Thanks to the speed of Hideyoshi's aircraft, it only takes fifteen minutes to get to the lakeside house in Jade Creek. Hideyoshi sets the craft down as close to the house as he can, then follows Hanna's lead as they disembark and begin their investigation. Hanna starts with the garage: using a spare set of keys, she opens it to reveal two of the three motortrikes are present.

"Xander's is missing, but that's expected: he'll have it in Mizutani," Hanna reports. "But it makes no sense Maria and Danny leaving without their trikes."

Hanna secures the garage, then moves on to the house itself, where they find the den intact.

"No signs of a struggle," Rob observes. "Though the empty glass and cup is odd, like they left in a hurry."

Hanna looks in the kitchen. "Nothing suspicious in there," she informs when she returns.

"Let's check the bedrooms," Rob suggests.

Hideyoshi waits in the den while Hanna and Rob check the bedrooms.

"This isn't making sense," Hanna admits when she and Rob return to the den. "They clearly had enough time to arm themselves, yet their trikes are still here."

"The only viable conclusion is they left with people that had their own transport," Rob concludes.

"We're going to have to comb this place for evidence," Hanna decides.

"If I may, so we can be sure we're truly the only people present, we should listen for anything that sounds out of place," Hideyoshi suggests to Hanna.

Hanna shrugs, closes her eyes, and listens intently, Hideyoshi doing the same.

"We're alone here," Hanna concludes a few minutes later.

"That is my conclusion too," Hideyoshi agrees.

"This is just getting more confusing," Hanna admits.

At this point, Rob notices a pile of rope behind the sofa. "That doesn't look like Red Scarf standard issue," he thinks aloud. "Hideyoshi, is this stuff you recognise?"

Hideyoshi joins Rob behind the sofa. "Unfortunately, no," he answers. "Is there anything on those two cloths or the sleeping mask?"

Rob picks up the sleeping mask and examines it. "There's nothing obvious, but there's a few strands of fur stuck to it," he informs. "Hard to tell the colour exactly, but it looks… amber?"

"There's some fur on the sofa too," Hanna notices. "If I had to say what colour it is… copper?"

"Who do we know with those‑" Rob starts, pausing when the realisation hits him. "Shit," he continues. "The fur is from Kaede Himura and Tsubaki Moto."

Hanna utters an impressively long and varied string of profanity. "Why would Maria and Danny go with those two?"

"They may not have had a choice," Hideyoshi theorises.

"But there's no sign of struggle," Rob reminds.

Hideyoshi looks around, his eyes settling on the empty glass with dried banana milkshake residue in the bottom. "Kaede is an expert in mind‑altering hallucinogens," he informs. "It's possible she was somehow able to drug Maria and Danny, either into compliance, or into unconsciousness."

"That's quite a stretch," Rob cautions.

"True, but it's a logical stretch," Hideyoshi assures. "We should take that glass to my labs and run an analysis on the residue."

"How long will that take?" Hanna asks.

"A few hours," Hideyoshi answers.

"Plus the time it'll take to get to Yamakasai," Rob adds.

"So, we may not know until tomorrow morning," Hanna concludes. "Why don't we use the Red Scarves HQ labs instead?"

"For forensic ballistics, HQ second to none, but they're not really set up for detecting illicit pharmaceuticals," Rob reminds.

"My labs are," Hideyoshi assures. "Years of experience taught me the hard way of the importance."

Hanna sighs in frustration. "OK, Kasai it is."

It takes the rest of the day to fly to Yamakasai, and by the time the trio are in Kasai‑dojo, it's close to midnight. The trio are greeted by the senator's representative when they land, and at first it looks like Hideyoshi's actions will prevent the investigation proceeding. However, after Hanna uses her 'diplomatic' skills, the representative elects not to report the transgression to Senator Jiro Kita, and to allow them to continue without interruption. Hideyoshi works through the night while Hanna and Rob sleep, using every technique he knows to try and identify anything foreign in the milkshake residue. He finds traces of something, but he is unable to identify it.

The next morning, just after dawn, Hanna and Rob join Hideyoshi in the Grand Master's inner sanctum.

"I'm glad you could make it this early," Hideyoshi greets as he welcomes the couple into his sanctum.

"What did you find?" Rob asks.

"The milkshake was definitely contaminated by something," Hideyoshi reports. "Unfortunately, I couldn't identify the substance. It's like nothing I've ever seen before."

"Something Kaede created, no doubt," Hanna growls.

