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！
The sergeant's eyes brightened。 〃You like the girls； mister？ They take good care of you。 I housebreak them well。 Anything you want； they do。〃 His voice came faster now。 It pleaded even though the words themselves were not a plea。 Not yet。
Remo shook his head。
〃You going to kill me； man？〃
〃Yes。〃
The sergeant lunged at Remo。 Remo waited； he let the sergeant grab his arm； he allowed the sergeant to hit him with a punch。 He wanted to put meaning into what he was about to do； and the best way was to remind himself that this was a man。 Let him touch； let him feel； let him understand what was ing。
Remo waited； then jammed his left fingertips forward into the sergeant's separated right shoulder。 The sergeant stopped as if suddenly simonized in place。
Remo hit again in the same spot with his left fingertips； then with his right； then with his left again； hammering shot after shot into precisely the same place。 The sergeant swooned and fell to the floor。 Remo kneeled down over him； grabbed a handful of neck and twisted。 The sergeant came awake； his eyes staring at Remo in horror and fright； glinting； Remo realized suddenly； like the eyes from the beds； watching the tableau。
〃Awake now？〃 Remo said。 〃Good。〃
He lunged forward again into the injured shoulder。 Beneath his fingertips he could feel the once strong and stringy muscles and fibers turning into soft mush。 Still his fingertips pounded。 The softer the target became； the harder Remo struck。 The sergeant was unconscious now； long past reviving。 Remo wished he could think of something more painful。 The cloth around the sergeant's shoulder was ripped now and pummeled into powder。 Remo kept hitting。 Blood and ooze and chips of bone came out under his fingertips。 The skin had long since given way。
Remo reared back and came forward one last time。 His right fingertips went through where once there had been cloth and skin and muscle and flesh and bone。 The fingertips came to rest on the wooden floor。
His anger spent； Remo stood。 He kicked the sergeant's right arm away。 It rolled awkwardly like an imperfect log； finally ing to rest under the bed Hillary Butler had vacated。 Then Remo came down on the sergeant's face with both feet； feeling the crunch and crack beneath him。 He stood； looking down at the sergeant； realizing that he had taken out of him a payment in advance for what Remo still must do。 The three women； still tied in their beds； looked at Remo wordlessly。
He moved to them one after another； sitting on the edges of their beds。 To each one he whispered； 〃Dream happy dreams；〃 and then as gently and painlessly as he could； he did what he had to do。
Finally he was done。 He untied the hands and feet of the three dead girls and covered their bodies with robes from the closet。 Then he walked out into the hallway and closed the door behind him。
The instructions from Smith had been to keep Obode alive。 Well； Smith could take his instructions and shove them。 If Obode got anywhere in Remo's way； if he got within his line of vision； if he came anywhere within reach； Obode would know pain such as he had never even guessed existed。 When Remo was done with him； he would consider the sergeant in the girls' room blessed。
Chiun waited at the foot of the steps with Hillary Butler。 She looked at Remo。 〃The others？〃 she said。
Remo shook his head with finality。 〃Let's go；〃 he said evenly。
Already； Smith would go berserk because Remo had not freed the other three girls。 But Smith had not been there； had not seen them。 Remo had freed them； the only way they could be freed。 It had been his decision and he had made it。 Smith had nothing to say about it； just as he no longer had anything to say about what Remo would do to Obode if the chance presented itself。
Only two soldiers guarded the back of the building through which Chiun and Remo exited。 〃I'll take them；〃 Remo said。
〃No； my son；〃 Chiun answered。 〃Your anger breeds danger for you。 Protect the child。〃
The sun was almost rising。 Remo saw Chiun and then in a flash； saw him no longer as the little man hi the black costume of the Ninja night devils slid away into what was left of the darkness。
From his position inside the back doorway of the house； Remo could see the soldiers clearly； twenty…five feet away at the base of a tree。 But he never saw Chiun。 ； Then he saw the two soldiers； still there； but suddenly their bodies were twisted； useless。 Two corpses； Remo strained his eyes。 Still no sign of Chiun。 Then； Chiun was in front of him。 〃We go。〃
Two blocks from the house； an Army jeep was parked at the curb with a soldier behind the wheel。 Remo came up behind him。 〃Taxi；〃 he said。 〃This is no taxi；〃 the soldier said； wheeling and staring angrily at Remo。
Remo extended his bloodied hands toward the soldier。
〃Too bad； Charley； cause that was your only chance；〃 Remo left the soldier's body lying in the street and helped Hillary Butler into the back where Chiun sat alongside her。
Remo started the motor and peeled rubber； burning off down the pockholed dirt street； heading for the hills over which the sun was now rising in its daily ritual of the affirmation of life。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
〃How many are dead？〃 Obode's question was an elephantine trumpet。
〃Thirteen；〃 General William Forsythe Butler said。
〃You said there were only two men ing。〃
〃That's all there were。〃
〃They must be very special men；〃 Obode said。
〃They are； Mr。 President。 One es from the East； the other is an American。 Already； the Loni talk that they are the fulfillment of the legend。〃
Obode slumped down in his velvet…backed chair in the big Presidential office。
〃So they e to restore the Lord to power by grinding into dust the man of evil。〃
〃That's what the legend says；〃 Butler said。
〃I have tolerated the Loni and their legend long enough。 I was wrong； Butler； to listen to you； to try to bring the Loni into the government。 Now； Dada is going to do what he should have done before。 I am going to wipe out that accursed tribe。〃
Butler lowered his eyes so that Obode would not see the exultation there。 Let him think Butler looked away to hide his disagreement。 But now that the cursed Orient al and American had escaped the trap； this was best。 Let Obode chase them； let Obode kill them； and then Butler would take care of Obode。 Men loyal to him were now in positions of power throughout the government； they would flock to Butler's support。 The Loni would acclaim him as the man who embodied the legend； and with a united country； Butler could return Bus…ati to the power and dignity it held centuries before。
〃Shall I mobilize the Army？〃 Butler asked。
〃The Army？ For the Loni？ And for two men？〃
〃Those two men just killed thirteen；〃 Butler protested。
〃Yes。 But they did not face Big Daddy。 And they did not face you； Butler。 One pany and us。 That will be enough to take care of both the Loni and the legend； once and for all。〃
〃You have tried before to eliminate the Loni；〃 Butler reminded him。
〃Yes。 Back before you arrived here。 And always they scurried； like bugs before heat。 And then I stopped because I listened to you。 But this time； I will not stop and I do not think the Loni will run。〃 He