She hesitated. Why? she wondered. Why am I afraid of Modal? And she was afraid, she realized with a touch of surprise. First, Smeland’s story about the death of Louis, and then the unexpected appearance of Modal—someone who’d worked for Yamatetsu in the past. But what does that mean, really? Frag, I’ve done a job for Yamatetsu Seattle. She remembered getting a call last year from the head of Yamatetsu's local operation, a contract to dig up background on some street op called Dirk Montgomery. Everybody works for everybody, right?