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〃All right；〃 Nangi said； making his decision。 He didn't see that he had much choice。 He did not want to involve Allan Su at this stage and there seemed to be no other alternative。 He dropped the microcassette into the other man's palm。 〃Bring it to my room at the Mandarin at seven A。M。 That give you enough time？〃
The man nodded。 Then as an afterthought he said； 〃Hey； Mr。 Nangi； my name's Fortuitous Chiu。〃 The whites of his eyes showed again。 〃I'm Shanghainese。 My family owns one…third of the go…downs in Sam Ka Tsuen and Kwun Tong。 We're into restaurants and tourist cabarets…you know； the high…class topless places outside of Wan Chai。 We trade in carpets； diamonds； jade。 If I don't show on time you go to my father； Pak Tai Chiu。 He lives in the villa with the jade green tiled roof up on Belleview Road overlooking Repulse Bay。〃
Nangi knew enough about the ways of these people to understand how much of himself Fortuitous Chiu was revealing。 〃You e to room 911 this morning； Fortuitous Chiu；〃 he said as the first warm drops of rain began to fall； 〃and I'll have more for you to do。〃 He pointed。 〃Right now you'd better get your top up or you'll drown in the next five minutes。〃
The ringing of the phone； although muted from inside the house； disturbed the contemplation that the tea ceremony brought them。
For a time there had been perfect harmony in the room。 The two men kneeling on the greenish…yellow reed tatami； both in flowing kimono； Between them were the carefully placed implements of the chano…yu： porcelain kettle with a pair of matching cups； whisk。 At right angles to this display was the hardwood case within which reposed Nicholas' dai…katana； Iss…hogai。
Also between the men； and above them to the right； was Sato's tokonoma。 The slender； translucent vase contained two pure white peonies…flowers that Sato knew Nicholas loved。 Above the froth of the blossoms was the scroll on which had been hand…lettered this phrase； 〃Be intent on loyalty/While others aspire to perform meritorious services/Concentrate on purity of intent/While those around you are beset by egoism。〃
Nothing else was of import within the study。 The confluence of forces from these entities and objects created the aura of bar…moniousness that is so rare in life and toward which each individual strives。 The momentousness of the moment was lost on neither man。
After the ringing came Koten。 He bowed deeply； waiting for his master to bee aware of his powerful spirit； an intrusion and； thus； an end to harmony。
Sato's head came up； his eyes refocusing slowly。 He and Nicholas had been at the Void； together； as very few men in this imperfect world had been during the long； burning pages of history。 His heartbeat； as well as his breathing； were still abnormally slow。 He might have been in a trance of a mystical state well known in the Far East； and highly prized。
〃A thousand pardons； Sato…san。〃 Koten's voice； high…pitched and slightly ical emanating from that vast； rumbling body； never ceased to amuse Sato。 〃The man who will not leave his name has called。 He must speak with you。〃
〃Yes。〃 Sato's voice was slightly thick。 Nicholas had made no move； and Sato envied him。 He rose and followed Koten out of his study。
During the time when he was alone； Nicholas slowly pulled himself back from the Void。 It took him longer than it otherwise might because part of him did not wish to leave。 The vast harmony that he had just been a part of still hovered like an afterglow in the study。 After a time； he lifted his head and studied the words on the tokonoma scroll。
They were oddly unpoetic； yet very much in keeping with the kind of man Nicholas had e to know Sato was。 Ha was a kanryodo sensei； one of the last true samurai…bureaucrats。 Soon； sadly； there would be no place for him in the world。 As Japan moved fully into the modern world； the last of the kanryodo sensei would die out。 And in their place would e the new breed： the Westernized entrepreneurs who understood world economics； no longer true Japanese at all but world citizens。 Japan would need them in the ing decades； these far…thinking； trend…analyzing dealers； if it was to survive past its difficult adolescence。 These
were the men who would remember the policies of Reagan and Mitterand long after they had forgotten those of Ieyasu Tokugawa。
Without having seen him； Nicholas knew that Koten； the giant sumo； had entered the study。
〃Are you any closer to finding the murderer？〃
He had an odd； direct style of speech that； outside the dohyo at least； was stripped of politeness and the traditional niceties。
〃Unless Sato…san can summon up the past wholesale；〃 Nicholas said； 〃all I can do is protect him and Nangi…san。〃
Koten said nothing。 Nicholas turned； saw that the giant was glaring at him。 He laughed。 〃Don't worry； you'll get in your licks。〃 It was somewhat of a relief to be able to speak freely again。
〃If you're good；〃 Koten said； 〃we'll work together。 No one will get past us。〃
Nicholas said nothing； an American here would have boasted about his prowess。
〃No one will get past us；〃 Koten repeated。 Then； as he heard Sato returning； he retired to the hallway。
The older man's demeanor had altered considerably when he reentered the study。 All languorousness had melted away。 In its stead was a high degree of excitement held tightly in check。
He came swiftly across the room and sat close to Nicholas； breaking the host…guest barrier。 〃I have had some news。〃 His voice was very soft but urgent。 〃Concerning Tenchi。 Of course the kei…retsu has official protection from the government concerning the project。
〃But privately I enlisted the aid of several members of the Tenshin Shoden Katori ryu。 Ninja such as yourself to safeguard our secret。〃 He paused for a moment； looking around。 He nodded his head and rose。
Together they went through the open fusuma； into the garden。 The bees were out； descending on the peonies。 The gray plover was long gone from his spot beneath the boxwood tree。 The sun wove in and out from behind silver and purple clouds。
〃A sensei was killed there not long ago； along with a student。 Now my contact…whose ryu name is Phoenix…informs me that a second student was killed only yesterday。 It now appears from what this man tells me that the ryu has been infiltrated。〃
〃Infiltrated？〃 Nicholas echoed。 〃The Tenshin Shoden Katori？ Are you certain？〃
Sato nodded。 〃But Phoenix was not calling from Yoshino。 He's in the north。 In Hokkaido。〃 Sato's face was grave。 〃I fear our last stand against the Russians has begun； Linnear…san。 You were quite right about their involvement。 It took Phoenix some time to evaluate his situation。 The death of the jonin； he was their spiritual leader。〃 He cocked his head。 〃Did you know him？ By the purest chance he had the same name as the hero we were discussing once； Masashigi Kusunoki。〃
〃It's been many years since I've been at the Tenshin Shoden Katori；〃 Nicholas said。
Sato looked at him oddly for a moment； then shrugged。 〃His death was totally unexpected； and they were thrown into chaos for a time。 It took all of Phoenix's skill to return absolute order in such a short time。 Meanwhile； it seems the Soviet agents were doing the