thedestroyer.slavesafari-第20部分

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or　and　fright；　glinting；　Remo　realized　suddenly；　like　the　eyes　from　the　beds；　watching　the　tableau。
　〃Awake　now？〃　Remo　said。　〃Good。〃
　He　lunged　forward　again　into　the　injured　shoulder。　Beneath　his　fingertips　he　could　feel　the　once　strong　and　stringy　muscles　and　fibers　turning　into　soft　mush。　Still　his　fingertips　pounded。　The　softer　the　target　became；　the　harder　Remo　struck。　The　sergeant　was　unconscious　now；　long　past　reviving。　Remo　wished　he　could　think　of　something　more　painful。　The　cloth　around　the　sergeant's　shoulder　was　ripped　now　and　pummeled　into　powder。　Remo　kept　hitting。　Blood　and　ooze　and　chips　of　bone　came　out　under　his　fingertips。　The　skin　had　long　since　given　way。
　Remo　reared　back　and　came　forward　one　last　time。　His　right　fingertips　went　through　where　once　there　had　been　cloth　and　skin　and　muscle　and　flesh　and　bone。　The　fingertips　came　to　rest　on　the　wooden　floor。
　His　anger　spent；　Remo　stood。　He　kicked　the　sergeant's　right　arm　away。　It　rolled　awkwardly　like　an　imperfect　log；　finally　ing　to　rest　under　the　bed　Hillary　Butler　had　vacated。　Then　Remo　came　down　on　the　sergeant's　face　with　both　feet；　feeling　the　crunch　and　crack　beneath　him。　He　stood；　looking　down　at　the　sergeant；　realizing　that　he　had　taken　out　of　him　a　payment　in　advance　for　what　Remo　still　must　do。　The　three　women；　still　tied　in　their　beds；　looked　at　Remo　wordlessly。
　He　moved　to　them　one　after　another；　sitting　on　the　edges　of　their　beds。　To　each　one　he　whispered；　〃Dream　happy　dreams；〃　and　then　as　gently　and　painlessly　as　he　could；　he　did　what　he　had　to　do。
　Finally　he　was　done。　He　untied　the　hands　and　feet　of　the　three　dead　girls　and　covered　their　bodies　with　robes　from　the　closet。　Then　he　walked　out　into　the　hallway　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　The　instructions　from　Smith　had　been　to　keep　Obode　alive。　Well；　Smith　could　take　his　instructions　and　shove　them。　If　Obode　got　anywhere　in　Remo's　way；　if　he　got　within　his　line　of　vision；　if　he　came　anywhere　within　reach；　Obode　would　know　pain　such　as　he　had　never　even　guessed　existed。　When　Remo　was　done　with　him；　he　would　consider　the　sergeant　in　the　girls'　room　blessed。
　Chiun　waited　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　with　Hillary　Butler。　She　looked　at　Remo。　〃The　others？〃　she　said。
　Remo　shook　his　head　with　finality。　〃Let's　go；〃　he　said　evenly。
　Already；　Smith　would　go　berserk　because　Remo　had　not　freed　the　other　three　girls。　But　Smith　had　not　been　there；　had　not　seen　them。　Remo　had　freed　them；　the　only　way　they　could　be　freed。　It　had　been　his　decision　and　he　had　made　it。　Smith　had　nothing　to　say　about　it；　just　as　he　no　longer　had　anything　to　say　about　what　Remo　would　do　to　Obode　if　the　chance　presented　itself。
　Only　two　soldiers　guarded　the　back　of　the　building　through　which　Chiun　and　Remo　exited。　〃I'll　take　them；〃　Remo　said。
　〃No；　my　son；〃　Chiun　answered。　〃Your　anger　breeds　danger　for　you。　Protect　the　child。〃
　The　sun　was　almost　rising。　Remo　saw　Chiun　and　then　in　a　flash；　saw　him　no　longer　as　the　little　man　hi　the　black　costume　of　the　Ninja　night　devils　slid　away　into　what　was　left　of　the　darkness。
　From　his　position　inside　the　back　doorway　of　the　house；　Remo　could　see　the　soldiers　clearly；　twenty…five　feet　away　at　the　base　of　a　tree。　But　he　never　saw　Chiun。　；　Then　he　saw　the　two　soldiers；　still　there；　but　suddenly　their　bodies　were　twisted；　useless。　Two　corpses；　Remo　strained　his　eyes。　Still　no　sign　of　Chiun。　Then；　Chiun　was　in　front　of　him。　〃We　go。〃
