The next town they came to was Obama. She disappeared from his sight, but Enishi didn't care. During his personal war, he'd had his people all over Japan. The plan was to see if any of them were left in this town or where they were. Most men were scared of him and that he could use to his advantage. However he couldn't be seen, or the police would be there to arrest him again.

Meanwhile Sumi, was picking pockets and stealing whatever she could. There was enough coins to buy a water bag and some food. Having travelled a lot due to being on the run, she knew what wouldn't go bad. A block of cheese, bread and some hoshi niku. A short blade knife she got, after choking out a guy who caught her stealing. Satisfied Sumi went to find Enishi. Even if he was wearing the hooded cloak, having been behind him for a few days, she could pick him out of a crowd from his gait alone. His frame was etched into her mind too. Travelling with him was safer, then being by herself, even if she didn't know his intent.

From the roof of a building across the street from a brothel, she saw him. But he didn't seem to be there for the women. His focus was on a man that sat across from him. She waited to see what would happen and even give Enishi backup should he need it. After all, Sumi owed him for handling the gun, when they'd first met. Movement from a shadow behind Enishi, caught her eye and she jumped down into the alley. Stealthily she came up behind the man who was creeping up on her travelling companion. Her stollen blade found its way to his neck and the man stopped.

"Friend of yours?" Sumi asked Enishi in Chinese.

He replied, "not important." Then his hand shot out like a coiled spring suddenly released and choked the man in front of him. In Japanese he said, "I don't like games."

Sumi could see the one in Enishi's grasp was terrified. To the guy she stood behind, her arm snaked across his neck and it wasn't long before his unconscious body was lowered into a chair. She stepped back into the shadow, where that guy had stood.

"They're in Nagoya. I'll give you a horse."

"Two horses or she'll gut you when asleep."

The man nodded, got up from the table and told the women he was with to wait. Going outside, he gave the reins of two horses to Enishi, then returned to the brothel. The man almost jumped out of his skin, when Sumi put an arm around his shoulders.

"Watch yourself, the shadows have eyes on you." Her voice dripped with venom, even though it was said with little volume.

When the man turned around, he saw no one. She almost laughed, it had been so easy. Taking the reins of the other horse, she swung up into the saddle.

"Did you have fun?" Enishi asked, also getting onto a horse.

"My warning was effective," Sumi replied in Chinese. If these men though she was his personal assassin from Shanghai, that suited her fine.

They trotted out of Obama, but had at least a day of riding, before reaching Nagoya. The horses seemed eager to run, so they nudged them into a ground eating canter. They saw no police on the way, but that didn't mean they weren't in town already. One stretch just outside of Nagoya, they slowed to a walk.

"Why's your hair white?" She asked out of the blue.

"Grief over the death of my sister."

"Damn that's intense." Sumi held the water bag out to him and followed it with a hunk of cheese.

"Where'd you get the knife?"

"In town I got caught taking food. The knife was a gift from that concerned citizen."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, he's just sleeping a while."

Enishi handed back the water bag. "Keep alert in town."

"Always."

Entering into Nagoya, no one paid them any attention. They left the horses at a stable and continued on foot. Once again she walked behind him, since he knew where to go. The men he sought were not hard to find. His crew seemed happy to see him, but he was not fooled and neither was she. The men were mostly Japanese with a few Chinese, that were bilingual. They were in a restaurant, in a private room. When Sumi saw all the food that awaited them, she was awe struck. Sitting down beside Enishi, she made sure to be at the end of the table on their side. Always gauging the area in case the need to escape arose. The men drank alcohol, but Enishi and Sumi stuck to tea. She wanted to try one of everything from the food in front of them. He was talking about business, which she tuned out.

The sashimi was some of the best she'd ever had. The Unagi was good with one of the special sauces, but not one of her favourites. The Onigiri reminded her of childhood.

A man across from her, pointed to the Sakana no Nitsuke, "that's Enishi's favourite dish."

She looked at the man beside her and saw that indeed he had it on his plate, although still untouched. Taking some for herself, Sumi ate the fish and noticed it had a strange aftertaste. Seeing Enishi about to eat the fish, she slapped his chopsticks and the fish dropped back on his plate. That's the last thing she remembered, before passing out.

Enishi was angry, but didn't feel the rage he once had. However the men who were supposed to be his crew, had just tried to poison him. On behalf of Sumi, he released his anger by attacking everyone at the table. The man to his left received an elbow to the side of his temple and he toppled forward onto the table, face first into a steaming broth. Those that tried to run, found a knife sticking out of their leg and one guy had a chopstick buried deep in his left eye. The partially bald man that tried to scramble over Sumi's body to get away, received a hot pan that held sizzling meat, on his head. The smell of singed hair, went unnoticed by Enishi. He broke plates and used them as disks to slash legs. When no dishes were left, he broke arms and shattered ribs. Some men were choked unconscious, while others had their faces bashed in. Yet when Enishi was done, no one was dead.

"I'll be back later tonight. Don't disappoint me again," he warned.

Enishi picked up the body of Sumi. He carried her out of the restaurant and to the local doctor, which he knew and trusted. It was the first time he had even touched her. She weighed very little and he wondered how she'd been able to keep up with him, before they got horses. He remained vigilant, while the doctor gave her medicine to induce vomiting and hence purge the poisoned fish. Then she was given something else to reverse any side effects left behind.

"She will sleep until her body returns to normal. It's up to her now whether she lives or dies."

Enishi paid the doctor well, then carried Sumi out of the doctor's house and to a hotel. He got one room. Then he waited for her to recover. She had saved him from eating the poisoned fish, for that and having his back previously, Sumi had gained his respect.

"I have decided to help this woman and I didn't kill anyone. Are you happy Tomoe? Is this my new purpose in life?" Enishi asked his sister, that forever was etched in his mind.

Although the worst was over, Sumi couldn't seem to wake from the nightmares. Her body convulsed when she tried to fight those in her dream. She spoke gibberish, a mix of Japanese and Chinese words, that made no sense. And just when her mind was about to break, she woke. Her body ached all over.

"Don't get up. You were poisoned," Enishi explained nothing further.

"The fish...are you okay?"

"Yes. I'll keep watch, go back to sleep."

Sumi wasn't ready to trust him, but her body overrode what her mind wanted. This time when she slept, there were no nightmares.

** ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **~ ~ ~ ~ ~ **

It was early morning when Sumi woke. She glanced to where she'd last seen Enishi and there he was watching her. Sitting up she reached for the water bag and drank it empty.

"What happened to those men?"

"I reminded them why I'm their boss."

"Are we staying in Nagoya?"

"No. I'll meet you by the horses shortly." He stood and left to collect what was his.

Her body still hurt all over, but it obeyed her. While in the hotel, she refilled the water bag and then left. The stable owner helped her bridle and saddle the horses. Sumi sat astride her horse, holding the reins of the gelding, waiting for Enishi to return. When she saw him, he didn't appear to be rushed and now wore darker clothing too. That would help if they needed to disappear into the night.

He mounted and they rode out of Nagoya. The pace was a walk, until the road became less occupied. Enishi had gained the name of the man now running the Tokyo operation. It was Heishin's second in command.