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。 He could not do such a thing。 His cousin； Saigo； had known just that about Nicholas and； using it； had caused the death of Nicholas' friends。 For mad Saigo had no such punctions concerning murder。 He had learned how to destroy life through Kan…aku na ninjutsu and； later； through the feared Kobudera。 But somewhere along the line the forces he was attempting to tame had taken him over； using him for their own evil designs。 Saigo had possessed the power only to bee possessed by it。 In the end he had been too weak of spirit and it had driven him mad。
Nicholas took a deep breath and shook his head to clear his mind of the past。 Saigo was a year dead。
But he was back in Japan and so the past had begun to crowd in on him like a host of kami chittering in his ear； all clamoring for attention at once。 So many memories； so many sensations。 Cheong； the Colonel； Itami； his aunt； whom he knew he must eventually see。 And always Yukio； sad doomed Yukio。 Beautiful Yukio stunning his adolescent mind when they had first met at the keiretsu party。 The first contact between them had been electric with sexual promise。 Her warm； firm thigh between his legs as they danced through the chandeliered room； staring into each other's eyes； oblivious of the glare the young Saigo leveled at them from his place at his father's side。
Though she be dead at Saigo's hands； still her kami continued to haunt him。 Though he loved Justine with all his heart； still his spirit danced that first dance with Yukio in a kind of private glowing world where death held no dominion。 The mind was an awesomely powerful instrument and if the dead could ever be said to have been resurrected； Nicholas had brought Yukio back from her watery grave with the power of his memories。
And now his feet were back on his native soil for the first time in over ten years。 It seemed like centuries。 Closer to Yukio now； to all that had happened to him。 Dance； Yukio； I'm holding you tight and as long as I do nothing can e between us； nothing can harm you anymore。
〃Good afternoon； gentlemen。〃 A young Japanese woman stood； bowing； before them。 〃Sato Petrochemicals weles you to Japan。〃 Just behind her and to the left was a young Japanese male in a dark business suit and wraparound sunglasses。 He reached out and took their bag claim checks。 They had just cleared Customs and Immigration。 〃Junior will take care of your luggage。〃 Her smile was sweet。 〃Won't you follow me； please？〃
Nicholas hid his surprise at being met by a woman。 Of course he would not tell Tomkin this but it did not bode well for their ing negotiations。 He might find this creature charming and Tomkin might not care either way； but to any Japanese this would constitute a serious insult。 The more important the emissary of the pany who met you； the higher your status in the eyes of that pany。 In Japan； women were very far down the executive ladder indeed。
She took them through the congested heart of Narita； past scurrying tour groups； their leaders brandishing stiff calligraphied banners to rally them just as generals on the ancient battlefields of Japan had once done with their troops。 Past regimented school…children； uniformed and gaping at all the incredibly tall gaijin stumbling bewilderedly by them。 Around old couples with brown paper shopping bags； sidestepping one brilliantly colored bridal party being seen off on their honeymoon。
Tomkin was huffing by the time the young woman brought them out into the vapid sunshine and across to the waiting limousine。
She paused as she held the back door open for them。 〃I am Miss Yoshida； Mr。 Sato's administrative assistant；〃 she said。 〃Please forgive the discourtesy of my not introducing myself earlier but I felt it prudent to remove all of us from that tumult most expeditiously。〃
Nicholas smiled inwardly at the endearing awkwardness of her English。 He watched her as she bowed again； returning her gesture automatically； murmuring； 〃There was no discourtesy； Miss Yoshida。 Both Mr。 Tomkin and I appreciate your thoughtfulness；〃 in idiomatic Japanese。
If she was at all startled by his use of her language she gave no outward sign of it。 Her eyes were like glass； set in her oval； seamless face。 In any other country she might have made millions putting that countenance on display before the camera。 But not here。 Sato Petrochemicals was her second family； and she owed it all the loyalty she devoted to her blood family； Nicholas knew。 What it asked of her she performed flawlessly and without question。 This； too； was tradition handed down from the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate。
〃Won't you please take advantage of the car's forts？〃
〃Jesus； I could use some real fort；〃 Tomkin growled as he ducked his head and entered the black gleaming limo。 〃That trip's a ball breaker。〃
Nicholas laughed； pretending it was a mysterious gaijin jest； relieving Miss Yoshida of her embarrassment。 She laughed lightly in concert with him； her voice musical。 She wore a rather severely cut business suit of raw silk； its forest green contrasting nicely with the toffee…colored blouse with its deep maroon string tie at the tiny rounded collar。 On one lapel she wore a discreet gold and lacquer pin emblazoned with the feudal design of Sato Petrochemicals。 On the lobes of her ears were gleaming emerald studs。
〃It must feel good to be home again； Linnear…san；〃 she said； pronouncing it 〃Rinnearu。〃
It would not have been good manners for Nicholas to have acknowledged her oblique reference： she had cleverly told him that she had been briefed on his background without ever having said it outright。
He smiled。 〃The years have melted away；〃 he said。 〃Now that I am back it seems only moments since I left。〃
Miss Yoshida turned her beautiful face away from him。 Junior was emerging from the terminal； loaded down with their luggage。 Her eyes returned to his and her voice lowered； became less formal for an instant。 〃There will be a car for your use；〃 she said； 〃should you desire to light joss sticks。〃
Nicholas struggled to hide his surprise。 He now knew the extent of the briefing Miss Yoshida had been given on him。 Not only had she said that Sato would provide transportation for him if he chose to visit his parents' graves but also that he would want to light joss sticks on his mother's stone。 It was not widely known that Cheong had been at least half Chinese； 〃joss stick〃 was a peculiarly Chinese term； though the Japanese； being also Buddhist； lit incense at the graves of family and friends。
Miss Yoshida's eyes lowered。 〃I know I have no right to offer； but if it will be easier for you to be acpanied on such a journey I would make myself available。〃
〃That is terribly kind；〃 Nicholas said； watching Junior approach out of the corner of his eye； 〃but I could not ask such an enormous inconvenience of you。〃
〃It is no bother；〃 she said。 〃I have a husband and a child buried not far away。 I would go in any case。〃
Her eyes met his but he could not say whether she was telling the truth or simply employing a Japanese lie in order to make him feel more fortable with her offer。 In either case he determined he would take her up on it when a lull in the negotiations permitted it。
〃I would be ho