51

THE BRIDGE

‘I said I’d hunt you down, gaijin.’

Kazuki stood behind them, his shaved head glistening with the rain.

Like warrior statues, the Scorpion Gang formed an unbroken line across the entrance to the bridge. Clad in black kimono, their red sun kamon upon their chests, the five young samurai – Nobu, Hiroto, Goro, Raiden and Toru – glared at Jack, hands upon their weapons, eagerly awaiting Kazuki’s command so they could be unleashed.

Hana tugged on Jack’s arm and they began to back away.

‘There’s no escape this time,’ laughed Kazuki, nodding towards the other side of the bridge.

Glancing over his shoulder, Jack saw the Kizu end had been blocked by a garrison of dōshin. Armed with iron jutte truncheons and vicious sasumata, they formed an impenetrable barrier.

One look at the swollen river told Jack that their only other option would be suicidal, especially for a non-swimmer. It was now apparent why there had been no one on the bridge – Jack and Hana had walked straight into a trap.

Jack confronted Kazuki. He’d realized this day would come, but hadn’t imagined it would be quite so soon. He also knew there was no hope of survival against such overwhelming odds. But he had to defeat his old rival. He couldn’t allow Akiko to come to any harm at the hands of his enemy.

‘I see the Two Heavens failed you,’ smirked Kazuki, pointing to Jack’s bandaged left arm.

Jack ignored the jibe. Despite a long session of kuji-in healing, his arm was still stiff and he had reservations about its effectiveness in a sword fight.

‘Let Hana go,’ he demanded. ‘She has nothing to do with us.’

Kazuki shook his head, tutting. ‘When will you learn that anyone who helps you signs their own death warrant?’

Hana took hold of her bokken. She briefly struggled to pull it from her obi, then unsteadily raised its tip to Kazuki. ‘Jack’s my friend … I’ll willingly lay down my life for him.’

Jack was astounded at her courage. Despite being totally untrained, she was prepared to take on an experienced swordsman.

Kazuki burst out laughing. ‘Yet again, a girl fights for you, Jack! And a hinin at that!’

Incensed, Hana rushed forward and slammed the bokken into Kazuki’s thigh. ‘I’m not a nobody!’

Taken by surprise, Kazuki buckled under the blow. Hana went to hit him again. This time Kazuki blocked it with his right forearm. Miraculously, the strike didn’t break the bone; instead the wooden sword deflected off to one side. With terrifying speed, Kazuki drew his katana with his left hand and sliced for Hana’s belly, aiming to cut her in half.

Jack ran to her aid, thrusting his sword between them and halting the lethal attack. The two young samurai glared at each other, their rivalry as fierce as ever.

The pounding of feet across the boardwalk announced the rapid advance of the Scorpion Gang.

‘I will have my revenge, gaijin,’ snarled Kazuki.

‘No, you won’t!’ cried Hana, whipping him across the gut with her bokken.

Kazuki doubled over. But before she or Jack could finish him, the Scorpion Gang was on them. Driven into retreat, Jack battled to keep them at bay. Although he didn’t have the strength in his left arm to wield two swords, his skill with a single katana meant he was no easy kill.

Hiroto came in first. ‘I’m going to stick you like a pig,’ he squealed in his cruel high-pitched tone. ‘Just like you did me.’

Jack remembered throwing a knife at the boy in a last-ditch effort to stop Hiroto from hanging him during the attack on the Niten Ichi Ryū. The blade had pierced Hiroto’s stomach and the boy had let go of the noose. Jack’s mercy in allowing Hiroto to live might now be his undoing.

Meanwhile, Hana was confronted by one of Kazuki’s hulking cousins, Toru.

‘You hurt Kazuki,’ he grunted. ‘I hurt you.’

Toru didn’t use a sword; instead he favoured a kanabō, an immense iron-studded club. He swung it at Hana. Squealing, she ducked and was forced to leap out of the way as the club came smashing down a second time. It ploughed into the floor, cracking the wooden deck and sending splinters flying. Hana valiantly tried to block the follow-up blow with her bokken, but the force of the strike knocked her to the ground.

Seeing the danger she was in, Jack feigned a wide attack on Hiroto. The boy went to block it and Jack kicked him hard in the stomach, targeting his old injury. Hiroto crumpled, wheezing for breath. As Toru moved to crush Hana with the club, Jack charged at him, his head down in Demon Horn Fist, screaming at the top of his voice, ‘KIAAAIIIII!’

Startled, Toru turned to pummel Jack instead. He raised his club just as Jack collided into him. It was like hitting a brick wall. But the impact was enough to knock Toru off-balance. He staggered against the bridge’s handrail. It gave way and, pulled backwards by the weight of his kanabō, Toru toppled over the rail into the foaming waters of the Kizu River.

Enraged at their loss, the rest of the Scorpion Gang rushed Jack and Hana as one. Pulling Hana to her feet, Jack fled with her in the opposite direction.

The doōshin officer ordered his men to march on to the bridge, sasumata primed to meet them.

Trapped in the middle, Jack realized there was no escape.

‘I won’t let them take you,’ said Jack, his sword held protectively across her.

‘And I won’t let them kill you either,’ replied Hana, her bokken trembling in her hand.

Standing back to back, Jack and Hana faced their fate.