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For reasons of security； Doc Deerforth hustled them out of the building。 They were careful to take with them all the pertinent readouts and evidence。
Since none of them had bothered with breakfast； they stopped on the way back to West Bay Bridge； pulling into a diner right off Montauck Highway that offered authentic Portuguese food。
Over strong black coffee； broiled sardines and clams in a rich steaming winy sauce； they sat and watched the cars silently pass on the highway。 No one seemed to want to begin。 But someone had to and Vincent said； 'Who's the new lady； Nick？'
'Hmm？' Nicholas turned from the window and smiled。 'Her name's Justine Tobin。 She lives right down the beach from me。'
'On Dune Road？' Doc Deerforth said and when Nicholas nodded； he added； 'I know her。 Beautiful girl。 Only her name's Tomkin。'
'Sorry； Doc；' Nicholas said。 'You must be mistaken。 This Justine's named Tobin。'
'Dark hair； green eyes； one with red motes in it； about five…seven …'
'That's her。'
Doc Deerforth nodded。 'Name's Justine Tomkin； Nick。 At least； that's how she was born。 You know； Tomkin； as in Tomkin Oil。'
'That one？'
'Yep。 Her daddy。'
Everyone knew about Raphael Tomkin。 Oil was but one of his many multinational moneymakers but by all accounts the most lucrative。 He was worth … where had he read it？ In Newsweek； perhaps … somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred million dollars； the last time anybody had bothered to count； at that rarefied level； there did not seem to be much of a reason to do so。
'She doesn't like him much；' Nicholas said。
Doc Deerforth laughed。 'Yah。 You could say that。 She obviously doesn't want any part of him。'
Nicholas recalled Justine's words； He's as dead as he could possibly be。 Now he began to understand the irony of that remark。 Still； he was annoyed at finding out this way。
'Now； what can you tell me about the ninja？' Doc Deerforth said around a bit of clam flesh。
Outside； a white Ford with black trim pulled up next to the diner。 As they watched； a big man with a red face and bulbous nose stepped out and walked towards them。
'Hope neither of you mind；' Doc Deerforth said。 'I phoned Ray Florum when we got here。 He's the mander of the West Bay Bridge Village Police。 I think he's got a right to hear what's going on。 Okay？' Both Nicholas and Vincent nodded their assent。 'Nick？'
'It's okay； Doc；' he said as lightly as he could。 'It just caught me off guard。 I didn't expect her to …' He waved a hand in lieu of finishing。
The door opened and Florum pushed into the diner。 Doc
Deerforth introduced him around and he sat down。 They filled him in。
'Quite literally；' Nicholas said； 'ninja means 〃in stealth〃。' Florum poured himself some coffee as Nicholas continued。 'Outside of Japan； there is almost nothing known about ninjutsu； the art of the ninja。 Even there； it has been poorly documented primarily because it was knowledge that was both utterly secret and jealously guarded。 One was born into a ninja family or one gave up all hope of being one。
'As you may know； Japanese society has always been rigorously stratified。 There is a highly defined social order and no one would even contemplate deserting his station in life； it's part of one's karma； and this has religious as well as social overtones。
'The samurai； for instance； the warriors of feudal Japan； were gentlemen； of the bushi class； no one else was allowed to bee a samurai or carry two swords。 Well； the ninja evolved from the opposite end of the social spectrum； the hinin。 This level was so low that the translation of that term means 〃not human〃。 Naturally； they were a far cry from the aristocratic bushi。 Yet； as clan warfare increased in Japan； the samurai recognized a growing need for the specific skills of the ninja； for the samurai themselves were bound by an iron…clad code of bushido which strictly forbade them many actions。 Thus； the samurai clans hired the freelance ninja to perform acts of arson； assassination； infiltration and terrorism which they themselves were duty…bound to shun。 History tells us； for instance； that the ninja made their first important appearance in the sixth century A。D。 Prince Regent Shotoku employed them as spies。
'So successful were they that their numbers increased dramatically during the Heian and Kamakura periods in Japanese history。 They concentrated in the south。 Kyoto； for example； was dominated by them at night。
'But the last we hear of them as a major factor in Japan is during the Shimabara war in 1637 when they were used to quell a Christian rebellion on the island of Kyushu。 Yet we know they were active all through the long Tokugawa shogunate。'
'Just how wide is the scope of their skill？' Doc Deerforth's nostrils were clogged with the rotting stench of the Philippine jungle。
'Very；' Nicholas said。 'From the ninja the samurai learned woodsmanship； disguise； camouflage； codes and silent signalling； the preparation of fire bombs and smoke screens。 In short； you would not be wrong to consider the ninja military Houdinis。 But each ryu； that is； school and； in the ninja's case； clan； specialized in different forms of bat； espionage； lore； and so on； so that one was often able to tell by his methods from which ryu a particular assassin came。 For instance； the Fodo ryu was known for its work with many kinds of small concealed blades； the Gyokku was expert at using thumb and forefinger on the body's nerve centres in hand…to…hand bat； the Kotto was proficient at breaking bones； others used hypnotism and so on。 Ninjas were also quite often skilled yogen … that is； chemists。'
There was a heavy silence between them until Vincent cleared his throat and said； 'Nick； I think you ought to tell them the rest of it。'
Nicholas was silent for a time。
'What does he mean？' Florum said。
Nicholas took a deep breath。 …'The art of ninjutsu；' he said； 'is very ancient。 So old； in fact； that no one is certain of its origin； though speculation is that it was born in a region of China。 The Japanese took many things from Chinese culture over the centuries。 There is an element of 。。。 superstition involved。 One could even say magic。'
'Magic？' echoed Doc Deerforth。 'Are you seriously suggesting。。。？'
'In the history of Japan；' Nicholas said； 'it is oftentimes difficult to separate fact from legend。 I am not trying to be melodramatic。 This is the way it is in Japan。 Feats have been ascribed to the ninja that would have been impossible without the aid of some kind of magic。'
'Tall tales；' said Florum。 'Every country's got 'em。'
'Yes。 Possibly。'
'And the poison you found？'
'Is a ninja poison。 Swallowed； it's quite harmless。 A favourite method of administering it was to make a quick drying syrup of it and coat the shaken with it。'
'What's that？' Florum asked。
'These are part of a ninja's arsenal of silent； easily concealed weapons； his short…bladed shuriken。 The shaken is a star…shaped metal object。 Flung through the air by the ninja； it bees a most lethal weapon。 And coated with this poison； the weapon need not even puncture a vital spot for the victim to die。'
Florum snorted。 'Are you trying to tell me that that stiff was killed by a ninja？ Jesus