about Morpheus and Modred had nodded his approval, then they

filled in the Bureau agents and the mage on what they did not

know. They told them the story of the Dark Ones and the

runestones and about the encounters that they’d had with the

necromancers in the Middle East, in London, Los Angeles, and

Paris. It had a sobering effect on them, especially after what they

had already seen.

Sakahara had left early, to return to headquarters to meet the

agent from the I. T. C. and brief him on the details of the case. He

had agreed with the necessity of not telling the I. T. C. any more

than what was known officially. He had also agreed to act as their

secret liaison with the Bureau, their man on the inside. Fugisawa

had seen that the others were favorably impressed with him.

Yohaku was contrite. He felt responsible for Kanno, for having so

seriously misjudged him, but Merlin sought to reassure him, telling

him about how he himself had misjudged Al‘ Hassan, whose greed,

ambition, and lust for power had resulted in the freeing of the Dark

Ones. It was fascinating, watching Billy and Yohaku talk. Or

Merlin and Yohaku. The old man deferring to the boy, the boy

sounding like an older man and talking to him like a teacher to a

favored pupil.

Katayama had said little. At one point Wyrdrune asked him why

he was being so quiet, what was on his mind.

Akiro sighed. “This was my last case, ” he said. “A short while

ago I had thought that if I could only solve it and bring the

murderer to justice, then I would not so much mind taking my

forced retirement. I would have been able to leave the Bureau with

some sense of accomplishment. The job would have been finished.

But now I see that the job has only just begun. And I will be retired

from the Bureau, knowing what I now know about the threat the

Dark Ones pose, knowing that I will be unable to do anything to

help.”

“That isn’t true, ” said Wyrdrune. “You will have helped us to

stop Leila and Kanno. And we will stop them. We must.

And just knowing that we’ll be able to call on you if we ever need

your help will make what we have to do a little easier. “