Relax, I'm A Ninja Page 6

  “You don’t have to, but I appreciate the thought.” The longer we walked, the less nervous I got about being alone with her. It was easier than I’d expected. The conversation didn’t fizzle out for one second.

  “I guess I’ll see you at practice,” I said once we reached the dojo. She bit her lip and looked to the side. “What?”

  “Well, there’s no sense in going all the way home only to come back. I have my gi and stuff. I thought we could, like, study for our chem exam…if you want. You can totally tell me to go home and I won’t cry.” She laughed, and it sounded a little nervous. I tried to tell myself I was imagining it, but I didn’t think I was.

  “Actually, that sounds great.” I smiled. It was a friendly study session, no harm in that. It wouldn’t make me a traitor. Besides, Eddie didn’t have to know. And it wasn’t like they were dating. He didn’t technically have a claim on her.

  “Sweet.” Her shoulders relaxed. Had she been worried I’d reject her? Weird.

  We bowed when we entered the dojo, and my dad nodded to us. He didn’t seem particularly happy about Amy being with me, but not as mad as the other night.

  “He’s not gonna ask about your eye?” Amy asked when we got to the back room.

  “Nah, he knows.” We went up the stairs to my apartment. We really did study for chemistry and snack on a stash of Japanese candy, but it was the best time I’d ever had reading a text book.

  10

  Ninjas don’t take breaks. Even though the dojo shut down for December holidays, we still had training every day. Sometimes twice a day. I didn’t mind, though. Practice was much better than facing school.

  Rumor had it that me and Amy were dating, so I had to promise Eddie daily that we weren’t. But I kind of wanted to date Amy. She was quickly becoming my best friend. We had all these inside jokes the guys would never understand. She was smart, pretty, and so funny my stomach was constantly sore from laughing.

  Also, I was now on Logan’s radar. He pushed me in the halls, made a point to call me racist names, and even sealed my locker with clear caulk so he could fill it with water. Courtney probably came up with that idea.

  I really needed a break from school.

  After sleeping most of the day and then playing online games with the guys, I put on my gi and headed down to the dojo. Marty was there doing his usual stretching regimen, but he looked worn. He only gave a wave.

  “What’s up, man?” I slipped my shoes off and stepped onto the mat.

  He stopped stretching. “A kid at my school died last night. He was only a freshman, but I know his older sister pretty well. Whole family is freaking out.”

  I tried to keep cool, but the other attacks flashed through my head. “What happened?”

  Marty sighed. “Cops don’t know. They found him dead—stabbed. Whoever did it didn’t take his stuff. He wasn’t in a gang, and he wasn’t bullied at school. Just a random act of violence.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  “Yeah, they don’t even know who they’re looking for. They think it has something to do with the other attacks, though. Possibly a serial killer.” Marty rubbed his head. “Guy’s still out there.”

  If the police were seeing similarities, then my gut couldn’t be wrong. There was some evil ninja out there killing kids and I still didn’t know why. Super gluing Courtney’s bedroom windows shut hadn’t convinced her to give up the information. Neither did insulting her in Japanese constantly, though that got a good rise out of her. I’d have to stake out her house when she got back from her fancy Caribbean vacation.

  The back door opened. Amy came through and slipped her shoes off. “I heard what happened, Marty. You know them?”

  He repeated his story.

  “I’d say I’ll come to the funeral, but I guess that breaks cover, huh.” She put her hand on his arm for a moment, nice as always.

  He put his arm around her. “Yeah, you’d stand out, but thanks for offering.”

  “Sure.” She bounced over to me and punched my shoulder. “You are going down today.”

  I smiled. “You say that every day.”

  “I have some new tricks.” She leaned in, which was when I noticed her undershirt was cut much lower than usual.

  I gulped. She wouldn’t beat me with her feminine wiles, nice as they were. “I think I can handle them.”

  “We’ll see.” She’d quickly figured out how to use the girl card. We had a hard time using full force when she feigned tears, and the second we let up she’d pounce. Amy was shameless, which made her the perfect ninja.

