“I know. That’s why he’ll never know.”
The Palace, Tokyo, Japan
Koda ducked as the staff in her opponent’s hand whistled over her head. She attempted to use the wooden rod in her hands to strike back, but her feet tangled, and she fell to the floor.
“Better learn balance.” The old man smiled. The instructor Eve had put in the sim was familiar to her, but she couldn’t remember where she had seen him before. He was a Japanese man with white hair around a very pronounced bald spot with a wispy white beard and mustache. He had a warm glint in his eyes, like a wizened old sofu. As a sensei, he showed no mercy when he repeatedly attacked and effortlessly countered every move she made.
Koda climbed to her feet slowly. Her body ached from the blows the old man had rained down on her.
“Remember, Koda-san, the best block is not to be there,” he chided.
Koda’s eyes widened as realization struck her.
“Eve! Am I seriously getting my ass kicked by Mister Wax-on, Wax-off?”
An amused snicker echoed around her. “End simulation,” the AI called.
Once the sim faded out and Koda was in the green room that signaled the beginning and end, she pulled the helmet that contained the hardware to use the sim off and dropped it on the floor. The quick movement brought her up short when her body registered the pain from the hits she had taken in the sim.
“Ow! What the hell, Eve? Why am I still feeling this?”
“Because Akio told me pain is the best teacher. Embrace the suck.” She laughed.
“Oh, this sucks for sure. I feel like a truck ran over me.”
Koda carefully stretched. Each place she had been hit in the sim still had an echo of the pain. She wondered if Seki had felt this bad after she’d tweaked his settings during the tournament.
“What did you set the feedback to? Level one hundred?”
“Stop whining. It was less than you set for Seki. Now, if you want to know what suck really is, I can set your next session at the level I moved him to.” Eve grinned evilly.
“No, no, I’m good.” Koda made a motion of zipping her lips. “No more whining.”
“Good. Besides, you don’t think Akio will go any easier on you, do you? You have heard them when he and Yuko spar?”
Koda nodded, remembering the times those two had rattled the dishes in the kitchen when one of them hit a wall in the training room.
“What did you think about the training? Other than the pain?”
“I think that was a cheap trick having the old man from that movie as the instructor avatar.” She huffed.
“It needed something. I remembered how hard you laughed at his sayings, so I thought it was very appropriate.” Eve looked at her with a serious face for a moment, then broke into a grin.
“Has Asai seen it yet?”
“No. Why?”
“Because she was the one who wandered around here for days after we watched it, spouting the funnier lines. I want to see how funny she thinks it is when she is on the receiving end of the ass-kicking.”
“I’ll bring the popcorn.” Eve chuckled, setting Koda off into hysterical laughter.
Chapter Eleven
Serenity Temple, Dabie Mountains, China
“Master, more fighters are arriving daily. We are running out of room for them,” Cui explained as he made his progress report.
“How many have arrived so far?”
“Two hundred and sixteen. That number doesn’t include the one hundred and twenty-seven that were already here being trained. Li’s group and mine have completed their training to the point where we can deploy them now.”
Kun’s features darkened and he pierced Cui with a steely gaze. “Why have only two hundred reported? That number should be closer to five hundred warriors.”
Cui shifted uncomfortably, unsure how Kun would react to what he told him next. “Some enclaves have refused.”
“Refused! Who are they to refuse me?” Kun lunged to his feet from the cushion he sat on.
“They dare defy my command! Give me the names of each who think they can refuse.”
Cui pulled a sheet of paper from his robes and handed it to the enraged Master.
Kun snatched the note from him. His eyes darted down the perfectly printed characters, then narrowed as he focused on one entry. “Shek has defied me as well? This is the second time he’s questioned my authority. He will be my example to the others.”
Cui stood motionless, dreading Kun’s next words.
“You will arrange travel supplies and weapons for fifty warriors. You’re to select the warriors personally and lead them to Shek’s enclave. When you arrive, any who dare defy the decree I send, you will execute immediately. Place their heads on stakes in the town square as a reminder to all what happens when they dare to ignore my commands. Do not return here without Shek’s head in a sack. You don’t want to fail me again. Do you understand?”
“I understand, Master. I will take Ren as my second and put Yi in charge of the troops here, with Pan seconding him.”
“Make it so. I expect you back here with your prize within two weeks. When you return, the plans to remove Akio and that vampire he took from us will be in place. Once Li reports that he has the location, we will take this war to them.
“Now, see to your assignment. Tell Yi I wish to see him. I have a task he must complete, ensuring that we have what we need to send a proper message to any who dare stand in the way of the Sacred Clan.”
Cui prostrated himself at Kun’s feet. Kun had required this of him each time he entered and left his presence since Cui failed to deal with the Forsaken. “The Clan shall rise,” he intoned as his forehead pressed against the stone floor.
“The Clan rises. Get out now, and remember my words about failure.”
Cui rose and bowed low as he backed out of Kun’s chambers. Once in the corridor, he leaned against the wall, icy fear running through his body. Kun had been more unpredictable and subject to fits of rage since Cui had told him about how the Forsaken escaped. He was certain Kun’s orders when carried out would cause even more bloodshed within the Clan before the rift it created healed.
