"They're not in the Army," Remo said, twisting the bunched mass of nerves just a little tighter.
"Ooooh. Then what would I have to do with them? Why did you pick me?"
"That woman over there. She identified you." Remo jerked his head toward the door.
Haupt squinted. "What woman?"
Remo turned. Sashur Kaufperson was gone.
Chiun was walking slowly toward the line of troops.
"Well, she was there," Remo said.
"Who is she? What branch is she with?"
"She's not with any branch. She's with the school system in Chicago."
"That settles it then," said General Haupt. "I don't know any school teachers in Chicago. I haven't even talked to a school teacher for twenty-five years."
Remo twisted again and Haupt groaned.
"You're telling the truth, aren't you?"
"Of course, I'm telling the truth," Haupt said.
Remo looked at the general, then let him go. He knew nothing. And it meant that Sashur Kauf person had lied to him again.
He left the general lying on the floor and turned back to the line of troops. Chiun was walking up and down the line, inspecting uniforms, straightening a pocket flap on one soldier, adjusting the field cap of another.
"Shoes," he said to the lieutenant from the judge advocate's office. "Your shoes could be shined better."
"Yes sir," the lieutenant said.
"Take care of it before we meet again," Chiun said.
"Chiun. You about ready?" Remo asked.
"Yes. I am done. This is a nice army." He turned back to the line of troops. "You have beautiful uniforms. The nicest army since the Han Dynasty. You look very good."
Remo took Chiun's arm and steered him away.
"Chiun, where is Sashur?"
"She said she went to the persons' room."
"She lied."
"Of course, she lied," said Chiun.
"Why didn't you stop her?"
"You didn't tell me to stop her," Chiun said.
Remo shook his head. "Did you ever think of enlisting? You'd go far."
"I do not like armies. They solve problems by killing many when the solution to all problems is to kill one. The right one."
The MP at the gate told Remo, yes, sir, he had seen the woman leave, sir. A man in a car had come up to the gate, looking for her, had driven inside, and a few minutes later had left with the woman, sir.
"Who was the man?" Remo asked.
"Heavyset man. I took his name down. Here it is. George Watkins, sir. From the Justice Department."
"What'd you say?" Remo asked.
"From the Justice Department. He had credentials."
"Thanks," Remo said, driving past the guard booth. It all came together now. George. The Justice Department leak.
"Where are you going?" Chiun asked.
"After George."
"If he beats you up again, do not look to me for help."
"Hmmmppphhhh," Remo grunted.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Remo's rented blue Ford caught up with George's rented green Ford two miles from the Army post.
As he drove up close behind George's car, Remo saw Sashur Kaufperson sitting in the front passenger seat swivel her head around continuously, watching Remo as if she were wishing he would somehow vanish.
Remo planted himself right behind George and began to blow his horn.
George turned to look. Remo motioned him to pull over. Sashur, with her left hand, turned George's head forward to look at the road. With her right hand, she gave Remo the finger. Up close, he could see her well. Her mouth was working, sputtering. He could imagine the words pouring out of it.
"Hold tight, Chiun," Remo said, as he swerved left to pull out around George's car on the narrow two-lane road.
"No," said Chiun. "Hold tight is wrong. Loose is the secret to safety. Loose. Free to move in any direction."
"All right, already," said Remo. "Hold loose if you want to."
He was alongside George's car now, riding on the left side of the road. Again he leaned on his horn and began motioning to George to pull to the side of the road.
He saw Sashur Kaufperson's right hand come up slightly to hold the bottom of the steering wheel in George's hands. Then she gave the wheel a strong counter-clockwise twist. George's car swerved sharply to the left, just as Remo feathered the brake with his toe. George's car shot across the road in front of Remo, hit a low steel guard rail, and bounced along the rail for fifty feet before rolling to a stop.