"Three more minutes and I coulda sold you your own car, dummy," Ruby said.
"Over here," Karbenko said. He motioned Ruby to a seat on the couch next to Smith.
"Now, Doctor," Karbenko said, "everything grows vastly more complicated. I believed what you told me about Project Omega. But now something tells me that everything is not quite right."
"Why?" Smith asked.
"Because I know very few sanitarium directors whose administrative assistants carry automatics."
"If you lived in my neighborhood, you'd carry a submachine gun," Ruby said.
Karbenko smiled. "Clever, child. But it will not do."
He looked at Smith. "I was willing to risk my contact with you," he said. "I had even made preparations for Igor here to return to Russia since his cover was so obviously blown by helping me pick you up. But now, not just you . . . this girl, too. You have put me in a very awkward situation, Doctor Smith."
"You have my deepest sympathy," Smith said.
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Karbenko picked the revolver up from the table and hefted it in his hand.
"You know what I must do, don't you ?"
Another voice came into the cellar.
"No. What must you do?"
Ruby turned. It was Remo. He was standing at the foot of the stairs alongside Igor. Chiun was next to him. Igor turned, a dumbfounded look on his face, because he had not heard them come down the stairs.
He pointed the automatic at Remo and his finger began to squeeze on the trigger. Remo clutched Igor's wrist. His fingers searched out a bundle of nerves on the bottom side of the wrist. Igor's trigger finger could squeeze no more.
"Who's in charge here?" Remo asked.
"I am," Karbenko said coldly.
Remo looked at Igor. "Sorry, Kong. But you're just baggage." He released Igor's wrist. Igor continued squeezing the trigger. Ruby was surprised that the tired old .22 automatic went off. Igor was even more surprised, because when it fired, the gun was pointing up into Igor's chin. The bullet ran through the soft flesh and buried itself in his brain. Igor dropped.
"I thought you never get here," Ruby screeched.
"Shut up, you," said Remo, "or I'm leaving. You're next, Tex."
Karbenko aimed the pistol at Remo.
"Who are these people, Smith?" he said.
"Two more of my administrative assistants," Smith said. "Remo, don't kill him."
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"Hold, hold," said Chiun. "What is this? Who is an administrative assistant?"
"Why not kill him?" Remo asked Smith. "Everybody knows the only good cowboy is a dead cowboy."
Chiun was jumping up and down. "An administrative assistant? Who? Not me. Who then? What did you mean by that, Emperor Smith?"
"Don't kill him," Smith repeated to Remo. "We need Colonel Karbenko."
When he heard Smith speak his name, Kar-benko's eyes shifted slightly toward the thin balding doctor, sitting on the couch. Just a tiny shift, done and over in a fraction of a second. Then he looked back toward the young American and the old Oriental, but they were not there. He felt the gun being snatched from his hand by the Oriental and the American, the one called Remo, was propelling him backward into a chair.
"Sit down and behave yourself," Remo said.
"I don't seem to have much choice, pardner," Karbenko said.
"Smile when you call me that," Remo said.
"Who is an administrative assistant?" demanded Chiun.
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CHAPTER TEN
It was all decided very swiftly.
Smith's plan was simple.
It was impossible, he said, for the Russians to protect their premier from an assassin who might be anybody, anywhere around him. But there was one way to save the premier.
Bring him to America. Alone. Without an entourage.
And then if he were murdered, America would have to take the blame in the eyes of the world and Russia's leadership would be justified in doing what it felt it had to do.
"It is risky," Karbenko said.
"It is risky for us too," Smith said. "But at least it has a chance of success. Leaving your premier in Russia is not risky at all. He will be dead in no more than a few days."
"What makes you think I can convince him?" Karbenko said.
"I know more about you, Colonel, than you think," Smith said. "The premier regards you as a son. He will listen to your recommendation."
Karbenko nodded. "Yes, he will."
"Then make it," Smith urged. "And then we
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can join forces in protecting the premier here until the assassin is uncovered."