"I think I'm starting to work out what happened," Rob announces.

"Kaede drugged Maria and likely also Danny, kidnapped them, and forced them to do her dirty work," Hanna guesses.

"Almost," Rob corrects. "Kaede did indeed drug Maria, and likely Danny too, but she wasn't working alone. Remember we found copper fur? That means Tsubaki helped her."

"What I don't get is how Maria and Danny would have fallen for it," Hanna continues.

"If you'll shush, I'll explain," Rob replies, holding Hanna's jaw shut. "Kaede wouldn't have been able to just walk in and sweet‑talk her way into their confidence. She'd have to manufacture a reason, and that is why we found those ropes: Kaede would have had Tsubaki tie her up and leave her helpless to be found by Maria and Danny in the morning. She could then give them this whole sob story about how, despite being reformed or something, her fellow Jades kidnapped her and dumped her there. Assuming her story was worked out well enough in advance, she'd just about be able to convince Maria and Danny to give her a second chance. Eventually, when the opportunity presents itself, Kaede would then drug them both."

"That's quite a hypothesis," Hideyoshi comments, impressed by Rob's abductive skills, though remaining a little sceptical.

"Mmm nnn Mmnnn mmn nnn nrmmm mn?" Hanna asks.

"What? Oh, sorry," Rob apologises, releasing Hanna's jaw.

"I said, 'How did Kaede get the drugs in?'" Hanna repeats. "Maria and Danny would have searched her, so she couldn't go in with them. And don't ever do that to me again."

"Hmm…" Rob pauses a few moments to think.

"I bet Tsubaki snuck them in to her overnight," Hanna ventures. "Probably via the front window. As for where Kaede then hid the vial… Well, women have a hiding place that's so very convenient," she finishes with a smirk.

"Like when you hid the Fire Crystal on Aquila's ship," Rob recalls.

"Exactly," Hanna winks.

"I'm not sure I follow," Hideyoshi admits.

Hanna looks around for a suitable object to demonstrate with. She spots a spoon on the coffee table, which she picks up and hides under her top, between her breasts. "You can have it back any time you like," she promises Hideyoshi. "That is, if you're willing to get it," she adds cheekily.

"I think it's best I don't," Hideyoshi decides, blushing slightly.

"Guess that means I can keep it," Hanna smirks.

"We're not stealing cutlery from a friend," Rob admonishes kindly, recovering the spoon and returning it to the table. "Now behave," he instructs playfully.

"Anyway," Hanna continues, electing not to respond to Rob's tease, "like I said, women have a very convenient natural pocket."

"A point very well demonstrated, though a simple verbal explanation would have sufficed," Hideyoshi agrees, a little uneasy about how casual Hanna and Rob are about intimate contact.

"Apologies if we're making you feel uncomfortable," Rob offers.

"It's OK," Hideyoshi assures. "It's just my choice of lifestyle means I'm… unfamiliar with such subjects."

"We should return to the task at hand," Rob suggests. "Now we've got an idea of what happened, we need to gather more evidence to see if we're on the right track."

"And where better to start than Kaede's inner sanctum?" Hanna suggests.

"Seriously?" Rob asks.

"Can you think of a better place to start?" Hanna presses.

Rob thinks a moment. "Nope," he admits.

"Then we'll depart after breakfast," Hanna decides.

"Hold on," Rob cautions. "How do we know we'll be able to get in?"

"We'll use the secret passage we used when we were there last time," Hanna reminds.

"What if Kaede's there?" Rob asks.

"I have been informed by Chika that Kaede is with the Tsuchidokutsu forces, assisting in the war effort," Hideyoshi informs. "Tsubaki is there too."

"Then we have no time to lose," Hanna declares.

"You can use any Kasai equipment you require," Hideyoshi permits.

"Fancy flying that aircraft, babe?" Hanna asks Rob.

"Me?" Rob asks, a little surprised. "Not sure about that…"

"Then I'll be the pilot," Hanna decides.

"On second thoughts, I'll give it a try," Rob volunteers. "After all, I want to get there and back in one piece," he adds, smiling ever so slightly.

Hanna makes to respond, then decides not to bother, instead simply turning and walking out of the sanctum.

"Is she OK?" Hideyoshi asks.

"Yeah," Rob assures. "She knows I'm only teasing."

"Then may the spirit of the kitsune guide you safely on your mission," Hideyoshi wishes, bowing in respect.

"With luck, we'll be back early afternoon," Rob replies, bowing in return.