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I was out collecting wild mushrooms when I…eh…？〃
She had taken a quick step toward him； raising the level of the lantern so that its pact glow spread upward across her face。
With a quick painful lurch of his heart he recognized her。 It was Suijin； the female student from the dojo。 What was she doing here？ he wondered even as his small blade snickered out into his right palm。
But the lantern was already falling； Suijin's now free hand gripping the bottom of the janomegasa's lacquered bamboo haft； pulling it down and away from the spread top in a blurry glitter。
His eyes only had time enough to register the transformation from harmless bamboo to thousand…layered steel edge before the foot…long blade pierced his chest and； slashing downward； rent his heart in two。
Suijin watched only his face as ponent by ponent it fell apart and his hot； pumping blood spilled。 His eyes showed bewilderment； rage； shame； then they crossed and all human emotion was wiped from the slate of his face。 Like the small and defenseless warrior she had as a child once made out of mud； twigs； and lichen； he flopped this way and that； without coordination； without the divine spark。 Now； as then； she placed the flat of her hand across the tautness of her lower belly； wondering what magic lay within her womb； the anvil of creation。
Now there was only a twisted mass at her feet； a waxy parody of what had once been alive。 She stuck the point of the blade into the wet earth to free her hands as well as to clean the gleaming surface； black with blood。
Raindrops pattered all about her as she dropped down。 Her nostrils dilated as she caught the freshening scent of the wood； the spoor of animal life。 The rain fell heavier； turning the traitor's cheeks to putty。
She had suspected that there might be another one； even at the moment of Tsutsumu's death。 Strictly speaking； it should have been none of her business at that point。 Her mastery over her sensei； Masashigi Kusunoki； had been her graduation from the dojo； and if experience had taught her anything； it was never to look back。 Acplishments were strictly the province of the present。 Those who sat back to gloat over their achievements often died with those thoughts。
And yet despite this knowledge； she had returned。 Studying the contents of the traitor's pockets and experiencing again the feeling of outrage that had fired through her breast when she had observed him this morning rifling the sensei's most closely guarded secrets； she knew that somehow Kusunoki had been different。 He had gotten to her in some way she was at a loss to explain。 She felt keenly his loss； and all at once in the midst of this vast mountainous forest he had loved so dearly； with only the gusting wind and the swirling rain for panions； she was weeping silent tears； her chest constricted and her heart full of an unnameable anguish； a burden abruptly too terrible to bear。
When the spasm subsided…for that was how she thought of it the next day…she pleted her meticulous search of the corpse。 She found the sheaf of papers half stuck to the traitor's hip and she had to be extremely careful in peeling the top sheet away from the damp skin。
Quickly now； protecting the papers from the wet； she refolded them； put them away in a dry place within her kimono。 Kusunoki's violation had bee her own。 She did not look at the papers； she had no interest in them。 They were the property of her sensei； and whether he was dead or alive their place was still where he had put them。
She stood and pulled her blade from the earth。 It was clean and shining again。 She reattached it to the top of the janomegasa and with it disappeared into the wood above to change into her student's gi for the last time。 The glowing lights of the dojo beckoned her； or was it Kusunoki's kamil She did not know。 The papers were safe with her； and soon they would be back in their rightful place。
Justine had a surprise waiting for her at Millar； Soames & Robberts when she returned there the morning after the funeral。 Mary Kate Sims was no longer in her large corner office。 In fact； Mary Kate Sims was no longer a vice president at the advertising firm。
She was about to go and see Rick Millar to get an explanation… neither Min nor anyone else she knew at all seemed to be around… when he strode into her bare office。
〃I'd heard you just came in；〃 he said； a concerned look on his face。 〃I thought I told you to take a couple of days off。 There's no need for you to…〃
〃Work's the best tonic for me right now；〃 she cut in。 〃I hate hanging around the house staring at shadows。 I'm always afraid I'll turn into a cat。〃
Rick nodded his head deferentially。 〃Okay。 It's just as well you're here anyway。 I've got something to show you。〃 He began to propel her out the door。
〃Just a minute；〃 she began； 〃there's something…〃
〃Later；〃 he said； taking her down the hall toward the elevators。 〃This's more important。〃
A floor above； he led the way around a turning。 〃Here it is。 What d'you think？〃
Oh； holy Jesus； Justine thought。 It can't be。 〃What the hell is my name doing on Mary Kate's door？〃
〃Your office now； Justine。 That spare office downstairs was just temporary。 Surely you knew that。〃
She turned on him； flaring。 〃Temporary until you got rid of Mary Kate。〃
〃Absolutely not。 She left of her own accord。 She tendered her resignation at closing yesterday。〃
〃I don't believe you；〃 Justine said hotly。 〃If she were thinking of leaving she'd've told me。 We're friends； remember？〃
〃Let's go into the office； shall we？〃 Rick prompted。 He closed the door after them。
〃You'll damn well tell me the truth or I'll walk out of here right now！〃 Justine shouted。 On top of what had happened to her father； what had happened with Nicholas； this was just too much to take。 It was all piling up like the weight of the world。 Her head was spinning and she found herself holding onto the edge of the knurled wooden desk with white knuckles。
〃The truth is Mary Kate wasn't； er； well； working out。 She had gotten into a number of scraps with the senior executives。 I had spoken to her； of course。。。 more than once。 But〃…he shrugged…〃Well； you know Mary Kate。〃
〃I know she wouldn't take too much of your bullshit； Rick。〃 Justine shook her head。 〃I don't believe this。 What you're telling me is that you had every intention of firing her when we had lunch together。 You were interviewing me for her job！〃
Rick shrugged again。 〃It happens all the time； Justine。 And； anyway； what're you so steamed about？ The better girl won。 You can run rings around Mary Kate。 You should be…〃
〃What a bastard you are to do that to me！〃 She stepped up to him and slapped him across the face。 〃To us！〃 She gathered up her things。 〃You'd better find someone else to do this kind of shit； because it's not going to be me！〃
〃Nice touch；〃 Rick said； smiling。 〃If you're angling for more money； I'll go along with it。 I'll have to twist some arms but there won't be any…〃
〃Are you out of your mind？〃 Justine backed away from him； heading toward the door。 〃I don't want one dollar from your firm。 Get the hell out of my life！〃
Downstairs on the milling sidewalk； she realized that she had nowhere to go。 Sh