Shek was the second-highest-ranking member behind Kun in the Clan hierarchy. He had questioned but never openly challenged Peng Kun when he named himself the leader. Before Kun took the mantle, Shek was the likely choice to lead them because he’d served as an assistant under the Leopard Empress' father for many years. The only reason he had survived when the Bitch Queen killed their empress was that he was away dealing with a recalcitrant Party official in Beijing. Cui wondered, not for the first time, if Shek would be a better leader than Kun.
Cui shook his head to dispel the thought, knowing Kun would have no issue removing him if he suspected him of having treasonous thoughts. He wished Li was here instead of in Japan. He kept Kun grounded when he became angry. Cui hoped he would have the information Kun required soon. Then maybe Kun would not be as likely to kill anyone who brought him unwelcome news or he thought was questioning his authority.
“Yi, assemble a team and go to Shanghai. Once there, you’re to secure two ships, one large enough to transport one hundred warriors to Japan. The other will also need to travel to Japan and must have at least twenty square meters of open deck space,” Kun ordered as Yi lay with his forehead pressed to the floor.
“If you can find ships that already travel to Japan regularly, take them. They won’t raise as much suspicion as an unknown vessel will. When you have the second ship secured, report back immediately and move it up the coast to Quingdao. I’ll have the armament it needs transported to you there for installation.”
Before Yi could answer, the satellite phone next to Peng Kun rang. “Leave me and see to your assignment,” he called as he snatched the phone up and stalked into his private quarters.
“Do you have good news, Li?” he asked as he accepted the call.
“We are making progress, Master. We have located the place where
those gangsters ran afoul of this Akio and have determined he is the same one who killed our team in Wajima. The report that the Japanese government helped him also appears accurate. The night the Yakuza were attacked, the police blocked off the area and cleared the buildings around the noodle house the gangsters conducted business from,” Li answered.
“Have you located his base yet?”
“No, Master, but we know there is some connection between him and an entertainment complex not too far away. Shao found out the Yakuza kidnapped a woman who works there, and that led to Akio becoming involved. I have Shao and Jin locating a place in an apartment building across from the complex to watch the building, hoping we can locate him through it. I have also had Jin spreading yen around to the laborers and delivery men who work the area for any information they might come across.”
“Continue as you have been and keep me informed. If you need more manpower, contact Sakutaro. If he is hesitant, kill whoever you must in order to convince the Yakuza it is in their best interests to assist us. I am planning to deal with the vampire problem as soon as you locate them.”
“As you command, Grand Master.”
Kun smiled as he cut the connection, Li was making progress and should have the information he needed to end the possibility of this vampire interfering further. He went back to his den and sat on the cushion, appearing to be in deep meditation when in fact he was fleshing out the plans that would cement his position as ruler of the Clan forever.
Chapter Twelve
The Palace, Tokyo, Japan
“Welcome back, Horst. How are things progressing on Kume?” Eve asked as the Were came into the office they shared.
“Very well. The navy delivered everything as promised, and Ito-san has the project moving faster than expected. You did well finding him,” Horst answered.
“Ito-san came highly recommended. If this works as well as expected, I have him in mind to build the port facilities I am planning for our vessels.”
“Port facilities?”
“I don’t plan to base our ships out of the commercial facilities here. I have located a property that has the room for shipbuilding and warehouse space near the existing port. Akio feels that having our own facilities will be more secure than if he vets any we use,” she explained.
Horst nodded thoughtfully. “I see where that makes sense. Can we afford it?”
Eve gestured to a monitor mounted on the wall. “These are the projections for profits, based on the cargo I already have contracts for and projected passenger loads. There is a lot more interest in travel than I anticipated. We’ve already booked the first four voyages to over ninety percent capacity for almost every leg.”
Horst looked at the numbers and smiled. “That’s amazing.”
“I plan to meet with a large beef producer next week. I will offer him refrigerated space to ship his product to Okinawa. Beef is scarce there, and our ability to transport it so it’s fresh when it arrives at the markets should be a powerful selling point.”
Horst whistled softly. “Have I told you how glad I am that you allowed me to be your partner?”
Eve raised a hand to her face and tapped her chin with a finger. “Not since Thursday at three forty-seven in the afternoon.”
“Well, I still am.” The Were smiled.
“Where are we on launching the ships? Are we still on schedule for later this week?”
“Nope.” Eve grinned as she stood from her seat. “Care to take a ride?”
Koda, Asai, and Yuko entered the office before he could answer.
“Hi, my mountain of man,” Koda greeted him as she walked over and wrapped her arms around him. “I missed you. How is everyone on Kume?”
“They’re fine, my tiny beauty.” He smiled. “I missed you too.”
“Horst-san, I am glad to see you. You look well,” Yuko greeted him.
He released Koda and bowed. “Thank you, Yuko-san. The sun and sea air on Kume seem to agree with me. Yagi-san sends his good wishes and an invitation to come for tea soon.”
Yuko nodded and smiled. “I will try to do so.”
“I would like to accompany you when you do,” Asai offered. “I want to see my mother.”
