"Vassily," the premier said. "Don't drive so fast. It makes me nervous."
"No, sir," Karbenko said. He grinned at Remo, who shrugged his shoulders.
"Any idea who that was?" Remo asked.
"Yes," Karbenko said. "I know who it was."
Karbenko had rented three rooms in the name of the Earp family at an eight-dollar-a-night budget motel outside Washington. He left the premier and his wife in the car while he went inside and inspected the three adjoining rooms.
"Is this where visiting officials always stay?" the premier asked Remo.
"Only heads of state," Remo said. "We've got a tent in one of the town parks for everybody else."
"Oh," the premier said. "I do not think I would enjoy sleeping in a tent."
Nina asked Remo, "Have you been a friend of Vassily's for a long time?"
"Not really," said Remo. "It's been a short but intense relationship."
"Why is everybody talking to him?" Chiun asked from his rear seat next to Nina. "I am real-
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ly much more interesting than this thing. If you like, I will tell you about my screenplay."
"What is a screenplay?" asked Nina.
"It is a story for a motion picture," Chiun said. "In your country, they are about tractors and farmers."
"Tell me your story," Nina said.
"You'll be sorry," Remo said.
"Quiet," said Chiun, "or I will write you out of the picture."
"Yes," said the premier. "Tell us this wonderful story."
Chiun was describing the quiet, gentle, peace-loving, handsome, noble, virtuous, and strong main character of the film when Karbenko came back and ushered the premier and his wife into the central of the three motel rooms.
As they unpacked, Chiun was getting around to the fact that this beautiful soul was not appreciated by those around him, particularly those upon whom he had squandered the gift of knowledge only to find them incapable of receiving it.
Karbenko took Remo aside.
"Those were Stantington's men at the airport. I want to go talk to him."
"I'll go with you," Remo said.
"The premier-" Karbenko began.
"He'll be safe," Remo said. "I've heard this screenplay before. It's got four more hours to run. Chiun will never let anything happen to his audience until he's done with the story. We'll be back by then."
"He is very old. Can he protect them?" Karbenko asked.
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"If he can't," said Remo, "no one in the world can. Don't write that off as a typical American exaggeration. That's a fact. No one in the world, if he can't."
Chiun had decided that the premier and his wife would probably appreciate the story more if it was told in Russian. He began to tell it in Russian. He started again at the beginning.
Riding up in the elevator toward Stantington's office, Remo asked, "Any ideas on the assassin?"
"None," said Karbenko. "But thank god, he's back in Russia. Let the KGB there find out who he is."
"If they're like our CIA, you're going to have a long wait," Remo said.
"Ain't it the truth, pardner ?"
Remo's special director's office pass got them through the guards to Stantington's office complex and the secretary's memory of Remo got them inside Stantington's private office.
"What are you doing here?" Stantington said when he came out of his bathroom. He was staring at Remo.
"He drove me here to make sure I didn't get in an automobile accident," Karbenko said. Stantington glared at him angrily.
"You know that the premier has arrived?" Karbenko said.
Stantington nodded.
"He is staying at the Colony Astor," Karbenko said, naming one of Washington's poshest and oldest hotels. "Can I count on you to assign men there to assist us in protecting him?"
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"I have been ordered not to get involved," Stantington said.
"But I'm requesting your help," Karbenko said. "I think that changes the situation."
Stantington sat down behind his desk. "Yes, I suppose it does," he said. "And are you staying at the Colony Astor, too ?"
Karbenko nodded. "The premier and his wife are in Room 1902. My men and I are in 1900 and 1904, on both sides of them. I'd like to have some of your men spotted around the hotel, the lobby, the public rooms. Just to watch out for anybody suspicious."
"All right," Stantington said. "I'll have them there in twenty minutes."
"Thank you," Karbenko said. "An unusual thing happened at the airport by the way."
"Oh? What was that?"
"Our car was chased by two carloads of men. Fortunately, they had an accident and we got away."