"Sir?" Wendy tentatively asked as she entered the
office, the little blonde haired woman looking around
curiously.
"Here," Joker's voice rang out, and Wendy realized he
was hidden at his desk, concealed behind books and
various pieces of paper.
"A new field report from Kitty and the others," Wendy
reported excitedly, "they've encountered two new
Ijin."
Joker stood up, gazing at her intensely, "Who are
they?"
"Amelia Earheart," Wendy read, "the famous lost
pilot. She's apparently been augmented with biological
wings."
"And the other?" Joker frowned.
"Yukio," she checked her notes before Wendy
continued, "a martial artist who apparently has been
changed into a cat-woman."
"Interesting," Joker murmured, "it seems to fit the
trend I've noticed with the Ijin."
"Huh?" Wendy blinked.
"It seems he may have borrowed more than our Ms.
Pryde's DNA," Joker mused, "the powers he gave Gennai
Hiraga resemble the criminal Electro's, Amelia's wings
may well be borrowed from the X-Man Archangel and so
on."
"Does that mean we'll end up facing even more
superhuman Ijin?" Wendy had to ask.
Joker smiled grimly, "I suspect so."
In another part of Tokyo the three figures stepped
out of the black limo, Drake leading the way as he
looked around warily. "Is this sort of thing really
necessary?" the tall blonde haired man asked, tugging
at his tailored suit.
"If we want to be taken seriously, yes," Kitty
answered, the brown haired young woman dressed in
woman's business wear.
"But why am I dressed like this?" Yomiko asked, her
red dress tight and slinky. She pushed her hair back
then adjusted her glasses nervously.
"You're my companion," Kitty explained a bit
sheepishly, "so you need to look the part."
"So this Silver Samurai, he's..." Yomiko asked.
Surprisingly, Drake spoke up, "Kenuichio Harada, the
bastard son of the former head of the clan Yashida,
Shingen Harada." He paused, "Not a nice guy, I
understand."
"But he is an honorable one," Kitty added, "he's
studied Bushido and the way of the samurai all his
life." She smiled wryly, "But he's also running a
crime family."
"So why would he help us?" Yomiko asked.
"He owes a debt to a friend of mine," Kitty answered
simply.
The three headed towards the buildings, each feeling
the unseen eyes resting on them. "This place has some
high security," Drake softly murmured as they passed
through the outer gates of the ancestral Yashida
castle.
"The Yashida's were once very big in organized crime
under Lord Shingen," Kitty quietly replied as they
moved down a stone walkway through a garden, "and his
heir has strengthened those ties considerably."
"Didn't Mariko Yashida try to break those ties?"
Drake recalled.
"And was killed by the Hand for the attempt," Kitty
said bleakly.
The room they were led into was large, the Silver
Samurai waiting for them on the mats by a tea set. A
young woman dressed in traditional kimono prepared the
tea before smoothly rising, leaving them with the
intense looking older man. Divested of his mask and
armor Kenuichio Harada still had a powerful presence,
almost an aura of dangerousness about him, black hair
neatly styled and muscular body under traditional
robes.
"Welcome," Harada nodded respectfully, "I was most
surprised to have you request a meeting, Pryde-san."
Kitty folded her legs under her smoothly as she
knelt, noting that Drake and Yomiko both sat slightly
behind her, the blonde haired man looking like the
perfect bodyguard. 'I'm glad Yomiko isn't pulling a
book out,' she thought. Looking at Harada she said,
"Thank you for seeing me so promptly."
Harada just nodded slightly, "A guest is always
welcome."
'He's not going to ask me why I came, even though his
curiosity must be killing him,' Kitty thought. "I'm
sorry that a matter of some urgency has brought me
here," Kitty started, "one that relates to your
father's former business."
"Indeed," Harada smiled slightly. They both knew that
he was carrying on the family business, but neither
would state it directly. "How can I help?" he asked.
"There is a certain figure in the underworld," Kitty
started, "an assassin named 'Ogun...."
"He is dead, is he not?" Harada's eyes narrowed
slightly as he added coldly, "Slain by Wolverine, I
understand."
"Apparently being dead hasn't stopped him," Kitty
explained.
"There were stories 'Ogun was a demon," Harada looked
at Kitty thoughtfully, "is there really some truth to
that?"
"He doesn't seem to want to rest easy in his grave,"
Kitty answered. Leaving out certain details like the
Library's role she roughly sketched in the information
on the Ijin appearances and how they seemed to relate
to 'Ogun's return.
"Hmm," Harada sat there for a moment, studying the
three of them thoughtfully. "I don't know much," he
finally admitted, "but I can tell you some things.
First, whomever is creating these Ijin must be using a
very sophisticated lab, and therefore must have
purchased some very rare equipment just to keep it
operating."
"We've already attempted to track such equipment
sales," Kitty answered him calmly, "but so far, no
dice."
"I have certain contacts you likely don't," Harada
said dryly. He paused, "There were certain rumors that
circulated after the first Ijin appearance, that a
powerful foreign organization had in truth been
responsible for their creation."
Kitty leaned forward slightly, "Do you know the
identity of this organization?"
"Not precisely," Harada confessed, "but the general
belief was they were British."
Kitty felt a moment of shock, but kept it from
showing on her face. "If you could contact me if you
find out anything," she half bowed, "I'd be deeply
appreciative."
"I'll contact you," Harada's servant took a copy of
Kitty's cellphone number even as he continued, "please
let your mentor know I sent my regards."
"Of course," Kitty bowed again, then the three left
the buildings to return to the limo.
"I know what you're thinking, Kitty-san," Yomiko
spoke up once they got under way, "and it's just not
possible."
Kitty had a frown on her face, "Oh? It fits a lot of
the information we have so far. The Ijin started out
as a British Library project before being taken over
by Sinister and 'Ogun, then twisted to fit their own
purposes."
"Even Joker wouldn't pull something like that," Drake
protested.
"I haven't known Joker long," Kitty answered him
coldly, "but I could see him doing what he had to, if
it was absolutely necessary."
"Kitty..." Yomiko started.
"Harada is a yakuza," Drake said with a scowl, "a
known criminal. Are you really going to believe
anything he says?"
Kitty held up a hand, "It doesn't matter. I'm not
going to do anything without solid proof, all this
information means is that I'll be a lot more careful
around Joker and Mr. Gentleman."
"And us?" Yomiko asked softly.
Kitty met those eyes behind the glasses, eyes that
she knew she could trust. She gave both of them a
smile, "I trust you."
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