They were escorted through a green-grown path and after turning a corner found themselves in the verdant splendor of the Belvedere Courtyard.
Remo saw the stooped man in dazzling white, flanked by two medieval figures following with raised pikes. The pontifical Swiss Guard.
The pope's kindly eyes brightened at the sight of the Master of Sinanju. He came forward, his white vestments floating about his legs. He walked with a cane now, Remo saw. But his step was confident. A gold crucifix as long as a child's forearm gleamed on his immaculate white breast.
Only when he was very close did Remo detect the fragility of age again. The kindly eyes skated past him momentarily and it was like a kick in his stomach.
The Master of Sinanju ceased his forward glide, pausing expectantly. The pope halted. Only three feet separated them. Their ancient eyes locked. Held. And an arduous minute passed.
"What's going on?" Remo asked Chiun in low Korean.
"Kiss his ring," Chiun hissed. "Quickly."
"Not a chance. What's the freaking holdup?"
"This upstart is waiting for me to bow to him."
"So, bow. It won't kill you."
"I kissed his ring last time. It is your turn," Chiun declared.
"Fine—just say something."
"I cannot. I am waiting for him to bow."
"The pope isn't going to bow to you."
"That is why you must kiss his ring. To dispel the awkwardness of this difficult moment," Chiun explained.
"I am not kissing his freaking ring!"
Standing to one side, the cardinal secretary of state whispered low words in Latin. Chiun replied in the same tongue.
The cardinal then whispered into the Pope's tilted ear.
The careworn face of the supreme pontiff brightened, and he turned to Remo to say in English, "My son, my son. It is good to make your acquaintance."
And when the pope's heavy gold ring came up, Remo couldn't help himself. He half knelt and kissed it.
After that the ice was broken.
The pope and the Master of Sinanju drew off to one side to confer in low whispers. From time to time the pope beamed in Remo's direction. For his part the Master of Sinanju was animated. His arms flapped frequently, his deadly nails orbiting the Pope's still form so tightly Remo began to fear Chiun would slay him with a careless gesture.
Feeling left out, Remo struck up a conversation with the portly cardinal secretary of state. "What did Chiun say to you?"
"The Master conveyed the happy news that the next Master of the House of Sinanju was a Christian."
"He told the pope that!"
"His Holiness was quite pleased. For it has been too long since the House stood beside the Holy See."
"We worked against Rome, too," Remo argued.
The cardinal secretary of state paled slightly and excused himself, hurrying away like a frightened red robin.
That left Remo alone with the Swiss Guards, who stood sentinel with their pikes at rest.
"Lot of good those frog-stickers will do you against nutomatic weapons," Remo told them.
The Swiss Guards stood staring into infinity and said nothing. In their striped pantaloons and felt hats, l hey reminded Remo of the Buckingham Palace Guard, except the latter had better uniforms. These guys looked like ballerinas with a pantload.
After a few more boring minutes, the pope and the Master of Sinanju bowed to each other respectfully, and with a final wave in Remo's direction, the pope signaled to his Swiss Guard to follow.
"Now what?"
"We must depart," said Chiun, his face pleased.
"You cut a deal?"
"No."
"You going to cut a deal?"
Chiun switched to Korean. "I merely reiterated the long-standing treaty the House has with Rome never to accept work which will harm Roman interests. Thus, whatever gossip he hears regarding future service will not be misconstrued."
"So we're not working for the Vatican?"
"Not unless absolutely necessary."
"You tell the pope that?"
"There was no need to injure his sensitive feelings."
They entered the white chocolate limousine. It took them away and back into the din and congestion of Rome traffic.
"So what's the point?"
"The point is to encourage better offers," Chiun explained.
"How?"
"By being seen here, it signals to the pope's enemies that Sinanju looks with favor upon the Vatican. The enemies of the Vatican will in turn recount their coffers and consider increasing any contemplated offers."
"What enemies does the pope have?"
"His Holiness is currently vexed by rival pontiffs. Mullahs and ayatollahs would like to extinguish the candle that is Christian Rome."