Kōan

What surprised Staniek the most was how easily he slipped into campus life. The comings and goings of the other students allowed him anonymity in public that he rarely enjoyed. He remained vigilant at all times to the chance of a challenge but nothing crossed his path at all. Even if it had the abundance of holy ground offered him respite. It seemed as though he was never less than moment from a refuge, with almost every building containing a chapel or shrine of some denomination.

The relaxed atmosphere and pace of life allowed him to dig into Schofield's background discreetly. He had enrolled himself on a programme of study that had minimal teaching time, and maximum study time. He turned his assignments in on time, and made sure to attend the mandatory seminars, contributing when appropriate but remaining anonymous where he could. Hiding in plain sight came easily to Immortals.

The University life offered him all of the opportunities he could possibly require. 24 hour computer rooms with internet access were a particular boon, allowing him to delve deeper into Schofield's background. Know your enemy was a mantra that Staniek never forgot. The quieter hours of the evening in particular ensured he could go about his business undisturbed.

Sword practice was another unexpected benefit that came from being on campus. The annual Athletic Union sign-up at the beginning of the first semester brought the opportunity to sign up for new sporting activities and for Staniek the chance to openly maintain his sword work was too good to resist. The kendo class provided him the perfect opportunity to develop as well as remain sharp. The unfamiliar weight of the shinai forced him to adapt. His sword had been returned to him, but the shinai was closer to Hujsak's shashka. He even openly enjoyed sparring with the novice students, despite the reluctance of the other experienced students to engage with the exuberant newbies. The 'bash, smash, thrash' style of the first time 'sword-fighters' was akin to that of many Immortals that he had faced. The persistent brute force attacking style allowed him to work on his defence, as well as refining the skills of targeted strikes, touching the inside of the wrists and forearms. It scored him points and won the practice bouts but in real combat could allow him to disarm an opponent more effectively.

The class teacher recognised Staniek's skill and worked him harder than the other students. Staniek gave as good as he got. "You spar as though your life depends on it" he once remarked. Staniek accepted it as the praise it was, succinctly and politely in the Japanese style with a rei. Nothing more was needed or indeed expected. He was accepted as one who fought purely for the pleasure of using his skill.

Back in a quiet corner of the library Staniek pored over his notes. His research had not turned up any significant character flaws. The information he had received from Krannix was limited to small snippets of public record. Schofield like many academics wrote for journals and periodicals, published his own work and contributed and critiqued on others. Staniek had pushed it to one side and worked on gathering further intelligence himself. His time spent working with various agencies had taught him the how and where to look.

Disappointingly the money trail led nowhere. This was always the first place to look. Despite protestations to the opposite, financial gain was almost always a primary factor in motivating anyone to do anything. Greed, avarice and debt often clouded a man's judgement. Not so Schofield. No matter how far or hard Staniek looked there was nothing. No major financial difficulties and to all intents and purposes a wealthy man who did not over reach himself.

As for Schofield's personal life that was another dead end. He was a married man with grown children who did not cheat on his wife. For an influential man this was somewhat remarkable. No trouble either with drink or drugs. He was politically motivated, and had been on the radical side during the 60s like many of his generation. Time had toned him down slightly, but he was still active politically in exactly the same way as many academics across the globe. No skeletons in this closet either. The man was as clean as the proverbial hounds tooth.

Frustrated Staniek threw down his pen and sat back in the chair, hands behind his head. Few targets had been as tough to crack as this one. It would take time to draw him out properly. Taking him out on campus was virtually impossible, the presence of so many people around meant that traditional methods were almost certainly doomed to failure. He could not afford to expose himself in that way without spooking the target or ending up with Krannix on his tail.

It would have to be a public hit, circumstances dictated as much. The question was where? Staniek wanted to be able to pick the ground, to have the advantage of geography where he could. This however was Schofield's territory more than his. This one required creativity and planning for the long haul.

Staniek gathered up his notes. These paper copies ought to be destroyed to prevent any embarrassment. No matter how many times he reviewed them he could find no chinks in Schofield's armour. There was no point in keeping them so he carried them to the shredder. As he fed the sheets into the cutter he caught snatches of conversation from other students planning on going up to the Union bar. Good idea, he thought as the last sheet was chewed up into tiny strips. A pilsner would go down very nicely about now. Maybe more than one; 'drown the sorrows' as the expression went.

It was a short walk from the library to the Union building. Staniek walked through the foyer of the building towards the bar entrance. He suppressed a snigger as he walked past a noticeboard with a huge Socialist Worker Party poster displayed on it. Only a country that had never known Communism would actively embrace an organisation such as that. A bunch of ill-informed miscreants and trouble makers largely, who feigned dedication to a system that had ultimately failed.

He paused, his attention drawn by something further down the poster.

MASS PROTEST AGAINST TUITION FEES. JOIN THE SWP AND THE NUS TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST LABOUR'S STUDENT TAX. CENTRAL SQUARE 10AM NEXT THURSDAY.

Staniek's eyes sparkled. There was a way.

Notes on Chapter 18

Translations:

"Kōan" – (Japanese) Also spelled kung-an. A story, dialogue, question, or statement, which is used in Zen-practice to provoke the "great doubt", and test a student's progress in Zen practice.

"Shinai" – (Japanese) The wooden or bamboo "sword" used in Kendo. Not to be confused with the Bokken which is another type of weapon used in similar practices. Unlike the Bokken the Shinai is used solely for sparing and not as a weapon in its own right.

"Rei" – (Japanese) The formal bow offered in the Japanese martial arts.

Whilst not entirely accurate to Leeds itself many of the British University campuses do indeed have places of worship in unexpected places. One building at my alma mater had a Roman Catholic chapel in the basement. I've simply drawn the campus from my experience and recollections.