  Before I could fantasize about what she might be planning, my dad came in. He wore dark blue from head to toe and carried a big box with him. He poured the navy blue clothing onto the floor.

  “Sweet. You’ll like this, Amy.” Marty came over to the pile and found a pair of dark pants and a long-sleeved shirt. I dug through the assorted clothing for something that fit me.

  “Sato,” my father called. “The snow leopard walks through the white as himself and no one sees.” He’d been teaching her about hensojutsu (disguise and covers), since it was the most important aspect of ninjutsu. “But even in an avalanche, the snow leopard hides. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Sensei.” She rummaged through the clothes.

  My father opened the back door and gave us one last look. “See you at the park.” The door slammed.

  “Ah! Perfect!” Amy held up the littlest blue turtleneck. I was pretty sure it was mine when I was eight. “It’s good I brought some regular jeans, though. These are all gigantic.”

  “Do you even know what we’re doing?” Marty asked as he took off his shirt. He flexed his muscles before he quickly pulled on the other clothes.

  “Hiding. Apparently in the park,” she said. New recruits usually said they understood and then asked me to translate, but Amy never asked once. She just got it.

  “Ito Sensei finds you, you lose. You find him, you win. Shadows only—no going out in the crowd and stuff.”

  “Cool.” She pulled a pair of jeans from her bag that wouldn’t fit past my calves. She’d built up a good amount of muscle, but she’d never be thick even at her strongest.

  “Did you know we were doing this tonight?” I asked.

  “No.”

  “Then what’s with the clothes?” I pulled off my own shirt. She glanced at my chest for a moment, but I didn’t flex like Marty (not that I wasn’t tempted).

  “So we could hang out after training.” She looked down, blushing so bright I couldn’t pretend she wasn’t. “I’m gonna go change.”

  As she jogged to the bathroom, Marty punched my shoulder hard.

  “What was that for?” I put my blue shirt on and glared at him.

  He grinned. “Dude, she digs you.”

  “Shut up!” I smacked him across the back of the head, and he laughed. “She’s like that with everyone.”

  “No way, man. She teases me—she flirts with you,” he said as he slipped his pants off and pulled the blue ones on. I did the same.

  “What’s the difference?”

  Marty had gone out with several girls since I’d known him. I, on the other hand, was clueless. Extra training in body language or not, I didn’t understand girls.

  “You see her trying to spend more time with me? Seems like you guys hang out a lot.”

  I wasn’t impressed with his observations. There was an occasional study session alone, and sometimes I walked her home after training, but that was it. “My other friends are with us most of the time. She’s kind of in my group.”

  “And does she hang out with the other guys alone?” Marty folded his arms and leaned on the wall.

  “I…uh …” She’d never hung out with my friends one-on-one that I knew of. I felt special all of a sudden, but maintained my indifference. I hadn’t figured out if I liked Amy that way or not, and I didn’t want Marty telling her I did. “I don’t know.”

  He shook his head. “Trust me, she digs you.”
r />   “Whatev—”

  The bathroom door clicked open and I turned to look. I was pretty sure my jaw dropped, but I was too distracted with Amy to know for sure. That turtleneck clung to her skin like paint and so did the jeans, bringing out every curve. She usually wore an over-sized school uniform, an over-sized gi, or over-sized sweats for late night D&D games. I couldn’t seem to find air. If I’d known she was hiding a body like that, I might have forgotten about Eddie years ago.

  “So, what’s with the blue?” Amy asked. “I thought we wore black.”

  “Black is too dark,” I forced myself to say. Only when I looked away did I realize I’d been staring…and that she’d probably noticed. “You’d stand out in everything but total shadow.”

  She nodded, staring right back at me with a cheeky smile. “That makes sense.”

  “We ready?” Marty gave me a wink.

  I punched him. “Yeah, let’s go.”

  “Can I bring my phone?” Amy asked when we were almost out the door.

