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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 on the seats behind them。 〃Beautiful skyline； don't you think？〃 He breathed deeply of the almost breathable air between Staten Island and New York City。
〃You are going to open the package because you want to save your life。 Look behind you。〃
〃And leave the beauty of the gulls and the twin towers of the trade center； the Empire State Building？ My little island in the sun？〃
Remo did a little semi…pushup against the second deck railing of the ferry and watched the white churning swirls bubble out back toward Manhattan。 Then he felt two strong arms on each of his arms。 He looked again at the man with the gray package and the sneer and said：
〃You're not going to believe this。 But I'll give you all a chance to live。〃
The man did not believe this。 The man believed he was talking to a prankster。
So the man who cared about photography went with the large men and the man with the package to a paint store on Staten Island。 The store was closed that day； but it was opened for them by a fat man。 With a gun。
The man who loved photography tried。 He said： 〃Look。 You're just a messenger。 You give the package to me； I'm just a messenger。 I give it to someone else。 Why should we fight over it？〃
The man with the package sneered again。 〃You're wrong all around。 I'm not just your messenger。 He met with an accident。 You are not just a messenger。 I was informed otherwise。 It seems you lose。〃
〃Last chance to reconsider；〃 Remo said。
〃Sorry；〃 said the other。 〃We'll have to risk it。〃
Remo registered the moves of his four adversaries。 The two big men were obviously in condition； he had felt how light they were on their feet when they walked him off the ferry。 The man with the package had been in condition once。 The short man who had opened the door was very fat and had never been in condition。 But he made up for it。 He carried a snub…nosed revolver。 A snub…nosed revolver is good for one thing。 Close work。 What it loses in accuracy； it gains in pactness。 It's not easy to reach out； grab the barrel and the cyli