>>6062304Under other circumstances, it would be difficult to recognize him. A man aged by years, weathered by combat, eyes hidden by sunglasses and face obscured by shadows.
But Nishina has spent years obsessing over the shape of her brother's killer in detail. She has committed to memory every minor detail of facial features or posture that could be observed from the photographs obtained from police records and from her memories of that fateful night. When she finally comes within range of Tokumei, she sees not a question but an answer.
"You!" All her carefully prepared speeches desert her in the heat of the moment. "Mifune! I'm here to kill you!"
"Get in line," the man says. With a flourish of expert swordplay he forces the aggressive gang members back long enough for his protective charge to board the train. The enemy boss steps back as well, protecting the doorway with a phalanx of sword strikes impossible to pass.
So close, yet so far. Nishina beats at the man's iron defense in futile frustration, unable to break through before the doors close and the train starts to move.
The gang is forced to take the next train car down, levering open the doorway and jumping on board before the train reaches full speed.
The hunt continues.
