thedestroyer.deathcheck-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


transcend　the　constitution　because　the　organization　would　never　exist？
　
　If　it　never　existed；　who　could　say　the　constitution　didn't　work？　And　when　the　odds　were　more　even；　the　organization　which　did　not　exist　would　quietly　close　shop。　Closing　shop　would　be　very　easy。　Only　four　people　knew　for　sure　what　CURE　did…the　highest　elected　official；　Harold　W。　Smith；　who　was　the　operations　head；　Conrad　MacCleary；　the　man　with　the　hook　who　was　the　recruiter　and　now；　the　latest　addition；　the　young　policeman　Remo　Williams　who　had　officially　died　the　night　before　in　an　electric　chair。
　It　was　the　high　elected　official　who　had　given　the！　go…ahead　for　what　Remo　would　do。　What　he　would　do　was　kill。　When　all　else　failed；　he　would　kill。
　〃But　why　me？〃　Remo　had　asked。
　〃A　lot　of　things；〃　MacCleary；　the　recruiter；　had　answered。　〃I　saw　you　in　operation　in　Nam。　According　to　a　shrink　who　didn't　know　why　he　was　testing　young　policemen；　you　have　a　pulsion　to　mete　out　punishment；　a　vengeance　fixation；　he　called　it。　Frankly；　I　think　he's　a　bag　of　wind。　I　want　you　becuase　I've　seen　you　move。〃
　It　was　a　good　explanation。　Incredibly　plex　training　followed　at　the　hands　of　Chiun；　an　aged　Korean；　who　could　kill　with　a　fingernail　and　in　whose　parchment　hands　anything　became　a　lethal　weapon。　And　then　Remo　saw　the　man　with　the　hook　again。　He　saw　him　dying　and　he　had　orders　to　kill　him。
　That　had　been　eight　years　ago　and　now　he　didn't　even　have　an　old　jacket。　Everything　was　new；　nothing　had　worth。　The　Hudson　breathed　its　stink　of　civilization　out　into　the　Atlantic；　a　giant　sewer　from　a　civilization　that　made　everything　a　sewer。
　〃It　certainly　is　a　lovely　river；〃　said　the　woman。
　〃Lady；〃　said　Remo　Pelham；　〃you've　got　taste　up　your　ass。〃
　
　As　he　began　to　walk　away；　she　shrieked；　〃What　about　my　luggage？　You　can't　leave　me　here　with　this　luggage。　I　came　with　you。　You're　the　man！　You've　got　to　do　something　about　this　luggage。〃
　And　Remo　took　care　of　the　luggage；　a　large　heavy　suitcase　and　a　small　modeling　box；　by　flipping　them　over　the　dark　stone　wall　to　the　West　Side　Highway　forty　yards　below　where　they　burst　on　the　roof　of　a　passing　Cadillac。
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR
　
　The　bitter…faced　man　sat　just　beyond　the　spotlight's　reach；　his　legs　crossed；　his　left　elbow　on　the　small　round　table；　his　right　hand　resting　in　the　crook　of　the　opposite　elbow。　He　wore　a　gray　suit；　white　shirt　and　gray　tie。　His　rimless　glasses　occasionally　reflected　the　light　as　did　his　precision　bed　hairline　with　its　micrometer…straight　part。
　He　did　not　move　from　this　position　for　fifteen　minutes；　not　when　the　voluptuous　dancer　strained　in　sweaty　ecstasy　against　the　confines　of　her　beads；　or　when　joyful　enthusiasts　threw　dollar　bills　onto　the　floor　or　stuffed　them　in　her　jeweled　breast　cups。　Smoke　curled　to　the　ceiling。　Sweets…loaded　trays　hovered　over　the　heads　of　scurrying　waiters。　The　plinking　excitement　of　the　bouzoukis　caught　the　audience　in　its　rhythms　and　joys　and　shrieks　of　life。　The　man　did　not　move。
　One　man　moved；　almost　floating　through　the　dark　crowd　to　the　table　of　the　bitter…faced　man。
　〃You're　as　obvious　as　a　bowl　of　garbage；　in　Tiffany's；〃　said　the　man　known　as　Remo　Pelham。
　〃Good　to　see　you。　I　want　to　congratulate　you　on　your　selection　as　director　of　security　for　Brewster　Forum。〃
