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It was agreed Remo and Chiun would visit the house before dawn。 Butler left the camp shortly after dinner； on the pretext that important business awaited his return to Busati。
But the only business on his mind was the warning he wanted to give General Obode about the two imperialist American agents who were planning to assassinate him； but who would be vulnerable tonight because Butler had enticed them into visiting his house of many pleasures。
CHAPTER TWELVE
In an American city； it would have been a ghetto； a slum； the final demonstration that capitalism could not work unless it allowed the hog robber…baron rich to step on the poor man's neck and grind his face into the dirt
But in Busati； it was one of the better streets。 And the whorehouse behind the iron gate was definitely one of the better buildings。
It had once belonged to a British general who had e to the country planning to teach the heathen savages a thing or two； and who had instantly developed a letch for black women of all sizes and shapes。 He had had his throat slit one night by a woman whom he thought loved him for his obviously superior soul。
She took his wallet and the seventy…three British pound notes it contained and returned to her native village where she was as venerated as Marjorie Meriwether Post。
The house meanwhile was recaptured by the Busati government for non…payment of the four…dollar annual real estate tax…Busati facing its own urban crisis at the time； the necessity to buy another four push…brooms for the one…man street cleaning force who was charged with keeping the city immaculate。
The house had since that time belonged to the Busati government； remaining vacant until now…General William Forsythe Butler took it over and decided to use it for his own purposes。
〃Look。 In the tree；〃 Chiun said。 〃Have you ever seen such foolishness？〃
In the dark； Remo's eyes made out the figure of a soldier with a gun； notched in the fork of the tree across the street from the white house。
〃And in the window of that building over there；〃 Remo said softly； gesturing with his eyes toward the window where he had just seen a glint of light that could e only from a rifle barrel。 〃It looks as if General Obode is expecting pany tonight。〃
Remo and Chiun stood in the shadows； half a block away from the large white house behind the metal gate。
〃And look；〃 Chiun said； 〃there are two。。。 no； three more behind that motor vehicle over there。〃
〃I guess no one told them that the Master of Sinanju was ing；〃 Remo said。 〃They're not properly impressed。〃
〃We must do our best to remind them of their good manners；〃 the old man said。
Before Remo could say a word in answer； Chiun was up at the large stone wall。 His fingers bought a hold in the wall and he smoothly clambered up it； paused momentarily on the top and then vanished into the grounds behind the fourteen…foot…high barrier。
Remo moved close to the wall and heard Chiun say； 〃Shall I send a litter bearer for you； my son？〃
〃Up yours； My Father；〃 Remo said； but too softly for Chiun to hear。 Then Remo； too； was up and over the stone wall。
He stood alongside Chiun。 〃Better be careful；〃 he said。 〃There are probably more soldiers in here。〃
〃Oh； thank； you； Remo；〃 Chiun said。
〃For what？〃
〃For alerting me to danger。 For helping to prevent me from falling asleep and into the hand of these terrible dangerous men。 Oh me； oh my。〃 This was Chiun's new phrase which he had picked up from Rad Rex on the last installment he had seen of As the Planet Revolves； the one show； Remo swore； in all of television history in which nothing not only never happened； but in which nothing even threatened to happen。
〃Buck up； Chiun；〃 Remo hissed。 〃The only thing we have to fear is fear itself。 I'll protect you。〃
〃〃My heart soars like the eagle。〃
They moved through the darkness toward the house。 〃Are you sure；〃 Chiun said； 〃that this is what you want to do？〃
〃It's what I was supposed to do before you tricked me into playing Prince Charming for that gang on the mountain；〃 Remo said。
〃Please not to embarrass me；〃 Chiun said。 〃The Loni might hear of any foolishnesses of yours and this would lower me in their eyes；〃 Chiun led the way up one of the stone walls of the house and into an open second…floor window。 The room they entered was empty； they moved out into a broad dimly…lit hallway； built like a balcony； from which they could see the main door of the house below。
Behind the door were a half…dozen soldiers wearing Busati whites and carrying American Army grease guns。 One of the soldiers was a sergeant。 He looked at his watch。
〃Very soon now；〃 he said。 〃Very soon we will have our pany and we will put them to sleep。〃
〃Good；〃 one of the privates said。 〃I hope they e quickly so we have time to sample the merchandise。〃
〃By all means；〃 the sergeant said。 〃This merchandise is to be sampled as often as possible； as vigorously as necessary。 Mi casa est su casa。〃
〃What does that mean？〃 the first soldier asked。
〃That means screw your brains out；〃 another soldier said。 〃Use up that white ass。〃
〃I can hardly wait；〃 the first soldier said。 〃Where are those bastards anyway？〃
〃Right here；〃 Remo said。 He stood on the balcony looking down toward the main entrance。 At his side stood the tiny Chiun； wearing not his customary robe； but a black Ninja costume which he wore only at night。
〃I said； right here； you stupid gorilla bastard；〃 Remo said； louder this time。
Chiun shook his head。 〃Always on display；〃 he said。 〃Do you never learn？〃
〃I don't know； Chiun。 Something about him there just pisses me off。〃
〃Hey； you； get down out of there。〃 The sergeant spoke。
〃e and get us；〃 Remo said。 〃Use the stairs。 They work both ways。〃
〃You e down from there or； by God； we're gonna plug you。〃
〃You're all under arrest；〃 Remo said； seeing himself as Gary Grant hi the temple of the thugs。
Chiun leaned against the railing； shaking his head in disgust。
The sergeant started for the stairs； followed by the other five soldiers。 They moved slowly and Remo wondered why。
〃Oh； oh；〃 Remo said。 〃I just thought。 If they foe their guns； the guys outside'll hear it and e in；〃 Remo whispered to Chiun。
〃I doubt much that you 'just thought' of anything；〃 Chiun said； 〃since you seem incapable of thought。 But if that worries you； don't let them fire guns；〃 Chiun said as if that answered everything。
〃Of course；〃 Remo said。 〃Why didn't I think of that？ Don't let those six men fire their guns。〃
〃Not six。 Ten；〃 a voice said from behind Remo。 He turned。 Standing in an open doorway was another soldier in Busati whites。 He carried an automatic。 Behind him in the dimness； Remo could see three more men。 He realized now why the sergeant had been very slow about leading his men upstairs； he was waiting for the other half of the trap to close。
〃I surrender；〃 Remo said； raising his hands。
〃A wise decision； friend；〃 the soldier with the automatic said。 He nodded to the other three men who poured out of the room and joined the six men ing up the stairs。 They put their guns away； slinging them back over their chests； as they surrounded Remo and the small Korean。
After all； ten again