The Way Of The Dragon (28 page)

‘My name is Father Diego Bobadillo, a brother of the Society of Jesus, the protectorate of the Catholic Church and the head of the missionaries here in Japan. I am also a key adviser to his lordship Hasegawa Satoshi.’

Jack realized this was the very man Father Lucius, the Jesuit priest in Toba, had asked him to deliver the Japanese-Portuguese dictionary to.

‘I was meant to find you,’ interrupted Jack. ‘I knew Father Lucius.’

The priest raised an eyebrow, but otherwise seemed unsurprised at the news. Father Lucius had evidently informed his superior of their meetings.

‘His dying wish was for me to give you his dictionary. I’m sorry to say it was stolen.’

‘That is a great shame, but don’t trouble yourself over it,’ replied the priest, dismissing the issue with a wave of his hand.

Jack was both relieved and astonished by the priest’s indifference. ‘But it was Father Lucius’s life’s work. It took him over ten years. He said it was the only one in existence -‘

‘What’s gone is gone.’

‘But Dragon Eye, the ninja, stole it.’

‘I can’t say I’ve heard of the man,’ replied the priest, his brow furrowing. ‘Besides, what would a ninja want with a dictionary?’

‘He wasn’t after the dictionary, he was after…’

Jack stopped. This priest was cunning. He had a way of leading him on. By talking in English, he’d got Jack to drop his guard. If Jack wasn’t careful, he would reveal too much.

‘Go on,’ encouraged Father Bobadillo.

Jack suddenly seized on the idea that this influential Jesuit might be able to instigate an official search for Dragon Eye and this could lead him to the
rutter
.

‘He was after… me,’ repeated Jack, correcting his answer. ‘But Father Lucius insisted the dictionary was crucial for the Brotherhood to spread your faith in Japan. Surely you want to get it back from the ninja?’

‘If you haven’t noticed, we’re faced with the possibility of war,’ said Father Bobadillo, his voice thick with sarcasm. ‘A dictionary is the least of my concerns.
You
, however, are a concern.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I’m right to believe that Father Lucius was unsuccessful in persuading you to follow the true path, am I not?’

Jack answered ardently, ‘I’m already following the true path.’

Father Bobadillo sighed. ‘We’re not here to discuss semantics, or lost causes. I have made his lordship aware of the traitorous tendencies of the English.’

He held up his hand, warning Jack not to interrupt.

‘I want to make it very clear that your presence in this castle is only tolerated because of your adoption by Masamoto-sama. When his lordship’s forces win this war, the Society of Jesus will be made the state religion and heretics like yourself will not be welcome on these shores. Ever.’

Jack wondered how the priest could be so certain of the Jesuits’ rise to power, then remembered the silver cross around Satoshi’s neck. The priest must have ingratiated himself into Satoshi’s inner circle and become his spiritual adviser.

‘I will not lie to you, Jack Fletcher. You’re clearly resourceful to have survived this long on your own in Japan.’

Resting his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers, Father Bobadillo continued. ‘As an Englishman and Protestant, you’re an enemy of my country and the Brotherhood. But given your age and willingness to fight for his lordship, I wish to make a proposition. If you do not cause me any trouble, then once this war is over I’ll personally guarantee your safe passage back to England. That’s what you
really
want, isn’t it?’

Jack was taken aback. He was being promised the one thing he’d desired above all else these past three years. But he was being offered his dream by a Portuguese Jesuit priest, his country’s arch-enemy. ‘How can I trust you?’

‘I swear upon the Word of God. I have ships at my disposal and will seal a letter with my insignia to ensure your safe return.’

Jack found himself nodding numbly to the proposal.

‘Good. It’s decided. You will not speak about this conversation to anyone and if you should meet his lordship, or one of his retainers, you will not discuss the conflicting religion or politics of our countries. Understood. You may now leave.’

In a daze, Jack got up from his chair, bowed and turned to depart. As he did so, his eyes passed over the bookshelf and there was a flicker of recognition.

He looked again. Among the leatherbound tomes, there was a Bible, a collection of sermons and, nestled between them, Father Lucius’s dictionary.

‘I’m certain it was the same dictionary,’ said Jack as he sat with Akiko and Yamato in the star-studded darkness of the barracks’ garden.

