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〃Shit；〃 he said and hung up。
He went outside。
〃Shocking； wasn't it？〃 said Brewster。
〃What？〃 said Remo； his mind still on the phone call。
〃You look upset。〃
〃Oh。 Yes。 Shocking scene。 Awful。〃
〃If you were as familiar with violence and its dynamics as a human form of expression； if you were as familiar with it as I am； it might have been easier for you； son。〃
〃I suppose so；〃 Remo said。 Dammit； she wasn't home。 This was his day off peak。 And he planned to spend it with her。 All day and all night。 And now she wasn't home。
Dr。 Brewster reached for something in his pocket； and brought out a pipe and a ripped bag of tobacco。 〃How the hell did this happen？〃 he said； looking at the ripped pouch as if it had betrayed him。 〃My pants are dirty too。 I must have brushed against something。〃 He lit his pipe。
〃Violence is a strange thing；〃 Dr。 Brewster said； musing on the smoke。 〃Many people never learn to accept it as a part of life。〃
She was supposed to be home。 All right； maybe she had just gone out for something。 Maybe she was just being funny。 Playing a game。 Or maybe she had changed her mind。 The bitch。 The little Israeli bitch had changed her mind。
The two men went back to the forum center； the scientist talking； musing； explaining； pontificating； placing the elements of life and death in intellectual perspective。 Remo Williams was planning。 If she was just trying to make him wait； he would be very casual。 Say that he wasn't sure of the time。 Was she late？ Oh。 Or maybe he'd disappear for a while and be late himself。 No。 He'd see her and tell her she was immature。
〃You see；〃 Brewster explained。 〃Even though you are a policeman； you have not fully accepted the fact of violence as an integral part of man's life。 You have not e to terms with the very obvious fact that man is a killer。 And his greatest game is man himself。 A predator。 Only late in development did he bee herbivorous。 The overreaction against violence in more backward American munities is an eruption of the sublimation of violence。 Which is really not sick。 Violence is healthy； human。 Vital。〃
Maybe he would call her a kike and just walk away。 But what…if she laughed when he said that？ Worse； what if she were hurt？ He would apologize and hold her。 But if she were really hurt； she wouldn't let him。 No。 Not Deborah。 She would laugh。 Right at him。 In his face。 Then he would laugh。 Then it would be all right。
〃I know it's difficult； son； but as I was explaining to some general or other； no； a congressman； I believe…well； in any case； one of those things。 I told him that perhaps policemen like yourself are the ones who are least able to handle violence and therefore are drawn toward it as a profession。 You know that's how we get funding？〃
〃What？〃 said Remo。
〃How we get funding； son；〃 Dr。 Brewster explained。 〃You exploit their little dreams or fears。 Whatever。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 Remo asked。 He would take care of Deborah later。 〃I was rinding it hard to follow。〃
〃Our funding； son。 The way to get funding is to decide what you want；〃 then throw in something the government may want。 As an afterthought。 Like our study on the munity life of bat。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Well； that paid for Schulter's animal experiments and Boyle's ethnic studies。〃
〃I see；〃 said Remo。 〃And your little plan to conquer the world？〃 He dropped the reference casually。
〃That bought the golf course； the auditorium and about five more years of just about anything we want。 I don't know why I trust you like this。 I just do。 I'm a good judge of men。〃
He was； thought Remo； like most people who do not work at it； a very bad judge of himself。 He trusted now because he felt safe。 Apparently； he had taken Remo's preoccupation with Deborah as shock over the Ratchett killing and no longer felt threatened by someone who might possibly be above panic。
〃Is there a plan to coefluer the world？〃
〃Yes； of course。 You could conquer the world with 50；000 men。 Provided； the rest of the world wanted to be conquered。 Hah。 You see； it takes the cooperation of the losers。 But we're not going to include that in any study for at least three years though； not until we have another funding source。 Your job is safe with us for another three years。〃
So it was just a hustle； after all。 All the federal funds； the secrecy； the work of CURE； the deaths of McCarthy and Hawkins and Ratchett； all of it was only to allow these harmless nits to go on figuring up days and down days； drugging rhinoceroses and lowering heartbeats。 A goddam hustle。
〃I imagine Deborah was working on that plan。〃
〃Don't call her Deborah。 She's Dr。 Hirshbloom。 I personally don't mind； but you know how some of these medical doctors get。 No； as a matter of fact； she wasn't the least bit interested。 Recently； I've been getting the impression she is interested in nothing but chess。 A fine mind。 But very unproductive； I'm afraid。〃
〃Uh； uh；〃 said Remo； who noticed suddenly that he had been walking in his old manner； the natural walk of his youth and early manhood。 His peak was falling rapidly now。 Several times a day now； he was forced to go back mentally to his little room； where Chiun waited。 But the effect was wearing off more and more rapidly。 His vitality was ebbing。
Brewster was rambling on about his plan to conquer the world。 Of course； it could be pulled off if each soldier in the Army could be brought up to twenty percent capacity。 Did it shock Remo that the average man used less than ten per cent？ But no one yet； Brewster said； had reached twenty per cent。 He wasn't even sure if a human being could survive using twenty per cent of his capabilities。 So； in a way； the forum was really giving the government its money's worth。 A brilliant plan that was impossible。 Generals like those sort of things。
Remo tried to concentrate on the room； but the sidewalk still thumped hard against his heels。 He pulled oxygen deep into his groin； but still felt winded。 He thought of Deborah and for a moment was exhilirated。 He realized。 She was uninterested in the work of Brewster Forum because she did not e to work for Brewster Forum。
She was an agent； all right。 Her control proved that； even when she was afraid of him。 And she was beginning to fall in love with him。 The alienation of their lives had been broken and both shared the first flushes of knowing someone。 That was why things had moved so well the night before。
And Conn MacCleary was the key。 The Israelis wouldn't let Conn fight his holy war against the Arabs after they had desecrated the sanctity of his still because； quite simply； Conn MacCleary was not in Israel to fight Arabs or even to train people to fight Arabs。
Conn MacCleary； master of the personal attack； was training people to seek a different enemy。 And it would also explain why he volunteered and why Deborah had not listed the real name of her village； and why； if it was
so secret； the presence of Arabs would in no way promise it。
This little village was the first training ground for the agents who would follow those who had processed people in ovens； stripped human flesh for lampshades； tore off genitals with pliers； experimented on babies and women and men to see how long