After decades of training, though, Genjiro wasn’t going to make it that easy. He went for Smith’s fingers and almost got hold of one before Smith could close his fist. The Japanese was off balance and Smith managed to spin him to the ground, landing hard on his back with both knees. That dazed the man enough for Smith to sink the choke hold deeper and tighten it as much as his injured back would allow. Genjiro clawed blindly behind him and Smith buried his face into the man’s back to protect his eyes. After thirty seconds the engineer started to weaken. Smith kept the pressure on, not easing off until Genjiro was on the verge of slipping into unconsciousness.

When Smith rolled the man over, he reached out weakly but stopped when he felt the suppressor of Smith’s Sig Sauer pressed up under his chin.

“We can all walk away from this no worse for the wear, Genjiro. I just want to talk to you about your work.”

“I’m a consultant. I—”

“You work for Masao Takahashi.”

Smith realized he’d been hoping that Genjiro wouldn’t have any idea what he was talking about—that he and Randi were wrong about all this. It was clear from the man’s eyes, though, that he knew exactly what was being asked.

“Who?” the Japanese said, obviously too panicked and oxygen deprived to come up with a more elaborate denial.

“You’re telling me you don’t know who Takahashi is?”

“I…of course. But—”

“Your country’s on the brink of war, Genjiro. And Takahashi’s doing everything he can to make sure it happens.”

“Make sure it happens?” the man said as his head cleared. “The Chinese attack our ships, they try to kill him. We have a right to defend ourselves!”

“What if I tell you that I think Takahashi sank the Izumo? That he wants this war.”

“Impossible! We can’t defeat China. The Americans would get involved and we would end up in a bloody stalemate that serves no one. Takahashi knows this better than anyone.”

Smith nodded imperceptibly. Of course Genjiro wouldn’t have the big picture. He was just a soldier. A brilliant one, but a soldier nonetheless.

“Do you think you’re the only one he recruited? What about Japan’s other geniuses? The ones who used to make your country the world’s technological capital. Where is Hideki Ito? Where is Akito Maki?”

Genjiro didn’t respond, considering what he’d just heard.

“Takahashi has an army of men like you designing weapons for him,” Smith pressed. “But you’ve done too good a job. Mutual assured destruction no longer applies. Takahashi thinks he can win.”

Genjiro opened his mouth to speak but whatever he said was drowned out by the sound of shattering glass.