"If that was true," said Remo, "they'd have hauled your butt out of the room, too."
"Hush," said Kinga, raising the volume until both Remo and Chiun winced from the sensory overload.
Remo confiscated the clicker and lowered the volume.
The broadcaster was saying, "Here again is the world-exclusive photograph that is sending chills up and down the spines of Fox viewers everywhere."
Everyone watched. The screen showed a starsprinkled sky and the distinct white configuration of bizarre letters.
"It is Russian," said Chiun.
"Of course it is Russian," said Kinga. "It means 'Peace.' "
"That's the space-station name," said Remo.
"Space station Mir is not responsible for these events," Kinga said heatedly.
"How would you know?" Remo asked.
Kinga said, "It is inconceivable otherwise."
"You are very positive for a Hungarian," said Chiun, drawing near.
"Easy, Chiun," Remo warned.
Chiun inclined his shiny head in Kinga's direction. "I will grant you the privilege of interrogating this Russian."
Remo stepped between Kinga and the TV and folded his lean bare arms. He was facing Kinga, his dark eyes intent. "What makes you so sure the Russians aren't behind this?" he asked.
"It is illogical. If Mir is sending down death rays, why would they advertise their complicity by painting the sky with their own name?"
"Maybe it's a computer glitch."
"Pish! Mir is not designed to flash its name from orbit."
"Only a Russian would possess such knowledge, Remo," Chiun said pointedly.
"Stay out of this, Little Father," Remo said evenly.
"These facts are commonly available. I am only stating the obvious." Kinga stood up. "I must go now."
"What about our date?"
"I will take rain check. I must file story with my newspaper."
"We're not done yet," said Remo.
"We are done with you," said Chiun, handing Kinga her purse.
She took it quickly. "Thank you. I must go now."
"Goodbye," said Chiun.
Remo started to reach out for Kinga, but the Master of Sinanju deflected his hand with a hard blocking wrist.
After she had gone, Remo confronted the Master of Sinanju. "Why'd you let her just go like that?"
"For two reasons. She is not interested in you the way you are in her."
"I don't know how interested I am in her. She's different from most other women."
"And I have her wallet," added Chiun, producing a kid wallet from up his sleeve.
Remo took it.
Inside there was a driver's license, giving an address in Celebration, Florida.
"You figure we should follow her?" Remo asked Chiun.
"It is devious, but we are dealing with a devious person."
"I didn't see any deviousness in her at all. She was perfectly direct. Too direct, maybe."
"She did not throw herself at your feet."
"So?"
"Perhaps because she is not attracted to you."
"I never met a woman who wasn't attracted to me."
"Perhaps because she is not a woman of this world," suggested Chiun.
"Oh, come off it. A moment ago, you were saying she was a Russian, when she's only Hungarian."
"I said she smelled like a Russian. But her features are Magyar."
"Meaning?"
Chiun's eyes grew hooded of lid. "Perhaps she is a Martian who wears an imperfect mask."
Remo rolled his eyes. "Look, let's see what we find at her place."
"Be prepared to weep if you love this woman."
"I don't love anyone," Remo growled.