Jack pulled the knife from his ankle scabbard and pointed it at him.

“Shut up and don’t move.”

“Jack, thank God!” Alicia said as he sliced through the duct tape. “How in the world—?”

“Tell you later.”

She began peeling away the strips as soon as he cut them. In seconds she was free. But instead of jumping for the door, she turned and went at Bloodymouth, cursing and clawing at his face.

Jack pulled her away from the cowering figure.

“Come on! We’ve got to get away from here.”

“Meet my half brother,” she said through her teeth as Jack helped her down to the pavement.

Jack looked at the soft body, the lanky hair, and bulbous nose. “Must take after the other side of the family,” he said.

“He does. He—”

She stopped and Jack saw she was staring at the two guys he’d flattened a minute ago. The driver had curled into a fetal position and was moaning as he clutched his left knee with his good hand. The other guy was already struggling to his feet. He had to be a tough one—a kidney punch like that usually put a guy down for the count.

He tugged on Alicia’s arm again, pulling her away from the scene. Drivers backed up behind the truck would be wandering up to see what the hell was holding things up. He saw one getting out of his car now. Jack didn’t want anyone giving his description.

“Let’s go. Time to fade away.”

8.

8.

After the collision, Yoshio had seen Baker come out and move around to the front of the truck. He did not return. The concerned citizen appeared instead and freed Alicia Clayton.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Yoshio approached the truck on foot. Peeking inside the open door, he saw a man he recognized as Thomas Clayton wiping blood from his mouth. He went around to the front and saw Baker and another man, both much larger than the concerned citizen, both looking battered.

This carnage was certainly not the work of an average citizen. It appeared that Ms. Clayton had found herself a samurai… a ronin.

And then Baker, holding a hand against his back, over his right kidney, noticed Yoshio and snarled. “Whatta you lookin’ at? Get the fuck outta here!”

As Yoshio made a frightened gesture and backed away, he glanced down the street to where Alicia Clayton and her rescuer were vanishing into the shadows.

Yoshio’s car was trapped behind the accident, and would be so for a long while, he feared. He would not be able to follow them.

But he wished he could. Yoshio wanted to know more about the ronin.

9.

9.

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

It must have been the twentieth time she’d said it. Jack sipped his Molson and said nothing. He’d given up on telling her not to worry about it.