With each great, Barney felt her squeeze a tender spot of his anatomy.
"Great," Gloria X said.
Barney pinched her hand. She ignored the pinch. "Great, he was great, darling. Wasn't he wonderful?"
Barney sipped the bourbon and grunted. "He's not my type."
"Well, he is mine," Gloria X said. "He's my husband."
Barney looked at her.
She'leaned over, brushed the bottle away from Barney's mouth onto the floor, and ran her tongue over his lips.
"He's really great," she whispered. "It's a shame you're going to have to kill him."
Barney pushed her away from him. "Now wait a
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second. First you tell me you're married to this chocolate donut-"
Gloria nodded. "He's great," she said.
"And then you tell me to go out and kill him."
She smiled.
"May I ask why?" he said after a pause.
"To further the cause of black freedom," she said. "To eliminate Raisin's middle-of-the-road policy from the rising black consciousness. To demonstrate to my followers that personal sacrifice in the cause of freedom is glorious-"
"And to collect the insurance money?"
"It's a bundle, big boy." She winked.
"That's what I thought," Barney said. He took a deep swig from the bourbon bottle and rolled away from her.
CHAPTER SIX
The Grand Vizier of the Afro-Muslim Brotherhood held open the door for Barney as he tiptoed out of Gloria X's house at five in the morning.
"Thanks, Malcolm," he said, trying not to slur his words too much.
"Once you out on the street, you ain't my problem," Malcolm answered. "Plenty of bloods be happy to see your white face this time of day. Ain't no way Allah be looking out for you, white scum."
"Hare Krishna," Barney said with a bow.
Barney wasn't afraid of muggers. He could still
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fight when he had to. He wasn't afraid of killers. He had killed too many times himself not to know that killers were generally more frightened than their-victims unless the killers were very well trained, and if the Peaches of Mecca were the best fighting men in the neighborhood, he was in no danger. And, with nothing in his pocket but the five-dollar bill Gloria X had given him to insure his return, he wasn't particularly afraid of getting robbed.
What Barney Daniels was afraid of was that crazy old Oriental guy who seemed to materialize magically on the dim street corner ahead. He prepared to run in the opposite direction, but the old man was standing beside him before Barney could execute the about-face.
"You sure are fast, Pops," Barney said.
"Thank you. Greetings. I am Chiun."
"Barney Daniels."
"Yes, I know."
"Where's your friend?"
"He is nearby."
Barney looked around him, but saw no one. "I don't mean to be nosy, Chiun, but are you planning to kill me?"
"No."
Barney breathed easier. "That's good. You know, Chiun, for some reason you don't look like you live in the neighborhood."
"I do not. My home is the village of Sinanju, in Korea."
"I see," Barney said, as though that explained everything. "Going my way?"
"Yes," They walked silently for another half block.
Barney tried again. "Listen, I know this sounds weird, but-"
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"Yes?"
"No, it's too weird."
"Go ahead. You may ask."
"Okay." He felt foolish even thinking it. "It's just that I saw you fight. You were pretty good, know what I mean?"
Chiun smiled. "It was nothing."
"So I was wondering, if you can fight like that, and if you're not going to kill me, well . . ."
"Yes?"