Aaron swung the door open and hopped inside. “Daniel,” Aaron said, nodding at him. Alex and Benjamin Russell, two brothers who were the smartest students ever to come out of his dojo, sat in the back. He loved the relationship they had with Daniel. There were days in the dojo that he couldn’t tell that Daniel wasn’t just another brother, the way the three of them horsed around. Having them here was an honor. “Tell us what you need, Aaron,” Benjamin said, “and we’ll do it. Just say the word.” He looked from Alex to Benjamin and back to Daniel. “What is it?” Daniel asked, impatient. He knew Daniel would see the pain in his eyes. He knew he couldn’t hide from these men. “My sister, Joanne … is dead,” Aaron said. “What?” Daniel slapped the steering wheel. “I’m so sorry. How could that be?” “What are you saying?” Benjamin asked. Alex didn’t say anything. He was the quietest of the three, but also the most dangerous. He had a ninja quality in his approach to the art of karate.
