Page 12 of Behind the Mask

Kasumi looked at him, then at the burning, sinking ship."I'm sure it was nothing personal," he said.

"Wrong," Luther snapped."He just murdered my men when we did all that the bargain said we should do.This—this just became very personal indeed."He grabbed Kasumi's wrist and dragged him along.

Until Kasumi twisted free and gave him a hard kick, watching implacably as Luther tumbled down the hill.He followed after more slowly.

Luther picked himself up."Stop trying to kill me until we are done cooperating—unless you have changed your mind about cooperating."

"No," Kasumi said."Tell me, though, why I should bother being nice to a man who saw no qualms about sending me off to be tortured slowly to death, but takes it amiss that his own men would be murdered."

"I didn't know he was going to torture you," Luther said quietly, "for what it's worth.I thought he just wanted the mask and whatever stupid trick you use to keep it on.I didn't like that.I couldn't pull back without endangering my men, however—and a bargain is a bargain.Tell me honestly that if torturing me or my men was what it took to get your master back that you would not do it."

Kasumi fell bitterly silent.

"Then I think that is enough judging for one day," Luther said quietly."Come on, this way."

"Where are we going?"

"Always be prepared, I say," Luther replied, smirking."There's a little cove about two miles from here.It will have all we need to get us back to the mainland, and from there we will track down that backstabbing bastard who should have made certain we were dead."

Kasumi nodded in agreement, and followed him across the barren, rocky landscape.

Four

Kasumi dropped his shirt as the door opened, reaching for his knife instead.

He relaxed upon seeing it was only Luther, and set the knife down again.Retrieving his shirt, he tugged it over his head and quickly laced it up, shrugging into the snug, sleeveless black jacket that went over it.Once that was laced, the high collar adjusted so it lay properly, he sat down to pull on and lace up his boots.Standing once more, he laced the ends of his sleeves so that no loose fabric fell anywhere.Clothing tended to, he quickly put his holsters and weapons in place.

"Ready to go?"Luther asked.

Kasumi ignored the way his eyes lingered.He resisted the urge to touch his face, hating that even after seven weeks he still felt naked without his mask.He did not like this being looked at, this being seen.People stared at the shadow he had been, but no one had ever stared athimand he didn't like it.

It left him far too exposed, and his was a face people remembered.

"Ready," he said curtly, slinging his satchel over his head and across his chest, giving the inn room one last glance before nodding and following Luther from it.Out on the street they walked side by side, moving swiftly, and Kasumi only distantly noted that people moved out of their way.

The town in which they'd been staying was far from the most reputable of places.If there was any manner of government official to see the law was enforced, Kasumi had not seen him.

Which, in the end, worked out rather nicely.

It had taken them the better part of two weeks just to make port, and a week after that was spent recovering and gaining coin, purchasing lost equipment.

After that they had gone to work in earnest, Kasumi to search for information, Luther to obtain a new ship.Four weeks it had taken them to reach this point."Is this crew going to slit my throat while I sleep?"Kasumi asked.

"Hardly," Luther asked."I'm more worried about someone saying you look pretty and winding up withhisthroat slit."

Kasumi glared at him, but refused to otherwise rise to the bait.

"Don't worry," Luther said, clapping his shoulder and only the reminder he could man a ship kept Kasumi from killing the impertinent bastard."I've told them not to comment on your looks where you can hear."

Rolling his eyes, Kasumi quickened his pace, irritated when Luther easily matched it.By the time they reached the harbor, Kasumi was ready to shove him off the pier and into the sludge below.

He was getting rather used to constantly feeling that way about his former kidnapper.

Luther paused on the dock to bellow at the men loading the ship, and Kasumi left him there to stride up the gangway and onto the ship.

When everything was over, he was never stepping foot on another ship.If Minoru tried to argue with him, he would employ extreme methods to save the idiot from himself.In fact, no more traveling period—and he still was not looking forward to making this report to his clan.This had to be the most shameful behavior exhibited by one of their own in an extremely long time.

He ignored the sailor giving him looks and whispering, striding to the Captain's quarters and depositing his bag on the bed.Refusing to dwell on worries, he absently checked all his weapons, then strode to the desk against the end of the cabin.Over it was a shelf made up of small square holes, most of which each held a map, neatly rolled and stored.

---