Part 26 (1/2)

'In the pit,' Momochi groaned as a fresh wave of pain and grief hit him.

'Hanzo and Soke too?' asked Jack.

Momochi nodded solemnly.

Leaving him in the care of Zenjubo, the others dashed over to the pit. Tenzen, Jack and Akiko crouched beside the heavy iron grille and peered into its depths. The moonlight barely reached the pale faces that stared up in disbelief from the stinking black hole below.

'Father!' whispered Tenzen.

The other prisoners parted to allow Shonin through. 'Tenzen, I knew knew I could rely on you.' I could rely on you.'

Then he spotted Akiko.

'Don't be alarmed,' said Tenzen. 'She's with us.'

'If a samurai is helping us, we must be desperate!' replied Shonin, smiling good-naturedly at Akiko.

'Hold on,' said Miyuki, taking the guard's keys from Tenzen. 'We'll have you out in no time.' She began to work her way through the set.

'Is Jack there?' croaked Soke from the dark depths of the pit, forced by his injury to sit on the fetid floor.

'I'm here,' he replied, glad to find Soke still alive. 'But where's Hanzo?'

Shonin lifted the boy upon his shoulders. Hanzo looked exhausted, dark patches beneath his eyes. To Jack's relief, he seemed relatively unharmed, except for a nasty bruise along his jawline.

'Tengu? I thought you'd died!' exclaimed Hanzo, tears running in rivulets down his grime-ridden face. I thought you'd died!' exclaimed Hanzo, tears running in rivulets down his grime-ridden face.

'Tengu can't die, remember!' replied Jack. 'I've brought someone to see you.' He moved aside for Akiko. can't die, remember!' replied Jack. 'I've brought someone to see you.' He moved aside for Akiko.

She removed her menp menp and stared at the boy's face for a long time. Hanzo stared back, bemused by this lady in samurai armour. and stared at the boy's face for a long time. Hanzo stared back, bemused by this lady in samurai armour.

'Well, is it?' asked Jack, the moment of truth causing him to hold his breath.

Akiko didn't reply.

'Perhaps you need to see the birthmark?' he whispered.

Akiko shook her head and broke into a tearful smile. 'My kachimus.h.i.+ kachimus.h.i.+!'

Hanzo immediately stopped crying. 'You ... you're like the lady ... in my dream.'

Jack could barely believe it. His instincts had been right. Bewildered looks were exchanged between the prisoners crowded in the pit. Weeping with joy, Akiko reached through the bars and gently stroked Hanzo's face. 'My kachimus.h.i.+ kachimus.h.i.+, what have they done to you?'

'I kicked a samurai warrior,' said Hanzo proudly. 'He tried to kill Grandfather.'

'Young samurai!' said Shonin, getting Akiko's attention. 'I don't know who you are or what this is about, but now isn't the time for explanations. We need need to get out of here.' to get out of here.'

Akiko immediately refocused on the task in hand, and turned to Miyuki. 'What's taking you so long?'

'None of the keys work!' Miyuki replied in annoyance. 'I've tried them all twice.'

Akiko s.n.a.t.c.hed the keys from her, but she didn't have any luck either. In frustration she grabbed the bars, pulling futilely at them.

'I could pick the lock,' Jack suggested. 'Tenzen, have you got a needle shuriken shuriken?'

Tenzen handed him the thinnest one he had. But the lock proved more resistant than the one on the cage. The tip jammed and he almost broke it off.

'It's no use,' said Jack after his fifth attempt.

Akiko gripped the bars again in desperation, the torment of being so close yet so far from her little brother almost too much to bear.

'Who would hold the key?' asked Shonin calmly.

With cold certainty, Jack knew.

'Gemnan.'

51.

SLEEPING S SAMURAI.

'Time is not on our side,' Tenzen cautioned as Jack and Miyuki prepared for their mission to find the key. 'There could be a change of guard at any moment.' 'Are you certain certain you know where his room is?' asked Miyuki. you know where his room is?' asked Miyuki.

'It's on the second floor,' Jack replied, praying his memory served him right. 'After my meeting with daimyo daimyo Akechi, I was dragged out by the guards. But we briefly stopped on the stairs halfway down, while Gemnan went to his room. He'd joked he had to get the key to my lodgings!' Akechi, I was dragged out by the guards. But we briefly stopped on the stairs halfway down, while Gemnan went to his room. He'd joked he had to get the key to my lodgings!'

'Jack, please please get the key,' implored Akiko, still kneeling beside the pit. 'I want my Kiyos.h.i.+ out of this h.e.l.lhole and home where he belongs.' get the key,' implored Akiko, still kneeling beside the pit. 'I want my Kiyos.h.i.+ out of this h.e.l.lhole and home where he belongs.'

'Leave no trace and stay invisible,' said Zenjubo, handing Jack his kaginawa kaginawa climbing rope. climbing rope.

Like Momochi, he was unhappy about sending Jack, but he was the only one with personal knowledge of the keep's layout. Miyuki had volunteered to go with him as her exceptional s.h.i.+n.o.bi aruki s.h.i.+n.o.bi aruki skills would be required. skills would be required.

'Jack,' called Soke from the pit. 'I have faith in you, but remember the rice paper. A tear is a tear.'

'It'll be like stealing a pillow from under your head,' replied Jack, though in truth they both knew this wasn't the case. This time the lives and future of the clan were at stake.

'May the Five Rings guide you,' said Shonin as the two of them set off.

Miyuki led the way, vaulting on top of the wall and darting along its length. Jack followed close behind, leaping from wall to wall and roof to roof in the direction of the keep. They reached it without resistance, only encountering a samurai patrol in the last courtyard. Once the guards had turned the corner, the two of them jumped down and ran over to its base. The keep presented greater challenges than the castle wall had. The first-floor shutters were closed and the lower roof jutted out. Somehow they'd have to negotiate the overhanging eaves to reach the second floor.

Miyuki took the kaginawa kaginawa, spinning its grappling hook in one hand, and threw it high into the air. The rope wrapped round a gargoyle of a tiger-headed fish that projected from the curved roof two storeys up. She gave the kaginawa kaginawa a tug, checking it was secure, before climbing the rope. Jack held it steady as she hauled herself up. As soon as she had negotiated the eaves and got a footing on the roof, she beckoned him to follow. a tug, checking it was secure, before climbing the rope. Jack held it steady as she hauled herself up. As soon as she had negotiated the eaves and got a footing on the roof, she beckoned him to follow.

Jack grabbed hold of the kaginawa kaginawa and shot up the rope with practised ease. For one brief moment, he even imagined he was in the rigging of the and shot up the rope with practised ease. For one brief moment, he even imagined he was in the rigging of the Alexandria Alexandria, the wind blowing in his face and the waves cras.h.i.+ng far below. He was snapped out of his reverie by Miyuki urgently gesturing to him. Jack wondered why she was being so so impatient. impatient.

Then he heard the voices. The patrol was coming back.