The three of them had slipped out of the hall and found a secluded spot to talk. The moonless night was silent save for the trickling of the stream beneath them. In the distance glowed the lanterns of the keep and the silhouettes of soldiers patrolling the battlements.

‘You only caught a glimpse of it,’ said Akiko. ‘How can you be so sure?’

‘I’d recognize that binding anywhere. It’s exactly like my father’s
rutter
.’

‘But couldn’t this just be another dictionary, compiled by one of his priests?’

‘No, Father Lucius said his book was unique.’

‘Perhaps Dragon Eye, having stolen the wrong book, got rid of the dictionary and Father Bobadillo acquired it by fortune,’ she suggested.

‘Then why didn’t he say he had it?’ Jack countered. ‘Father Bobadillo wasn’t concerned about the dictionary’s theft because he’s already got it! Which means he might have my
rutter
too.’

‘That’s absurd!’ exclaimed Yamato. ‘Are you seriously suggesting a key retainer of Hasegawa Satoshi
and
his spiritual adviser is responsible for hiring Dragon Eye to steal your father’s
rutter
and murder you?’

‘Yes,’ stated Jack emphatically.

‘But he’s a priest. Aren’t stealing and killing against his religious vows? I know Jesuits are your country’s enemy, but he’s on
our
side. You even said he’s promised to help get you home. He seems to be a compassionate man, not a thief or a murderer.’

Jack sighed with exasperation. It was all so clear to him. ‘Remember when Father Lucius was on his deathbed, he’d asked my forgiveness, saying that it had been his duty to tell someone but he hadn’t realized they’d kill for it? He
must
have been talking about the
rutter
and his superior, Father Bobadillo.’

Akiko gazed thoughtfully at the sky, the starlight sparkling in her eyes. ‘You cannot accuse his lordship’s adviser of theft or hiring an assassin without proof. We need evidence. First, we must confirm that the book you saw
was
Father Lucius’s dictionary -‘

‘What are you suggesting?’ interrupted Yamato, worried where the conversation was leading. ‘That we simply march up to a heavily guarded keep, walk into the priest’s room and take a look.’

Akiko smiled. ‘That’s
exactly
what we’re going to do.’

It was a full week before the three of them had an opportunity to attempt the break-in. An afternoon given over to untutored weapons practice. Until that moment the sensei of the
Niten Ichi Ryū
had been drilling the young samurai hard, teaching them battle formations and getting them used to combat in full armour. The regime was relentless, the sensei knowing their students’ lives depended upon the quality of their training.

With each day that passed, more and more troops loyal to Satoshi arrived. They brought news of skirmishes breaking out across the country and of a huge force advancing upon Osaka. Jack was astounded at the number of foreigners and Japanese converts now gathered inside the walls of the castle.
Daimyo
Takatomi’s crusade had evidently driven all the missionaries to seek refuge with Satoshi. The presence of so many European faces should have been comforting to Jack, but none appeared to be English or Dutch. Bar the occasional trader or merchant, everyone was either a Spanish friar or a Portuguese Jesuit.

‘This is suicidal,’ whispered Yamato as they approached the first set of gates. ‘My father will disown me for this.’

He and Akiko, dressed in full armour and with
menpō
covering their faces, escorted Jack up the narrow road towards the inner courtyard.

‘Just march like you’ve got every reason to enter and don’t stop,’ hissed Akiko.

One of the foot soldiers, spear in hand, stepped into their path.

Before he could even challenge them, Akiko ordered, ‘Open the gates!’

The man hesitated, taken aback at hearing a girl’s voice from behind the mask.

‘Now! This boy’s a guest of Father Bobadillo.’

Her tone was so authoritative that the bewildered man hurried to the door. The guards all bowed as the three of them passed through.

‘I told you it wouldn’t be a problem,’ said Akiko smugly. ‘
Ashigaru
follow orders. They don’t question them.’

They crossed the courtyard to the main entrance of the keep. Two samurai guards blocked their way. Jack realized this would be an entirely different matter. They weren’t lower-status
ashigaru
.

‘Password,’ demanded the one on the right.

Yamato gave them the answer Jack had heard his guard utter the previous week.

‘That’s an old password,’ stated the samurai.

Yamato stood there, speechless, unsure what to do next. The other guard reached for his sword. Jack began to sweat. While their attempt to enter the keep was unlikely to result in a fight, they would have some serious explaining to do.

