Chiun's usually harsh features grew softer.
"You were caught in a weak moment, my son,"
Chiun said with a knowing nod of his bald head. The wisps of white hair above his ears quivered at the movement. "Perhaps your recent experience with the Pythia is to blame. A frailty, if such is the case, that is not your fault. The attack made within your mind was not anticipated—therefore you had not properly prepared yourself for it."
"So why didn't they get you?" Remo said. "You didn't know about it, either."
Chiun straightened up to his full five feet. "I am the Reigning Master of Sinanju," he said.
Remo shook his head. "I wouldn't be so cocksure if I were you. When they had me in the van, they said they'd used up a lot of space to get me under control. Maybe they just didn't have enough room left to take you on, as well."
"Do not be foolish," Chiun said impatiently.
"The Master of Sinanju cannot be switched on and off like a common household appliance."
Remo shrugged. "If you say so. I just don't want the same thing that happened to me to happen to you."
"Give the matter no more thought," Chiun directed with a wave of his hand. He looked over at the Sound, lapping gently at the shore.
Farther out, the murky black strip had taken on a few gray hues at its most distant edge.
"Come. It will be light soon. We will leave this vehicle to Smith."
The plane touched down just before dawn.
Von Breslau had the homosexual steward help him with his luggage. He was disgusting, but at least he was a Lutheran.
At the door, he encountered the Jew woman who had dared touch him.
She smiled her perky smile when she saw him coming up the aisle.
"Hope you had a nice trip," she said cheerily.
There was no need for pretense any longer. He had arrived safely.
Staring straight ahead, he ignored her.
He crossed the enclosed ramp and was led by the steward through the bowels of the terminal building.
The endless, windowless corridors had the look and feel of a subway. Though subways tended to be designed with a bit more imagination.
The steward even went so far as to help him through customs. When they were finished with him, he led the nice passenger out to meet his friend who was waiting just beyond the security gates. The airline attendant was delighted to see a delicious-looking blond hunk waiting with the friend. But though he tried to make a little friendly eye contact, the man merely stared sullenly at the passersby.
The steward shrugged a tiny shrug and smiled at his little old friend. Of course he didn't expect a tip.
But he did expect a polite thank-you for going so far out of his way.
He got nothing.
Once a few pleasantries were exchanged, the old man and his friend—along with the blond-haired dreamboat—fell in step, abandoning the young steward without so much as a backward glance. They passed through the automatic doors and slipped into the back of a waiting limousine. The car then sped off.
"Doctor, it is such a pleasure to meet you."
They had shut out the noise of the surrounding traffic when they had entered the limo. A row of parked yellow cabs slipped away to their right. Lothar Holz practically beamed with pleasure.
"I am sure," von Breslau said crisply. He nodded to the front seat of the car. On the other side of the tinted bulletproof glass, they could just barely make out the long blond hair of Holz's assistant. "He serves you well?"
"One of your many great successes, Doctor. And now that you are here, we will have yet another very soon."
Von Breslau didn't seem pleased by Holz's enthusiasm. He settled back in his seat, crossing his arms.
"I hope for your sake that you have not dragged me away from the village on a fool's errand."
There was a cautionary edge to his voice.
"Hardly," Holz answered. "I am told you know of Sinanju."
The old man nodded. "There was a rumor that I heard after the war concerning this Master of Sinanju," he said vaguely.
"I have heard the same rumor. You know, then, of their capabilities? The amazing physical feats they are able to perform?"
"That I do not know about," von Breslau stated.
"All I know are rumors and conjecture. I warn you again—for your sake I hope you have not brought me out of retirement because of a fairy tale."
Holz shook his head.
"You will be amazed by what we can do. Do you understand anything at all about computers?"
"Yes, yes, yes. I know of this technology. I own a personal computer myself. Do not assume because a person is old that he is out of touch."
"Oh, no, I did not mean to insult," Holz hastened to reassure him.
Von Breslau drew his mouth up in an impatient grimace. "Yes, I know something of computers. Yes, I know something of your interface system. I am not an expert, but I understand the basic premise. You purport to have captured the Master of Sinanju with it?" Holz seemed hesitant. "We believe it was his pro-tege."
"Was?"
4'He has vanished. But we have everything we need," he added quickly, heading off an outburst.
"We have even tested downloading the information into a host."
Von Breslau's eyes narrowed. "Did you succeed?"
Holz shrugged. "A first test is rarely one hundred percent successful, Doctor," he said. "Let me just say that the results were...promising. With your assistance, I hope that we can refine the process so that there is no rejection." He grinned triumphantly.
Von Breslau studied his host for a long minute.
"We will see," he said at last.
"You will be amazed," Holz assured him.
"Amazement is for the very young or very stupid," von Breslau countered. "Is it far to your facility?"
"It will take some time. The roads at this time of day are already quite crowded."
"Wake me when we arrive." And with that the Butcher of Treblinka closed his eyes and settled back comfortably in the seat.
Within moments he was snoring peacefully—a man with not a single care in the world.
The Master of Sinanju assured Smith there was nothing to worry about.
"We will vanquish this dastard and destroy his vile machines, Emperor Smith."
"I vote for a little caution, Smitty," Remo said, glancing at Chiun. "I'm not convinced we have this interface signal licked yet."
"Then you do not have to come," Chiun sniffed.
"The van is safe?" Smith interjected. After the grueling night they had all spent, he didn't wish to mediate a shouting match between the two men.
"It's out back," Remo answered. He nodded toward the large plate-glass window. Past the trees, streaks of orange painted the sky above the rising sun. Smith checked his watch. The night was gone.
Even if they left now, Remo and Chiun wouldn't arrive in Edison before the PlattDeutsche plant was fully staffed. He would have preferred to send them in under cover of darkness, but he dared not give Holz another day with either the CURE or Sinanju information.
"You should go," he said to Remo.
"Smitty, I want to punch this guy's ticket more than anyone. I just don't think Chiun really understands what he's up against."
"Do not assume your failing will be mine," Chiun said to Remo. "I understand this innerfaze sigmoe implicitly," he announced boldly to Smith. "Send me to it, that I might break it in twain." Hands directed chopping blows to the invisible air before him.
Remo rolled his eyes. "I guess it was silly of me to be worried," he concluded with a sigh.
"You might not encounter a problem, Remo,"
Smith said, trying to sound reassuring. "If you can get to Holz first, the interface signal becomes a minor problem. If you can get to the apparatus that controls the interface signal first, you can handle Holz easily" "And if Holz gets to us with the signal first, then what?"