remember that.”

“I don’t understand. Didn’t he just say—”

“Lt. Fugisawa may not seem like a subtle man, Shiro, ” said

Kobayashi to his eldest son, “but that appearance is deceptive.

What he has done was recognize that sooner or later, we would

have to do something about this situation. Stories about an adept

serial killer in our district are very bad for business. He has merely

come to tell us that if we chose to do something about it, he would

not interfere and would, in fact, be willing to cooperate.”

“But he promised to give a favor for a favor, ” Shiro protested. “If

that wasn’t—”

“That was very gracious of him, ” said Kobayashi. “We both knew

that he did not have to do that.”

“But then… why?”

“To allow me to save face, ” said Kobayashi. “Lt. Fugisawa is a

most perceptive and understanding man. Such men are rare, Shiro,

and useful to know.”

“I see. Forgive me, Father. I wasn’t thinking.”

Kobayashi nodded.

“The question is, ” said Kobayashi’s lieutenant, the man who had

handed him the envelope, “how do we go about it? We’re not talking

about a routine hit. Who do we get to fulfill a contract on a

necromancer?”

“We must get the best there is, Takeo, ” said Kobayashi.

“That would be Tanaka.”

“Yes, Tanaka is very good, ” said Kobayashi, “but he is not the

best there is. ” He pursed his lips and thought a moment. “There

was someone once… I don’t know if he is still in business. Or even

alive, for that matter. He would be expensive, but nothing

compared to the loss of revenue we would incur if there was a panic

and people stopped coming to the Ginza.”

“You mean an independent?” said Takeo.

“The independent, ” Kobayashi replied. “The man who calls

himself Morpheus.”