White Collar: The Nightingale

Chapter thirteen

"Peter, are you sure about this?" Jones asked.

"No."

Peter flashed Jones a tight lipped smile. Jones handed Peter a watch that acted as both a bug and GPS tracker. Jones and Diana were settling in to spend the evening in the van to keep an ear out in case Peter needed back up. Peter was not expecting to need their help, but it didn't hurt to keep the team close.

"I can't believe the Yamaguchi-gumi family actually invited you to this soiree." Diana said shaking her head.

"Neal's reputation, earned or not, made Tanaka nervous. Apparently if this sword doesn't make it back to Japan heads will roll...literally."

"I don't think that even Neal is crazy enough to steal from the Yakuza." Jones muttered.

"If that's the case then everything should go smoothly tonight and there will be no harm done."

"Unless someone in there planted those samurai bonds." Diana pointed out.

"I came to them, they didn't come to me."

"Just be careful." Jones said.

"I will."

After checking to see if the watch was working properly Peter adjusted the cuff links on his tux and stepped out of the van and into the cool New York night. The autumn nip in the air caused Burke's breath to form a small white cloud. Peter crossed the street and entered the Tokyo Dreams night club. Tanaka had left instructions with one of his guards to bring Peter to the back room elevator.

Peter was escorted to the penthouse floor where he was greeted by Tanaka himself. Tanaka was wearing a traditional black silk kimono with matching hakama pants. Tanaka was the only one in the entrance room, but Peter could hear a group of people mingling in what he assumed was the main room. Tanaka gave Peter a deep bow and Peter awkwardly returned it.

"Agent Burke, I am pleased you could make it." Tanaka put his hand out and a young Japanese woman stepped out from seemingly no where. "Asami here will help you get dressed."

"Excused me?"

"A kimono is not easy to don, Asami will ensure you get it right."

"I...uh..."

"If you are to spend an evening immersed in Japanese culture you should not look like an outsider."

Peter was trying to think of a way out of Tanaka's offer, but he realized that he was here by invitation only and insulting the host was probably not a good start to the evening. Asami bowed deeply to Peter and led him to a guest bedroom. Much like Hsing did with Neal she reached out to remove Peter's jacket. Peter flushed and backed away.

"I...uh...I really don't need your help, just show me what Tanaka wants me to change into."

"Forgive me," Asami said shyly. "I do not understand English."

"Really? Your English sounds pretty good to me."

"Forgive me, I do not understand English." Asami repeated.

"Great." Peter sighed.

Asami went over to the bed and lifted up a pair of hamaka pants. She brought them over to Peter and handed them to him before turning around. Peter took the opportunity to take off his jacket and then replaced his pants with the wide almost skirt like hamaka pants. The pants had a variety of ribbons to hold it in place that Peter had no hope of figuring out.

Asami went over and collected up the under shirt, and an obi sash that went with the outfit. Peter was once again resistive to her help, but he was distracted by trying to keep the loose silk pants up. Asami managed to get him out of his button down shirt and allowed him to wear his own undershirt under the silk kimono undershirt. She fastened the obi sash and tied it skillfully before taking the hamaka ribbons and tying them artfully over the obi. Asami took a step back to inspect her work before helping Peter into the jacket like kimono. She pointed at his shoes and shook her head.

Peter was about to protest, but at this point he decided that there was no real point. He sat on the edge of the bed and took off his shoes and socks. Asami seemed satisfied and gave Peter another bow. Peter felt ridiculous in the silk skirt like pants and flowing kimono.

Asami went to led Peter back to the party. Before leaving Peter grabbed his cell phone and Federal ID and tucked them into the obi. Asami gave him a disapproving look, but didn't say anything. Peter had left his gun with Jones, Tanaka had made it clear that he wouldn't be welcome if he came armed.

Burke walked a little awkwardly as he got used to the exposed feeling of the hamaka pants. Asami brought him out to the main room where the rest of the party was gathered. There were about a dozen men and a handful of women in attendance. It quickly became clear that the women were workers rather than guests. The room itself was minimalist in its design, with a spectacular view of New York out the far wall that was made of glass doors that lead to a garden patio.

Tanaka walked up to him with an older man at his side. Both men bowed to Peter and once again Peter did his best to return the gesture properly. He knew that the angle of the bow and the time spent down was important, but he wasn't sure what the exact rules were.

"Agent Burke, this is my father Haru Yamaguchi."

"Thank you for allowing me to be here tonight, Mr. Yamaguchi."

"Usually I would not have allowed it, however these are unusual circumstance."

"I understand. Is the sword here?"

