Remo's hand shot behind his back, concealing the cassette.
"Whoever did this," he told Federal Judicial Police Officer Guadalupe Mazatl without skipping a beat. Beside him, Chiun's hands joined within his scarlet kimono sleeves.
Guadalupe Mazatl stepped into the shack.
"I do not understand this," she said, indicating the stiffening terrorists with a toss of her short hair. "Who are these pistoleros?"
"Terrorists," Remo said. "From the Middle East. Looks like they were the ones who knocked down Air Force One."
"How did you know to come here?" Guadalupe asked suspiciously.
"Hunch," Remo said evasively.
"Because we are who we are," Chiun said in the same breath.
"And who are you really? CIA?"
"Maybe," Remo admitted because it was far enough away from the truth to be comfortable.
"And what have you behind your back?"
Remo's hand came around. Empty. The cassette nestled in the waistband of his chinos. "Nothing. I had an itch." He grinned faintly.
"To another dog with that bone," Guadalupe said disdainfully.
"What?"
"It is an expression," she said. "And I believe you know what it means."
"Not me," Remo said honestly.
"We must report this matter," Guadalupe Mazatl said.
"Fine," Remo said. "Go ahead. We'll just wait here. "
Officer Guadalupe Mazatl did not move.
"I do not trust you yanquis. You are op to something."
"Who, us? Op to what?" Remo forced a light tone, but the anxiousness in his voice came through like a drill.
"I am not leaving without you," Officer Mazatl said firmly.
Remo looked to Chiun. Chiun looked back. Their expressions matched like red and green socks.
"Look, maybe I can level with you," Remo ventured.
"Remo," Chiun warned. "She is not to be trusted."
"Hah! Who said that of me?" Guadalupe demanded hotly.
"Comandante Odio," Chiun returned smugly.
"That puerco! Everyone knows that the DFS is corrupt. "
"Funny, they say that about you Federales," Remo retorted.
"It is not true!" Guadalupe flared. "Of me!" she added in a metallic tone.
"Time's getting away from us here," Remo said quickly. "Listen, we have reason to believe these are some of the men responsible for shooting down the President's plane. You get word back to the others. Tell them to be on the lookout for . . ." Remo's voice trailed off as he realized what he was about to say. His eyes went to the putter sticking up from one terrorist's shattered skull.
"si?"
"Anyone suspicious," Remo added carefully. "Have them scour every mountain. Extend the search area. If there are others, they're probably on foot. They couldn't have gotten far."
"You cannot get far on foot either."
"That's our problem," Remo shot back. "Not yours. We're outta here. Come on, Little Father." Officer Guadalupe Mazatl followed them outside.
"Those gringos are op to something," she muttered as she watched them sprint away.
Then, clutching her pistol in its side holster, she began running back to the crash site, pacing herself so that she did not run out of breath.
Chapter 10
The chief of staff met with the other Cabinet members in the White House conference room.
"Gentlemen, you all know the situation. Our President is no longer with us."
No one spoke a word. Their faces were gloomy.
The chief of staff went on. "Technically, the Vice-President is our new chief executive."
To a man, their faces drained of color. They looked like unhappy corpses.
"Has he taken the oath yet?" asked the Secretary of Defense uncomfortably.
"He has no inkling what has transpired."
"Wish we could keep it that way . . ." someone muttered.
"At this moment, Air Force Two is taking him to a Detroit location, where he will deliver a prepared speech. He knows this speech is important, but he does not know its contents. His handlers don't even know. "
"Does it matter?"
"It matters very, very much," said the chief of staff. "I have had the staff prepare a speech in which the Vice-President immediately tenders his resignation for health reasons."