anything...and spotted the incense sticks on the low altar. They were set into grooves in heavy stone blocks, each the
size of a brick. He grabbed one of the blocks and threw it, as hard as he could, hoping with his entire being that it would fly true.
The stone hit the spinning tonfa, shattering them both! The monk skidded to a halt, throwing his hands up over his face to protect himself from a shower of splinters.
“ We’ve found a way in ,” Mr. Yamamoto’s voice said in Josh’s ears. “ Hold on just a little longer, kids! ”
Jessica raised her hands with a whoop of victory, and the football players all let out a rousing cheer...but it wasn’t over. Josh saw one of the disarmed monks getting to his feet,
seizing a golden statue of the Buddha from its pedestal and holding it over his head.
One of the real monks started forward, his eyes blazing. “A thousand years of history you hold in your hands,” he said. “You already defame our temple – you
wouldn’t dare!”
Yes, they would dare , Josh thought, quickly translating in his head what the monk had just said. But they won’t get away with it!
The fake monk grinned, showing a mouthful of gold teeth, and threw the statue to the ground.
Josh launched himself forward into a skid, sliding along the polished floor like a baseball player heading for a home run, his hands outstretched. The Buddha landed in his lap and he set it down
carefully.
He looked up in time to see two of the monks charging the footballers again, their bare hands out and ready to do damage even without their weapons.
There was a loud BANG . An inner door had been thrown open and six lithe figures in full black ninja outfits rushed in. One of them ran up to the stunned footballers and gestured towards
the door.
“Come on, all of you, out this way,” said the ninja. That was Sachiko!
Josh and Jessica whooped and gave each other a high five as Team Obaasan ran, jumped and flipped across the temple towards the Yakuza fighters.
It was the first time Josh had ever seen Team O fighting all together, and it took his breath away. He tried to make out the individual members among the spinning, kicking, backflipping group,
but the kicks and punches flew so fast he could barely follow them. One ninja struck a Yakuza-monk with a chopping motion on the side of his neck and another grabbed his shoulders and yanked him
into a wrestling throw. Another Yakuza-monk was trying to grab at a ninja’s hood, but a blurred spinning kick sent him crashing to the floor, clutching his wrist and bleeding from the chin.
The final Yakuza fighter was caught between two punches, one to either side of his stomach, and crumpled like paper.
One of the ninjas, tall and lithe with stern, wrinkled eyes behind the slit of her ninja hood, walked up to Josh, Jessica and Shini. “You’re safe now,” she said to Shini.
“Yoshida’s final attempt has failed. The Yakuza will not win this day.”
“Thank you...obaasan,” Shini said, bowing deeply. The ninja gave a “humph” of approval, bowed back, and then raised a finger to her lips. “Of course,”
Shini said quickly, “not a word.” Josh and Jessica grinned at each other.
“Come on,” Josh said. “Let’s get you to that match!”
The whistle blew for half-time, and a huge, rolling wave of cheers circled Yokohama Stadium, echoing back and forth between the stands. Josh and Jessica
leaped out of their seats and leaned over the balcony of the VIP box, cheering along with the Japanese supporters.
“One-nil! One-nil!” Jessica sang. Kiki jumped up and joined her. “Oooonne...niiiiiiil!” Josh had never heard anyone harmonize a football chant before, but it sounded
awesome. Granny clapped politely beside them.
The eight seats in the VIP box were all upholstered in red velvet with little trays for drinks and snacks. Only one was empty. The other seats were occupied by two men and a woman, smartly
dressed in stiff grey suits – probably
size of a brick. He grabbed one of the blocks and threw it, as hard as he could, hoping with his entire being that it would fly true.
The stone hit the spinning tonfa, shattering them both! The monk skidded to a halt, throwing his hands up over his face to protect himself from a shower of splinters.
“ We’ve found a way in ,” Mr. Yamamoto’s voice said in Josh’s ears. “ Hold on just a little longer, kids! ”
Jessica raised her hands with a whoop of victory, and the football players all let out a rousing cheer...but it wasn’t over. Josh saw one of the disarmed monks getting to his feet,
seizing a golden statue of the Buddha from its pedestal and holding it over his head.
One of the real monks started forward, his eyes blazing. “A thousand years of history you hold in your hands,” he said. “You already defame our temple – you
wouldn’t dare!”
Yes, they would dare , Josh thought, quickly translating in his head what the monk had just said. But they won’t get away with it!
The fake monk grinned, showing a mouthful of gold teeth, and threw the statue to the ground.
Josh launched himself forward into a skid, sliding along the polished floor like a baseball player heading for a home run, his hands outstretched. The Buddha landed in his lap and he set it down
carefully.
He looked up in time to see two of the monks charging the footballers again, their bare hands out and ready to do damage even without their weapons.
There was a loud BANG . An inner door had been thrown open and six lithe figures in full black ninja outfits rushed in. One of them ran up to the stunned footballers and gestured towards
the door.
“Come on, all of you, out this way,” said the ninja. That was Sachiko!
Josh and Jessica whooped and gave each other a high five as Team Obaasan ran, jumped and flipped across the temple towards the Yakuza fighters.
It was the first time Josh had ever seen Team O fighting all together, and it took his breath away. He tried to make out the individual members among the spinning, kicking, backflipping group,
but the kicks and punches flew so fast he could barely follow them. One ninja struck a Yakuza-monk with a chopping motion on the side of his neck and another grabbed his shoulders and yanked him
into a wrestling throw. Another Yakuza-monk was trying to grab at a ninja’s hood, but a blurred spinning kick sent him crashing to the floor, clutching his wrist and bleeding from the chin.
The final Yakuza fighter was caught between two punches, one to either side of his stomach, and crumpled like paper.
One of the ninjas, tall and lithe with stern, wrinkled eyes behind the slit of her ninja hood, walked up to Josh, Jessica and Shini. “You’re safe now,” she said to Shini.
“Yoshida’s final attempt has failed. The Yakuza will not win this day.”
“Thank you...obaasan,” Shini said, bowing deeply. The ninja gave a “humph” of approval, bowed back, and then raised a finger to her lips. “Of course,”
Shini said quickly, “not a word.” Josh and Jessica grinned at each other.
“Come on,” Josh said. “Let’s get you to that match!”
The whistle blew for half-time, and a huge, rolling wave of cheers circled Yokohama Stadium, echoing back and forth between the stands. Josh and Jessica
leaped out of their seats and leaned over the balcony of the VIP box, cheering along with the Japanese supporters.
“One-nil! One-nil!” Jessica sang. Kiki jumped up and joined her. “Oooonne...niiiiiiil!” Josh had never heard anyone harmonize a football chant before, but it sounded
awesome. Granny clapped politely beside them.
The eight seats in the VIP box were all upholstered in red velvet with little trays for drinks and snacks. Only one was empty. The other seats were occupied by two men and a woman, smartly
dressed in stiff grey suits – probably
Similar Books
