Yohji raised an eyebrow at Sato's reply, despite the fact that there was no one to see his reaction.

The man had always struck him as a bit strange, although there was usually a very controlled precision to his strangeness. Right now he sounded out of it. Doped up on painkillers? It was probably an utterly inappropriate time to bring him in for an inquisition from Manx.

But it seemed like inappropriate timing was more or less the very essence of their existences. They wouldn't be where they were without it.

"Affirmative," he replied. "Very briefly there was a second," and very intriguing, Yohji's mind gratuitously inserted, "attractive lady. But her appearance was brief. There are five of us here."

He wondered if he should mention Aya-chan's departure but held off, deciding not to offer more information than was imminently necessary.