The Blood Sword (Book One of The Blood Sword Series)

Chapter Forty: Tray

Tray Covington glanced down the hall of the eighth floor. It was empty, but every door was open. He wanted to curse. He had been trying to talk to Hunter Takeda for the last two months, but every time he tried, someone would appear like magic and interrupt him. By the time he finished with the interruption, Hunter would have vanished. He had a feeling Joe had put everyone up to keeping the two away from each other.

He moved down the hall being as quiet as he could. No one saw him slip past their rooms. He made it into Hunter's apartment and looked around. It was empty, but he could see light coming from the doorway leading to the cave where the forge was. He went to it and saw Hunter at the forge pushing something into the coals. Tray made to head for her, but the heat coming from the massive forge stole his breath away and he backed off.

'Agent Takeda a word please?' he said. Hunter did not even flinch or turn around. He frowned. He was not used to being ignored. 'I know that you are mad at me, but this is childish.' She still did not react. He sighed frustrated.

'She is not ignoring you.' Tray jumped and turned around. The man who claimed to be a ninja sat in a chair by the wall. 'She has ear plugs in.' Tray frowned and Taki motioned to the forge. Tray looked in time to see Hunter pull a blackened sword from the coals. Tray frowned confused. It looked like it was covered with dirt or stone. Hunter dropped the sword into the water tub and the sound of shattering glass echoed off the stonewalls. She took out the earbuds. She grabbed the tongs and stirred the sword around in the tub. A sharp crackling noise followed. She then pulled the sword from the water and looked it over.

'Well shit.' She said annoyed. She tossed the whole thing into the scrap.

'What was wrong with it?' Tray asked. She looked to him noticing him for the first time then shrugged.

'It warped in the fire.' She told him. 'It happens with black steel if I don't get the temperature right in the first stages of forging.' She grabbed a different set of tongs and used them to pick up what looked like a small black brick.

'No you don't.' Taki said 'You gave your word Takeda.' Hunter smiled to him.

'Relax, I will stop for a while, but the steel takes an hour to heat. This way it will be ready when I get back.' Taki nodded and Tray watched fascinated as she shoved the block deep into the coals. She used the bellows to fan the flames to its hottest. Tray watched her take off her gloves and place her hands on her now showing belly. 'Ok kid, time to eat.' She headed for the kitchen shadowed by Tray and Taki. Hunter motioned Tray to a chair. She pulled a plate with two thick sandwiches on it from the fridge. She grabbed a bottle of water and offered it to Tray.

'No thank you.' She shrugged and sat down cracking open the water and taking a long drink. Hunter picked up a sandwich and took a bite. 'You are at four months now correct?' She nodded not looking up and seeming to be enjoying her food. Tray sighed. 'I owe you an apology Sargent Takeda.' He said with a frown. Hunter looked to him. 'When Joe called me and told me everything, I thought it was a prank. It would not be the first time a Director messed with me when I came in to run their base.' He shrugged 'I had no idea Jeric had attacked you and your husband or that someone had stolen the plane. Around the same time all that happened, we had a team in the field being attacked and my attention was on them and not off duty agents.' Hunter nodded.

'Sam told me.' She said. Tray nodded and cocked his head.

'You are an honest to goodness samurai?' she nodded 'Can you tell me a little about it?' she looked to the clock.

'Sure, I have some time.' He listened as she told him about her adopted family and her and Taki's training. Tray nodded impressed

'And you said a few from your discipline want to sign on with the organization?'

'They have already joined. They are just not open about what they are. Few people outside of Japan understand or accept us.' She gave him a pointed look and he blushed nodding.

'I will change that.' He promised. 'I have reviewed your record and it is very impressive. I will inform the High Commander, commanders, and the other base directors of the possible samurai in their midst and make sure that any who want to sign on are more than welcome.' Hunter nodded her approval before getting up and getting another bottle of water. 'Thirsty?' he chuckled making her smile.

'I am after working the forge.' she shrugged 'I can go through ten bottles of water making just a single sword.' She then frowned leaning back in her chair.

'What bothers you Takeda?' Taki asked worried.

'I don't think the black steel will work for weapons.' She said annoyed 'Three attempts and three failures. That or I am doing something wrong.'

'Can you go to another smith and ask for advice?' Tray asked.

'Not for this.' Hunter sighed 'Black steel is something I created, no one else in the world knows how to smelt or work it.' She shook her head and was quiet for a moment staring at her water. She then flinched and sat up looking at the bottle. 'It is not that I am not heating it enough, I am heating it too fast.' she stood 'Stupid, stupid, stupid. She marched out of the kitchen making Taki chuckle.

'Sorry Mr. Covington, when she works, it's hard to pull her away for more than a few moments.' Tray nodded

'When she takes her next break, please tell her I said good-bye, Joe ison his way back now and will be here tonight.' Taki nodded and walked out.