A flash of silver and red blossomed in front of me as my sword slipped silently through my target's chest. With a savage yank I pulled it back out, allowing the dead man to fall to the ground with a thud.
"I'm done here." I said to the rest of my crew behind me. "I'll leave clean up to you."
"Nice work today Kira-san!" Jinan, my handler, trotted up behind me, taking no notice of the blood splattered over my kimono and on the ground around me. "Katsura will be pleased."
I shrugged and slipped my katana back into it's sheath. "Who next?"
"That's all for today. You can head back and rest. We'll finish up here."
I nodded. "Jinan..." I said, just as he was turning away.
"Yes?"
"Katsura. I heard he was coming here. When?"
Jinan's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed into the cool, calculating look that almost no one ever saw. He was usually so careful to hide it, I must have caught him off-guard with my knowledge. "Tonight. He's requested to see you, actually."
"I see." I turned to walk back to the inn all Katsura's men stayed at when not prowling the streets. Perhaps I would take a bath. It would have to be quick, and I'd have to be extremely careful that no one saw me, but the risk might be worth getting the dried blood off of me for a few hours.
"Kira-san,"
I paused, waiting to see what it was he wanted.
"Do be careful heading back. These are dangerous times and it would be all too easy for someone to ambush you and dump you in the gutter."
I whipped around, glancing at his face to see if he'd meant that as a threat, but Jinan had already turned away. "The one who should be careful," I muttered, under my breath. "Is you."