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With the doctor and Protorov were Pyotr Alexandrovitch Rus…silov； Koten； and a pair of junior lieutenants under Russilov's direct mand。 The most recent Alpha…three codes had brought Protorov word that Yvgeny Mironenko； the GRU colonel； had received enough vouchers from his patriots for Protorov to hold a special session of the General Staff。 All the senior generals would be in attendance。 All that was required now； Mironenko's most recent munique had said； was for Protorov to bring the generals proof of his power。
Proof of my power； Protorov thought now。 Tenchi！ Then； for the first time in history； the GRU and the KGB will be united in a mon cause。 The Kremlin will shake to the sound of our bootsteps； the old men will fall before us like stalks of wheat； the day of the bureaucrat will be a memory； all the Russians will be on the march。 The day of the Second Revolution will have dawned！
With great difficulty he kept his elation concealed； not even Russilov must suspect the vast changes forming on the horizon。 Not yet。 He will have his hands full running the Ninth； Protorov thought。 I do not want to give him too much； too soon。
〃All right； clear the vault；〃 he ordered。
One of the junior lieutenants； responding to a hand sign from Russilov； shut one valve； opened another。 A pair of 150 h。p。 suction fans drew the noxious fumes out of the room。 When the red light ceased to glow； replaced by the green one； Protorov ordered the vault door unsealed。
Koten went first； then Russilov and the two junior lieutenants。 The doctor and Protorov brought up the rear。 Inside； they could smell nothing。 The air was pure and clean again。
The men fanned out into the vault as if they were a line of gentlemen on the hunt： arrogant in the knowledge of their elite status； yet wary of a new and extremely dangerous prey。
〃He seems quiescent enough；〃 the doctor said； pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose。 〃I don't think there is going to be anything different about him。〃
Thinking him a fool； Protorov signed to Koten。 As the enormous sumo moved across the room； Protorov paced him at a tangent that took him to a spot directly in front of where Nicholas lay on his left side。
〃Breathing is deep and regular；〃 the doctor said； circling the fallen figure 〃No eyelid flicker； pulse is slowed； skin color is consistent with deep delta unconscious state。〃 He recited these medical observations like a litany against that which he did not understand and therefore could not control。
From his position； Protorov signed to Russilov to move into position just behind Nicholas。 〃All right；〃 he told Koten。
Nicholas launched himself feet first at the oning hulk。 It had not been difficult for him to cease to breathe a sufficient amount of the gas to put him under。 At least eight separate forms of ninjutsu discipline had as their bases the breath and autonomic system regulation that Tibetan Yogi practiced。 This extended to body temperature control as well。
The doctor yelped； skittering away as Nicholas careened into the oning sumo； the heels of his feet directed at Koten's knees not； as someone unfamiliar with a sumo's strength would have done； at his vast stomach。
Koten was incredibly quick and he almost regained the angle he needed to deflect Nicholas' strike。 But not quite。 As it was； he saved himself from a pair of broken joints； moving slightly into the line of attack and thus canceling a measure of its force。 He went down anyway。
Nicholas was aware of Protorov shouting orders； the doctor retreating past the fringes of the melee； two younger soldiers moving in。 He was certain that he could handle them all。 Yet some unbalanced equation stirred the periphery of his mind。 He was busy with Koten and most of his consciousness was taken up with constantly shifting stratagems against four enemies。
Four！
It was his last coherent thought before Russilov plunged the six…inch needle into the meaty part of his upper arm。 Too late； he lashed out。 Five black spots swirled before his eyes； he saw five of each individual； closing in on him； felt Koten's blow on the side of his head five times。
The five spots expanded into five black wells down which he plummeted。 From a long way off echoes came to him； words without meaning； questions without answers。 Then the powerful drug hit his cortex and he passed into unconsciousness。
〃Good work；〃 Protorov said to Russilov。 〃You see； Doctor；〃 he went on； 〃contrary to what your book may tell you； we are not dealing with an ordinary human being。 This man could reach out with one finger and destroy you。〃
The doctor said nothing； he was quietly shaking； thinking； 1 do not understand this at all。 He should have been unconscious long before this。 〃Perhaps he is faking yet again。〃
Protorov snorted。 〃I think not。 He has no power to counter injections into his bloodstream。〃
He nodded toward the wooden scaffolding set against part of the back wall。 〃All right； Koten；〃 he said softly。 〃String him up。〃
You must return to the source。。 。his source。 Masashigi Ku…sunoki's words rose up from her unconscious； penetrating the dialogue between Sato and Phoenix。 Akiko had played and replayed that section of tape as if this might give her some further insight； turning an artifact over and over again in a vain attempt to divine its secret。
She sat in Koten's room； her forehead against her drawn…up knees； her arms girdling her shins。 She was naked； and in the lamplight her skin gleamed as if oiled。 Shadows rilled her even as light revealed her。 Hidden and open； she was a physical paradigm of the riddle inside herself。
The people who sent him； who trained him represent a very great threat to Japan。 Masashigi…san's words。
Masashigi。 What had possessed her to go to the Gyokku ryu in the first place？ She did not know or could not recall。 She remembered the first moment she had seen Masashigi Kusunoki； though。 It was as if she had found a connection with her past… some past。 As she belonged with Saigo in her private life； so she
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seemed to belong with Masashigi in her martial one。 She had been married to Saigo for three weeks； gone from Kyoki's castle for six。
The Gyokku was where Masashigi…san had made his first stand for her。 Together they had left when the other sennin of the ryu rose up and dissented； they would not allow her…a woman…to stay。
Together they had gone to the Tenshin Shoden Katori in Yo…shino。
Why had he done this for her？ What was it that the sensei had seen in her？ What made her so special？ And how wrong he had been！ All his loyalty had brought him was death； death by the hands of the one he had defended。
Akiko remembered the smile that wreathed his face like lilies at the moment he passed from life into death。 Why？ Why would anyone smile at that instant？ Sadness had no place in Masashigi…san's life。 He was attuned to the universe； at peace with himself and the cosmos。 He could not have weled death。 He was； at least in Akiko's mind； somewhat of a holy man。 That was another reason why she had chosen him as her first victim。 If the masking of her wa that Kyoki had taught her would work with such a one； it would work on anyone。
There was something in the air…a