　〃You're　sitting　here　like　a　stone。　Don't　you　think　some　one　might　wonder　what　a　man　who　acts　like　an　embahner　is　doing　in　the　Port　Alexandria？　Isn't　it　obvious　you're　here　to　meet　someone？〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃So　look　as　if　you're　having　some　fun。　After　all；　aren't　we　playing　the　sex…frustrated　executive　who　frequents　places　like　this　for　voyeuristic　thrills？〃
　〃Something　like　that。　Even　better；　the　noise　levels　here　have　been　checked　out。〃
　〃You　don't　look　like　a　voyeur；〃　Remo　insisted。　〃You　aren't　even　interested　hi　the　women。〃
　〃I'm　interested　in　getting　out　of　here。　Now　listen…　Dammit；　why　the　hell　do　I　have　so　much　trouble　with　you？　Listen。〃　Smith　leaned　forward　as　a　new　dancer　came　center　floor　to　heavy　applause。
　〃You　look　upset。〃
　〃I　am。　Listen。　You　will　meet　a　man　on　the　Staten　Island　ferry　leaving　the　Battery　at　11　a。m。　tomorrow。　He　will　be　wearing　a　blue　and　red　striped　tie　and　carrying　a　gray　wrapped　package　the　size　of　a　briefcase。　It's　heavy　because　it's　a　water　case　around　water　soluble　documents。　Pictures　and　biographies。　You　can　get　the　documents　out　dry　using　the　Oriental　string　puzzle　Chiun　says　you　know。〃
　〃How　is　Chiun？〃
　〃Dammit；　will　you　listen？〃
　〃Will　you　tell　me　how　Chiun　is？〃
　〃He's　fine。〃
　〃He　was　worried　about　his　arteries。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　know　about　his　arteries。　He's　always　fine。　Now　listen。　Major　point。　Brewster　Forum　is　of　utmost　importance　to　the　country；　maybe　the　world。　Your　predecessor　was　one　of　ours　at　a　low　level。　He　was　murdered；　even　though　it　was　covered　as　a　suicidal　overdose　of　heroin。　He　stumbled　onto　something。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃We're　not　sure。　Pornographic　photos　of　the　top　staff　at　the　forum。　The　photos　are　genuine。　But　still　the　whole　thing　doesn't　ring　true。　You'll　see　that　when　you　meet　the　staff。　And　check　resume　four　against　pictures　10；　11；　and　12。〃
　〃It　doesn't　sound　like　it's　in　my　line；〃　Remo　said。
　Smith　ignored　the　interuption。　〃Ordinarily；　we'd　suspect　blackmail。　But　that　doesn't　cut　either。　Why　would　a　blackmailer　be　working　on　the　whole　staff　at　Brewster　Forum？　There　are　other　wealthier；　more　obvious；　victims。　No；　there's　something　more　to　it。〃
　〃It　still　doesn't　sound　like　it's　in　my　line。〃
　Smith　looked　up　into　Remo's　placid　brown　eyes。　〃Don't　misunderstand。　Brewster　Forum　is　very；　very　important。〃
　He　leaned　forward　conspiratorially。　〃A　plan　to　conquer　the　world。　You'll　see　on　a　transcript　that's　with　the　photos。　My　superior　doesn't　want　that　work　stopped。　But　if　it's　going　to　be　stopped；　we'll　do　the　stopping。　That's　you。　If　you　can　find　out　who's　responsible　for　the　sex　photos；　well　and　good。　If　you　can　straighten　out　that　mess　without　harm　to　the　Forum's　work；　even　better。　But　your　mission　is　to　set　up　the　deaths　of　every　one　of　the　top　staff　at　Brewster　Forum；　either　as　a　group　or　individually；　on　a　one…hour　call　if　necessary。　No　misses。　Death　as　an　absolute　certainty。〃
　Remo　interrupted。　〃I　read　something　like　this　once。　We're　going　to　destroy　them　in　order　to　save　them？〃
　〃Don't　get　cute；〃　Smith　said。　〃Whatever　it　is　they're　working　on　there；　my　superior　is　worried　about　an　enemy　getting　his　hands　on　it。　Someone　might　be　planning　to　blackmail　our　government。　That　could　explain　those　photos。　It　would　make　them　Worth　a　bundle。　But　other　agencies　are　planning　to　deal　with　the　photos。　We　just　want　to　be　ready　to　move　in　case　they　e　up　empty；　and　the　Forum　is　endangered。〃
　〃How　much　time　do　I　have？〃