  “Why?” We were ninjas. I didn’t see the need for a phone.

  “It’s stupid, but my parents like me to have it if I’m out in the city at night, just in case. I don’t have to…it’s a silly habit.” She bounced on the balls of her feet. I realized for the first time that growing up in a city as an average, non-ninja girl was a lot different from how I grew up. Her parents probably had discussion after discussion about safety precautions and predators.

  “No, it’s not silly. Bring it, but keep it off unless you need it,” I said.

  “Sure.” She grabbed her phone and stuffed it into her pocket, creating an unpleasant bulge in her otherwise gorgeous silhouette. Maybe it was a good thing. I shouldn’t be thinking about her like that anyway.

  We got in Marty’s beat-up car and headed over to Golden Gate Park, our usual ninja training grounds. The park was big and old, so there were lots of trees and bushes to use for cover as we snuck around. Even if half the trees were bare, there were still plenty of places to hide in the shadows. It was foggy that night, like the clouds had gotten tired of flying and needed a rest. A few drops of water hit Marty’s windshield, but the rain would probably hold off.

  “Don’t feel bad if you lose,” Marty said as he parked. “Ito Sensei always wins.”

  “It’s true.” My dad was a shadow. “Consider yourself awesome if you make it ten minutes without being found, and a god if you actually find him.”

  “What happens if he finds me?” Her knees bounced nervously, but she still seemed excited.

  “He’ll either ask you to hide again or tell you to go back to the dojo.” I opened the door. “I’ll go first. You guys leave in five-minute intervals.”

  They nodded.

  “Good luck.”

  I stepped onto the sidewalk and inspected the dark trees where my dad was probably already watching. I couldn’t run into the shadows or butt up against a building without drawing attention. It had to be a gradual thing. I chose a nearby path that would take me away from the busy street.

  Even if it was December, there were still people in the park taking evening walks, exercising, or strolling with their dogs. It was cold, but not freezing. Once I got moving it would be perfect weather. I walked along the lit path, looking for a good opening to move into the darker regions of the park.

  I spotted a drinking fountain that hugged the line between light and dark. Perfect. Strolling over like I was enjoying the scenery, I took a sip and then walked the border of grass as a couple passed holding hands. Once the coast was clear, I disappeared into the closest bush.

  After I surveyed the area around my position, I knew I didn’t have long before I should move. The number one way to get found was to stay in one place. There were several thick trees in view. I wanted to get higher for a better vantage point, so I settled on the middle one in a group of three. That way I could hop trees if my dad started climbing.

  There wasn’t much wind, so I had to be extra careful as I crawled out of the bush. Crouching low, I rolled my steps to muffle the sound as I made my way across the lawn. I glanced to my sides to check for movement, but kept my head facing forward. Nothing by the clump of bushes, no one in the shadow by the bathroom, one runner on the lit path.

  The second I was close to the tree, I jumped high and pulled myself up fast. As I climbed a few limbs, I heard footsteps and held my breath.

  It was Marty. He still struggled with hiding. He could blend like nobody’s business, but he wasn’t quiet enough to hide well. He “snuck” by without looking up—he should have looked up. If I had been my father, I’d have pounced on him.

  I kept my eyes out for any signs of Dad. Things seemed clear, but he was the definition of silent. I had to take every sound or movement as a possible attack. The path was still close, and I barely spotted Amy in the fog. She walked toward a group of runners. As they converged on her, she turned and ran with them for a moment. Clever. And then she was gone. I should have guessed she’d be as good at this as she was at everything else.

  A sandpapery sound caught in my left ear, but I didn’t move. It was in the other tree. I glanced over—nothing. Time to move. If my dad was there, he wouldn’t dare let me see him. My heart raced as I walked along the branches, occasionally looking back just in case.

  I saw a branch move, heard it snap ever so slightly. He was on to me. I had to get out fast. It was a clear shot to the ground, so I pushed off my perch and dropped. Rolling to absorb the force, I took off running. I heard a soft thud behind me and inwardly swore. I really wanted to do better tonight. Of course, I did leave the car first, so it was inevitable.

