"What are you talking about?" gasped the colonel.
"He refuses to jump because he's afraid someone will look up and see his underwear. He's very fussy about stuff like that."
"You mean he's not afraid of the jump?"
"Masters of Sinanju fear nothing," Chiun sniffed.
"Let me at least try, okay, Chiun? Please. For America. Not to mention the whole freaking world, if this locomotive thing gets out of hand."
"Try," said Chiun, extending his arms.
Remo slipped the shoulder straps of the parachute pack over Chiun s arms. Then Remo knelt down and bunched Chiun's kimono skirts around his upper thighs. Holding the black silk in place, he quickly buckled the lower straps over the bunched cloth. The webbing held the kimono material in place.
Chiun looked down. He found he could walk after a fashion, if he took short steps.
"What if it comes loose?" he demanded.
"It's desert, for Christ's sake!"
"We're coming up on the drop zone," the colonel called suddenly.
Remo turned to Chiun. "Now or never, Chiun."
"Now."
Hydraulic doors in the cargo bay dropped open. Air swirled into the cabin.
"It's easy," Remo said. "Count to ten and pull the ring."
"What if I forget?"
"No one ever forgets. just follow me and do what I do." And without another word, Remo jumped from the open bay. Slipstream plucked him away.
"Wait for me," Chiun cried, leaping after him. His leap caused his bunched skirts to come loose.
Remo felt the updraft push against him. He might as well have been skydiving into a pit. The desert below was as black as the sky above. The stars were incredible. He looked for Chiun.
"Oh, no," Remo moaned. Chiun was tumbling end over end. Worse, his skirts were flying all over the place. "He'll kill me," Remo said bitterly.
Remo cracked his chute. He swung from the black silken bell.
Chiun tumbled past him, still in freefall. His mouth was open. From it emerged a keening sound.
"Wheee!" called the Master of Sinanju joyfully.
"Pull the freaking ripcord," Remo called after him.
"It is too soon," Chiun called back.
"It's never too soon," Remo responded.
And with his heart in his mouth, Remo watched the Master of Sinanju tumble into the enveloping blackness. "Please. Please pull the cord."
Out of the blackness came the crack of silk.
Remo heaved a sigh of relief. Then came Chiun's agonized wail. "Aaiieee! My skirts!"
"Great. He noticed," Remo groaned.
Remo hit the ground, dug in, and jettisoned his chute all in one breath. The wind carried it away.
He looked around for Chiun.
The Master of Sinanju was on the ground. The billowing parachute bell was settling over him. He did not move. It covered him completely.
"What are you waiting for?" Remo called.
Chiun's voice issued from the shroud. "For my shame to go away. "
"We're alone in the desert, for crying out loud," Remo said, pulling at the black parachute. It tore easily. Chiun's smoldering face emerged from the folds.
"If that is true, then we have come a long way for nothing."
"Let's find out. See any railroad tracks?"
Chiun lifted on his toes and searched the horizon. "No."
"Wonderful. Let's walk."
"My kimono was nearly torn from my body. But for my quick reflexes I might now be completely naked."
"It didn't, so, forget it."
"It would have. And it would have been your fault."
"Okay, okay. I accept full responsibility. See anything?"
"Sand."
Remo stopped in his tracks. "I hope the pilot didn't screw up. The bunker is supposed to be around here."
"I smell something terrible."
"Yeah? What?"
"I do not know. But it is deadly."