Gekijo decided it was time to go back to Japan. Freeing his daughter was a Shinto problem and he would find a Shinto solution. The torso section of the armor was back with the metalworker, the craftsman who had made the other modifications and was now adding the hinging back features. When it was finished, Gekijo would pack it all up and get on the next flight. He and Carlos tussled a small drug ring and Gekijo had money again.

He did not tell the others he was leaving. His mind drifted to Quinn, but he decided to pay him the mind of a pesky fly - he would swat him if he came too near, but would not bother to hunt him down. Soon he would not be there any longer, and he was not even sure he would find Quinn if he looked. Gekijo received a text message from Sweet Atlanta which asked simply, "Have you seen Quinn?" If she did not know where he was then who would?

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As an editorial note: In Part 1 I stated that the year was 2002, but I am adjusting that slightly. This story takes place around 2003-2004.

Japanese vocabulary:

kami: In Shinto (he traditional and primary religion in Japan) kami are deities, divine beings, or forces of nature. Kami is an embracive term, anything venerated in a religious sense is a kami.

And to reorient, at the end of Part 2 Gekijo faced off with the kitsune, which ended with Gekijo extinguishing the burning blade in his bathtub. And here we go:

From then on Gekijo carried the katana with him as much as possible, almost everywhere he went. This society did not allow a man to walk around with a katana tied to his waist or back, but it did allow one to walk around with a duffel bag in hand. He had a proper sheath made for it, one of high-nickel alloy to withstand the highest temperatures, and finished all over in flat black, to make it as discreet as possible.

There was more work, of course. Quinn had the gang operating further west and south these days. He was still living in Manhattan, and they all moved apartments often, but there was plenty of work in New Jersey where they were less known.

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Some more Japanese vocabulary:

udon: long thick noodles

The first operation was a personal one for Carlos. He led the entire offensive, which took place at a primary hangout for the Sportsman Boys, just a couple of blocks from where he had died. Bones went first, ripping the door off its hinges as he stooped into the room. The shock and awe tactics worked too well for the demon gang - Bones took more than one bullet as he ripped through walls and furtniture and killed men with his bare hands, while Carlos, Quinn and Sweet Atlanta supported him with gunfire. Gekijo took up the rear guard, unkeen on firearms, and in a spot of intense chaos as this, his best faculty involved his sharp perception of details, staying exterior to the madness to catch any overlooked liability.

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A small white furry creature with long ears and wearing a purple vest was seen through Dominic’s cross-hair scope. It scampered very rapidly up to the doors of the hangar with a heavily armed guard outside it. The small creature didn’t even have to break pace because the guard saw it coming from across the tarmac and cracked the door open for it. Interesting tactic, to use seemingly minimal security for such an expensive illegal operation. Dom gave the go ahead, “Sir, target two has arrived.”

“Copy.”

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Some things to know:

Kitsune is a Japanese word that literally means "fox". Traditional Japanese mythology holds that all foxes are magical. As they grow older, wiser, more powerful, they grow extra tails, up to a maximum of nine. Kitsune can be auspicious, mischievous, or downright evil. They can turn invisible, shapeshift into human form, possess people, and are usually associated with fire. I have included some illustrations.

Some other Japanese words used:

katana: long, slightly curved Japanese sword
wakazashi: short sword, like a katana but about half to two-thrids the length
shuriken: same thing as ninja star
mikado: a title used for the emperor of Japan. Literally means "the august gate", in reference to the gateway that leads into the imperial palace grounds.

Once upon a time, Gekijo was a man. This simple fact might serve to belie in you things you have heard or known about him, had you reason to know or hear of him, which hopefully you have not before this. But the real and simple truth is just that, incontrovertibly - once upon a time, Gekijo was a man.

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Ensign Antares W. Smith, Expeditions Executive, stepped through the bulkhead door from the mission equipment prep hangar and walked down the hall at a brisk pace. He stepped into his office a few doors down to review several reports on his holo screen. Everything was in order. He fired off a few dispatches to several of his juniors. Tomorrow would be a big day. They were arriving at the first planet in a series of ninety-eight solar systems that had been mapped out. The excitement through the ship was palpable as soon as deceleration started. Everyone was grinning to themselves and the Captain had to make regular pep talks during musters to keep things on track, encouraging people to not loose focus for a second.

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