“What is going on?” Lucas asked irritably as he pulled away from the club and down the street. “First, all this secrecy, now everything’s okay?”

“Nobutoshi-san granted me possession of the sword. He’s given me permission to make the next move.”

Lucas slammed on the brakes and pulled the car over.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Dan shouted in alarm.

“I’m not going any further until you tell me exactly what is going on. I feel like I don’t even know you anymore, Dan! You tell me your girlfriend’s been kidnapped, and you’re working for the Yakuza, except you’re not! We’re best friends our whole lives. Then after college, you disappear for three years. Then you pop back in, everything seems fine, but now you’re disappearing for days at a time and talking like you belong in a different century. So, I’m going to ask you again: what is going on? Who are you really working for? And what the hell has happened to you? If I’m going to possibly risk my life for a girl I haven’t met, I deserve to know!”