Part 15 (1/2)
”Are you?” He looked amused.
”Prove that I am not.”
He shrugged his slim shoulders. ”It does not matter. All that your 'status' would guarantee you is a quick death.”
I felt the blood draining from my face. ”A quick death? Why?”
”You don't understand,” he told me. ”The Imperior is not simply a mortal man.”
”He's not?”
”Well, he thinks he's not. The Imperior is designated by the G.o.ds. He is divine. He is holy. He is all-knowing. And I am quite, quite sure that your race and the land from which you come is completely unknown to him.”
”So?” I still wasn't following.
”So?” It was Mordant's voice, speaking softly from beneath my cloak. Anyone nearby would have thought themselves mad with voices apparently wafting out of thin air. ”Are you not paying attention? One cannot be all-knowing and be faced with the unknown both at the same time.”
”Ah,” I said slowly.
”Now you understand?”
”Yes,” I admitted. ”If there is physical proof of someone or something that the Imperior doesn't know about, then his divine, all-knowing status is challenged. He cannot tolerate any such challenge. So what he would be obliged to do is eliminate that which is challenging him. But,” and I shook my head, ”wouldn't he be interested in finding out about that which is new to him?”
”Of course not. Because, by definition--”
”He already knows about it,” I sighed. ”And if he doesn't know about it, then it must not exist. So if it does exist, it behooves him to make certain it stops existing.”
”Precisely,” said Mitsu. He looked at me with curiosity. ”Why was it so necessary for you to speak directly with the Imperior, anyway?” ”Because I want to help find a way to destroy the Forked Tong.”
”Ahhh. The Forked Tong,” Mitsu said, nodding. ”You are familiar with them, are you?”
”Not really,” I admitted. I could feel Mordant on my back, settling himself back down to rest. ”But I know enough.”
”And what do you know?”
”That they are some sort of criminal organization. And they work in tandem with a group calling itself the Anais Ninjas. The group that was responsible for killing my teacher.”
”I see.” He held his cup delicately and took another sip. ”And how do you propose to destroy this Forked Tong and the Anais Ninjas?”
”I'm not sure yet. I need more information about them.” My eyes narrowed thoughtfully as I stared at Mitsu. ”You seem a knowledgeable sort.”
”Do I?” His voice was neutral.
”What can you tell me?”
”That if you meddle with organizations such as those whose names you are so unwisely bandying about, you will die.”
Trying my best to sound nonchalant, I replied, ”Sooner or later, I'll die anyway. So what difference does it make?”
”All the difference in the world if you desire sooner to become later.”
”Trouble.”
Once again it was Mordant who had spoken from concealment. But his tone had changed. There was tension in both it and his body. I could tell because suddenly his talons were digging into the flesh of my back. I gasped in pain and growled, ”Ease up on the claws, if you don't mind.” I felt a slight lessening.
”What 'trouble'? What are you talking about?”
”Not sure. I just smell it. Let's go.”
”This is ridic--”
”Let's go!” There was a definite hiss in his voice, and I could feel the claws p.r.i.c.king at my skin once more.
Having been given sufficient incentive, I used my staff to hoist myself to my feet. Mitsu, impressively, went directly from cross-legged to standing in a bit of muscle control that I could only envy. As we quickly gathered our meager belongings, I glanced around the eatery in search of what looked like a plausible menace. Nothing presented itself.
Quickly we made our way out into the streets. How in the world Mordant could possibly smelltrouble, I hadn't a clue. All I could smell was fish.
”There,” Mitsu suddenly said. He didn't point, obviously not wanting to draw attention, but I followed the young man's glance and saw what he was indicating.
I recognized them instantly.
Not them specifically, but their mode of dress, the colors they wore, which was identical to that of the three thugs who had ridden into the small village of Hosbiyu with the intention of causing problems... right before Chinpan Ali had caused them more problems than they could ever have imagined. There were two of them, and they were not taking their eyes off us as we made our way through the market.
We wove our way through the crowd, trying to get to the horse, and then I stopped so abruptly that Mitsu b.u.mped into me. ”We have a problem,” I said.
Two more of them were directly between us and the horse.
It seemed as if the people in the crowd sensed that these men meant trouble, and tried to get out of their way as quickly as they could.
”You know them?” asked Mitsu.
”They work for the Skang Kei crime family,” I told him.
”Well, if you're interested in finding out about the Forked Tong, they would certainly be the ones who tell you what you wish to know.”
”They're with the Forked Tong as well?”
”You don't seem to understand,” said Mitsu. ”Everyone of criminal intent in this city is part of the Forked Tong. Why do you think the Imperior despises them so? Because they're organized. Enemies who are splintered are far more easily handled than enemies who are united.”
”Words of wisdom. I shall carry them with me for many years, provided we manage to survive the next few minutes.”
”Why are they coming after you?”
”I don't know,” I replied. ”For all I know, they're coming after you.”
”Me? What did I ever do to the Skang Kei family?”
”Since I really don't have any clue as to who you are, I'd have no way of answering that, would I. For all I know, you raped and murdered a favored daughter.” Even as I spoke, I glanced around desperately to see if there was a way out. ”Come,” I said, and headed off to the left.
They were coming from that direction as well. I turned and saw that a fourth possible means of retreat had also been cut off.