Now it was the boy’s turn to suffer the security chief’s piercing study.

“In that case, I think you owe Hayama here an apology.”

James lurched shakily to his feet and extended his hand.

“I’m sorry, Hayama. All things considered, I’ve changed my mind. I’d like to take those lessons, if you’ll have me as a student.”

The boy had given up too easily. There was a new depth in his gaze that hadn’t been there when they first met.

“Certainly I’ll have you, James,” Hosato said, accepting the handshake. “If anything, I should apologize to you for putting you through such a rough first lesson.”

The boy picked up his sword and resheathed it.

“If it’s all right,” he said, “I think I’ll go lie down for a while. I’m still a little queasy from that accident.”

“Go ahead.” Hosato smiled. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Right.”

“Wait outside a minute, James,” interjected Sasha. “I’ll walk along with you.”

The boy hesitated, then nodded and left.

“We’ll have to have dinner together, Hayama. Sometime soon?”

Sasha’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. Hosato ignored the warning bells going off in the back of his mind.

“Sure, Sasha,” he said, forcing a smile. “Any particular reason?”

“Nothing special. You’re the newest person on the staff, and I know the least about you. I thought it might give us a chance to get to know each other better.”

“I thought those application forms I filled out were pretty complete.”

Sasha smiled as if at some secret joke. “Forms seldom tell the whole story.”

“Well, how about tonight, then?”

“There’s no hurry. No one leaves the complex without my approval.”

She turned and followed James before Hosato could reply, which was fortunate, because he couldn’t think of one. He stared about the twosome for a few moments, then thoughtfully began to collect his remote cameras.