The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [82]
Like the entrance to Hell, thought Jack, his concern mounting for Hanzo the closer they came to Gemnan’s garden.
Two sentries stood dutifully by, oblivious to the assassins. Opening his pack, Zenjubo passed Miyuki, Shiro and Jack a pair of shuko claws and ashiko foot hooks each. Slipping them on, they silently scaled the wall in turn.
Jack discovered the claws and hooks dug into the smooth plastered wall with little trouble. At last he knew the secret to the extraordinary climbing ability of his old enemy Dragon Eye. Jack too could now scale buildings like a black widow spider – except he wasn’t here to kill; he was here to save his friends.
Keeping to the corner where it was darkest, Jack pulled himself up. He was making good progress when the plaster under his right foot gave way. Fragments tumbled to the ground. The noise wasn’t much more than a trickling of dust, but it sounded like an avalanche to Jack – and it was loud enough to capture the attention of a guard.
‘Did you hear that?’ he asked the other sentry.
Jack clung to the wall, trying to melt into the shadows. He didn’t move a muscle, not even daring to look round when he heard the scuff of feet approach.
A bird called out, cawing three times before flapping its wings.
‘It’s just a crow,’ said the guard.
Jack remained where he was, hugging the wall like a limpet. His arms were beginning to tremble when he heard a whisper from below.
‘Get moving!’
Climbing again, Jack joined Zenjubo and Shiro on the small tiled roof that topped the wall. Miyuki was right behind him. They flattened themselves against the slope, becoming one with the roof.
‘It’s lucky that bird called,’ said Jack under his breath.
‘That was no bird!’ corrected Miyuki.
Jack stared at Zenjubo in amazement. The ninja’s reserved nature gave little indication of his remarkable and diverse skills.
‘Where are they?’ said Miyuki impatiently, looking around for Tenzen and Akiko.
Her question started Jack worrying too, the ominous sense of dread returning.
‘I knew we couldn’t trust that samurai,’ she muttered.
Before Jack could reply, Zenjubo put a finger to his lips and pointed.
Akiko was marching up the road, dragging Tenzen behind her. Limping badly, his face bloodied and his arms bound behind his back, Tenzen looked thoroughly beaten.
Miyuki turned on Jack. ‘What she’s done to him?’
50
KACHIMUSHI
Presenting her captive to the guards, Akiko was let through the gate without question. One of the sentries accompanied them in the direction of Gemnan’s garden.
‘She’s leading us into a trap!’ insisted Miyuki.
Although Jack trusted Akiko implicitly, he too was shocked by Tenzen’s appalling condition. What’s gone wrong?
Following from above, the four ninja observed Akiko and her prisoner being led up to a second gate, where they were handed over to a guard of more senior status, a brute of a man with a thick beard and heavy fists. He grabbed Tenzen by the throat, inspecting the gash on his forehead with amusement.
‘Might not need a crucifix for this one!’ he laughed, spitting into Tenzen’s face. ‘Looks like a corpse already.’
Tenzen barely reacted, managing little more than a groan as his head lolled in the samurai’s grip.
‘This way! Before he drops dead.’
Grabbing Tenzen by the shoulder, Akiko roughly shoved him through the gate to the inner courtyards. The four ninja climbed silently over the roof of the guardhouse and darted on ahead to Genman’s garden. By the time the samurai reached it, Zenjubo and Miyuki were already in position, Jack and Shiro acting as lookouts. A jangle of keys preceded the click of the gate being unlocked.
‘The pit’s full. We’ll put him in the cage,’ the guard said, leading Akiko and her prisoner towards the far corner.
Before the guard had taken two steps, Tenzen straightened, the bindings round his