okugen Numataka lay naked on the massage table in his penthouseoffice. His personal masseuse worked out the kinks in his neck. Sheground her palms into the fleshy pockets surrounding his shoulderblades, slowly working her way down to the towel covering hisbackside. Her hands slipped lower… beneath his towel. Numatakabarely noticed. His mind was elsewhere. He had been waiting for hisprivate line to ring. It had not.

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter," Numataka grunted.

The masseuse quickly pulled her hands from beneath thetowel.

The switchboard operator entered and bowed. "Honoredchairman?"

"Speak."

The operator bowed a second time. "I spoke to the phoneexchange. The call originated from country code 1—the UnitedStates."

Numataka nodded. This was good news. The call came from theStates. He smiled. It was genuine.

"Where in the U.S.?" he demanded.

"They're working on it, sir."

"Very well. Tell me when you have more."

The operator bowed again and left.

Numataka felt his muscles relax. Country code 1. Good newsindeed.