"You wanted to see me, Captain?" Ohato Bando asked as she entered Captain Kobayashi's office.

"Close the door, Bando."

She closed it.

"RAPT faxed this over," Kobayshi explained, handing a printout to Bando. "The location where you met the…suspect was the site of a multiple homicide nine years ago – a family wiped out and the house burned down."

"I remember that case. But I thought it was closed – a home invasion gone wrong."

"RAPT doesn't think so. They have an anonymous tip implicating Sei."

"Sei?" Bando looked at the printout. "But she would have been, what, ten years old at the time? Even for her, that's a stretch."

"Maybe. But there have always been rumors that Bailan had a child assassin, a gitl called The Fearless One, and Sei would be about the right age for it. You were there, Detective. Did the suspect say anything that implicated Sei?"

Bando slowly shook her head. "The suspect was babbling, Captain. Incoherent. I couldn't make any sense of what it said. I dunno. Eiji and I can keep ears open, but honestly, I think there's nothing to that."

"Are you sure of that, Detective?"

"Yes, Captain, I am."

Kobayashi looked into her eyes, then quietly took the fax back. "All right. I'll tell RAPT that we don't have anything and that this is probably a non-starte."

"Anything else?"

"No."

"Captain."

Kobayahsi nodded to her, and Bando left the office, closing the door behind her.

Kobayshi stared at the door and half-smiled to himself. "What the hell," he muttered. "Who needs a pension anyway?"

8

8

Eiji Suzuki looked up as Bando returned to their desks. "What did the captain want?" he asked.

"My opinion on a cold case. No big deal." She checked the time on her phone, then reached for her coat. "Cover for me, will ya?"

"Sure. Where are you going?"

"To help a victim find closure."

8

8

Sei stood at the end of an indoor rifle range, her semiautomatic handgun in one hand, the Jade Egg propped up on a stand ten meters away from her. Don Laoban, his bodyguards, and Detective Bando stood behind her.

As Sei stared at the Egg, her expression impassive, voices came back to her:

'Promise me we'll always be friends, Tamiko.'

'I promise, Mitsuyo.'

'Why are you doing this, Tamiko!? I love you!'

'My name isn't Tamiko.'

The slightest hint of a grimace twisted onto Sei's face. Then she raised her gun and fired one round. The Jade Egg shattered.

Sei holstered her weapon and wiped the anger from her face. Then she turned to Laoban. "Thank you, Grandfather."

"Sei." He nodded.

Sei nodded to Bando, then left the range. Laoban and his bodyguards went to follow her.

Bando said, "Excuse me, Don Laoban. Might I have a moment of your time?"

Laoban crossed to her. "Of course."

"For five years, I have been hunting criminals who ruin children's lives," Bando said, "and as far as I'm concerned, the worst offender is standing right in front of me. I find you utterly despicable. You ruined Sei and Mitsuyo's lives, and from where I sit, Mitsuyo is better off; Sei will never recover from the life you made her lead. If I could prosecute you without implicating Sei in any crimes, I would do it. I know I can't touch you. You have too much money and your lawyers are too good. But from now on, I will be watching."

Laoban's bodyguards stiffened. But the old man smiled and said quietly, "I normally don't take it kindly when someone speaks to me like that. But you have done my family a service, so I will take your words as concern for a friend." He paused, then went on: "I have many good things about you, Detective Bando. You have a promising career in the National Police Agency. But it would be in your best interest to choose your battles wisely."

Bnado smiled slightly. "Maybe. Maybe Jo and Meg aren't the only crazy women you know. Some of us just put on more layers when we get older. Gets a little drafty."