"Better than Screaming Zombie Ninjas?"

"Screaming Zombie Ninjas?" said Kira.

"Don't ask," said Merlin.

"All right, all right, enough with the schmoozing already," said

the broom, coming in from the kitchen. "Breakfast is on the table.

You want it should get cold?"

"Hey, Broom. I'm gonna be a burglar!" said Archimedes, bouncing

up and down.

"That's very nice, dear," said the broom. "Now stop jumping on

the coffee table. I just waxed."

Wyrdrune sighed and rubbed his temples. "Why do I have the

feeling we're getting in way over our heads here?"

"Hey, warlock, it was your idea," Kira said.

"I know, I know..."

"Well, don't get anxious," Modred said. "We're not committed to it

yet. We need access to that data, but let's take things one step at a

time. First, I'll see about obtaining the upgrade components for

Archimedes. And those screaming ninjas or whatever." He

grimaced. "Meanwhile, I'd like to meet this Pirate person and form

my own opinion of him. How soon do you think you could arrange

it?"

"I'll get on it right away."

"All right, then. In the meantime, we can discuss our dreams in

greater detail over breakfast. Perhaps we might recall something

that will give us a clue to what it means."

"I know what it means," said Wyrdrune with a wry look.

"Trouble."

CHAPTER Two

Kanno loved the Ginza. He felt more at home here than

anywhere else in the entire city. A predator stalking through the

neon jungle. In the days prior to the Collapse, Tokyo had grown