　Two　blocks　from　the　house；　an　Army　jeep　was　parked　at　the　curb　with　a　soldier　behind　the　wheel。　Remo　came　up　behind　him。　〃Taxi；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　no　taxi；〃　the　soldier　said；　wheeling　and　staring　angrily　at　Remo。
　Remo　extended　his　bloodied　hands　toward　the　soldier。
　〃Too　bad；　Charley；　cause　that　was　your　only　chance；〃　Remo　left　the　soldier's　body　lying　in　the　street　and　helped　Hillary　Butler　into　the　back　where　Chiun　sat　alongside　her。
　Remo　started　the　motor　and　peeled　rubber；　burning　off　down　the　pockholed　dirt　street；　heading　for　the　hills　over　which　the　sun　was　now　rising　in　its　daily　ritual　of　the　affirmation　of　life。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN　
　〃How　many　are　dead？〃　Obode's　question　was　an　elephantine　trumpet。
　〃Thirteen；〃　General　William　Forsythe　Butler　said。
　〃You　said　there　were　only　two　men　ing。〃
　〃That's　all　there　were。〃
　〃They　must　be　very　special　men；〃　Obode　said。
　〃They　are；　Mr。　President。　One　es　from　the　East；　the　other　is　an　American。　Already；　the　Loni　talk　that　they　are　the　fulfillment　of　the　legend。〃
　Obode　slumped　down　in　his　velvet…backed　chair　in　the　big　Presidential　office。
　〃So　they　e　to　restore　the　Lord　to　power　by　grinding　into　dust　the　man　of　evil。〃
　〃That's　what　the　legend　says；〃　Butler　said。
　〃I　have　tolerated　the　Loni　and　their　legend　long　enough。　I　was　wrong；　Butler；　to　listen　to　you；　to　try　to　bring　the　Loni　into　the　government。　Now；　Dada　is　going　to　do　what　he　should　have　done　before。　I　am　going　to　wipe　out　that　accursed　tribe。〃
　Butler　lowered　his　eyes　so　that　Obode　would　not　see　the　exultation　there。　Let　him　think　Butler　looked　away　to　hide　his　disagreement。　But　now　that　the　cursed　Orient　al　and　American　had　escaped　the　trap；　this　was　best。　Let　Obode　chase　them；　let　Obode　kill　them；　and　then　Butler　would　take　care　of　Obode。　Men　loyal　to　him　were　now　in　positions　of　power　throughout　the　government；　they　would　flock　to　Butler's　support。　The　Loni　would　acclaim　him　as　the　man　who　embodied　the　legend；　and　with　a　united　country；　Butler　could　return　Bus…ati　to　the　power　and　dignity　it　held　centuries　before。
　〃Shall　I　mobilize　the　Army？〃　Butler　asked。
　〃The　Army？　For　the　Loni？　And　for　two　men？〃
　〃Those　two　men　just　killed　thirteen；〃　Butler　protested。
　〃Yes。　But　they　did　not　face　Big　Daddy。　And　they　did　not　face　you；　Butler。　One　pany　and　us。　That　will　be　enough　to　take　care　of　both　the　Loni　and　the　legend；　once　and　for　all。〃
　〃You　have　tried　before　to　eliminate　the　Loni；〃　Butler　reminded　him。
　〃Yes。　Back　before　you　arrived　here。　And　always　they　scurried；　like　bugs　before　heat。　And　then　I　stopped　because　I　listened　to　you。　But　this　time；　I　will　not　stop　and　I　do　not　think　the　Loni　will　run。〃　He　grinned　a　broad　faceful　of　mirth。　〃After　all；　are　not　the　redeemers　of　the　legend　there　among　them？〃
　Butler　nodded。　〃So　it　is　said。〃
　〃Well；　we　shall　see；　Butler。〃
　Butler　saluted；　turned　and　walked　toward　the　door。　His　hand　was　on　the　knob　when　he　was　halted　by　Obode's　voice。
　〃General；　your　report　lacked　one　item。〃
　Butler　turned。　〃Oh？〃
　〃Your　women。　What　happened　to　them？〃　
　〃Dead；〃　Butler　said。　〃All　of　them。〃
　〃Good；〃　Obode　said。　〃Because　if　they　lived　they　might　speak。　And　if　they　spoke；　it　might　be　necessary　for　me　to　make　an　object　lesson　of　you。　We　are　not　yet　ready　to　defy　the　American　government。〃
