Nobile looked at Remo as Chiun returned to their side.
"It looks like The Eraser's been erased," Nobile said.
There was only one thing left to do.
They had done a pretty good job of covering up the earlier incidents but there was no covering this one up, Remo knew. Bay City was zero as far as a safe city was concerned.
While Rocco Nobile began telling the late-arriving policemen what to do, Remo went to a pay telephone on the end of the pier, and dialed Harold W. Smith's number.
When the CURE director came on the telephone, Remo said, "Move now. We blew it."
"What happened?"
"We got The Eraser and that whole gang of clowns. But they had a tank and they bombed City Hall, and I think every goon in this city is probably packing now. If you want to get any of them, you'd better move fast."
"Sounds like your usual neat job," Smith said.
"Smitty, I don't have time for your sarcasm. Are you going to move or not?"
"I already have," Smith said. "A federal task force is already in town, picking up everybody in sight." He paused. "What about Nobile?"
"He's okay, Smitty."
"Did he find out anything about you? About us?"
"No," Remo said.
"Good. Then why don't you just get him out of town safely? He'll know where to hide and what to do."
Remo knew the alternative. If Rocco Nobile had found out about CURE, Remo's assignment would have been quite different. It would have been simply to kill Rocco Nobile, lest he ever say anything about CURE.
"Sounds good to me, Smitty. See ya."
When he hung up and turned around, Rocco Nobile was standing there.
He nodded toward the telephone.
"Checking in?" he asked.
"Yeah. They already started picking up the mobbies in town."
"Good," said Nobile. "I guess it's time for Rocco Nobile to vanish."
"Yeah, it is," Remo said.
They walked together toward the mayor's car. Chiun already sat in the back seat, doing his finger tapping exercise for digital dexterity.
At the door of the car, Nobile looked up at the taller Remo.
"I couldn't help but overhear," he said. "Did you say 'Smitty' on the telephone?"
" 'Smitty?' " Remo said. "Why would I say 'Smitty?' " He pretended to think for a moment. "Oh, I know what you heard. I said this was a shitty deal. You misheard me."
He looked hard at Rocco Nobile who stared back, and then let his face relax into a smile.
"I guess you're right," he said.
"Good," said Remo. "I'm glad you feel that way." And he was.