The sheik's startled horsemen watched their leader ride off, and then they spurred their steeds and followed him, their voices raised, high-pitched, in a curiously melodic battle cry.
Remo's soldiers, who were four points ahead in the war of the words with Fareem's villager troops, heard the sounds. They looked up and saw the sheik coming,
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his sword circling high over his head. They turned and ran.
But by the time he reached the nearest soldier, the sheik's fury seemed to have abated because instead of cutting the man in two, he stopped and waved to his men; they galloped over and circled Remo's soldiers, who then fell abjectly onto the sand, cringing and sniveling for their lives.
The sheik spurred his mount and rode off toward the parked Rolls Royce, and in moments, Melody Wake-field and General Bull had joined the group of prisoners.
"That is a man and a half, isn't it, Chiun?" Remo said, nodding toward the sheik, who was riding majestically back toward the oasis.
. "Yes, he is," Chiun said. "That is why the House of Sinanju honors its contract with him, prisoner."
When Reva finally trudged through the sand to Remo, she asked, "What happened?"
"We lost."
"Oh, shit."
"What's going on here?" General Bull shouted from among the group of prisoners.
"We lost the war," Remo said.
"I told you we should have used napalm."
"We'll use it in next week's war," Remo said.
"If word of this gets out, I'm ruined," Bull said. "Who'd buy military equipment from a loser?"
Melody Wakefield was standing with the prisoners, still typing with a pencil on the typewriter hung around her neck. She finally dropped the pencil and said, "Listen to this." She began to read. "A gallant band of Hamidi Arabian soldiers today defended the future of Islam against a terrorist band of Israeli sympathizers. By the time the smoke from the battlefield had settled, the pro-Israel forces had been routed. In a brilliant display of battlefield tactics .. ."
While she babbled on, Sheik Fareem looked at Remo.
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"What is this thing without hands talking about?"
Remo shrugged.
"Who are the gallant Arabian soldiers?" Fareem
asked.
Remo pointed to the remnants of bis army, ©oweriag in the sand under guard.
"Them," he said.
"Who are these Israeli sympathizers?" Fareem asked.
"You," Remo said. "Ignore it, sheik. The broad's wacky."
Fareem slapped Melody Wakefield in the back of the head and sent her sprawling. "Be quiet, woman. No more of your lies," he growled.
"Zionist child-butcher," she called out. /
Remo put his foot on her mouth.
"Shut up, kid. You ain't in Boston now."
Remo was allowed to sit next to Chiun and the sheik. In front of them stood General Bull, Reva Bleem, Melody Wakefield, and Abdul.
"What are we to do with these creatures?" Fareem asked Chiun.
"I am sure Your Excellency will be just," Chiun
said.
The sheik pointed to Bull.
"You. In the cowboy suit. Get up here."
Bull stepped forward cautiously.
"You are in charge of that army?"
"Not me," Bull said. He pointed to Remo. "He was. I didn't want to fight. I never wanted to fight. I'm a salesman who believes in peace. Peace forever. Sheik, I want to talk to you sometime about those swords and spears. I can personally provide you with some modern equipment. The best that money can buy."
"We have no money," the sheik said.
"That's ridiculous," Bull said. "This is Hamidi Arabia. Everybody has money."
"We have none," Fareem said.
"As an American citizen, I demand my rights. I de-
mand to be released immediately. Washington will hear of..."
"Silence," the sheik roared. He mulled something over for a moment, then said, "I order you to leave this area and take those poor excuses of soldiers with you. March them back to Nehmad and never return."
"I don't plan to," Bull said. "But if you ever get any money and want to talk about..."
"Be gone," the sheik ordered. As Bull left the tent, Fareem called one of his guards forward and whispered into his ear. Then he leaned over to Chiun and spoke softly to him. Chiun smiled.
"What'd he say?" Remo asked.
"He said your general is a man with a great deal of foolish pride. He will remove some of that pride."
Remo saw Fareem's guard leave the tent, but relaxed when he heard no screams from outside.
"What happened to Ganulle, anyway?" Remo asked Chiun.
"He will be set free."
"He tried to kill the sheik," Remo said.
"He will be set free," Chiun said. "He is on his way now, under guard, to the place where he will be set free. A hundred miles out into the barren dessert. The sheik has told him that he wanted to be a ruler and now he can. He can rule empty sand, if he wishes, and pray for rain."
The sheik crooked his finger, and Melody Wakefield was pushed forward. Her typewriter still hung around her neck.
"What is to be done with this countrywoman of yours?" the sheik asked Remo.
Remo shrugged. "You can't cut off her hands. Somebody already did that. And she tried to seduce my soldiers. I'm supposed to decide whether she gets stoned or sent into slavery."
The sheik looked at the woman. "She prostitutes her body as she does the truth. I think she should ..."
He was interrupted by a sound from the tent opening. Suddenly Zantos pushed her way past the guards
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and ran up to the sheik's throne. She threw herself on the ground at his feet.
"Oh, Noble One, I plead for my husband's life," she cried.
Remo leaned over to Chiun. "She doesn't even like the guy," he said.
"No, but she is his wife, and it is her obligation to try to keep him alive. Some people live up to their obligations. Other people ignore them. Mostly whites. Whites don't like obligations."
"Knock it off," Remo growled in Korean.
"Rise, my daughter," said the sheik. "Your husband . . . my son, is not worth your pleas. He is not worth one tear from your eye."
"He is my husband, Excellency."
The sheik nodded, then roared, "Abdul, get up here."
Hesitantly, the fat man shuffled forward to stand before his father, head bowed.
"You are no son of mine," Fareem said. "You have no heart, no body, no talent, no courage, no strength."
"I am..." Abdul stammered.
"Silence. All you have that is of value is this wife, who is much too good for you. But because I love her, I will heed her pleas and spare your life. Abdul. Zan-tos. Look at me."
They both raised their faces to him. "You are now to be divorced. As your sheik, I command it. Abdul, perform the ceremony."
"But..."
"Do as I say."
Abdul turned to the beautiful green-eyed woman. "Woman, I do divorce you. Woman, I do divorce you. Woman, I do divorce you." He turned back to the sheik. "Father, it is done."
"Good. Now, Abdul, you are banished from here. You are banished from my sight. I disinherit, I disown, I disclaim you. You are, in my eyes, dead, and if you are ever in my eyes again, you will be fully dead. Do you understand?"
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"Yes, Father."
"You may never call me 'Father' again. There is a parting gift I have for you." He turned toward Melody and said, "Woman with the tongue of snakes, stand by him."
She moved over uncertainly next to Abdul.
"I now pronounce you wed. This woman is your wife, Abdul. She is your responsibility. She has the body and mind of a prostitute, and you are a prostitute of the spirit. You belong with each other." He laughed bitterly. "The happy couple may now leave."