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
Page 141
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； hoping to drive the cost of unconditional surrender so high
that America will accept a lesser peace； one with room for Japanese pride。 But that won’t
happen。” He paused momentarily； remembering Okinawa； green jungle and sea and dying
children。 “Russia will conquer China on the way to declaring war on Japan。 When Japan is
crushed – and that is inevitable – Russia will demand part or all of Japan in payment。 At best；
Japan will be like Germany； divided。 At worst； Japan will belong to Russia； a subject race with
neither pride nor future。”
Finn waited。 Kestrel still did not speak。 Wind keened； filling the silence。
“Do you believe Russia is your ally？” asked Finn。 “Do you know that Russia has refused to
approach America to sue for peace on Japan’s behalf？ Russia doesn’t want the war to end yet。
Russia wants America to invade Japan。 If the war continues long enough； Russia will rule the
world。”
“But I’ve seen what the atomic bomb can do！” said Kestrel。 He leaned forward； and his voice
was resonant with suppressed emotion。 “Japan will be bombed into unconditional surrender。
How is that different from being subjugated by the Russians？”
“If there is an invasion； Japan will surrender to a conquering army。 If there is an atomic bomb；
Japan will surrender to the sun – there can be no loss of face in that。”
It was the same thing Kestrel had told his superiors in Japan； but it was a bitter thing to hear on
an enemy’s lips。 No man can fight the sun。
“America would occupy Japan；” said Kestrel； feeling anger fight with fever for control of his
body。
“But America won’t insist on destroying Japan。 Even now； we’re rebuilding our former enemies
in Europe。 What is Russia doing？”
“Perhaps Russia is wiser。 What she exterminates now； she won’t have to face in the future。”
Finn smiled narrowly。 “I agree。 But which country would you rather see defeat Japan？ That’s all
that is left to you； Kestrel – a choice of conquerors。”
“Japan signed a Neutrality Pact with the Russians。”
Finn’s laughter was hard； humorless。 “You’re not stupid or naive。 Don’t pretend to be。” Finn
looked at his watch。 “You have three minutes to choose your conqueror。”
“You don’t know what you ask！ Have you seen what that bomb can do？”
“I’ve seen Japanese mothers murder their own children rather than surrender。 Is the atomic
bomb worse than that？”
Kestrel closed his eyes； fighting to control himself。 How could he； one man； choose his country’s
future？ What Finn asked of him was impossible。 His anger drained into an anguish worse than
any pain he had known before。 Yet when he spoke； his voice was calm。
“If I choose Russia as Japan’s conqueror； I suppose you’ll torture me to find out where the
uranium is。” Kestrel contempt was plain in his smile。
“I don’t have time to break you；” said Finn in a matter…of…fact tone。 “I’ll have to kill you。”
“But then you would lose the uranium forever。”
“So would Russia。”
For the first time； Kestrel looked surprised。 “Russia？”
“You should have killed Masarek’s woman。 She’s here； in Manzanar。 And； unlike Japan； Russia
can take that uranium and turn it into a bomb。” Finn’s smile was grim。 “You’re not the only one
making choices tonight。”
“A choice of evils；” Kestrel hesitated。 Pain seeped into his voice。 “That’s not much choice at
all。”
“It’s the only kind men get。” Finn glanced at his watch。 “Two minutes。”
Takeo’s Apartment； Manzanar
42 Hours 47 Minutes After Trinity
Ana hesitated in front of the barracks door； torn between the cold wind and her father’s anger。
She pulled open the door。
Vanessa lunged； grabbing Ana’s hair。 The silenced gun was like a cold finger laid along Ana’s
neck； seeking a target in the room beyond。 Her eyes moved quickly； seeing everything。
At the first sound； Finn had thrown himself aside and reached for his gun。 He never heard the
bullet that hit him。 A searing； paralyzing pain went through his left shoulder。 From the corner of
his eye he saw the gun turn on