Chapter 14

Of course, Jake wasn't at his desk. It was lunchtime and everybody was out except for the very few that ate in. Rob checked the swing room just in case, but he wasn't there either. Rob went back to his desk and, pushing his sandwich aside, began digging at what had caught his attention.

The company based their revenue projections on the commissions from expected sales, that projection being adjusted constantly as the market fluctuated. All the brokers involved would get fifty percent of the commission to split amongst themselves while the listing and selling agents would get the other fifty percent. A typical sale would net a commission of about twenty thousand dollars, and if the sale was made by the same broker that listed it, the split was even better: they didn't have to share the profits outside the company.

This is where the discrepancy seemed to be. The revenues posted for sales that were listed by the client were lower than projected.

Rob looked up at the sound of Jake's voice calling out a greeting as he returned from lunch. He gathered all the materials and slid them back into the folder. He tucked the folder under an arm and moved to intercept.

"Jake, a word, please," Rob called out. Jake looked over. "In your office in about five minutes, okay?" Jake nodded.

Rob stopped by Bob's office first to give him an update.

"That's great, Rob," Bob exclaimed, starting to rise. "Let's go give Jake the good news."

"I don't think that would be the best idea, Bob," Rob stated firmly. Bob sat back down with a frown. "I just gave Jake the case this morning. How would it look if we both went in there?"

Bob's frown turned thoughtful. "You're right. It would look like we had no confidence in him."

"I'm not looking forward to showing him this as it is," Rob said. "I'm going to have to play it down so he doesn't think I'm breathing down his neck."

"Do what you think best," Bob said, rubbing his temple. "This is too important to spare Jake if that's what it comes to."

Rob nodded and departed the office. He found Jake sitting ready at his desk when he walked in. Rob walked up and handed the file over.

"This is the Zeller case." Rob watched as Jake started to frown. "Now, I know I only just gave it to you, but, well, as I was eating lunch I reviewed the case one more time."

Jake opened the folder. "I can see that," he said sarcastically as he lifted a mayo-soaked piece of lettuce off the top sheet.

Rob coughed embarrassedly. "Yeah, well, anyway, that's when I spotted something you might want to look into..."

Rob went on to explain his thoughts on the commissions and the apparent discrepancy. Jake was looking curiously at him when he'd finished.

"You know, boss," he said with a smile, "There's a reason we call you 'The Hunter, ' and this is why," he finished, tapping on the open folder. "You just won't give up."

"There's nothing says you can't be the next Hunter," Rob said confidently. "You have what it takes; you just have to use it. I'm sure that if I'd had something better to do with my lunch break, you would have beat me to the punch here."

Jake was shaking his head. "No, not like this. Oh, I'm sure in a couple of days I would have found it, but this? No, I know where credit is due." He picked the papers up out of the folder and tapped the edges to make them straight. Another piece of lettuce fell out.

"Now, boss, if you don't mind," Jake said cheerfully, "You need to scram so I can get to work."

Rob went back to finish his sandwich.

Rob kept a distant eye on Jake for the rest of the day. Jake had a look of intense concentration on his face as he tallied up the discrepancies he'd found. Rob heard it when he put in a request for more detailed information relating to the commission structure and knew Jake had matters well in hand.

Rob had to intercept Bob on a number of occasions when he saw Bob heading to Jake's office.

"Bob, I realize that you're the managing vice president for this branch, but you have to let my people get on with their jobs," Rob chided him. "It's my job to keep you up-to-date; I will come to you as soon as we have something new to report."

"This is too important to us," he replied. "I need to stay on top of it."

"Then you stay on top of me," Rob answered. "Leave Jake alone."

Bob returned to his office with ill grace, only to try it again a half-hour later. It became a game after a time, with Bob even sending in one of the admins as a distraction. Rob saw that one coming and simply brought the admin with him.

By the end of the day, Rob was frazzled, but Jake looked happy. When Rob approached him for an update, Jake was able to give him good news: the shortfall was definitely in the commission structuring. All he needed now were solid numbers to pin down where the money was going. Rob knew that was the hard part and it could take weeks.

Rob decided to wait until morning to update Bob for all the trouble he'd been during the day. It would serve him right to stew for a night. He made sure Jake left before he left himself, to keep Bob off him.

