Chapter 2

Tomo had wanted to take Tommy and Pamela back with him to Japan. Both Cato and Sato respectfully asked that not be done. If training or specialized fighting forms were needed, then to have those instructors come to California. Pamela was not much better until she was outside watching Tommy train with the new instructor, Cato saw her eyes brighten, her body rise up on the chaise; her eyes fixed on the boy and man flying through the air. Cato came up to her, took her young hand and said "What is it child? What do you see?" "My destiny" said the girl, and she was right. The next day Cato had Pamela taken to a very special Dojo. It specialized in a very unique form of martial art not taught in the US, and the first time a novice student had ever been sent to train, for 1,000 years only those who had proven themselves in several forms had been allowed to train. For a woman, only the most experienced Geisha had ever been admitted. When the Sensei had asked Cato what he was doing bringing a novice to him, let alone a young girl, Cato turned to him, bowed and informed him that his services would no longer be required, ever. He made a call to his father, told him what he had done. Mr. Kawashima called Japan, spoke with Tomo and awaited the new instructor.

When approached by what was obviously the spokesman for the students currently training, he told Cato the students demanded their Sensei be returned. Tomo laughed slightly. Motioned to 4 of his guards who escorted the man and all of the students out of the Dojo, closing the gates as 1 sole man and a woman postured by the gate. A folding chair was brought to him; he sat as the woman began the tea ceremony. One of the students recognized the man, he was the Grand Master himself and this Dojo had his picture in the private shrine. He had been studying here nearly 6 years, had recently been allowed to pray there before his soon to happen tests. Now it was all gone, with tears and sobs he bowed down to the seated man who simply watched the intricate motions of the woman.

Cato began readying Pamela to train. She would be the only student of the Grand Master. For the time she would be in the US, her schedule would never vary, physical training at the estate at 5.00, a light meal at 6.30, meditation at 7.00. her tutors from 7.30 until 12.00, a meal then and personal time, followed by a trip to the dojo at 13.30, martial arts, usually the flying form, until 18.00 where she was taken back to the estate, usually by helicopter since there were too many cars on California roads and bridges. Evening meal was a time when the family met and discussed things, this was no different, sometimes Sato and their father would join then, even Tomo when he would visit. Days in the week never mattered.

The day before her 16th birthday Cato asked if she had learned those things she had been taught. Pamela reflected, began to speak, then paused, thinking how to best express herself. "I think Uncle (Cato was not her uncle but she had always called him that) that I have tried, and as hard as I try there is something missing, I do not know what it is. I have asked the Master what I must do, how I might better prepare myself or what I still must learn but I still seem to not fully do those things I know I must." Her teacher, the highest ranking Grand Master outside Japan had told Sato that the girl, without even trying seemed to know and move as though every, almost impossible move or form was as easy as walking on the floor. That he had trained the biggest, the strongest and most ruthless students; in 40 years he had never seen any to be able to learn even 1/5 of what she had in just 4 years. 40 years ago he had someone as good or better than her, it had been Tomo when he had already been a Master.

"Come little one" he said, and then called Tommy and his guards to Jarred's house in the desert. As 6 black helicopters left the estate on way to Jarrad's, Cato looked and Tommy and Pamela now and saw 2 different things. Tommy had the look of awe and wonder as each new thing was presented to him, he was starting to learn more of the businesses that he would soon be responsible for. In Pamela's eyes he saw nothing, no fear, no hate no emotion ever changed her. In the last year her training had placed her 1/4 inch from death many times. Others had already broken bones, some killed at stages of training she had long since surpassed. Today would be her first test, in a way. Tomorrow, her 16th birthday she might start her future, her destiny as she had called it when she saw the instructor sent from Japan. It had been a test for Tommy actually; Tomo had thought that he would be the one to take up that portion of the family. If things were to be as he had hoped, Tomo would soon see his wish granted, but not by Tommy.