Dudley went Hush. The hubbub subsided. Dudley picked up a long leather case. He held it out, presentation-style. The crowd circled tight. Dudley opened the case. It was black velvet–lined. Black velvet cradled a gold bayonet. It was two feet long. It was blood-guttered and swastika-embossed. Ashida saw faint blade etchings. They might be mint marks. The crowd ooohed and aaahed. Dudley said, “The spoils of war you’ll encounter in Mexico, lad.”
