Warren Murphy: Midnight Man

"In Contract magazine," Remo suggested.

Her eyes widened. "How did you know that?"

"Because we did the same thing."

"And these things . . ." she pointed her gun toward the dead men ". . . these were what you met?"

"I don't think so. I thought maybe you could tell me who they are," Remo said.

"And how would I know?" she asked.

"Because it's just a little much of a coincidence that someone sends eight goons to kill us and then you show up. Checking up on their work?"

"Don't be preposterous," she snapped indignantly. "If I had sent someone to kill you, you would be dead."

"Then put the gun away," Remo said.

She looked at the pistol in her hand as if she had just realized it was there. She lowered it slowly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know who I would meet here. It seemed to me the only way to help my brother."

"So you placed an ad. That was a chancy thing to do, Princess. Did you come alone?"

"No. Pakir stopped by my apartment just as I was leaving. He insisted on coming with me."

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"Where is he then?" Remo asked. M "Pakir, I would advise you not to use that tone

"I made him wait in the car." f with me," she said coldly.

"You're a brave lady," Remo said. i "I mean no disrespect, but it is dangerous here in

"I am devoted to my brother." 8 this park as is well known. I want you removed to

"Then look at the faces of these men and see if I safety."

you recognize them." 1 The Princess ignored him and turned back to

In the dark, the Princess had to stoop to look at 1 Remo. "Do you think these men have any connec-

the corpses. She carefully looked at each one. Then I tion with my brother?"

she stood up. 1 "I can't say," Remo answered. "What do you

"I do not know any of them." 1 know about the person you were supposed to meet

"Thank you," Remo said. "I know it wasn't pleas- f here tonight?"

ant." 1 "Nothing. My advertisement was answered. I was

"You killed so many, just the two of you." m told to put a telephone number in the New York

"They were poorly trained," Remo assured her. Times where I could be reached. I was called by a

They looked up to see Perce Pakir approaching.

If he was surprised to see Remo and Chiun there, he did not show it. He ignored the two men.

"Princess, you are not hurt?"

"I am not."

"Good. Did you accomplish what you set out to do?"

"No, Pakir."

He pointed at the bodies. "Who are these people?"

"They set upon our two friends here and were vanquished," Princess Sarra said.

Pakir stroked his beard and surveyed the bodies of the eight men. He was clad in a simple business suit, but the ruby rings that adorned his fingers showed that this was no ordinary businessman.

"I commend you," he said to Remo, bowing slightly. To the Princess, he said, "I think, perhaps, we should be getting back. Remember I warned against this action."

man. He told me to be here tonight. At twelve-thirty."

"Thank you," Remo said. "My pleasure, Princess, as always."

"And it will be again," she said softly, and nodded to Chiun before she turned to walk toward the park exit.

Pakir nodded to Remo and Chiun, then ran after the Princess.

"I do not like that man," Chiun said.

"You've got lots of company," Remo said.

Remo watched Sarra and Pakir walk away until they were out of sight. She walked nice.

"Let's go, Chiun."

"Not yet. There is one more thing."

"What is that?"

Chiun turned and walked back to the bench where they were sitting. Step by step, he moved more into the darkness, out of the reach of the lights on the far side of the field.

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Remo watched the old Korean as he stopped, bent over, and felt the ground. He straightened up. He had an object in his hands, a small box with two arms extended from it like crab claws.

It was painted in that invisible, midnight black, and as Chiun brought it back, Remo thought how eerie it was that even close up, he could see only the silhouette of the gadget. All the light that hit the center of the object was totally absorbed and reflected nothing to the eye.

"What is that, Chiun?"

"I believe it is your skull-crusher," Chiun said.

"Where'd you get it?"

"It was supposed to have made mush out of your worthless head, thereby making the outside identical to the inside," Chiun said.

"What do you mean?" Remo asked.

"Our invisible man had this around your head when I took it from him," Chiun said.

"He did?"

"Why must I tell you everything twice?" Chiun asked. "Yes, he did."

"And that's why you let him go? You were busy saving my life?"

"Actually, that was not on my mind," Chiun said. "I just thought this might be a valuable invention and worth saving for the world. Unlike some things, which are not worth saving at all."

"Little Father," said Remo.

I

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. You tell Smith that the invisi- «

ble man got away.r

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"You let him get away." Smith's voice was cold as a New Hampshire ski slope on a winter midnight.

"Well, actually, I didn't see him," Remo said.

"Then how do you know he showed up?" Smith asked.

"Well, actually, he tried to crush my skull!" Remo said.

"Was he successful?" Smith asked.

"That's not funny, Smitty."

"Neither is letting him get away," Smith said. "I just don't know how you managed to pull that off."

"All right. If you want to know. He showed up. I didn't see him. He tried to kill me. Chiun could have caught him or saved my life. He decided to save my life. I happen to think he made the right decision."

"I'll have to think about it," Smith said. "No identification on those eight men?"

"None. And the Princess Sarra didn't know them."

"You believe her?"

"Yes," Remo said.

Yes" "He lusts after her," Chiun called out from across

the hotel room.

"He said if he had it all to do over again, he'd [save my life again," Remo said.

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now?"

"I'm going to check out Contract magazine," Remo said. "You placed an ad and the Princess says she placed an ad. I'm going to find out who placed the other ad and see if that'll lead me to Wimpler."

"Do you think he'll still be interested in killing the Emir?" Smith asked.

"Yes. I think it's not just money with him," Remo said. "I've met him, I told you. And I think he's into power. He can't let us stop him from killing the Emir, or his whole idea of his own power goes down the tube. He'll try again."

"Interesting theory," Smith said.

"Everything's theory until you find out if it works," Remo said.

"Don't make me chase you down," Smith said, "Keep in touch."

Remo hung up. When he turned to Chiun, the old man was shaking his head. He looked up from his copy of Contract. "These articles are terrible," he said.

"What's wrong with them?"

"All they talk about is money and guns. What about the beauty of a perfect assassination? What about the tradition and the history and the glory of the art? This is written by Philistines for Philistines."

"I know. And you can do better."

Í

Smith let it pass. "What are you going to do I «A civilized assaSsin in a world of nincompoops.

"Who knows better than I?" Chiun said. "So it for his functional vocabulary.

when you go to the offices of these people, find out the name of their editor. You will need it when I

I will call it 'Chiun Among the Barbarians.' "

"Smitty will love it," Remo said.

"He can do what he likes," Chiun said, "but I am not cutting him in. It is bad enough I have to pay you two percent."

"I thought it was three."

"Don't quibble about a few dollars, Remo. It is not seemly."

Remo found the office of Contract in a rundown building on East 23rd Street between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue South.