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base there。 He's a fighter pilot and is scheduled to go up on one of the first test runs of those new F…20s we've just imported。 I think Greydon feels there's some danger。〃
〃He's quite right；〃 Nicholas said。 〃Stationed at Misawa puts those supersonic jets just 375 air miles from the Soviet Union's Pacific coast and Vladivostok。〃
Tomkin shrugged his shoulders。 〃So？ What harm can they possibly do？〃
〃Those F…20s have nuclear capacity；〃 Nicholas said。 〃And the Russians're worried as hell about them。 Which is why we've seen an increased Soviet military buildup in the Kuriles over the past year of an alarming size。〃
〃The Kuriles？〃
〃The Kurile Islands。 They're the chain just to the north of Hokkaido； Japan's most northerly island…the one where the winter Olympics were held in 1976。 In effect； they connect the southeast of Russia to Japan in a series of stepping…stones。
〃The Kuriles had been Japanese territory until they were seized… the Japanese say illegally…in 1945 at the close of the war。 Quite naturally； they want them back。〃
Nicholas got up from the bed。 〃Recent reports tell us that there are over forty thousand Russian troops currently stationed in the Kuriles。 Quite recently they sent in a squadron of twelve supersonic MIG…21 fighter…bombers to replace the subsonic MIG…17s； which they obviously felt were overmatched by the F…20s。 They've got an air base on Etorufu； or； as they call it； Iturup。〃
〃You sure seem to know a lot about this。〃
〃It concerns Japan； Tomkin；〃 Nicholas said evenly。 〃So it concerns me。 The situation's serious； Grey don's got every right to be anxious。 I hope you gave him the weekend off。 We've only got the wedding tomorrow and negotiations won't resume until Monday。〃
〃He's booking his flight now；〃 Tomkin said archly。 〃That meet with your approval？〃
〃If Greydon's son doesn't make it back from that flight； you'll be happy you let him see the kid。〃
There was silence for a time。 The phone rang again but neither of them made a move to answer it。 In a moment it stopped； and the tiny red light on the base began to wink on and off。
〃I told you before；〃 Tomkin said at last； 〃that my old man was a real sonuvabitch。 I can't tell you how much I hated him sometimes。〃 He put his palms together as if he were praying。 〃But I loved him； too； Nick。 No matter what he did to me or my mother。 He was my father。。。。 Do you understand？〃 It was a rhetorical question； and Nicholas remained silent。
Tomkin sighed。 〃I guess in some ways I turned out just like him。 Years ago I could not have believed such a thing possible。 But the passing time。。。〃 His voice fell off。 〃Time has 3 way of molding people to its own ends。 You remember Chris…I know Justine must've told you about him。 He was the last of her boyfriends before she met you。 He was the biggest bastard of the lot。 He was sexy as hell。 He seduced her； made her move to San Francisco。 She was using her real name； Tomkin； then。 She got a monthly stipend from me。 It was very generous and she took it all。 It…〃 His eyes slid away for a moment； searching； perhaps； for a place to hide。 He took a deep； shuddering breath。 〃It made me feel better that she took it all。 It assuaged my guilt for all the years I'd accepted her presence； her demands on my time； only when it suited me。
〃They were fucking like bunnies out there； the relationship was all sex。 Or so I thought。 Justine wanted more money； then more still。 Finally； I hired a team of detectives to find out just what the hell was going on。 Two weeks later I took the corporate jet and flew out。 I presented my darling daughter with all the evidence。 I packed her up and took her home that afternoon before Chris got back。〃
Tomkin seemed to be having difficulty breathing as the emotions surged within him。 〃The shit was using my money…〃 He stopped abruptly； his eyes wide and feverish。 〃Justine's money； to finance an ongoing cocaine deal。 He was a user himself； and besides。。。 He was unfaithful to her every day of their relationship。〃 He made a disgusted sound。
〃She hates me for interfering； though。 That's a helluva laugh； isn't it？ He was slowly killing her with his infidelities and his craziness。 He'd beat her and…〃 His throat seized up on him。 He ran a hand through his damp hair。 〃But at least she has you now； Nicky。 That's the most important thing。〃
For all this time Tomkin had not taken his eyes off Nicholas。 He was a shrewd man with an acute； analytical mind。 His intolerance of foreign custom and his lack of patience in no way negated that fact。
〃Now it's your turn。 You're dragging your feet about something。〃 His voice was quiet with more strength in it than had been apparent for several days。 He sounded almost like a father。 〃I think you'd better tell me what it is because I have a funny feeling in my gut it has to do with that Wo Ching or whatever you call it。〃
〃Tomkin…〃
〃Nick； you've got a duty to me。 You've gotta tell me what you know。 All of it。〃
Nicholas sighed。 〃I had hoped not to tell you。〃
〃Why； for Christ's sake？ I've got a right to know if I'm putting my neck on the chopping block。〃
Nicholas nodded。 〃Yes。 You do。〃 He looked directly at Tomkin。 〃But the simple truth is I've got nothing definite； no cold facts and figures like the Soviet buildup in the Kuriles。 Here； as happens often in Japan； there is nothing but legend。〃
〃Legend？〃 Tomkin laughed uneasily。 〃What is this； the start of a vampire movie？〃 He cocked an ear。 〃Jesus； I hear the wolves howling； Nick。 It must be a full moon tonight。 We'd better stay indoors and hang up all the garlic。〃
〃Stop it；〃 Nicholas said shortly。 〃This is precisely why I'd hoped not to tell you。〃
Tomkin proffered an upraised palm。 〃All right。〃 He crossed back to the bed； sat down。 〃I promise to be a good boy and listen。〃
Nicholas stared at him for a moment before beginning。 〃At the Tenshin Shoden Katori ryu where I received my ninjutsu training； where the Wu…Shing was taught； this legend was told。。。 and believed。
〃In the old days when only the Ainu inhabited the Nippon Islands and true civilization had not yet spread southeast from China； ninjutsu was in its infancy on the Asian continent。 It was still too early in the discipline's life for there to have been sensei… true masters…or even； as there are now； jonin…ryu patriarchs… simply because the differentiated schools of ninjutsu were barely formed。
〃There was much more ritual then； more superstition。 The thinking'among what sennin…adepts…existed was rigid and unyielding； principally because the forces they were working with were still so newly strange and deadly potent。 Thus any deviation was summarily condemned wholesale。〃
Nicholas paused here to pour himself a glass of water。 He drank half of it and continued。 〃As the legend goes； there was one sennin more powerful than the rest。 His name was Hsing； which has many meanings in kanji。 His meant 'shape。'
〃It is said that Hsing walked only in the darkness； that it was his only lover。 His devotion to his craft caused him to be celibate。 And； also unlike his patriots； he took only one pupil； a strange wild…haired boy from the steppes far to the north where the Mongols dominated。
〃This student of Hsing's； it