　He　meant　it；　Butler　knew；　which　was　why　he　had　lied　hi　the　first　place。　Soon　enough；　Qbode　would　be　dead　and　the　kidnapings　could　be　blamed　on　him。
　〃Dead；〃　Butler　repeated　the　lie。　〃All　dead。〃
　〃Don't　take　it　so　hard；〃　Obode　said。　〃When　we　are　done　with　these　accursed　Loni；　I　will　buy　you　a　new　whorehouse。〃
　Obode　smiled；　then　thought　again　of　the　thirteen　soldiers　dead　at　the　hands　of　the　American　and　the　Oriental。　〃Better　yet；　Butler。　Make　that　two　panies　of　soldiers。〃
　
　
　Princess　Saffah　came　from　the　hut　wiping　her　hands　on　a　small　cloth。
　〃She　sleeps　now；〃　she　told　Remo。
　〃Good。〃
　〃She　has　been　ill…treated。　Her　body　has　been　used　badly。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃Who？〃　Saffah　asked。
　〃General　Obode。〃
　Saffah　spat　on　the　ground。　〃The　Hausa　swine。　I　am　glad　that　you　and　Little　Father　are　here　because　soon　we　will　be　free　of　this　evil　yoke。〃
　〃How？〃　Remo　asked。　〃We　sit　up　here　in　the　mountains。　He　sits　down　there　in　his　capital。　When　are　the　twain　going　to　meet？〃
　〃Ask　the　Little　Father。　He　carries　in　him　the　seed　of　all　knowledge。〃　She　heard　a　slight　moan　behind　her　from　inside　the　hut　and　without　another　word；　turned　and　went　inside　to　minister　to　her　patient。
　Remo　walked　off　through　the　village。　Chiun　was　not　in　his　hut；　which　was　built　against　the　protection　of　a　large　stone　formation；　but　Remo　found　him　in　the　square　in　the　center　of　the　encampment。
　Chiun　wore　a　blue　robe　which　Remo　recognized　as　ceremonial；　and　the　old　man　watched　as　Loni　tribesmen　stacked　wood　and　twigs　into　a　pit。　The　pit　which　had　been　dug　that　morning　was　twenty　feet　long　and　five　feet　wide。　Its　one…foot　depth　had　been　filled　to　the　brim　with　wood；　but　in　between　the　branches　and　twigs；　Remo　could　see　that　the　pit　was　filled　with　smooth　white　stones；　the　size　of　goose　eggs。
　As　he　watched；　one　of　the　tribesmen　set　the　wood　in　the　pit　afire　and　the　flames　quickly　spread　until　the　entire　pit　was　ablaze。
　Chiun　watched　for　a　few　moments；　then　said：　〃Adequate。　But　remember　to　keep　the　fire　fed。　It　must　not　be　allowed　to　dwindle。〃
　He　turned　to　Remo　and　waited　for　him　to　speak。
　〃Chiun；　I've　got　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃I　am　writing　my　remembrances？　I　am　watching　my　beautiful　stories？　Speak。〃
　〃The　legend　of　the　Loni；〃　Remo　said。　〃Does　it　say　I　get　the　shot　at　the　baddie？〃
　〃It　says　the　man　from　the　West　who　once　died　will　grind　into　dust　the　man　who　would　enslave　the　Loni。　Is　that　an　accurate　English　translation　of　what　you　have　said？〃
　〃All　right；〃　Remo　said。　〃I　just　wanted　to　make　it　clear　between　us　that　I　get　the　shot　at　Obode。〃
　〃Why　is　it　so　important　to　you　now？〃　Chiun　said。　〃After　all；　the　House　of　Sinanju　owes　this　debt。　Not　you。〃
　〃It's　important　to　me　because　I　want　Obode。　You　didn't　see　what　he　did　to　those　girls。　He's　mine；　Chiun。　I　kill　him。〃
　〃And　what　makes　you　think　the　legend　has　anything　to　do　with　your　General　Obode？〃　Chiun　asked；　and　walked　slowly　away。　Remo　knew　it　would　be　useless　to　follow　and　ask　just　what　he　meant　by　that　last　statement；　Chiun　would　speak　only　when　the　urge　to　speak　came　upon　him。
　Remo　looked　back　toward　the　。pit　of　fire。　The　dried　wood　had　already　passed　the　peak　of　its　blaze　and　now　the　flames　were　lowering。　The　Loni　tribesmen　were　busy　feeding　more　wood　into　the　fire；　and　over　the　sound　they　made；　Remo　could　hear　the　stones　in　the　pit　cracking　and　splitting　from　the　intense　heat。　An　errant　puff　of　wind　blew　across　the　pit　toward　Remo　and　the　surge　of　heat　sucked　the　breath　from　his　lungs。
　His　inspection　was　i