Yamaguchi nodded and brought Burke over to the center of the room where the sword was on display. The on lookers backed away from the sword as Yamaguchi approached. The gold accent sword was displayed on a simple stand made of teak. The Nightingale sword was not just a weapon, but a work of art. The silver colored blade was engraved with a cherry tree in bloom with a singing nightingale that had just taken flight on it.

"Neal would like this." Peter said to himself.

"You are sure that Caffrey-san will be unarmed?" Yamaguchi asked.

"He hates guns." Peter said confidently. "If he makes a move to take the sword tonight it will be through cunning, not violence."

"You admire him." Yamaguchi smiled.

"He has his moments."

"You are going to a great deal of trouble to catch him."

"It's my job."

"It is more than that."

Yamaguchi stared at Peter, silently daring him to contradict his last statement. As the two men stared at one another Asami came up to Yamaguchi and said something quietly to him in Japanese. Yamaguchi nodded and turned to address the gathering.

"Honored guests, tonight's entertainment has arrived."

Peter had a bad feeling about the entertainment considering what he'd seen downstairs the night before. Everyone in the room suddenly moved to predetermined places in the room, the women stood against the far wall and the men sat on the hardwood floor. They formed a wide semi circle, leaving the sword in the middle of a large stage like setting. Tanaka showed Peter to a place to the far left while Tamaguchi disappeared toward the room that held the elevator. Tanaka took a seat next to Peter and waited patiently.

Tamaguchi came back with a shockingly beautiful woman at his side. The woman's midnight hair was pulled up and pinned with long strings of pink pearls. All of the guests were wearing black, however the new comer's dress was blood red with embroidered golden dragons. Her face had been painted a brilliant white which highlighted her ruby lipstick. Bright pink accented the conners of her almond eyes. Behind her were two men dressed in formal kimonos that looked like bodyguards to Peter's trained eye.

Tamaguchi led her to the middle of the space defined by the seated guests and had her turn around. To Peter's surprise the woman's dress was completely backless. It was held together by two gold chains, one up around the neck and one around her extreme lower back. The backless nature of the dress gave the guest a uninterrupted view of her full back tattoo.

Peter found himself staring at the amazing detail in the tattoo. A bird much like the one engraved on the sword sang a sad song on its cherry tree perch on her shoulder. The fish that kissed the surface of the pond on her low back looked as though they may spook and swim away at any moment. Each brushstroke seemed to accent her natural curves perfectly.

"Irezumi tattoo master Katashi only graces the most highly trained Geisha of Japan with his work." Tamaguchi explained. "And only those trained to handle the Nightingale Katana bear one of his unmistakable signing nightingales."

The woman that Neal knew as Tachi turned to face the gathering once more. She kept her eyes cast down in a demur fashion while Tamaguchi took his seat in the front center of the semi circle. The two guards that had come with Tachi stood like statues on either side of the Nightingale katana. Tachi looked up and swept her dark eyes over the men seated before her. Peter noticed a very slight smile touch her lips as she looked at her audience. When her eyes met Peter's she paused.

If she was disturbed by the presence of an Anglo audience member she didn't show it. She bowed deeply to Tamaguchi before gracefully turning around and taking the Nightingale sword by the hilt. Peter found himself holding his breath, unsure of what was going to happen next. Tachi held the sword out and began a slow dance, moving with the ease of many hours of practice.

Tachi's graceful dance began to gain speed. She held everyone entranced like a snake charmer hypnotizing her favorite cobra. Peter even found himself following her every move with rapt attention. Tachi suddenly sliced the sword through the air in a diagonal cut. The special notches built into the blade sang out through the silence.

Tachi began a battle against an invisible foe that caused the notched sword to create a true melody. She welded the weapon with such precision that it became more of a musical instrument than a blade. A fine bead of sweat broke against Tachi's ivory skin as she continued the complicated dance.

Peter gasped sharply as Tachi swept the sword towards Tamaguchi. The Yakuza leader was absolutely fearless as the tip of the sharp blade came to a rest a few millimeters from his clothing over heart. Tachi froze in place with the simulated killing strike. The audience broke into a polite applause. Peter relaxed slightly, realizing that the close call must have been part of the show.

Tachi whipped the blade away from Tamaguchi and began to dance once more. Peter got an uneasy feeling when he noticed her look to her two body guards. They both tensed slightly, as if they had just been given some silent order to prepare for action. Before Peter could react to the change in the energy of the dance Tachi rushed at Tamaguchi again. This time she dropped to her knees and brought the sword up hard into Tamaguchi's stomach and up into his chest.

Everything happened so fast that it wasn't until blood slipped from between Tamaguchi's lips that the audience realized the violent turn the evening had taken. One of the women against the wall screamed.

"Father!" Tanaka exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.

