to do next violates about a dozen general orders.”
Han tightened his grip a little on her elbow. “You can’t be serious. You’re still thinking of going in there?”
“Hell, no. I’m done thinking about it. I’m going in there as soon as I can get rid of you.”
“Mariko, you know there’s no way in hell I’m letting you walk in there alone. We’re partners.”
“I know. But you just got your ass hauled in front of a review board for ethics infractions. It’s a miracle that you still have a badge. If you think I’m going to let you commit more infractions by tagging along with me, you’re nuts.”
“Mariko—”
“No, Han. My career is fucked. Yours doesn’t have to be.”
Han stopped walking, and since he still had Mariko by the arm, he stopped her too. “Listen, I’ve been reading those old notebooks of yours and I’ve got this theory cooking. If I’m right about it, you’re being set up.”
“Hm.” Usually Mariko and Han thought alike, but this time she couldn’t see where he was heading. “Okay, you lost me. Explain.”
Han bounced nervously on the balls of his feet, probably unaware that he was doing it. “All right, here we go. Remind me, how did you know the old guy who wrote all the notes?”
“‘Old guy’? Really?”
“Sorry. Professor Yamada. How did you know him?”
“He was my kenjutsu sensei.”
“Right. And you got that sword of yours from him, neh?”
“Yeah.”
“Who’d he get it from?”
“Huh.” Mariko frowned, biting softly on her lower lip. “You know, I don’t think he ever told me.”
“Is it possible he got it by chance?”
Mariko had to think about that one too. “Yes and no,” she said at last. “With swords like these, you stop using the word ‘coincidence.’ But you may be onto something. I don’t think Yamada-sensei could ever afford to buy an Inazuma. He was a college professor, and before that he was just an officer in the army. Not the kinds of jobs that pay well enough to buy historical artifacts.”
“See, that’s what I thought. I don’t think that ninja woman was trying to beat you to death with that mask. I think she was trying to give it to you.”
“You think?” She pointed at her bruises and stitches.
“Hear me out, okay? I’ve been studying your sensei’s journals. He mentions another Inazuma sword called Beautiful Singer. Have you heard of it?”
“Yeah, you could say that.” Just hearing the name was enough to make Mariko wince. She still had scars on her stomach and back where that sword ran her through.
“There’s another called Streaming Dawn. Heard of that one?”
“No,” she said, but suddenly she was all ears. A fourth Inazuma blade. She’d encountered three of them already—more than anyone else alive, in all probability—but she’d always wondered how many more were out there.
“Your sensei says he finds no record of either of these ever having been sold. They’re named in a will here or there, or taken as trophies after combat, but in every case he says there were strange circumstances around the death of the previous owner. Guys losing duels they should have won. Master swordsmen suddenly going nuts on the battlefield. Stuff like that.”
Mariko had no trouble believing that. Yamada-sensei had shared with her the grisly history of Beautiful Singer. Even if he hadn’t, she’d witnessed firsthand how it could twist the mind of whoever was holding it. She wondered if this Streaming Dawn bore a similar curse. “Keep going,” she said.
“All right, remember how you said that mask of yours is tuned to your sword? Well, it never gets sold either. Yamada makes a specific note of that. He says the Wind places it where it needs to be.”
“Okay. So what’s your point?”
Han was bouncing like a piston now, urgent and agitated. “I think there’s a ninja Secret Santa out there, and I think he’s setting you up.”
Mariko wanted to grab him by the shoulders and plant him firmly on the pavement. She wanted to send him on his way and get down to business, but some nameless intuition stayed her hand. She’d only seen him this nervous when they were getting ready to raid a meth lab or close the deal on a yakuza sting. He was legitimately scared for her.
So she gave him the benefit of the doubt. “Let’s say you’re right. How is this setup supposed to work?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that you’re now the proud owner of a mask that’s worth more than either of us is going to make