  There was a good patch of cover to my right, but that was too obvious. I went the other way to a small group of picnic tables and ducked behind a trashcan. There was an empty bottle on the ground, so I chucked it into the nearby bushes. Light footsteps padded by. I went back the way I came, satisfied that I’d thrown him off the trail. Maybe he would try for Marty and give me some time to find him.

  I stayed in the shadows as I made my way to the clump of bushes I’d almost gone to first. Then I froze. My dad had Marty by the back of the neck. He pushed him away and told him to try again. Chills ran up my spine. If my dad was trailing Marty, then who the hell was following me?

  A scream pierced the air. Amy’s scream.

  11

  As I ran in the direction of her cry, a thousand terrible outcomes ran through my mind, but one stuck. The evil ninja. Someone who was obviously not my dad had followed me. What if this guy found Amy instead? What if he hurt her? Killed her? The thought of anyone attacking her for real made my whole body tense up.

  Marty and my dad ran toward her too, but I was faster. I passed them, sprinting as hard as I could. It still didn’t feel fast enough. I had to see her, make sure she was safe.

  She hadn’t screamed again. I wasn’t exactly sure where she was. There was a group of bushes directly in front of me, a thicket of trees to my left, and a bathroom on the right. Any of them would have been a good spot to hide. I didn’t have time to check each one—she could be fighting, hurting, or dead.

  “Amy! Where are you?” I yelled.

  The dead air felt like it spanned on infinitely. I needed to hear her voice; at least that would mean she was alive.

  “Over here!”

  Running toward the bushes at full speed, I pushed through them without caring how much noise I made. She stood up at the sound. Relief filled her eyes as we came together. I crushed her against me, looking around for the threat. There was no one there, no one attacking her. She was safe.

  I let out a sigh of relief. I would never say it out loud, but I was afraid to lose her. I couldn’t lose her. I cared about her more than I wanted to admit. She was the one person on the planet who knew every aspect of my identity.

  “Tosh.” She buried her head in my chest, and it only felt natural to run my hand over her soft hair.

  “You scared the hell out of me. What’s wrong?”

>   She let go with one arm and pointed. It was only then that I saw the lifeless girl lying under one of the bushes. A long gash ran down her torso. The night we found Todd came rushing back. So the evil ninja was in the park, and he’d just finished off his fourth victim. It could have been me. Or, even worse, Amy.

  My dad and Marty came through the brush. I didn’t let go of Amy, and even if I had she probably would have maintained her death grip on me. Seeing that girl was hard enough on me. I couldn’t imagine what it was like for Amy. She might never be the same.

  “What’s—” my father started to say, but I pointed to the body and he went quiet.

  “What should we do?” I asked after a long silence.

  “Amy has her phone.” Marty, more antsy than usual, drummed his fingers on his folded arm. “We should call the police. Whoever did this could be close.”

  My dad nodded slowly, his furrowed brow shading his eyes. “Amy stays here and calls the police. Let’s go.”

  “What?” I couldn’t believe he’d leave her there alone. Had he actually made a tactical error? Her grip on me doubled, and I knew she didn’t want me to leave. “W-wouldn’t it make more sense if I stayed with her? They might suspect her if she was alone. And what if the guy comes back?”

  Marty made a face, one that said, Are you crazy? You don’t argue with Sensei.

  My father glared at me, his nostrils flaring. I fully expected him to force me to leave Amy alone with that dead body. “Fine. Toshiro, you and Amy were on a date. You came here and found the body. Stick to the story. Don’t separate until you report to me.”

  “Okay.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Amy relaxed the littlest bit.

  They disappeared, leaving us alone with the body. Amy shook from the cold and shock. I wrapped my arms around her small frame as much as I could, hoping that would help. Her chest heaved up and down against mine as she took panicked breaths, but she didn’t cry.

  “Do you want me to call?” I whispered.