Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Ashikaga Taro was waiting sitting on a wooden bench for his turn to talk to his boss and teacher Hayashida. In his mind he recreated again and again the episode in Sao Paulo, making a harsh self-criticism about what had happened and thinking what he might have done differently so that did not end with Higa´s death. It was a Yakuza rule to worry about the lives and safety of other members, particularly those hierarchically dependent on one. He concluded that having frisked Xie Fu at the beginning of their meeting its end would have been different, and was ready to declare this to Hayashida. They had not done so as not to prematurely alert him of their intentions, but it had clearly been a fatal error.

Finally the heavy oak doors opened and a man came who with a nod let Ashikaga know that the teacher was expecting him.