loutishness, disrespect toward others, and lack of decorum.” He turned to the guards. “Search them.”
The pat-down was quick. He’d known that was probably coming and had left his piece with Lance. Thinking of… Sullivan looked over, but Dan seemed relatively calm. Lance had already made his move. Good.
“I’m Jake Sullivan.”
“I know who you are. You are the Heavy that defeated Master Rokusaburo.” The Iron Guard actually gave a small bow out of respect. “An impressive feat. He was one of my teachers and a skilled warrior. Nothing would please me more than to test your strength myself, but out of curiosity, I will honor your request for an audience. I am Toru of the Iron Guard, warrior of the Imperium, and servant of the Emperor of Nippon. Please come inside. I welcome you to our home as guests. We shall join the ambassador over tea.”
Toru gave more orders in Japanese. The guards formed up, several in front, and several behind, guns still in hand. Toru motioned them toward the entrance. Dan fell in beside Sullivan and they followed.
“Seems like a polite sort,” Dan whispered, “for an Imperium killing machine.”
“One more thing.” Toru paused at the door. “As guests, you need to be aware that if you filthy Grimnoir try anything, I will gladly stomp you like the vermin you are.” He nodded politely. “For yes, I am an Imperium killing machine. Please do not forget it nor mistake my courtesy for patience. After you.”
“Sincere too,” Dan said.
The heavy door opened from the inside. It was thick enough to withstand a battering ram. Two more guards bowed to Toru, then stepped quickly out of the way.
Dan whistled. The home was one step below palace. Sullivan had never been to Japan, but could only assume that the ambassador’s mansion had been decorated to match the styles of his homeland. Everything was very clean and simple, carved and darkly polished wood, starkly simple paintings, all illuminated by electric light fixtures designed to look like lanterns. He hated to admit that he liked it, as he didn’t want to like anything from the culture that had spawned the likes of the Chairman and his eugenic evil.
If the goal was to impress visitors with the wealth of the Imperium, they’d certainly succeeded. The mansion was so large that there were rows of trees and an orderly garden planted in a giant room under a long skylight. The center of the place was like a little swath of peaceful forest. Guards watched them from every door and corner as their contingent walked by, many with Arisaka submachine guns slung over their shoulders.
“You sure got a lot of men here, Mr. Toru.”
“The embassy is a busy place,” their host replied. “Thus we require a sufficiently large diplomatic staff.” There had to be at least a platoon of hardened “diplomatic staff” present. It would not have been surprising if it turned out there was an extensive armory somewhere on the property either. This many shock troops could cause quite the ruckus in the capital city if open war were to break out.
The sounds of a noisy dinner came from the other end of the mansion. Toru was leading them away from the ambassador’s guests. That wasn’t a good sign.
They reached the end of the interior orchard. “Through here.”
It was a conference room. A long table was surrounded by plush chairs. The walls were covered with silk screens and images from the history of Japan. Sullivan was tempted to use his Power to feel what was hiding behind those screens, but he could safely assume that it was more men with guns pointed at them, and even the slightest tingle of magic might be enough to set them off. There was a map of the United States on the wall with red pins dotting it, but Toru quickly pulled a silk screen over to block it from view before Sullivan could memorize the locations. Toru gestured toward the table. “Be seated. The ambassador will arrive shortly.”
The knights pulled out chairs at one end and sat quietly. Dan was sweating. Sullivan admired the paintings of samurai, funny looking-castles, maidens talking to skinny dragons, and waited. The Iron Guard and his men stood behind them.
The ambassador joined them a minute later. He was very old, thin to the point of being bony, with an impressive mustache that was deftly waxed into points. Since he’d been entertaining guests, the blue sash crossing his suit was covered in medals and ribbons. A guard pulled out the chair at the head of the table. The ambassador sat and placed his hands on the table, looking completely ambivalent about the knights presence.
The two sides watched each other without speaking. Serving girls in kimonos appeared, set down cups, and filled them with steaming tea. Sullivan had been told the Imperium had a complicated ceremony for drinking tea, but apparently they were skipping the ceremony tonight. The girls fled behind the screens just as silently as they’d come in. Neither Grimnoir drank the tea.
“You are knights?” The ambassador’s voice was surprisingly high pitched.
“We are,” Dan answered.
“Are you here about the attempt against your president?”
“That depends. Was it you?”
“Your government has already decided that we were not involved.”
“They decided the same thing about Mar Pacifica.”
The ambassador gave a slight nod. “I have been told that the assassin was a Grimnoir.”
“Then you were told wrong.”
“You were among those that attacked the Tokugawa?”
“We were.”
“I see…”
The ambassador didn’t appear threatening in the least, but if the rumor was correct, then he was, or had been, an Iron Guard, which meant that he was exceedingly dangerous. Most people would have thought of Dan Garrett as innocuous too, but get him motivated and the Mouth could talk you into blowing your own brains out. The reedy little ambassador probably had something similar up his baggy silk sleeves.
There. It was just the gentlest of nudges in his head. Sullivan could barely feel it, but there was another presence skimming the surface of his thoughts, just testing the waters. Somebody was subtly trying to Read them. The Active must have been behind the screens.. No. Sullivan recognized the concentration hiding behind the nonchalant mask. The ambassador was a Reader, and he was good.
“You admit to attacking the Imperium flagship… Yet, you dare come here?” The ambassador stroked his moustache thoughtfully. “Tell me why I should not simply have you killed?”
“The Enemy has returned.”
“Enemy?”
“The thing that pursues the Power across worlds. We understand the Chairman was something of an expert on it.”
The ambassador paused to take a sip of tea. “I was not aware the Grimnoir held such superstitions.”
Sullivan spoke. “The Chairman’s ghost told me.”
Gently, the ambassador set the tea cup down. “Such rumors… I’m afraid you are mistaken. The Chairman is in Edo, alive and well as only an immortal can be. It seems you have risked your lives for nothing.”
“He told me the Pathfinder is almost here, and that Dark Ocean is the key to stopping it.”
The ambassador would have been an excellent poker player. His eyes flicked over to the Iron Guard and then back to them. “How do you know of such things?”
“You’re a Reader. See for yourself.”
Caught, there was no point in being discreet, and the ambassador used more Power. Sullivan felt the intrusion, but rather than fighting it as instinct demanded, he concentrated on remembering the Chairman’s phone call as clearly as possible.
The ambassador must have been well trained to not display any emotions, because he almost pulled it off, but now there was a hint of fear breaking through the mask. He looked to Toru and the guards. “Leave us, all of you.” There was a rustling as the Iron Guard shifted nervously and asked something in Japanese. “That is unnecessary. Leave.”
Toru was obviously distressed over this development, but he did as he was commanded. The Iron Guard gave the order and the troops filed out. Doors slid closed behind the screens.
Once the doors were closed, the ambassador wasted no time in dropping the polite act. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded.
“You tell us,” Dan said.
“I’ll have none of your trickery, knight.”
“I was there. Your Chairman was blown to kingdom come.”
