Yuki looked up from the newspaper he was reading and stared at the blip on the screen. ‘She’s on the move.’

Yamato turned the key in the ignition. ‘I’m sick of trying to do this on foot. Let’s follow her in the car. Besides –’ he put the window down and looked skywards – ‘it’s almost dark and it might rain again.’

He only managed to drive a few metres forward; the road was blocked by an enormous black limousine parked outside the inn.

Yuki cursed and threw his newspaper on the back seat. ‘Not again. We can’t lose her this time.’

The limousine moved off and the blip did too.

‘Can you see her?’ Yamato looked left and Yuki scanned the right-hand side of the road.

‘No, but she’s picking up speed,’ said Yuki. He stared at the blip. ‘She should be right in front of us.’

‘But clearly she is not,’ Yamato huffed. ‘Stupid system – it doesn’t work properly at all.’

The limousine turned right at the end of the road.

Yamato stopped at the traffic lights and watched as the blip sped away from them. The two men looked at the screen and then at each other.

‘Is it possible?’ Yamato hissed.

‘She’s in that limousine?’ Yuki growled. ‘But how? Who’s helping her? And where is she going?’

Yamato looked up and planted his foot on the accelerator. The car surged through the intersection, narrowly missing a truck. He slapped his hand on the steering wheel as the traffic ground to a halt in front of them.

He looked at the footpath. It was crowded with people.

‘Nooooo . . . You’re a maniac!’ Yuki protested and squeezed his eyes shut.

Yamato leaned on the horn and people scattered left and right.

‘Tell me where the limousine is going,’ said Yamato. He was straining to see, but it had melted into the traffic.

Yuki opened his eyes and looked at the blip. It was heading towards Shinjuku.

‘There it is.’ Yamato pointed at the limousine as it pulled up outside the Royal Plaza Hotel. Yamato stopped on the side of the road and watched.

An old woman with a helmet of brown curls and wearing a sparkling blue evening gown walked out of the hotel foyer. The limousine driver got out and opened the back door. The woman hopped inside and moments later the car took off again.

‘What is going on?’ Yamato moaned. He followed the car through the traffic.

Yuki shrugged. ‘We’re heading towards the palace. I do not understand.’

Things became even more confusing when the limousine pulled up at the palace gates and was ushered through.

‘You must call her,’ Yamato said.

‘You call her,’ Yuki argued. ‘I don’t want to.’

‘Give me that.’ Yamato snatched the phone from his partner and dialled the number. His hands were trembling and his throat was dry. ‘I am afraid that I have bad news, Your Majesty.’

 

‘What a lovely night for a party,’ said Alice-Miranda as she stared out the window at the city streets.

‘It is,’ Millie agreed. She ran her tongue over her teeth. ‘Oh no, I forgot to brush before we left. Does anyone have a mint?’

‘I do, dear.’ Dolly flicked open her handbag and foraged about. She dropped a small white pill into Millie’s hand.

‘May I have one too?’ Jacinta asked.

‘Of course.’ Dolly handed her another.

‘I wonder what sort of food we’ll have tonight,’ Alice-Miranda said.

‘Not too weird, I hope,’ Jacinta muttered. She swallowed her mint and wondered about its strange taste.