　〃We　don't　know。　We　think　we　bought　some　time　because　McCarthy；　he　was　the　security　director；　came　up　with　the　negatives。　If　those　photos　are　really　tied　in　with　this；　it　might　mean　they　have　to　all　be　done　over。　That　would　have　to　take　a　while。　By　the　way。。。。〃
　〃I　know　what　'by　the　way'　means。〃　*　〃By　the　way。　When　you　get　your　package　from　the　man　on　the　ferry；　he　will　probably　want　to　talk　to　you。　Ask　you　about　your　job。　You　might　even　be　attacked。　If　you　are；　you　know　what　to　do。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know　what　to　do。　I　also　know　that　you　have　a　nasty　little　habit　of　cleaning　house　everytime　you　give　me　a　go…ahead。　Who　is　the　guy？〃
　〃None　of　your　business。〃
　〃Maybe　I'll　just　take　the　package。〃
　〃Maybe　you　will。　When　you　see　him；　mention　that　you　intend　to　take　up　photography　because　you　know　you　could　take　great　pictures　of　New　York's　skyline。〃
　〃Right。　Now　let　me　give　you　a　'by　the　way。'　I'm　just　taking　the　package。〃
　〃You　could　do　us　a　lot　of　good。〃
　Remo　leaned　back　and　smiled；　letting　his　brown　eyes　roam　from　the　voluptuous　figure；　glistening　and　writhing　in　rhythm　on　the　floor　to　the　very　stiff；　unusually　tense　fora　non…budget　month；　Harold　W。　Smith；　operational　head　of　CURE。
　〃Put　a　dollar　in　her　bra。〃
　〃What？；〃　said　Smith。
　〃Put　a　dollar　in　her　bra。〃
　〃I　will　not。〃
？〃You　will。〃。
　〃You　mean　to　tell　me　that　other　things　depend　upon　your　gratification　from　embarrassing　me？〃
　〃By　the　way；　I　don't　know。〃　Remo　grinned。
　〃All　right。　A　dollar；　you　said。〃
　Remo　watched　Smith　take　a　dollar　from　his　wallet　and；　holding　it　like；　a　live　bug；　extend　it　out　over　the　dance　floor。　The　woman；　whose　milky　skin　glistened　from　perspiration；　shimmy　shouldered　over　beneath　the　dollar　and　Smith　dropped　it；　then　turned　quickly　back　to　the　table　pretending　he　had　never　been　involved　in　anything　so　sordid。　The　bill　lay　on　the　throbbing　pink…white　mountains。
　〃Stuff　it　in。〃　'
　〃I　will　not。〃
　〃All　right。　Goodbye。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　〃Five　dollars。〃
　〃Five。　Now　see　here。。。。〃
　〃Five。〃
　〃All　right。　Five。　You　just　love　to　spend　money。〃
　Smith　crinkled　a　five…dollar　bill　in　his　hands；　and　with　a　get…it…over…fast　speed　leaned　down　to　the　woman　who　came　up　to　meet　his　money　with　her　bosom。　He　did　not　see　his　panion　also　reach　forward　with　money；　and　under　the　cover　of　this　motion　slip　a　hand　behind　the　jeweled　breast　cups　and　snap　the　metal　holding　band；　flipping　the　bra；　cups　and　all　around　Smith's　hand。
　
　The　breasts　ballooned　out。　Smith　gasped。　The　crowd　cheered。　The　woman　swung　at　Smith's　head；　reaching　for　her　bra。
　〃We　could　lose　our　license；　you　dumb　fuck；〃　she　screamed；　scoring　again　on　the　forehead　of　one　of　the　most　powerful　men　in　the　country；　who　desperately　tried　to　hold　on　his　glasses　while　trying　to　leave　the　table。
　And　the　man　known　as　Remo　Pelham　floated　to　the　door；　telling　everyone　he　passed；　〃You　never　know　by　the　looks。　You　never　know。　Shocking　what　these　degenerates　will　do。〃
　
　CHAPTER　FIVE
　
　The　package　bearer　might　very　well　have　lived　out　the　afternoon。　He　might　even　have　saved　his　colleague's　lives。　Certainly　there　was　no　danger　from　the　man　who　mentioned　his　love　for　photography　and　New　York　City　skylines。
　But　the　man　with　the　gray　package　said　something。　With　a　sneer；　he　said：　〃We　know　what's　in　the　water　package。　And　we　know　we　can't　open　it。　So　you're　going　to　open　it　for　us。　Do　you　know　why　you're　going　to　open　it　for　us？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Remo；　lying。　He　had　seen　the　two　big　men；　one　black　and　the　other　white；　pretending　to　lounge