The Last Assassin

She laughed harshly. 'And you accuse me of being in denial? What you do is like fighting a hydra. Everyone you kill, it creates two more. If you can't see that, you're insane.'

I didn't respond. My thoughts were sluggish. I felt dizzy, as though I'd been punched in the head.

Koichiro said, 'Inu!' again.

I looked away, trying to collect myself.

'You know who showed up here right after you did?' I heard Midori say. 'Some blond bitch who said she knew you. She told me you were a danger to Koichiro and me, and warned me to stop seeing you. And you know what? She was right. She was absolutely right.'

I looked at her. 'She… came here?'

She shook her head in disgust. 'Why do you look so surprised? You're trailing a poisonous wake, Jun. And every port you pull into, it washes up behind you.'

I licked my lips and tried to think of something to say. Nothing came out.

'Just go,' she said after a moment. 'Just go and never come back.'

I looked at Koichiro. He was still smiling at me, not understanding.

'What about Koichiro?' I said.

'When he's old enough, I'll tell him you're dead. That's what I was planning to do anyway, after tonight. And you are. You really are.' She turned and took him back inside without another word.

I stood there for a long time, watching the building, thinking maybe she would come out again, and I could explain better, or she could, or maybe in some other way we could make it as though none of this had really happened. I hadn't killed her father, I hadn't continually brought danger onto her and our son, she hadn't betrayed me to men who two hours earlier had tried to gut me in some airport toilet stall.

But she didn't come. And it all did happen.

I'd been ready to do anything to protect them, even suicide. I should have realized Midori would be willing to go at least that far.

I watched the building longer. Eventually I started to shiver. Finally I turned to go. It was strange to think how close my son was, and yet now how impossibly far.

53

I took a train to D.C. and spent a few sleepless hours in a motel there. I was reasonably sure the police in New York would have pictures of me from JFK video cameras. The pictures wouldn't be great, but I didn't want to take chances. New York area airports would be a bit hot for me for a while.

The next morning, I caught a flight to Los Angeles, and from there to Tokyo. I was only going back to see Tatsu. And for the money from Wajima.

By the time the plane took off from LAX, I was exhausted enough to sleep. I stayed down for almost the entire flight. It was much better than facing my wakeful thoughts.

It was getting dark when we landed. It felt like I was beginning to live in perpetual night.

. When I was clear of customs at Narita, I turned on the Japanese cell phone. I had three messages waiting. Christ, I was going to need a damn secretary.

The first two were from Dox and Delilah, trying to reach me. The third was Kanezaki. He just said, 'Call me.'

I didn't want to, but it might have been something operational. I input his number.

'Hey,' he said after one ring, recognizing who it was from the caller ID display.

'You called?' I asked.

'Yeah. Dox gave me back the equipment. And he briefed me. Nice work.'

'If you're about to tell me I owe you a favor,' I said, my tone dangerously flat, 'you're picking a bad time.'

'It's not that at all. It's about Tatsu.'

My jaw tightened. 'What is it?'

'I went to see him today, like you told me. He's not good.'

'Yeah, no shit.'

He paused, then said, 'You want to tell me what the hell's up your ass?'

His gumption surprised me, and I couldn't help smiling. 'I would, but it would take too long.'

He said, 'Anyway, I was just calling to tell you. I know you probably already know and were probably already going to see him, but I thought I should say something just in case.'

I nodded. 'All right. Thank you.'

'There's something else. You've probably heard.'

'What?'

'Our old friend Yamaoto Toshi just died. Complications in the hospital after being treated for gunshot wounds.'

'Really.'

'Yeah. I couldn't help wondering whether it was actually some kind of assisted suicide.'

'I wouldn't know. He had a lot of enemies.'

He chuckled. 'We should talk,' he said. He paused, then added, 'No obligation.'

Right. 'Soon,' I said. 'But not now.' I clicked off.

I took the Narita Express to Tokyo Station. I checked into a business hotel, where I showered, shaved, and changed my clothes. I went out to find a liquor store, and then to see Tatsu.

The bodyguard let me in. Tatsu's daughter was there again, holding his grandson, sitting by the bed. So was a nice-looking older woman who must have been Tatsu's wife.

Tatsu was sleeping. The daughter greeted me and introduced me to the older woman – her mother, and indeed, Tatsu's wife.

'He told us to wake him if you came,' the daughter said. 'But now I'm not sure.'

'No, let him sleep,' I said. 'He needs it.'

On cue, Tatsu opened his eyes and looked at us. He said, 'Nobody listens to me anymore.'

I laughed. Devious to the last.

'Can you stay for a bit?' he asked me.

I nodded. 'As long as you can stand me.'

He looked at his wife and daughter. 'Why don't you go home? You've been here all day and I know you're tired. I'm just going to talk to my friend for a little while, and then I think I'll sleep. Okay?'

The women got up. Like the first night I had been here, Tatsu kissed his grandson good-bye and whispered to him before they left. It was much more difficult for him this time, and twice he groaned in pain, but he did it.

When we were alone he said, 'I heard about New York.'

I wondered how he could have heard about Midori, and then realized he was talking about earlier, what had happened at the airport. I said, 'Kuro?'

He nodded. 'He's not unhappy. Those men were useless to him and might even have posed a threat. Kuro has no quarrel with you.'

'Good. I'm tired of quarreling.'

'Did you see Midori and your son?'

I nodded.

'And were you able to explain?'

I nodded again. 'I think so, yeah. I think it's going to be all right. It'll take a little time, but yeah.'

He smiled. It was a measure of how beaten and exhausted he was from his battle with the disease that my lie could slip past him.

'I brought you something,' I said, taking out the bottle I had picked up at the liquor store.

I handed it to him, but he was so weak I had to help him hold it. 'A Lagavulin sixteen-year-old,' he said, looking at the bottle. 'Oh, I've missed good whiskey.'

'You want to smell it?'

'Yes. And you have a drink for me, okay?'

'Okay.'

I poured an inch into each of two plastic cups. We touched them together and said, 'Kanpai.'

I drained mine in one gulp. Tatsu inhaled deeply and smiled. 'It's the little things, isn't it,' he said.

'Yeah. I think that's true.'

'You know, Kanezaki visited me today.'

'Really?'

He nodded. 'You should stay in touch with him. We were… working on something together at one point. It might interest you.'

I wondered if this had anything to do with the 'favor' that, sooner or later, Kanezaki was going to extract from me.

'Yeah,' I said. 'I had a feeling you guys were collaborating a little more than either of you ever let on.'

'He's a good man.'

I laughed. 'He just reminds you of yourself.'

He smiled. 'You know, he's the same age my son would have been.'

'You miss him, don't you,' I said.

He nodded. 'Every day. But I'm going to see him soon.'

I argued with him neither about when he was going nor where. Anyone could see he didn't have long. And who was I to tell him what he might find afterward?