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he could never quite keep up with the Colonel's mind。 If he had chosen to play chess； Okami had no doubt he would have been champion grandmaster。 His thoughts unspooled so many jumps ahead； they often made Okami dizzy。 Okami had learned more from this one man than he had from all his teachers； tutors； and sensei。 The Colonel had an organic grasp of life in all its infinite varieties that bordered on the simple； ultimate truths of Shinto。
The man was stark； sometimes almost dour。 There were bouts of levity； to be sure； but to Okami they seemed as carefully measured as the rationed food of a prisoner。 It was as if the Colonel felt the entire weight of the new world upon his shoulders； a new world； Okami knew； it was his one burning desire to create。 For； above all else； Colonel Linnear was an architect of dreams。 His vision of what Japan would someday bee filled Okami's mind like the patterns of a kaleidoscope； and in those shifting designs Okami could see his empire expanding outward like waves in the Pacific； farther and farther until they enpassed the entire ocean。
Okami dipped into his paper bag； shoved a handful of soybean sweets into his mouth； letting them dissolve slowly。 Better the sugar hit than the overindulgence of alcohol； which； the Colonel had pointed out； was slowly killing him。 〃Shall I give Kaeda the word tonight？〃
〃Wait；〃 the Colonel said unexpectedly。 〃I want to have a word with Katsuodo Kozo first。〃
〃What for？〃
〃I want to be certain that Kozo needs us and not merely a new tailor； that termination is our only viable option。〃
Okami shoved more sweets into his mouth。 〃Perhaps it's just as well。 Katsuodo despises all Westerners。 He'll be condemned by his own mouth。〃
The Colonel presented himself at the home of Katsuodo Kozo the following afternoon。 It was an impressive…looking walled pound on the outskirts of the city that sheltered four buildings； the main structure for Katsuodo and his family； the others for his bodyguards； advisers； and the families of his two sisters。
The oyabun kept the Colonel waiting alone and without food or drink in a dark anteroom for almost an hour； an unforgivable breach of propriety。 Except that the Colonel wasn't Japanese； as a barbarian he warranted none of the courtesies that were prerequisites for civilized men。
The Colonel did not mind； he was used to being treated this way by Japanese who did not know him or； perhaps； knew him too well。 He used the time to peer out of the anteroom's windows at the pound； taking the measure of it and； by extension； of Katsuodo and the Yamauchi clan he headed。
The Yamauchi had been a thorn in his side for some time。 Like the industrial zaibatsu of Japan's prewar society； the Yamauchi had been on an expansionist course for almost all their history。 Their oyabun seemed spun from the same cloth。 They were arrogant men； confident in their course； secure in their power； and greedy for more of everything。 They encouraged in their clan an extreme isolation that engendered in the already disenfranchised Yakuza a feeling of seeming invulnerability。 If one did not belong to society； then its laws had no dominion。
〃Searching for breaches in my defenses？〃
The Colonel turned to contemplate Katsuodo Kozo； He had a face like a skull with the skin drawn tightly over occipital and malar ridges。 His eyes were those of a man long in high fever； unnaturally bright with paranoid conjecture。
〃Spoken like a true daimyo；〃 the Colonel said with a hint of amusement。 It was clearly the wrong tack to take with Katsuodo； though he doubted there was a tack that would be right。
〃I am no feudal samurai lord；〃 Katsuodo said with a ramrod…straight back maintained by smoldering indignation。 〃I have none of the perquisites of caste that a samurai had by matter of birthright。 Whatever status I possess I forged in the furnace of my own Will。〃 He removed his slippers； shoved his feet into street shoes that had to be worn on the cool stone floor of the anteroom because it was not yet a true part of the house and； as such； was unclean。 〃Not that my position means much of anything to the world at large。 What prominence I may have stolen is like a unique work of art： I cannot display it beyond a small circle of like…minded individuals。〃
〃What did you expect？ You're a criminal。〃
A small smile crept across Katsuodo's skull…like visage。 〃Correct me if I have it wrong； but aren't some of your closest acquaintances criminals？〃
〃My job requires me to liaise with every level of Japanese society。〃
Katsuodo nodded。 〃Still； it appears as if you've developed an undeniable fondness for what you have termed the criminal class。〃
It was clear； at this point； that Katsuodo was not going to invite the Colonel into his house proper； but meant to keep him marooned in this no…man's…land room that served as a kind of bridge between the world outside and Katsuodo's private domain。
〃You don't care for the work I do with Okami…san。〃
Katsuodo laughed； baring yellow teeth。 〃Is that what you call the vile mischief you and Okami are up to？ It's a disgrace； Yakuza working with the Occupation forces。 My stomach heaves just to have you this close to me。 I ask you now to leave before violence occurs。〃
〃There will be no violence；〃 the Colonel said in as even a tone as he could muster。
〃Good。〃 Katsuodo turned his back on him。 〃Then we have nothing more to say to one another。〃
〃There is one more thing；〃 the Colonel said as Katsuodo was about to go through the sliding fusuma to the interior of his house。 He waited until the oyabun turned around。
There was no expression on his face； he might already have been dead。
〃What Okami and I are doing is for the benefit of everyone … even you。 That is why I have e here： to ask you to join us。 We would both benefit from your insight and your wisdom。〃 Silence。 His image had already faded from Katsuodo's eyes。 〃You seek to stop us； but I assure you it is like trying to change the course of a mighty river by building a dam out of matchsticks。 It cannot be done。 My work will outlive all of us； there is nothing you or anyone else can do to stop it；〃
Katsuodo turned and； without a word； disappeared beyond the fusuma。 The Colonel； left alone in the stone…floored anteroom； stared down at his shoes。 He required some time to cool his boiling blood。 The man was precisely as Okami had described him： infuriating in his adamantine resolve to dismantle the partnership that the Colonel had spent so much time in nurturing。 The Colonel； looking into his reflection in his spit…polished shoes； could already read Katsuodo's fate as if he were a seer in a sacred trance。 And； in a way； this was what he was。
At last he roused himself and； moving across the stone floor； sought to leave this place as quickly as he could。 Already the scent of blood was in the air。
While the Colonel was trying to make peace； Okami was preparing to go to war。 Major General Willoughby； who had earned the epithet 〃the Little Fascist；〃 was obsessed with the munist threat in Japan。 To that end； he had proposed to turn this Gang of Fifteen into the nucleus of an indigenous anti…munist military。 His people were training Lieutenant General Arisue； former