"You know, boss," Jake said when Rob met him at the elevator. "The admins are all talking about how you kept Bob off my back." He held out his hand. "Thanks."

Rob shook his hand and told him to go home. Rob went back to his office and grabbed his gym bag. He was meeting his new instructor tonight.

Rob discovered the doors to the dojo were locked and dug out the key he'd never had reason to use before. When he checked in at the office, he found it dark and empty. He frowned as he looked around: he felt he wasn't alone despite the lack of evidence to the contrary. He 'pinged' and detected a faint noise: a heartbeat, maybe two. Okay, he thought, there's someone here.

He went to the locker room, pinging occasionally to keep track of the heartbeats. Based on a vague sense of direction, he decided it was coming from the dojo. He dressed hurriedly and then quietly made his way down the hall. He cautiously stepped into the darkened dojo and pinged once more. He toed off his slippers and bowed to the mat ... then he somersaulted out onto the mat, the breeze of a passing blow ruffling his hair.

As he stood to face his assailant, the lights in the dojo came up. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Archer standing by the lighting panel. Before him was a wizened old man who looked exactly as he had expected: he could have been Mr. Miyagi's older brother, only bald. He had a three-foot long bamboo sword in his hands.

"I told you he was good," Archer commented.

"We shall see," the old man commented.

"Toshihiro Ito, if I may," Archer said, "This is my personal student, Robert Zane."

The old man stood as tall as his five feet five inches would allow and gave Rob a very thorough once-over. He didn't seemed pleased with what he saw.

"Robert," Archer continued, "This is my friend and swordmaster, Master Toshihiro Ito." Archer pantomimed a bow behind the swordmaster's back. Rob took the hint and bowed, following Archer's lead as he signaled how deep to bow and how long to hold it. Mr. Toshihiro returned the bow with a slight bob of his head. Rob stood up straight when Archer signaled he could do so.

"You should have educated your student on proper etiquette prior to this meeting, Archie," the old man noted calmly.

"And will you teach my classes for me next, old man?"

Rob's eyes widened until he saw the two men grinning at each other. His shoulders sagged a bit with relief, but he stayed firmly at attention.

"I think we've teased my student enough," Archer said. "Why don't you see to him. I'll be waiting in my office."

"As you say," Ito replied, bowing to Archer. Archer returned the bow and left the dojo.

"So," Ito said to Rob, "You wish to learn the sword, do you."

"The katana, sir," Rob replied quietly. "Yes, I would."

The master turned the bamboo sword around in his hand, showing that the hilt was wrapped in rattan with a wooden disk attached above that.

"This is the shinai," he said. "It was designed to allow the student to practice without causing harm to himself or the instructor. A new student is a constant danger until he learns to control the katana."

He held the shinai out to Rob with the blade firmly grasped in his fist. "Take it."

Rob frowned as he looked at the shinai. It felt like a test and he reacted accordingly.

"Sir, if that were a katana," he said cautiously, "Wouldn't it hurt you if I took it that way?"

Ito nodded. "Very good," he said approvingly. "That is the first lesson. Treat every sword as if it's real, no matter what you're eyes may tell you."

He changed his grip to offer the shinai on open palms. Rob reached out a hand to the hilt and gripped it firmly, lifting it straight up and away from Ito's hands. Ito nodded again.

"That is good, but it is clear that you don't know how to handle it," he said. "The katana is meant for two hands. That is why the hilt is so long."

Rob wrapped his other hand around the grip and held it awkwardly before him. This time, Ito shook his head.

"Have you ever held a katana before?" he asked.

"Once or twice," Rob replied. "I was given a katana as a gift. That's why I want to learn how to use it." Ito had a look of pleased surprise on his face.

"Well, go get it," he ordered. "It would be better you learn to hold your katana before we work with the shinai. I can use yours to balance the shinai to mimic yours."

"I ... don't have it with me, sir," Rob answered. "I was advised not to bring it."

"I wonder who might have done that?" he asked, scowling. "'Teach his class for him' indeed."

"If it's that important," Rob offered, "I can have it brought here. It shouldn't take long, I just have to make a phone call."