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om the sounds that he was closing in。
But it was a bad situation and growing worse all the time。 Where was Sato？ His absence was a constant distraction and any kind of distraction was dangerous in battle。
He skidded around the end of a row of metal lockers thinking about getting to his locker and his dai…katana； and felt a blow strike his shoulder； numbing it momentarily。 He cursed himself mightily as he slid forward； seeming to skid out of control on the damp floor。 The bulk of the oning shadow careened past him； just above。
Nicholas torqued his torso； lifting his right arm in a blur； the elbow locked； the heel of his hand leading； crashing into flesh and bone。 He heard a heavy grunt and； simultaneously； felt the crash of a weight to his left。 He twisted； using his knees and ankles； using the chrysanthemum to bring power back into his frame。 He rained blows onto the form which crouched in the darkness in the lee of the lockers。
He felt the satisfying smack of flesh against flesh and began a series of interlocking strikes。 Abruptly there was a blow to the side of his head and when he reached out again； the form was gone。
He rose to his feet； swaying； his senses questing。 Went instinctively into getsumei no michi and found the spirit of the ninja。 He was moving away from Nicholas。 Why？
Then he had the answer and his heart constricted in anxiety。 Loosing the kiai shout that rocked the walls of the rotenburo； Nicholas raced through the darkened interior； tearing after terror。
Sato had found the interior of the rotenburo deserted。 Where was Koten？ Where was the muhon…nin？ Anger burned through him like a sun。 He gritted his teeth； the deep feeling of betrayal powering him； feeding adrenaline into him。
He burst out into the night filled with swirling rain。 No one was about； not even the proprietors。 Koten！ he wanted to cry out。 I'm going to kill you； slowly so that I can watch your face as life ebbs out of you。
Into the parking lot he ran。 Two or three cars remained beneath the lights。 He wiped at his eyes to clear them。 All the cars were empty。 Then his gaze came to rest on the rented vehicle they had used to drive here from the airport。
Koten！
Sitting in kingly silence； dry beneath the opening heavens。
Unthinking； Sato ran toward the car； skidding once on the slick tarmac； almost wrenching his back。 All breath went out of him for a moment。 Then； with a grunt； he lifted himself off one knee and loped the rest of the way to the dripping car。
Now he shouted。 〃Koten！〃 Reaching for the chrome handle； wrenching the door open。 There was a sharp click； as distinct as a dry twig cracking on a forest floor； and the night erupted into a fireball of orange and crimson flames。 The car ballooned outward； ing apart in hot； twisting shards of metal and pinpoint fragments of sprayed safety glass。 The ignition instantly disintegrated the rubberized mannikin in the front seat。
A sharp report like a cannon shot and then a trailer of dense black smoke； oily and twisting； ascending into the full force of the storm。
The body looked enormous； a lumped animal； throwing a deep shadow across the surrounding stone。 AH about it shards of glass glittered like stars； arcing tiny rainbows into the cold overhead illumination。
Three uniformed men from the Raleigh City Police stood around taking notes while the fourth； half in； half out of one of the squad cars； was on the two…way radio。
A pair of backup units squealed to a halt 。beside him and the cops inside emerged and began to set up sawhorse barriers against the growing knots of curious onlookers。
Harry Saunders； the sergeant on the two…way； wrapped up his conversation with his captain and threw the mike on the car seat as he backed out of the unit。 His face was set in hard lines as he ambled slowly back to his three buddies。
〃Might as well burn those pads；〃 he told them as he approached。 〃Ain't gonna be any use； those notes。〃
〃How d'you mean？〃 Bob Santini said； still scribbling in his flip…up pad。
〃Someone ing any minute now to take over。 Captain says this isn't any've our business now。〃
Santini's head came up and he glowered at Saunders。 〃You mean a man is killed and we just walk away from it？〃
Saunders shrugged。 〃Funny you should say that； 'cause I asked the Captain the self…same question。〃 He screwed up his face。 〃Know what he told me？ Wouldn't do no good no matter what we did。〃 His finger stabbed out in the general direction of the corpse。 〃This poor sumbitch's got no prints； got no history at all。 He's a nothing； a big； fat zero。〃
〃A spook；〃 Ed Baine said。 〃Now that's interesting。〃
〃Well； you just take your interest somewhere else；〃 Saunders said； 〃 'cause after we beak up here not even our wives or； in your case； Baine； your g。f。； are supposed to know anything that went on here。〃
〃Oh； shit；〃 Spinelli said with mock disgust； 〃no pillow talk。 Now what'm I supposed to do afterwards？〃
〃Do what you always do； shithead；〃 Baine said。 〃Roll over and go to sleep。〃
Saunders' head turned。 〃Sit on it； your clowns；〃 he said sotto voce； 〃we got pany。〃
They all turned their heads； saw a trenchcoated figure ing down the corridor。 None of them liked what they saw。
〃Oh； holy Christ；〃 Spinelli said under his breath； 〃it's a fuckin' woman。〃
〃Gentlemen；〃 she said as she came up； 〃who's in charge here？〃
〃Detective Sergeant Harry Saunders； ma'am；〃 Saunders said； taking a step forward。
〃At ease； Sergeant；〃 she said with a straight face； 〃I'm not about to make a grab for your clusters。〃 She took a quick look around。 〃Anything been touched here？〃
〃No； ma'am。〃
〃He's just as you found him？ Exactly？〃
Saunders nodded and then swallowed； angry at himself for being dry…mouthed in front of this woman。 〃Can I ask what your； er； affiliation is？〃
She turned away from him； running her gaze carefully across the area immediately surrounding the body。 〃You may ask your captain that； Sergeant Saunders。 He may be more willing to assuage your curiosity。〃
Saunders clenched his teeth； biting back a sour ment while Spinelli smirked at him from a distance。
〃Sergeant。〃 She was kneeling down now beside the corpse。 〃I won't need your help anymore。 Why don't you and your men retire to the barricades and assist with crowd control。 I'll call you if I need you。〃
〃Yes； ma'am；〃 Saunders said with exaggerated politeness and； turning sharply； jerked his head at the other three； who followed him silently down the faintly echoing corridor of the mall to where their units； red lights flashing； were parked。
When they were gone； Tanya Vladimova confirmed her initial I。D。 The body was； indeed； that of Jesse James。 Quickly； she opened up a small kit and set about taking a set of prints off the bloody glass shard that still pierced James' chest。 For the first time she allowed herself to think of what had gone wrong。 But she knew the answer without having to go through any process at all。
It had been foolish to allow Alix Logan to live。 Foolish and； from a security point of view； sloppy。 But men were weak； she thought now； even a man as powerful and intelligent as C。 Gordon Minck； It had been Minch； after all； who had insisted she be kept alive； ove