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osite； in fact。 Tori could remember when he was in high school； there were too many girl…friends to make life simple。 And at one point Greg's after…school and practice life became something of a slapstick farce； plete with slammed doors； lightning changes of clothes； and； at least on Greg's part； iron…man stamina。 Tori had had an active part in this； playing…in Laura Nunn's parlance…the straight man who stooged for the star； making sure no two girls would catch him in the same room at the same time。
And； recalling this； seeing him laughing with the beautiful； exotic Japanese； Tori discovered that it wasn't only apprehension she was feeling； it was anger。 She and Greg saw each other so infrequently； she thought it insensitive of him to go off and leave her like this。 And from the secure distance of the future； Tori was able to see the truth： she had wanted to spend the night with her brother； matching his macho with hers； at last on her turf； showing Greg…and Ellis Nunn…that she could pete on his level。
Could she really be jealous of this creature？ Tori had asked herself then。 Yes； yes； as she slid through the crowd； moving toward them。
Tori was still some distance away when she saw the tall； square…shouldered young man heading on a collision course with her brother and the woman。 He was a Japanese dressed in a stylish suit。 His hair was shorter even than Greg's； almost a military cut。 There was something in his direct gaze that disturbed her even before she was close enough to feel the power of his wa。 That was when the fright took over。 By that time she had had more than enough training to know a dangerous opponent when she saw one。
The young man was heading straight for Greg； his gaze fixed steadily on him。 Tori watched him move through the crowd。 It was like seeing a hot knife slice through butter。 He did not have to fight his way through； did not have to elbow people aside。 No one was disturbed； there was no ripple to mark his passage。
Then abruptly； shockingly； he reached out and the sleeve of his jacket rode up his arm； exposing a wrist covered with an irizumi demon spitting fire。 And Tori's heart lurched。 Oh； my God； she thought。 Greg's making a move on the girlfriend of a Yakuza。
She and the Yakuza converged on Greg and the woman。 Tori had just enough time to say； 〃Greg； let's get out of here！〃 before the Yakuza's hand clamped down on Greg's shoulder。
Greg spun； shoving the hand off him。 Greg was in a semi…crouch； the standard first position of the sort of unarmed bat taught by the United States government agencies。 It would mean nothing to the Yakuza。 Unless Greg pulled a gun and shot him dead； the Yakuza's skills would quickly overpower anything Greg could throw at him。
Greg grinned。 〃Hey； I don't want any trouble；〃 he said suddenly； ing out of his crouch。 He put up his hands。 〃No law I know of against talking to a beautiful woman。〃
〃The woman belongs to me；〃 the Yakuza said。 He had gone very still。 One arm was out from his body； rigid； the other one was close to the lapel of his suit jacket。
Greg said； 〃You've got it all wrong； pal。 Slavery was abolished almost a hundred years ago。''
〃The world doesn't belong to America；〃 the Yakuza said。
〃Yeah？ Well； it sure doesn't belong to Japan。〃
The Yakuza grinned。 〃Not yet。〃
〃Greg； e on；'' Tori said。 ''We didn't e here to debate cultural differences。〃
〃Stay away； woman！ This does not concern you； 〃the Yakuza growled； curtly dismissing her。
〃Like hell！〃 Tori said； for the moment forgetting everything she had been taught。 〃When you threaten my brother； you threaten me。〃
The Yakuza slowly turned to her； said in the most condescending voice； 〃You're cute； you know that？〃 He produced a snub…nosed automatic。 〃But that's all you are； so…〃
At that point Tori jammed the stiffened fingers of her right hand into the Yakuza's solar plexus。 His eyes opened wide and he was jolted backward。
Greg lunged for the automatic； and the Yakuza's left hand chopped down on his forearm。 As if in slow motion； Tori saw the Yakuza turn his gun on Greg； she went for the nerve cluster in his right arm； and using her own left arm as a brace； bent the Yakuza's gun arm backward until she heard the snap。
His savage kick caught her on the edge of her pelvis。 She cried out in surprise and pain； slammed into him again and； almost simultaneously； heard the report of the single shot。
The Yakuza's face went white； he said something unintelligible in all the electronic noise and motion； then slipped to the floor。 Blood； a dark flower； spread its lethal petals。
Tori bent； touched him on the side of the neck。 Then she grabbed Greg and pushed her way through the throng； farther and farther； blue and yellow mutating the shadows all around； the origami unfolding； unfolding； the strained faces now so alien to her。
Outside in the spangled night she said； ''e on！ Let's go！〃
Greg hesitated。 〃But that guy's wounded。 He might die。 I think we ought to wait。〃
〃Greg； he's dead。 He had no pulse。 The only thing that will happen if we wait is we'll be killed。 That guy was Yakuza； a gangster of the most dangerous sort。''
Greg seemed bewildered。 〃But we can explain 。 。 。 they'll understand…〃
〃The only thing his family understands is giri… obligation。 And their obligation now is to destroy us。 For the love of God； e on！〃 Pulling him away from The Lemon Crush。 〃Even if we run； there'll be trouble！〃
Who had killed the Yakuza with the demon on his wrist？ Tori？ Greg？ Or had he； himself； pulled the trigger by accident？ No one would ever know。 The simple fact was that he had died as a result of the bullet wound。
〃That was really something！〃 Greg exclaimed later。 They were sitting in a cheap dive somewhere in the sludge pit of Kita…senju。 〃I've never seen you defend me； Tori。 It's always been the other way around。''
〃It was a stupid incident；〃 Tori said sourly。 〃It never should have happened。〃
〃But it did。 The happenstance of life！ It's like why I came here to a place I 'd never been to before； a culture I know nothing about。 Like fate。 Karma； wouldn't you say？〃
〃It never should have happened。 If you hadn't…〃
〃No； no。 It showed me something。 Something I was supposed to see。〃
〃I don't know what the hell you're talking about。〃 She was still angry with Greg； still partly in shock over what had happened。 She had never liked guns； now she liked them even less。 But staring at her brother across the dirty table； she saw another kind of light in his angel eyes。 It was the same disturbing darkness she had seen that late afternoon years before when he had risen from beneath the water of the pool in Diana's Garden where she had held him as the air had leaked out of him。
It was as if the shooting had galvanized him…no； that word wasn't quite right。 It was more like it had elated him。 But that could not be possible； Tori told herself over and over。 Her brother； the golden boy； the NASA astronaut； couldn't harbor such an antisocial； such an amoral emotion。 No； not Greg。 But she was facing the incontrovertible evidence。
〃Don't you？ But you must understand。 You're the mystic in the family； Tori。 That's why you came here to study； isn't it？ Me； I'm the pragmatis