‘How annoying!’ complained Akiko, pulling off her mask. ‘Saburo-san has given us the wrong password. I bet he’s done this on purpose to embarrass us.’

The guards looked at her, taken by surprise to discover a young girl behind the
menpō
. Jack and Yamato exchanged worried glances, as bemused as the guards by Akiko’s outburst.

‘We’re going to be the laughing stock of the school!’ she said, directing her irritation at Yamato. ‘Our first assignment as samurai warriors for
daimyo
Takatomi and we can’t even escort a boy to Father Bobadillo!’

One of the guards smirked at her anguish. Akiko turned to him, her eyes pleading. ‘Please let us pass. The boy’s been summoned to the keep before. You can’t forget a face like
his
, can you?’

Grimacing and wrinkling up her nose, she pointed to Jack’s much bigger one and the guards fell about laughing. Jack wasn’t so impressed. He wondered if she really did think that.

Lowering her eyelashes, Akiko gave the man an innocent look. ‘It’ll be so shameful to return without accomplishing such a simple order.’

The guard’s resolve weakened under her gaze. He looked again at Jack and grunted in recognition.

‘Fifth floor, but no further. Beyond that are his lordship’s personal guard and they’re not so understanding.’

‘Thank you,’ she said, bowing and replacing the
menpō
.

The three of them entered the keep. Slipping off their sandals, they ascended the stairs, Yamato taking the lead.

‘I hope I didn’t offend you,’ whispered Akiko in Jack’s ear.

‘No, of course not,’ replied Jack quickly, feeling his face flush.

‘Which way now?’ asked Yamato as they reached the fifth floor.

‘Um… left,’ said Jack, a little flustered in case his friend noticed his reddened face.

They walked down the main corridor towards Father Bobadillo’s study. A couple of guards passed by. For a moment Jack thought they’d been caught, but the two guards ignored them and descended the stairs. There were no other samurai around.

‘What if he’s in his room?’ asked Yamato.

‘Only one way to find out,’ said Akiko, indicating for them to wait in a side corridor.

She knocked on the door. There was no answer.

Akiko beckoned the two of them to rejoin her.

‘We’ll stand guard here,’ she said to Jack. ‘We’ll warn you if anyone comes.’

Jack nodded his agreement and slipped into Father Bobadillo’s study. The weird sensation of crossing the world struck him again. In a single step, he’d gone from East to West.

A few shafts of afternoon sun seeped through a shuttered window, giving the impression this darkened room was full of secrets. Crossing over to the recess, he looked for the dictionary. It was easy to spot. The binding was exactly as he remembered, worn from his constant use and slightly damaged on the lower edge where he’d once dropped it. Opening up the book’s pages, his suspicions were confirmed. Father Lucius’s name was clearly written in black ink on the first plate.

Jack had all the proof he needed. Father Bobadillo was the devil behind Dragon Eye. How else could he have got the dictionary? Why deny all knowledge of it? A cold realization fell over Jack. If this Jesuit priest had the dictionary, then he must have the
rutter
too. A surge of anger coursed through Jack. If Father Bobadillo was responsibile for hiring Dragon Eye, then he was as guilty of his father’s murder as the assassin himself.

Jack’s right hand clasped the ninja
tantō
tucked into his
obi
. He gripped the handle of the demon blade so tightly that his knuckles went white. Thoughts of revenge pulsed like fire through his veins.

‘What are you two doing here?’ said a voice outside the room.

Jack went cold. They’d been discovered. He shoved the dictionary back on the shelf.

‘Guard duty, officer,’ responded Yamato, sounding nervous.

‘You’re on the wrong floor. I requested a change of guards for Father Bobadillo’s guest on the fourth floor.’

‘But -‘ said Akiko.

‘No arguing. Follow me!’

‘
Hai!
‘ responded Akiko and Yamato, and Jack heard them all march away.

Jack let go of the knife. He had to think clearly. Revenge was not an option. Father Bobadillo was too powerfully connected and there was still the chance Jack could be wrong in his assumption. Besides, his priority was to find the
rutter
. Jack realized it could even be in this very room. He hunted through the other books, but with no success. He looked on the table. Then he spotted the locked casket in the corner.