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！
as a balm for the mind； the mind that could appreciate it。
He had donned his smoking jacket and wore slippers； befitting a man who had done a hard day's work。 Who could have expected that the little Jewess worked for that vengeful gang that did not know World War Two was over？ They were insane。 And now that she was dead； another would be ing for him。 But he would be gone。 The pictures would enable the Russians to control the scientists at the Forum； and that had been his mission。 He had done his job。 Naturally； it would not be adequately appreciated； but appreciation was for the days as a young man。
He looked at the board again。 Only a king left； against his black king； queen； two knights； a rook； and a bishop。 But before the drug took effect the Jewess had said that no matter how bad things looked； there was a way。 There was no way； of course。
He was about to reset the pieces for a new game when the door to his study was pushed open。 It swung back on noiseless hinges； then the knob cracked into the wall。
It was the Brewster Forum security officer； looking as though he had climbed out of an oven。
〃Hello； Stohrs；〃 Remo said to the man who was Brewster's Forum's chess instructor。 〃I've e for my ？game。〃
〃Well； not right now；〃 Stohrs said。
〃Oh； yes。 Now is fine。〃 He walked in and closed the door behind him。
〃What do you want？；〃 the chess instructor asked。 〃This is nonsense at such a late hour。 You look terrible。〃
〃I want to play chess。〃
〃Well；〃 said Stohrs with a sigh； 〃if you insist。 Let me take your jacket。〃
Remo took it off himself and as he did； the frail fibers separated and a sleeve was torn。 He noticed that his arms were red and swollen。
In the center of the room was the chess board on a metal stand on a bare parquet floor。 Two heavy…armed oak chairs were attached to the table。
〃Sit down； Mr。 Pelham； I will set the board。〃
〃No； this end game is fine。 I will take white。〃
〃You cannot win with only a king。〃
Remo reached into his shirt pocket and withdrew the white queen that Deborah's hand had surrendered to him in death。 〃I have a queen；〃 he said。 〃That will be enough。〃
Remo rested his arms on the chair arms。 Under his right forearm； he could feel the chill of metal conducting heat from Ms arm into the chair。 He picked up his king to examine the piece and as he did； looked down at the chair arm。 He saw three small metal rings buried in the wood； with small holes； the diameter of needles； in the centers。 That was it； Remo thought。 A knockout injection。
Stohrs had taken his seat opposite Remo。 〃An interesting conclusion；〃 he said。 〃It was reached through the Silician opening。 Are you familiar with the Sicilian？〃
〃Yes； of course。 He fought on the side of the Nazis。 It was his responsibility to count the number of baby rapes mitted by Hitler's thugs。〃
Remo smiled； and resisted the impulse to reach forward and to crush Stohr's adam's apple between his fingers。 Time for that。 Deborah had been here。 She had sat in this chair； and looked in Stohrs' eyes； loathing him and what he stood for； but there because duty demanded it。 She had lost the game。 And then her life。 The life was gone。 But Remo could salvage the game。 And he could give her life and her death at least that much meaning。
〃Your move； Stohrs；〃 Remo said； and Stohrs slid a pawn one space forward。 〃The pawns；〃 he said。 〃The little men of the chess board。 But they can bee fighting pieces； the most dangerous in the game。〃
〃Particularly when； like Nazis； they fight against women and children。 They then are truly devastating。〃
Stohrs' face was red。 He was about to speak when his daughter walked into the room。 She wore a short red skirt and a white sweater with no bra。 The darkening of her nipples was visible through the material。 When she saw Remo； she licked her upper lip and her eyes took on a wild glint as if an interior light had flashed on； and pinpoints were shining through tiny openings in her eyeballs。
〃Anna； we have an unexpected guest。 Please prepare some refreshment。〃
〃Of course； father；〃 she said； and looked again at Remo。 〃What would you like？〃
〃Anything you have in the house will do。 Baby's blood。 Lampshade chips with cyanide dip。 A heroin fizz。 Whatever you're used to。〃 Confusion painted her face with stupidity。 Stohrs said； 〃Our guest is a very funny man。 Just prepare the usual。 And hurry。〃
〃You seem； Mr。 Pelham；〃 Stohrs said after his daughter left； 〃to want to talk about Nazis。〃
〃I have always been fascinated by insanity；〃 Remo said。
〃Our only insanity was that we lost。〃
〃I'm glad to see that it's we；〃 Remo said。 〃You lost because you wasted your energies attacking unnecessary targets。 That's a sick toughness。 The real toughness es from Americans who don't go stoking ovens from hatred。 That's why we win。 The shits like you； the insane haters； always lose。〃
〃That； my dear Mr。 Pelham； is because the winners write history；〃 Stohrs said； and Remo saw him reach his index finger forward to touch a button on； the arm of his chair。 Needles； he knew； would shoot up now into Remo's forearm； drugging him； putting him under。
How many had they done it to？ Had they ever done it to a man who could respond quickly enough to pluck flies from the air between thumb and forefinger？ It had e down to this： to Remo Williams and his terrible talents； against this evil man； this evil product of monstrous wrongs。
Stohrs' hand squeezed over the end of the chair。 Rerno focussed his perception on his right forearm。 He felt the pinpricks against his skin。 The act seemed frozen in slow motion。 First； the three needles touched the skin。 The skin bent before them like a marshmallow refusing a stick。 The needles insisted。 Then the skin collapsed and gave way； surrounding the tips of the needles。 The needles should now continue into the arm and give their narcotic juices。 Then the victim should react by rubbing his arm。
That was the script for a victim。 But Remo Williams was in the chak and he was no man's victim。 His arm rose imperceptibly； then yanked away and'he rubbed the inside of the right forearm。 He felt slightly woozy and increased the speed of his body rhythms to absorb what could only have been a trace dose。 His head sank forward onto his chest。
〃So you will beat me； will you？；〃 he heard Stohrs say。 Stohrs' chair slid back from the table。 Remo could hear him walking around toward him。 He was a doctor。 He would look into Remo's eyes。 Lids closed tightly； Remo focussed his eyes on a jet plane in the sky of his imagination； miles away。 He felt the practiced thumb press his eyelid up。 The sudden light should have contracted the pupil。 But the jet plane in that bright noon sky had already done that and Stohrs let the eyelid drop with a grunt of satisfaction。
〃He's under；〃 Stohrs yelled。 〃I'm keeping my promise to you。〃
〃Stand up；〃 he told Remo。 It was a mand and Remo stood。 〃Open your eyes and follow me。〃 With confident arrogance； Stohrs turned his back on Remo and walked away。 He pulled aside a long velvet drape； exposing a door。 He turned the knob and walked in； stepping aside to let Remo pass。
Remo's eyes were fixed straight ahead； but his peripheral vision swallowed the room i