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."Chiun stamped a sandaled foot."I cannot call Smith!""Fine.Just let me do it.""And bring shame down upon the house?""Well, there's gotta be a way.And the duck is getting cold."Angrily, the Master of Sinanju went to the covered tray.He lifted the coverand sniffed dubiously, his tiny button nose wrinkling like a dried apricot."It smells greasy.""Then go to Cuba and squander the negotiational high ground, if that's whatyou want," Remo said hotly.The Master of Sinanju frowned.Thinking I've got him now, Remo closed in for the kill."Tell you what," he said."I'll go down to the lobby and call someone on myphone card.""What good will that do?" Chiun wanted to know."The card number will appear on the AT net and Smith will see it," Remoexplained."He'll reach out to touch us.And bingo: problem solved.""I will accept that." He raised a cautionary finger and added, "But be certainnot to call Smith.""Trust me," said Remo, going to the door."And don't let my trout get cold."Remo took the elevator to the cavernous lobby and used his phone card to callthe local Dial-a-Joke.The joke was: How do you get a one-armed man out of a tree? Remo hung upbefore the punchline.By the time he got back to his room, the bedroom phone was ringing.He scooped it up and said, "Wave to him."Smith's voice was high and anxious."Remo! I've been trying to reach you allday!""Well, we've been here," Remo said innocently, "Chiun and I, patientlywaiting.""I told Master Chiun to register at the Biltmore.""He brought me here, Smitty.""According to the front desk, you are registered under the names Frodo Jonesand Mr.C.Lee."Remo rolled his eyes."I think I'm Frodo," he growled."Chiun checked us in.You'll be happy to know he's been very security-conscious lately.""I am pleased to hear this, but I think he's gone too far.I have no record ofany of your credit cards being used to check in.""Chiun must have picked up the tab.Amazing as it seems."Smith's voice sank to a lower register."Has this anything to do with thecurrent contract dispute?" he asked.Before Remo could answer, the Master of Sinanju's voice came loudly: "Remo,your meal is becoming cold.Please inform the illustrious Emperor Smith thatyou will be happy to converse once we have dined.""No, Remo, don't hang up! We have a crisis.An unknown military force haslanded at the Bay of Pigs, and in retaliation Castro has attempted to take outthe nuclear power plant at Turkey Point.""He did!""Yes.Fortunately, the MIG was shot down before it could inflict any damage.But we expect another attempt.""So what do you want Chiun and me to do?" Remo asked sourly."Patrol all ofsouthern Florida with our slingshots poised?""No.I have conferred with the President.Castro is convinced this is aCIA-U.S.operation, but it is no such thing.It is critical that we locate thetrue provocateurs and expose them.""Wait a minute! Hold the phone! Are you saying we're supposed to go after theguys who are attacking Castro?""Yes.And it is imperative."Remo lowered his voice."Uh, Smitty, I hate to break this to you, but OldPage 23ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlBushyface has been jamming the TV channels down here.""I am aware of that.""Are you aware that he cut in on Cheeta Ching's evening screed?" Remo added."Why is that important?" Smith asked, testy-voiced."Oh, I don't know," Remo said airily."Maybe because Chiun was watching andgot pissed.""I will have a tape made," Smith said quickly."He will have missed nothing.""And just as you called," Remo added, "he was on his way out the door toassassinate Castro.""I was not!" Chiun called from the other room."Remo," Smith hissed."Do not let Chiun provoke that lunatic.Our highestpriority is to keep the lid on an explosive situation.""I can't make any guarantees," Remo said slowly."Those who are without gainful employment are unpredictable," Chiun calledout."The homeless are without hope, and where there is no hope, passions runhigh.""What is he saying?" Smith asked harshly."Tell you what, Smitty," Remo said."Maybe you should talk to Chiun.Get thiscontract knot unraveled.""There is no time," Smith said, his voice rippling with concern."I will perform no service without certain considerations being met," Chiunannounced."Tell him I'll meet them," Smith said quickly."I thought you were too broke," Remo asked."Remo, I will meet them.Now tell him!""No need," said Remo, handing the phone to the Master of Sinanju, who hadsuddenly appeared in the doorway.Chiun took it and listened quietly, thereceiver pressed so tightly to his ear that Remo heard nothing of Smith's endof the conversation other than an intermittent lemony buzz.At length the Master of Sinanju said, "Remo and I will do what we can." Thenhe handed the phone to Remo, saying, "You will receive the instructions.Imust finish my meal."Remo clapped the receiver to his ear."Okay, Smitty.Nice move.Shoot.""We are in the dark," Smith said urgently."There is no time for stealth orfinesse.You must start in the Cuban community of Little Havana.Go thereimmediately.Turn the place upside down if you must.Find out who sponsoredthis Bay of Pigs incursion and put a stop to any further activity.""Sounds simple enough," said Remo."Any name in particular I should startwith?""Yes.Dr.Osvaldo Revuelta, reputed leader of Ultima Hora.""Ultima what?""Ultima Hora.It is Spanish for 'Eleventh Hour.' Revuelta is a wealthy Cubanexpatriate who is suspected of financing Ultima Hora, a group of Cubanmercenaries bent upon retaking the island.It is believed that Revuelta'sultimate goal is to establish himself as the first democratic President ofCuba.""Sounds like he's on our side," Remo said."Not if his activities put the U.S.and Cuba on a collision course," Smithsaid, flat-voiced."What's the big deal? We can take those Caribbean losers in an afternoon.Remember Grenada? The Cuban troops ran for their lives.""Remo, you know the situation in Russia.It is extremely delicate.There is amood to return to the Soviet model.Our government and theirs have a tacitunderstanding: Hands off Havana.If we embarrass the former Red Army, they mayagitate to intervene.War fuels depressed economies, as you know.""I still don't like it," Remo said, face and voice bitter."Nor do I.But we live in a changing world, and we must adapt.Castro can'tstay in power forever.But he can cause great harm if he seizes upon thisincident as a way to rally his people behind his crumbling regime.""Okay, Chiun and I are on the way."Page 24ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]