Midnight Man

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHIUN LOOKED DOWN AT the dead bodies surrounding them. Remo’s head was in the air as if sniffing.

He returned to Chiun.

“I know,” Chiun said. “He’s gone.”

“You let him get away,” Remo said. “You knew he was there and you let him get away. Didn’t you?”

“A terrible error of judgment,” Chiun said.

Remo had picked up one of the knives from the eight dead men on the ground. He felt the bone and leather handle. “It doesn’t look like an American knife,” he said.

“It cannot be,” Chiun said. “The handle has not yet fallen off.”

“I wonder who sent these clowns,” Remo asked.

“And the other two back at that house. It seems we are not only hunters but hunted.”

“Yeah,” said Remo. “But you tell Smith you let Wimpler get away. You tell him.”

Chiun touched his arm. Remo looked across the Sheep Meadow and saw a woman coming toward them. He recognized the hair and the walk even before he focused on the face.

Princess Sarra.

She was wearing a purple, silk blouse, jeans, high boots, and a headband that matched the blouse.

She also had a gun at her side.

She approached the two of them, watching them with suspicion.

“Princess,” Remo said.

“Do not approach me,” she said, pointing the gun toward him.

“You generally stroll around Central Park after midnight?” Remo asked.

“I was supposed to meet someone here.”

“Who?”

“Someone who answered an ad I placed…”

“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.”

“Where is he then?” Remo asked.

“I made him wait in the car.”

“You’re a brave lady,” Remo said.

“I am devoted to my brother.”

“Then look at the faces of these men and see if you recognize them.”

In the dark, the Princess had to stoop to look at the corpses. She carefully looked at each one. Then she stood up.

“I do not know any of them.”

“Thank you,” Remo said. “I know it wasn’t pleasant.”

“You killed so many, just the two of you.”

“They were poorly trained,” Remo assured her.

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.”

“Pakir, I would advise you not to use that tone with me,” she said coldly.

“I mean no disrespect, but it is dangerous here in this park as is well known. I want you removed to safety.”

The Princess ignored him and turned back to Remo. “Do you think these men have any connection with my brother?”

“I can’t say,” Remo answered. “What do you know about the person you were supposed to meet here tonight?”

“Nothing. My advertisement was answered. I was told to put a telephone number in the New York Times where I could be reached. I was called by a 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.

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.

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You tell Smith that the invisible man got away.”