she was hobbled
now by a narrow kimono。 Her voice； too； was American； pitched for life lived behind plaster
rather than paper walls。 As with most Nisei and Isei； she was taller than the Japanese norm。
“The honored wife of Omi…san said that you requested my presence；” Ana s