thedestroyer.slavesafari-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Remo　stared　blankly　at　the　man。　What　could　he　say？　〃Let　me　see；　the　article　I　was　supposed　to　have　written。〃　Upstairs　moved　in　peculiar　ways；　right　from　the　first　day　when　former　Newark　policeman　Remo　Williams　discovered　that　upstairs　had　been　responsible　for　the　frameup　that　put　him　in　the　electric　chair；　and　equally　responsible　for　getting　him　out　alive；　the　man　who　did　not　exist　for　the　agency　which　did　not　exist
　The　explanation　was　simple；　as　most　of　upstairs'　explanations　were。　The　Constitution　no　longer　worked；　the　country　could　no　longer　withstand　the　onslaught　of　crime。　The　answer　was　an　organization　that　functioned　outside　the　Constitution；　doing　whatever　it　had　to　do　to　equalize　the　odds。
　〃And　I'm　the　guy　who's　going　to　do　the　dirty　work？〃　Remo　had　asked。
　〃You're　elected；〃　he　was　told。　Thus　began　a　decade　of　training　under　Chiun；　the　Master　of　Sinanju；　a　decade　in　which　Remo　had　lost　count　of　the　number　of　people　he　had　killed；　just　remembered　the　moves。
　〃Would　you　care　to　talk　inside？〃　Remo　asked　the　three　men。
　The　gentlemen　said　they　would　be　happy　to　do　so。
　〃Ask　them　if　they　know　the　vile　pollsters　of　Washington；〃　said　Chiun。
　〃I　think　this　is　business；〃　said　Remo；　hoping　that　Chiun　would　choose　to　get　lost。　Only　three　men　knew　that　the　secret　crime…fighting　organization　called　CURE　existed；　and　Chiun　was　not　one　of　them。　But　as　the　Master　of　Sinanju；　there　was　only　one　thing　he　needed　to　know　of　an　employer。　Did　he　pay　on　time　and　did　his　payments　reach　Sinanju；　the　little　Korean　village　that　Chiun　and　his　ancestors　had　supported　through　the　centuries　by　renting　out　their　deadly　assassin's　skills？　This　question　being　answered　affirmatively；　Chiun　would　not　have　cared　if　his　employer　were　the　Girl　Scouts　of　America。
　〃Business；　business；　business；〃　said　Chiun。　〃You　are　a　nation　of　businessmen。〃
　〃Your　servant？〃　asked　the　man　with　the　briefcase。
　〃Not　exactly；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Do　you　men　know　the　vile　pollsters　of　Washington？〃　asked　Chiun。
　〃We　might；〃　said　the　man　with　the　briefcase。
　〃Chiun；　I　think　this　is　work。　Please；〃　said　Remo。
　〃We　can　be　of　help　in　many　ways；〃　said　the　man　with　the　briefcase。
　〃He　doesn't　need　your　help。　Inside　if　you　please；〃　said　Remo；　but　Chiun；　hearing　that　there　might　be　some　way　of　restoring　his　daytime　soap　operas　to　the　screen；　followed　the　gathering　into　the　cottage。　He　sat　cross…legged　on　the　floor　watching　the　men　on　couches　and　chairs。
　〃This　is　confidential；〃　said　the　man　with　the　briefcase。　He　had　the　quiet　authority　of　one　backed　by　much　wealth。
　〃Ignore　him；〃　Remo　said　of　Chiun。
　〃Your　magazine　article　proved　of　great　interest　to　my　employer。　I　saw　your　surprise　when　I　mentioned　it。　I　can　understand　your　wondering　how　we　saw　the　article　when　it　won't　even　be　published　until　next　week。〃
　Remo　nodded　as　if　he　knew　what　the　article　was　about
　〃I　have　a　question　for　you；〃　the　man　said。　〃Just　what　are　your　contacts　with　Busati？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　that　all　my　sources　are　confidential；〃　said　Remo　who　did　not　know　who　or　what　or　where　a　Busati　was。
　〃I　admire　your　integrity。　Mr。　Mueller；　let　me　be　frank。　We　might　want　you　for　something。〃
　〃Like　what？〃　asked　Remo；　noticing　the　edge　of　a　manuscript　poke　from　the　man's　briefcase。
　〃We'd　like　to　hire　you　as　a　consultant　for　our　offices　in　Busati。〃
　〃Is　that　my　story　you　have　in　there？〃　Remo　said。
　〃Yes。　I　wanted　to　discuss　it　with　you。〃
　Remo　reached　out　a　hand　for　the　manuscript。　〃Just　want　to　review　it　myself；〃　he　said。
　Even　under　an　assumed　name；　Remo　felt　embarrassed　by　the　story。　Busati；　he　quickly　surmised；　was　a　country。　According　to　what　he　was　supposed　to　have　written；　Busati　was　forging　new　forms　of　socialism　after　throwing　off　colonialist　chains；　under　the　guidance　of　President　General　Dada　〃Big　Daddy〃　Obode。　Any　report　of　tribal　friction　was　an　invention　of　the　neo…colonialistic　fascist　imperialistic　powers　who　feared　the　enlightened　progressive　leadership　of　the　Saviour　of　Busati；　General　Obode；　who　brought　electricity　to　the　villages；　ended　crime　in　the　capital　and　had　made　the　first　major　inroads　against　poverty　in　Busati　since　the　white　man　had　first　enslaved　the　little　nation。　Why　this　capitalist　fear　of　Obode？　Because　his　brilliance　threatened　to　undermine　the　substructure　of　racist　oppressive　Western　government　and　all　Western　nations　quaked　before　the　glory　of　his　brilliance。