"The women of China are not for sale!" Tachi cried passionately.

Chaos broke out as the bodyguards both brought out hand guns and began firing into the audience. Peter tried to scramble to his feet, but got caught up in the large silk pants and fell backwards. Before Tanaka could get far a bullet caught him in the chest and he collapsed to the floor next to Peter. Slamming his hand down over the gunshot wound Peter tried to stop the massive bleeding.

Gasping for breath Tanaka reached into his kimono's obi sash and pulled out a 9mm. With the last of his strength he pushed the gun into Peter's chest. As Tanaka relaxed in death Peter took the offered weapon and from his place on the floor he brought down the two gun men before they could murder the remaining guests.

When Tachi saw her men collapse she turned on Peter and cried out in rage. The survivors were panicking in the enclosed space and rushed for the elevator. Tachi suddenly only had eyes for Peter and rushed at him with clear intent to kill.

"Stop!" Peter barked as he aimed the weapon. "Stop! Sto..."

Peter didn't have time to give Tachi a third warning. She was on him in seconds with the blood soaked sword held high. Peter hesitated to pull the trigger. The Nightingale started its shrill song as Tachi brought it down. Training and survival instinct took over Peter's actions and he fired two rounds into Tachi's chest in quick secession.

Tachi looked more confused than anything as she dropped to her knees. The sword clattered to the hardwood floor. Tachi's ruby red lipstick seemed to suddenly melt down her face as blood spilt down from her parted lips. Peter just watched in horror as she collapsed completely.

"F.B.I!" Jones roared as he burst in on the scene with his weapon drawn. "On the floor everyone, now!"

Diana was right on Jones's six and also had her weapon ready. Having heard shots over Peter's watch device they had dashed up to the penthouse a quickly as they could. None of the women working the party had been harmed, but out of the fourteen men only six were still alive.

Jones got the survivors under control and radioed in for more help. Diana came over to Peter and offered him her hand to help him to his feet. Still holding Tanaka's gun Peter got to his feet. Covered in both Tanaka's blood and back spatter from Tachi he had a bit of a shell shocked appearance about him.

"Peter?" Diana asked in concern. "You okay?"

"I..." Peter paused as he stared down at Tachi's lifeless body "I've never shot a woman before."

"What the hell happened?"

"She killed Tamaguchi with the Nightingale, her body guards opened fire on the rest. Tanaka had a gun and I used it. After I took out the guards she came at me with the sword, she wouldn't stop."

"Who is she?"

"I have no idea."

The local police and the F.B.I violent crime team was on the scene in what seemed to Peter like minutes. Jones orchestrated everyone and caught them up on the events. Peter made a few briefs statements to the violent crime Agent in charge. Diana stepped in and asked the Agent if she could take Peter home, assuring him that Peter would write a full statement in the morning. The Agent agreed.

"Come on, Peter, I'll take you home."

"No." Peter shook his head. "I want to go to the office and get this in writing while it's still fresh."

"Peter..."

"Just drive, okay?"

Diana nodded and walked by Peter's side to the elevator. When they stepped out of the club Mozzie was waiting on the sidewalk. He pounced on them instantly. If Mozzie noticed Peter's unusual outfit or the blood that was splattered across his face he didn't show it.

"Mozzie..."

"Did Neal show up?" Mozzie interrupted impatiently.

"No."

"Do you have the sword?"

"Violent crimes has taken it into evidence, but I don't see why it matters."

"I'll spread the word anyway, you never know." Mozzie turned to leave, but then turned back. "You alright Peter?"

"I'm fine."

"So the blood...?"

"Not mine."

"Good."

Peter just watched in slight bemusement as Mozzie hurried away. He stared off vacantly in the direction that Mozzie had disappeared in. Peter was brought back to the present by Diana gently touching his arm. He shivered in the cold autumn air as he turned his attention to Diana. He suddenly realized that he wasn't wearing any shoes as the cold pavement started to bite at his feet.

"Peter, I'm taking you to the safe house where Elizabeth is staying."

Diana had a tone that was not to be argued with. Peter just nodded and peacefully got into Diana's car. At the safe house apartment Elizabeth was waiting up for him. He had told her what he was doing tonight. When she saw him return she had a hopeful look on her face that quickly degraded into horror when she saw the blood drying on his skin.

Elizabeth rushed over to her husband and threw her arms around him. At first Peter kept his arms off her, worried about transferring blood onto her. However needing her touch he returned the embrace. Peter rested her head against Elizabeth's and closed his eyes wearily.

"I'm so sorry, El."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Honey. I'm just glad you're home."

"I almost got myself killed chasing after Neal."

"You weren't chasing him, you were trying to help him."

"It didn't work."