summit. There were also mountain huts, which for a fee provided

accommodations with futons, toilet facilities, and optional meals of

dried fish and rice and pickled vegetables. Climbing Fuji-san was a

Japanese adventure, a pilgrimage, and during the peak season, at

all hours of the day and night, long lines of hikers stretched along

the rocky trails. Night hikers liked to climb with flashlights and

then watch the sunrise from the peak. A grand and awesome sight,

Japan’s most notable geographical feature, Fuji-san had slept for a

long time. Now Leila would awaken it.

Tanaka had selected his position carefully earlier in the day. He

had picked out an old cherry tree on the opposite side of the moat

surrounding the palace grounds, one that offered a suitable perch

with an unobstructed field of fire. Dressed in a black ninja outfit,

loose enough to conceal the street clothes underneath, and wearing

a black hood that covered his entire head and face, leaving a slit for

the eyes, he had climbed the tree and assumed his position with the

semiautomatic. 223 caliber sniper’s rifle that he had removed from

its special case. The case, which looked like an ordinary briefcase,

was hidden beneath a nearby shrub. All he would have to do was

make his two shots, drop down from the tree, retrieve the case,

break down the rifle, strip off the ninja suit, and leave. He could

accomplish the entire procedure, from the moment that he pulled

the trigger, in slightly over a minute and a half. Plenty of time to

make his getaway, especially considering the fact that his first shot

would signal the attack by Nishikawa’s men, who were concealed in

the shrubs around the bridge and along the paths.

He rested the rifle on the forked branch in front of him, drew

back the bolt and chambered a round from the magazine, then

sighted through the starlight scope. The crosshairs centered on

Kobayashi’s forehead. He was standing on the bridge next to his

lieutenant, Takeo. Tanaka kept his finger off the trigger. His other

target hadn’t yet arrived. He had carefully studied the photographs

of Kobayashi and Fugisawa, to make sure there would be no

mistakes. He swept the bridge with his scope.

Several people were approaching. He frowned. More than he’d

expected. That could present a problem, if one of them were to get

in the way. He would have to wait until they got into a favorable