floating

I strolled down the row of racers, the sponsors and the sponsors’ painters, already hard at work on the costumes. I nodded casual greetings to the other racers. Jenny, a longtime friend and former lover, was already getting her logo painted on her belly--a large AT&T logo, plus several other smaller sponsors’ logos.

“You’re lucky to snag them,” I said. “How much for?”

“Three million plus endorsements and commercials. Who’d you get?”

I told her. She laughed.

Exadyne Fuel Systems had selected the most inhospitable patch of desert available for its test facility. This served two purposes. First, they had to be sure that the new automobiles would be able to operate under extreme conditions. Second, someone would have to be both highly motivated and certifiably insane to try to spy on the test runs.

Yamagawa-jo Castle was not exactly an impressive castle, especially in terms of size. It had four towers with a medium-sized pagoda in the middle; it was a pretty average in terms of construction and architecture. However what it lacked in style it made up for with airtight security. Guards guarded practically every square inch of the compound, not even a flea would be able to waltz on by unnoticed. Lady Komoda, the owner of the fortress kept various precious items stored and protected for her lord.