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he insisted。 She could feel anew the chill of the stone flooring against her slightly parted lips… there were no tatami in the ancient castle。
Often； in the afternoon； between studies； she would peer through the heavy latticework of greenery beyond the slit windows carved into the thick stone walls on the off chance that she would catch a glimpse of the player。 He was a komuso； a follower of the Fuke sect of Buddhism。 He would have a straw basket upturned over his head； garbed in a simple striped robe； wooden geta on his feet。 A musician of such consummate skill that often she would find herself weeping for no discernable reason other than the tender cruelty of the notes； dropping one by one through the atmosphere like dissolving snowflakes。
Clever girl that she was； she never allowed Kyoki to see her tears。 Had he suspected her of weeping he would surely have punished her。 That was Kyoki's way： the battle mander。
High on the castle's ramparts flapped the sashimono…the ancient battle standard…that he had fashioned。 As tradition dictated ' it was dominated by the mander's seal； in this case a depiction of a stylized mempo…a battle mask of hinged steel。 They came in many styles and shapes。 Kyoki's was the most feared； the akuryo： an evil demon's visage on a black field。
During the day； Kyoki always positioned Akiko so that the sashimono was in her line of vision。 She was never free from it； for at night she could hear the heavy snap of the cloth in the wind even in her sleep。
And terror rode on her back for so long that she secretly suspected that Kyoki had stolen into her chamber while she slumbered； sectioned out her heart； and； with the dust of some arcane spell； had replaced it with an organ of crystal into which he could peer whenever it pleased him。
Akiko's eyes snapped open and she looked downward at the cup she held tightly in both hands。 Tears had stirred the dregs of the leaves； whorling them into new patterns。
She blinked heavily and exhaled a long stream of carbon dioxide she had been unconsciously holding in her lungs。 Beyond the opened fusuma； beyond the pebble garden where the spreading pine swayed in a gathering wind； she could see the gray wall past which lay the lushly wooded slopes and mist…filled valleys of Yoshino。
* * *
Alix was moving away from him。 Her green eyes were opened wide so that he could see the whites all around。 Her hands were up in front of her in a defensive gesture； and when the backs of her legs hit the gunwale she was so startled he thought she was going to tumble over backward into the ocean。
He made a lunge toward her and she screamed； twisting away from him； slipping on the deck in the process； skinning her knee。
〃Get away from me！〃 she cried。 There was a tinge of hysteria in her voice。 〃Who in the name of Christ are you？〃
〃I already told you。〃 There was a weariness to his voice he did not bother to hide。 〃Lewis Croaker； NYPD。〃 He sat on the opposite gunwale； his stomach quietening。
〃You threw up all over my boat。〃 And then as if it were an afterthought； 〃You killed a man。〃
He looked at her as if she were crazy。 〃He would have killed me first if I'd given him the chance。〃 He pointed at a spot on the deck somewhere between them。 The Red Monster's pistol lay there like a gleaming fish。 〃He wanted to blow my brains out。〃
〃The smell's terrible；〃 she said； turning away。
〃Death's like that；〃 Croaker said archly； but he reached for the bailing bucket and washed his vomit down the scuppers with sea water。 Then he picked up the 。357 Magnum and studied it。 There were no markings and the serial number had been filed off。 It was virgin and therefore untraceable。
She began to shiver now； her arms crossed over her breasts； her fingers clutching her shoulders with such force they turned white。 Her lips were working as if she might be praying。
He dropped his mask and flippers on deck； got out of his gear； resting the heavy air tank against the railing。 〃What are you going to do now that you're free？〃 he said softly。
Alix was still shivering。 〃What…〃 She seemed to choke on her words and； swallowing hard； had to begin again。 〃What are you going to do with him？〃 She inclined her head but did not look at the corpse。
〃He's going down with the boat。〃 And when she gave him a sharp look； he nodded。 〃The boat's a write…off now； there's no other way。〃
〃There's still the other one。〃 Her voice was very small。
Croaker knew she was talking about the Blue Monster。 〃The sinking'll throw him off long enough for you to get out of the state。〃
It was obvious that she had been listening closely because she turned around now and looked him full in the face。
〃You said 'me' not 'we。'〃 He nodded。 〃How e？〃
〃You've already been in prison long enough。 I'm not going to extend your stay。〃
〃But you want something from me； that's simple enough to figure out。 It's why I'm here with。。。 them。 It's why you came after me。〃 Her eyes watched his face。
Croaker looked away。 〃You know who these two are？〃 She shook her head silently。 〃Where they're from？〃 She shook her head。 〃Who's protecting you？〃
〃No。〃
〃But you do know what it is you're not supposed to divulge。〃 There was that acid tone again。 He grunted when he got no response； and went through the boat very methodically。 When he came back on deck； she had not moved。
He pointed to the Red Monster。 〃This guy's got no name； no ID； no nothing。 He's as clean as a pig in shit。〃 He looked at her for any kind of reaction。 Then； reaching down for one of the Red Monster's hands； said； 〃Except for this。〃
Alix gave a little scream as he peeled what looked like an oval of skin from the man's fingertip。 He repeated this process nine more times then held the small pile in his palm。
〃Know what these are； Alix？〃 She shook her head wildly。 〃They're Idiots。 Idiots are print changers。 Very sophisticated stuff。 I mean your average hood on the street's light…years away from this kind of equipment。〃 He did not show it but his stomach had contracted painfully when his keen eye had spotted the one Idiot beginning to flake off。 At first he could not believe it； but now he was ing to understand that that was because he had not wanted to believe it。
Entering into a red sector with preconceived notions was just about the worst of the cardinal sins a detective could mit。 And Croaker had to admit that that was what he had done from the outset。 His mind had been so set on Tomkin being the villain that no other possibility had entered his mind。
But now with the evidence of the Idiots； the lack of other ID； added to the methodology these two jailers had been using； Croaker saw another possibility forming and he did not like the look of it at all。
〃They're disgusting；〃 Alix said。 〃Take them away； they look like slugs。〃
He folded the Idiots away； came across the deck toward her。 〃Alix； who the hell are these guys？〃
〃I…I don't know。 I'm not…〃 She turned her head。 〃I'm confused。 I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore。〃
He saw the fear and shock in her eyes and he decided not to pursue it at once。 It wasn't doing her much good to be so close to the stiff。 He weighed anchor； started up the engine； and s