thedestroyer.deathcheck-第4节

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io。；　Had　Mr。　Pelham　heard　of　Troy；　Ohio？
　〃Yes；　I　know　Troy；　Ohio；〃　said　Remo　Pelham。　〃It　has　an　intelligence　quotient　of　two　hundred。　That's　cumulative　for　everyone。〃
　Mr。　Pelham　did　not　have　to　be　insulting。　Mr。　Pelham　might　have　told　her　he　was　from　New　York　City　instead　of　being　abusive。　After　all；　she　was　sure　not　everyone　in　New　York　City　had　only　one　thing　on　their　minds。
　Mr。　Pelham　informed　the　woman　he　was　born　in　the　Bronx　and　took　to　heart　things　said　about　New　York　City。　He　loved　his　home　town。
　Mrs。　Jones　loved　New　York　City　also；　she　was　only　teasing　and　what　hotel　was　Mr。　Pelham　staying　at？
　〃Not　sure　yet。　I'm　going　to　Riverside　Drive。〃
　〃Is　it　pretty？〃
　Remo　turned　to　the　woman　for　closer　scrutiny。　He　should　get　rid　of　her。　Now　he　was　deciding　whether　he　wanted　to。
　She　was　a　full…bodied　woman　with　strong　clean　features；　a　blonde　with　brown　eyes　under　heavy　blue　eyeshadow。　She　wore　a　neat　suit；　whose　sewing　and　material　Remo　estimated　at　250　in　a　large　Cleveland　store　or　550　in　New　York　City。　The　ring　was　three　karats…if　flawless；　a　fine　stone。
　The　shoes　oozed　the　subtle　richness　of　expensive　leather。　Wife　of　manufacturer　or　leading　citizen；　on　shopping　trip　to　New　York；　and　if　convenient；　unplicated　lay　for　herself。
　Estimating　clothes　and　accoutrements　had　been　one　of　his　poorer　programs　during　training。　But　he　was　good　enough　to　trust　himself。　As　much　as　indicating　wealth；　clothes　tell　you　what　a　person　wants　you　to　believe。　Invariably；　that　could　give　you　a　handle。
　Remo　Pelham　answered　the　question：　〃Riverside　Drive　overlooks　the　Hudson。　It's　pretty。〃
　〃Where　on　Riverside；　Mac？〃
　〃Anywhere；〃　Remo　told　the　driver。
　〃You；　too；　lady？〃
　〃If　I　wouldn't　be　bothering　anyone；〃　she　said。
　Remo　Pelham　said　nothing。　He　said　nothing　as　he　paid　the　driver　at　96th　Street　and　Riverside　Drive　and　got　slowly　out　of　the　cab。　He　did　not　turn　around　nor　offer　to　help　the　woman　with　her　luggage。
　Remo　Pelham　did　not　need　luggage。　Neither　did　a　half　dozen　other　names　he　lived　by。　He　walked　to　the　low　stone　wall　and　stared　out　across　the　Hudson；　glimmering　in　the　hot　September　day。
　Across　that　river　and　beyond　the　decaying　docks　of　Hoboken；　in　the　city　of　Newark；　a　young　policeman　had　been　tried；　found　guilty　of　murder　and　executed　at　the　state　penitentiary。　A　young　policeman　who　swallowed　a　pill　from　a。　priest　who　had　offered　last　rites　and　promised　him　not　eternal　life；　but　life。　He　had　taken　the　pill；　passed　out　in　the　electric　chair；　and　awakened　to　hear　a　story　from　a　man　with　a　hook　for　a　hand。　The　story　was　this：
　The　American　constitution　didn't　work　and　was　working　less　each　year。　Criminals；　using　the　safeguards　of　the　constitution；　daily　increased　in　number　and　strength。　The　next　step　was　a　police　state。　Machiavelli's　classic　perception　of　chaos　and　then　repression。
　Should　the　government　scrap　the　constitution？　Or　allow　the　country　to　e　apart？　There　was　a　third　choice。　Suppose　an　organization　outside　the　government　evened　the　odds？　An　organization　which　could　not　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。〃
　Re