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A second short stick appeared from somewhere and he slammed it down hard on Nicholas' shoulder。 Nicholas gave up the yonkyo but instead of moving into a second immobilization as Kenzo suspected he would； he employed an atemi…a percussive…moving out of the aikido discipline as the sensei already had。
The stiffened fingertips jammed themselves into the space just below Kenzo's collarbone； digging for the nerve juncture there。 The sensei's head jerked spastically up and away and Nicholas bore down。
But now the short stick was between their straining bodies； hammering against Nicholas' rib cage。 Nicholas moved in even closer； aware that Kenzo was attempting to swing the stick in a short arc in order to assault the muscles directly over the heart。 This he must not allow。
He tried two quick dorsal kites before switching back to immobilizations。 Nothing worked； and slowly the wooden stick began to arc its way closer to the left side of his chest。 Power was slipping away from him and he felt his centrism now as a separate entity； far away and almost useless。
He cursed himself； knowing that he would lose。 Loss of sleep； the time imbalance had conspired to sap his concentration。 What reserves he still possessed were being rapidly depleted by the repeated tambo attacks。 Blood was singing in his ears； bringing with it the first telltale signs of disorientation。 Physical coordination would soon follow； he knew； unless he did something to forestall it。
And then a lesson in kendo leapt into his mind and； remembering Musashi's Red Leaves Cut； he set his spirit toward gaining control of Kenzo's stick。
Instead of defending himself； he broke his hands pletely free and rushed toward the tambo attacks。 In a blur he grasped the slippery cylinder； twisting it down and to the left； breaking the set of the sensei's wrist as he did so； disrupting the energy flow long enough to deliver a vicious liver kite。
Kenzo rocked back on his knees； swaying； and Nicholas followed through only to e up against the stone wall of the sensei's calloused fist。 Pain flamed through him and he gritted his teeth； pulling inward and down； digging the heel of his hand into Kenzo's shoulder； using the other's momentum to rock him off his haunches。
The moment the sensei's shoulder touched the tatami； Nicholas broke off。 His torso was bathed in sweat； his heart pounded； and with each breath he took； pain etched itself through his tissues。
He thought about how close he had e to defeat。
Ichiro Kagami was in a surly mood。 He was a man of unusually calm and controlled disposition； a virtue that had awarded him with the vice presidency of finance for Sato Petrochemicals。
But today he had been unable to concentrate on any of the fine points being hammered out between this kobun and the American microchip pany。 He was enormously grateful when Sato…san had given the attending executives the signal to leave the proceedings before his lack of concentration became a liability。
After almost an hour of staring out the window at the misty rain forming in odd prismatic patterns against the windows behind him； he had had enough。 He swiveled around； his fingertip stabbing at the inter。 He told his secretary to cancel all his uping appointments for the rest of the day。 He told her where he could be found if an unforeseen emergency required Sato to get in touch with him。
Then he got up。 Tokyo looked bleak and steel gray； all the gaiety of hanami that prevailed throughout the city for the past several days dissipated by the weather。 But the cherry blossom viewing had provided no happiness for Kagami this year。
His face was a bleak mask as he walked out of his office。 The soft lights； the beautiful ukiyo…e prints did not soothe his mind。 He came to the iron…clad door and pushed through。 Inside； in the locker room； he began to disrobe。
Everything would be fine； Kagami told himself； were it not for his brother； Toshiro。 Brother…in…law； really； if the truth be told； he thought sourly。 But Kagami's wife was hera…mochi； currently enjoying meting out the ordeals she had had to endure from Kagami's mother。 She held the pursestrings。 Several notches too tightly； he thought； as he padded naked along the wooden slats； into the baths。
While a young woman； her bland； flat face beaded in sweat from the heat and the exertion； cleansed him； Kagami thought about his wife。 It was not that she begrudged him his geisha。 Did not the monthly bills e to her and did she not pay them without a word of protest precisely on the fifteenth of every month？ She did all that a wife should。 And yet the manner in which she doled out tiny portions of the salary； the oseibo and ochugen…the year…end and midyear gifts from those in his department currying favor and promotion…left a bad taste in his mouth and； more often than not； sent him scurrying to Anmitsu； where all his favorite women resided。
Yet it was Toshiro even more than his wife who got under his skin； Kagami reflected as he transferred to the second bath。
Alone； Kagami inhaled the steam rising off the surface of the water。 It was so hot that when he moved his limbs； even a little； they began to burn。
Toshiro was a farmer and； as such； he was far wealthier than Kagami himself was。 Of course he did not have the plethora of benefits that Sato Petrochemicals provided its family of employees。 But still。 At year's end Toshiro's bank account swelled to unnatural proportions。 And it irked Kagami no end that； at least in part； he was subsidizing his brother…in…law。
Kagami thought of the idiocy of it。 Japan was no more than 30 percent rural and dropping fast。 Yet the farmers still held as much political power as they did just after World War II when the country was 70 percent rural。 That was because there had been no electoral redistribution and the Liberal Democratic Party； which had held power almost constantly since then； did all they could to keep the farm vote loyal。 That meant subsidizing the inefficient farmers。
Kagami had read in Time magazine that the average American farm was 450 acres。 By parison； the average Japanese farm was 2。9 acres。 How was that for efficiency？ Kagami had to snort in derision。
And as if that weren't enough； there was the rice problem。 Japanese farmers produced much more per year than the country could possibly consume。 Since this short…grained variety was not favored worldwide and because to export it would require a second subsidy to bring down the price that the first government subsidy raised； the excess went totally to waste。
Kagami knew that the government spent over twenty billion dollars per year on such subsidies。 Much of that money came from selling imported wheat to Japanese millers at exorbitant prices。 But even that wasn't enough。 Tax money as well was used； shortchanging housing and much…needed roadwork throughout the country。
And now； the greatest insult of all was that Toshiro had e； hat in hand； for a loan of money。 Kagami knew that Toshiro was a profligate。 He spent whatever he made and more。 It was often said that the Japanese were good savers。 One could certainly not judge that by Toshiro's behavior。 Women…he was a widower… and gambling had bee his passions。 He ha