Horst chuckled. “I have a message from her for you. She says, ‘Tell my daughter I will be very disappointed if she does not bring her young man to meet me soon.’ Your father had a different message. I believe I’ll let him deliver it himself.”
“Ooh, Seki’s going to get it from Suzu when he meets him.” Koda chortled.
Horst grinned down at her. “He only said he wished to take him fishing.”
Asai blushed, then a look of horror came over her face. “I hope Seki can swim. I’ve never asked him.”
Koda giggled and Horst looked at them, confusion on his face.
“You better hope he can if he doesn’t answer your father’s questions correctly. You know how Suzu gets where you’re concerned.”
“Yes, I better talk with him before we go. Father can be a bit…intense, to put it mildly.”
“I’m sure Seki will be fine,” Eve interrupted. “We need to be going since it’s almost time.”
Motoki Shipyard, Gamagori, Japan
The black Pod settled between two rundown warehouses at the facility Eve had chosen to upgrade the four ships she had purchased. Horst opened the door and the group exited, Koda and Asai looking around curiously with Yuko following.
“Uh, this is disgusting.” Asai choked as the odor of rotted fish and chemicals blew between the buildings when the wind shifted.
“The fish is not so bad, but that other makes my nose burn,” Koda agreed. “What is it?”
“There is a tannery next door.” Horst chuckled. “You know those cute boots you like so much? That is how they get the leather to make them.”
“If the boots smelled like that, I would go barefoot.” Asai snorted as she waved her hand in front of her nose.
“From the look on your face, Asai, I’m glad I have no sense of smell.” Eve snickered.
“Be thankful for small blessings. Why are we here?”
Yuko took the lead as she headed toward the opening at the end of the alley formed by the buildings. “To see the launch of Eve’s and Horst’s first ship.”
Horst’s head jerked up from where he was smiling down at Asai. “Seriously, one is ready to launch?”
“No.” Eve grinned. “One is ready to depart with its first load of cargo and passengers. It launched three days ago and passed its sea trial with flying colors. The second will launch for its trials as soon as the first departs.”
Horst shook his head, shocked at the speed with which Eve had gotten not one but two of the ships refitted. “What about the others?” he cautiously asked.
“The third’s completed. I only need to do a walkthrough to check that everything’s hooked up properly and activate the Etheric power supply. The fourth will be ready in three more days.”
“It looks like you are about to become a shipping magnate, my fluffy friend.” Koda giggled.
Horst could only nod, still shocked by how fast this venture had come together and forever thankful Eve had included him in it.
Onboard Kizoyama Kyou, Motoki Shipyard, Gamagori, Japan
Kimura Hikonaga looked down from the rail of the ship at the small crowd assembled to see it off. He was dressed like any mid-level manager in dark slacks, a white shirt, and a dark suit coat. He would have fit in without notice at many of the businesses that operated throughout Japan. The camouflage had always served him well for what his actual job was.
Kimura was an expediter, the first person sent to contact businesses and people who caught the attention of his boss, Kishi Sakutaro. Kishi was the voice of Sato Sakutaro, her sofu and Oyabun of the last Yakuza family in Tokyo.
Kimura had caught Kishi’s eye when he was a junior soldier barely out of his teens and she was a strong-willed girl of fifteen. The old man himself had assigned Kimura to guard her, figuring that someon
e close to her age would blend in better with her peers. Kimura could easily pass for someone several years younger than his twenty-three years.
Kishi had liked the way he talked to her, unlike the older guards. Kimura asked her opinion on how she would like him to guard her. Not that he would allow it to stop him from doing his job, but where her wishes didn’t go against his orders from her grandfather, he allowed her freedom she had never gotten from the old men.
They’d developed a bond over the years, and when Kishi started taking an active role in running the family, Kimura was there to do whatever task she set for him. Kishi had a knack for finding businesses to either add to the family organization or put under the protection umbrella. Kimura showed an uncanny aptitude for bringing them on board without having to resort to violence. If the job required violence he didn’t hesitate, but violence often led to losses. The object was to enrich the family coffers, not to destroy potential revenue streams.
Kishi had ordered him to travel on this ship with a two-fold mission. First, he was to assess whether it would be best to take the company outright from its mysterious owners or if it would be better to offer protection based on a percentage of the gross income generated.
The second reason for this trip was to check on business opportunities at one of its scheduled stops. Before the WWDE, the Yakuza had owned a hotel and restaurant on one of the small islands that were favored tourist stops for people from Japan and other parts of Asia. Kishi has seen an advertisement that the island was opening for tourists again through some partnership with this ship's company. She wanted him to assess the profitability of reopening a hotel or charging for protection instead.
Kimura’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a huge blond gaijin as he stepped onto a raised platform on the dock set aside for, he had been told by a dock worker, the company's owners to watch the ship depart on its maiden voyage. The next person he saw made him do a double-take. She appeared to be a small child, but Kimura recognized her from a photo he had seen before. She was one of the people involved in the fiasco Muto had caused, a member of the group the Oyabun had expressly forbidden any member of the family to approach on pain of death.
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