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ip。 Then： he felt the projection from Shidare's psyche； and a moment later their tanjian minds met in the space between them in a form of wary greeting invisible to all onlookers。 It had been several years since Nicholas had e across another true tanjian。 They were so rare that after Kansatsu； his tanjian mentor； had died； he had searched in vain for another skilled mind。 To find one here； now； in such an unexpected place； was both exhilarating and profoundly disturbing。
Nicholas saw Shidare's hand e up； the naginata extended between them。 He raised his own arm and carefully closed his fingers over the end of the weapon。 The naginata had once been used by itinerant priests who needed to defend themselves against bandits and other brigands。 Now the flow of tanjian energy surged through the forged steel as； centuries ago； the Buddhist ki … the life force … had empowered it。
Shidare bowed abruptly； deeply and formally。 〃Tomoo Kozo was a fool；〃 he said in a clipped fashion that left no room for interruption or contradiction。 〃You did us all a service by killing him。 I； for one； am in your debt。〃
Seiko's eyes； narrowed in confusion； moved from Shidare to Nicholas and back again。 Just a moment ago these men had been determined antagonists； and now they were motionless； the fierce tension of hand…to…hand bat all at once drained out of them。 Nicholas had opened his tanjian eye； of that she was certain。 But what had happened after that？ Wouldn't he have used his psychic energy to defeat Tachi？ But she sensed no victory here； no defeat； only two men moving toward one another。
Seiko touched Nicholas's arm briefly； as if in the young oyabun's presence she was abruptly shy。 〃Three times death has brushed you； Nicholas。 Four is an evil number。 In Chinese； it is synonymous with death。〃
Nicholas looked past Shidare to Seiko。 〃Can't we enlist your father's aid？〃
〃I'm afraid that's out of the question。〃 Shidare gestured。 〃Let's walk along the beach。〃
They strolled down the white sand toward the turquoise surf。 Salt and phosphorus were thick on the air； and Nicholas could see fishing boats far out on the water。
〃In case you're wondering； this is a part of Vung Tau； the Bay of Boats。〃 Shidare pointed。 〃We are about two hours by fast car southeast of Saigon。 This is quite a cosmopolitan part of Vietnam。 As far back as the fifteenth century； when Le Thanh Tong was busy dismantling the kingdom of the Champa； Portuguese merchant ships were plying their trade here。 For decades afterward； foreigners in Vietnam came here for R and R。〃 He pointed behind them to a tile and stucco villa。 〃My house was built in the 1930s。 Seiko's father arranged its reconstruction for me a year ago。〃
Wondering how much more there was to Seiko that he did not know； Nicholas said； 〃How well do you know her father？〃
Shidare gave a grunt。 〃No one knows him well。 I suppose that is his wish。 He is like one of the old kings here； or a statue of a king； so far removed from what we consider human existence that it is difficult even to find a way to connect with him。〃
Nicholas turned to Seiko。 〃Why won't he help us？〃
〃Because he and I are cut off from one another。〃 There was a look on Seiko's face that Nicholas had never before seen。 〃He has never been able to deal with my。。。 emancipation。 As far as he's concerned； I should have been married long ago； with two children and another on the way。 'Where is my grandson？' he would shout at me。 'You have destroyed my future！'〃
She turned her head away from Nicholas； into the breeze off the South China Sea； and sunlight spun off her hair。 〃That was some time ago； of course； when we were still speaking。 Now he's remarried； and his twenty…one…year…old wife has given him two fine sons； who； I am certain； he believes will be fruitful and multiply。 Thus will his future be salvaged。〃
〃He won't even speak to you？〃
Seiko shook her head。 〃He views the way I lead my life as a personal insult to him。 As far as he's concerned； he has no daughter；〃
Nicholas looked past her to where Tachi Shidare strode beside them。 Tachi shrugged； as if to say； 〃Yes； it's sad； but it's her karma。 What can one do？
〃After this third attempt on your life； Seiko asked for my help。〃 Tachi had the easy Western style of an increasing number of young Japanese。 This automatically made him more worldly but also； perhaps； less deeply dependent on the fundamental sensibilities that made his country unique。 Nicholas； seeing the future encapsulated in this man； wondered how beneficial the trade…off would be for the Japanese and for the rest of the world。
〃Good。 The way things are going I can use all the help I can get；〃 Nicholas said。 〃To begin； everything I've learned so far points to a place known as Floating City。〃
Tachi nodded。 〃I've heard of it； but like Seiko； I know of no one who has been there and survived。 Even the mountain tribes are terrified of it。 Trading is done through third…party intermediaries。〃
〃Like this woman Bay； who Chief Inspector Van Kiet shot to death。〃
〃Apparently。〃
〃I think we should talk to Van Kiet。〃 Nicholas felt the creaming surf rush over his bare feet and ankles； its soft coolness refreshing him。 〃Seiko； you have influence with him。 Could you set up a meeting？〃
〃I could try； but Van Kiet despises me … I have no doubt because I am a woman doing what he considers a man's job。〃
〃Far better to let me contact him；〃 Tachi said with a smile。 〃He'll be willing to speak to you when I get through with him。〃
It happened in the middle of the night when not even the rubber…booted fishmongers at Tsukiji market were up and about。 Frankly； Naohiro Ushiba had sunk so deeply into the cynicism that was a byproduct of his disease he had ceased to believe that the police were capable of such an audacious gambit。
Ushiba had known Yoshinori for most of his adult life。 Dubbed the 〃minister's sword；〃 Yoshinori had had a say in the making … and； in several cases； the breaking … of the last eight prime ministers。
That he had apparently been under investigation for some time and had now been arrested said a great deal about how Japan was changing； and how even the most powerful figure of the leading Liberal Democratic Party was not beyond the clutches of the Tokyo prosecutors。
Ushiba had responded to a call from Tanaka Gin； the Tokyo prosecutor with whom he had been working on cleaning up the scandal…ridden investment and business sectors。
〃We have detained Yoshinori；〃 Tanaka Gin said in his customary laconic style。
Ushiba's heart raced。 This would send enormous shock waves throughout the LDP and； indeed； all of Japanese politics。 〃On what charges？〃
〃Tax evasion； donations to secret political accounts he controlled； payments to businesses suspected of being owned by the Yakuza； possibly in exchange for services rendered or favors granted。〃
Ushiba was so stunned he could think of nothing to say。 His shock was not in the revelations but in that Yoshinori had been caught in these transactions。
〃I may be out of line telling you； but this is the real thing；〃 Tanaka Gin continued。 〃We have Yoshinori with ironclad evidence。 You know what that means： an ever…widening investigation。 I ca