　The　article　was　called　〃An　Unbiased　View　of　Busati。〃　Remo　returned　the　manuscript
　〃You're　rather　an　interesting　fellow；　Mr。　Mueller；〃　the　man　said。　〃We　looked　into　your　background　and；　frankly；　we　found　nothing　at　all。　Not　a　thing。　Not　even　fingerprints。　Now　a　traveler　of　your　stature　should　have　prints　in　someone's　file。　Do　you　mind　telling　us　why　not。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Remo。　He　turned　to　Chiun。　〃What's　for　dinner？〃
　〃I　have　not　decided；〃　said　Chiun。
　〃Of　course；　your　background　is　your　business；〃　said　the　man　with　the　briefcase。　〃We　just　wish　to　employ　you　at　great　profit　to　yourself。　Very　great。〃
　〃Duck　would　be　good；〃　said　Remo；　〃if　you　cooked　it　right。〃
　〃We　had　duck　last　night；〃　said　Chiun。
　〃I'm　here　to　make　you　an　offer　you　can't　refuse；〃　said　the　man　with　the　briefcase；　smiling　a　wide　row　of　very　even　white　teeth。
　〃What？〃　said　Remo。
　〃An　offer　you　can't　refuse。〃
　〃I'm　refusing　it；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Can　you　refuse　2；000　a　week？〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Are　you　willing　to　see　your　stories　turned　down　by　every　magazine　in　the　country？　It　would　not　be　hard　for　you　to　get　a　reputation　as　an　unreliable　nut；　and　then　who　would　print　your　stories？〃
　'Who　cares？〃　Remo　said。　He　thought　of　the　article　he　was　supposed　to　have　written。　If　that　was　sanity；　he　wondered　what　magazines　thought　insanity　was。
　〃e　now；　Mr。　Mueller。　I　represent　the　Lippincott　Foundation。　Surely　you've　heard　of　us。　A　year's　contract　with　us　for　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　could　make　an　ambitious　young　man　like　you。　You'd　have　the　Lippincott　family　behind　you　forever。〃
　Remo　looked　at　the　man　and　thought　deeply　for　a　moment。
　〃So　what's　wrong　with　duck　two　days　hi　a　row？〃　he　asked　Chiun。
　〃Nothing　is　wrong　with　duck　two　days　in　a　row。　There　is　just　nothing　very　right　with　it　two　days　in　a　row；〃　said　Chiun。
　〃Mr。　Mueller；　I'm　talking　to　you。〃
　〃I　know；〃　said　Remo。　〃Why　don't　you　stop？〃'
　〃Mr。　Mueller；　if　that's　who　you　are；　we　have　vital　interests　in　Busati。　We　want　only　an　introduction　to　the　leadership　of　that　country。　We　cannot　use　formal　diplomatic　channels　because　all　whites　and　Asians　have　been　expelled　from　the　country。　Just　an　introduction；　that's　all　we　want　from　you。　It　might　take　you　only　a　day；　or　just　a　few　hours。　For　that；　you　would　be　a　wealthy　man。　For　not　doing　that；　you　will　be　a　ruined　man。　Now　what　is　your　answer？〃
　〃Right　or　wrong；　duck；〃　said　Remo。
　〃I'm　sorry　it　has　to　be　this　way；　Mr。　Mueller。　I'm　going　outside。　I　will　be　back　in　five　minutes　or　whenever　I　hear　the　word　'yes'　yelled　at　the　top　of　your　lungs。　If　you　still　have　lungs。〃
　The　man　with　the　briefcase　rose　somberly　and　walked　to　the　front　door。　He　left　it　open　and　Remo　could　see　him　light　a　cigarette　in　the　front　yard。　The　two　men　with　the　concealed　weapons　rose　and　approached　Remo。
　〃Stay　out　of　this；　old　man；　and　you　won't　be　hurt；〃　one　said　to　Chiun。　The　Master　of　Sinanju　smiled　sweetly。　〃Oh；　thank　you　so　much　for　sparing　a　frail　old　man。〃
　Remo　shot　him　a　dirty　look。　He　didn't　like　it　like　this；　not　with　Chiun　watching。　There　would　be　non…stop　bitching　later　on　about　Remo's　technique。　Well；　Remo　would　be　very　simple　and　stick　to　basics。　He　was　not　in　the　mood　for　a　harangue。
　〃We　would　rather　be　easy　on　you；〃　said　the　man　nearest　Remo。　He　grabbed　Remo's　wrist　and　twisted　ever　so　slightly。　It　was　a　move　of　either　kung　fu　or　karate；　but　Remo　did　not　remember。　Chiun　liked　to　catalog　these　foolishnesses；　but　Remo　did　not　want　to　be　bothered。　All　of　them　were　inplete　tools；　even　at　their　most　advanced　levels　where　they　became　workable　for　actual　use。　This　man　was　being　〃the　clinging　vine〃　or　something。　He　twisted。
　Remo　saw　Chiun　watch　his　elbow。　Damn。　Well；　whatever。　Remo　brought　his　gripped　hand　back；　taking　the　man　with　him　and　caught　the　chestbone　with　his　right　thumb。　A　single　timed　move