House of Bamboo Page #4

till you're able to get into action again.

That room ready?

Yes, sir.

You're his kimona.

You stay here too.

Take care of him.

He'll show you where the room is.

This changes the whole setup.

Why, Eddie?

In my own shack you could always cover for me.

Now that plan is impossible.

I can't ask you

to stay here, Mariko.

This is dynamite, the two of us

living right under his nose.

You are worried about me

being in danger, aren't you?

Look, I got you into this.

I'll figure a story to tell Sandy, a reason

why you left and didn't come back.

It will be dangerous for you too.

- Yeah, but I've got to stay here.

- Why?

Why?

It's my job to keep an eye on him.

I'm getting paid for it.

What do you mean getting paid?

What are you talking about, Eddie?

I'm not Eddie Spanier.

- I don't understand.

- That photo was a fake.

The real Eddie Spanier

is still in jail in America.

I came to you hoping to find out something

about your husband, about his connections.

- Are you a policeman?

- In a way.

Did my husband work for Sandy?

Yes.

Was it hard for you to...

to put on this act with me?

It wasn't hard...

in the beginning.

They must pay you a great deal of money

for the chances you have to take.

$190.30 a month.

I'm a sergeant in the U.S. Army.

- A soldier?

- An army cop.

Eddie...

don't you have someone

that will worry if you're in danger?

Everyone has somebody

who worries about him. I have a dad.

He's a carpenter in San Diego. That's where

I come from... San Diego, California.

- Anyone else?

- My sister. She's 16, still in high school.

My mother's dead.

No. No wife.

Please let me help you. Please.

You're a wonderful girl, Mariko.

I don't want anything

to happen to you.

Thank you, Eddie.

Well, how's the casualty coming along?

I think I'll live, Charlie.

Hey, you're a pretty lucky guy,

a setup like this...

and a kimona like that

to nurse you.

Did you bring me my Purple Heart?

No, but I brought you

some good news.

Sandy's throwing a shindig tonight

in honor of that job we just pulled.

He'd like to have you

and the kimona be there.

- Eddie and I will be there, Charlie.

- Okay. Be seeing you.

You look worried.

- I was thinking about Willy.

- Forget him.

Think I liked having him killed?

He's gonna be tough to replace.

But like I said, every wounded man has

a breaking point when questioned by the police.

We only leave corpses behind.

How do you know he was killed?

We were moving fast...

I got ways of checking my casualties.

Only once did we leave

a wounded man behind...

and he must have

had a cast-iron stomach.

But he died in hospital the next day.

He didn't talk.

Come on, Mariko.

Let's show 'em how to dance, huh?

You got your own kimona.

Lay off mine.

You want to make

something out of this?

- If you weren't so drunk,

I'd throw you in the...

- Why you...

Sit down, Griff. You know I don't like

a beef when I throw a party.

And I don't like being shoved out of

my number one position next to you...

at a party or any place else.

For the last couple of weeks,

you've been worrying me, Griff.

The way you act,

the way you blow up.

I don't like my ichiban to worry me.

It's bad for the outfit.

Now wrap your arms around

that kimona of yours and stay put.

Yes, sir.

Ah, don't let Griff

get you down.

Right from the start he's had it in for me

and he took it out on you.

It isn't that. It's the way Sandy talked

how he killed my husband.

Say, why'd that girl poke the back

of your neck with those chopsticks?

She was making fun of my neck.

- Oh, is that what they were talking about?

- Yes.

In the old days, it was traditional

for the refined Japanese woman...

- to keep the back of her neck covered.

- Yeah? Why?

Well, in those days...

it was the first thing a man

found attractive in a woman.

- Ooh! My aching back!

- What's the matter, Eddie?

It's my neck this time.

Ever since I stopped that bullet,

I must be falling apart.

Come on, Eddie.

I'll fix it for you.

Where did you learn

to manipulate your fingers like that?

In Japan, a woman is taught

from childhood to please a man.

Mmm. It's the best custom yet.

What's the first thing about a man?

- The first thing?

- You know.

What's the first thing a Japanese woman

finds attractive in a man?

Broad shoulders?

- No.

- Muscles?

No.

Well, there must be something that right

away makes a Japanese woman want to...

There is.

Well, what's the secret?

Let me in on it.

My what?

Your eyebrows.

My eyebrows?

Yes. You have the most romantic

eyebrows I have ever seen.

- Well, I guess that's traditional too, huh?

- Hai.

Hai means yes, huh?

Hai.

You feel better now?

Yes, I feel much better now.

Well, good night.

- Mariko?

- Yes?

Um, how do you say, uh,

"good night" in Japanese?

- Say, Mariko?

- Yes?

Um...

Now this is the bank of Tokyo.

This is the alley.

This big, gray armored bus...

We got nothing like it in the States.

It's a mobile bank on wheels...

packed with money to deliver

to the banks of Tokyo.

It's got bookkeepers,

clerks, files, everything.

It's a traveling mint.

Now I'll be following in this red bus.

Like this.

The actual knock over will be at

the intersection of Fifth and Annex.

Smitty, Benson and Johnson...

will be dressed as Japanese laborers

working the area with pick and shovel.

Charlie and Phil will be in their cars

with their groups here.

- Eddie will be here...

- Wait a minute!

At the last couple of briefings,

everybody's been included in the act but me.

- Where do I come in?

- You're sitting this one out.

What are you talking about?

You're not in this operation.

You need a rest, Griff.

You've been pitching too hard.

You got battle fatigue. It happens to

the best of us. It's-It's nothing personal.

But I've been watching you

and I'm worried.

You're not responsible for what you're doing.

I can't trust you in the line.

You can't trust me?

What are you trying to do, cut me out?

No, no. Nobody's gonna cut you out.

You'll get your full share of this operation.

Don't do me no favors, Sandy.

I helped you organize this outfit.

That's why I'm next in command.

That was the deal.

But ever since you saved this guy's neck,

you've been acting funny.

I know what you're trying to do.

But you're not gonna get away

with it 'cause I won't let you.

- You're not going to trade me in

for some other ichiban.

- Take it easy.

Battle fatigued? Ha!

That's a hot one.

I could pull this job with just a couple of men.

I don't need any two-bit army.

You just knocked over

the Bank of Tokyo, Griff, all by yourself.

You see what I mean,

blowing your top?

That's what I've been saying.

You're not responsible for what you're doing.

You got no control.

Absolutely no control.

And I can't jeopardize this outfit.

I don't know what you might do next.

Wait a minute, Griff.

You're just about ready

for a Section Eight.

You better go home

and get some rest. Go on.

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