"It is important to me."
"Why is it important to you, O statue?" the Master of Sinanju asked carefully.
" It is important to my survival."
"Ahhh," said the Master of Sinanju, and he knew what the statue truly was.
But knowing the truth and admitting it were different matters. The Master of Sinanju preferred not to let the statue know that he knew what he knew.
"It is important to me to know that the President is safe," Chiun said simply.
"He is safe," the statue said.
"How do I know this?"
"Because I am not lying," said the statue with invincible logic.
" I see," mused the Master of Sinanju. "It is also important that I see this for myself. It is my responsibility to see that the President is returned to his own country in safety. He has many enemies in this land."
"This is important to me as well, meat machine."
The Master of Sinanju let the odd description pass. It only confirmed what he already knew.
"Perhaps we can assist each other in our mutual goal, O strange statue."
"Explain."
"Take me to the President, and I will conduct him to his home. He will be safe with me, and you will be relieved of your burden."
"No."
"Why not?"
"I must accompany the President wherever he goes."
"Why is this necessary if I give you my word that he will be safe?"
"Because I do not trust your word. And I must be with the President at all times ."
"Why?"
"I am safe with him. He is well-protected. The meat machines work very hard to ensure his survival. All persons and machines around him are ensured of their survival. My survival will therefore be assured so long as we are inseparable."
"Well-spoken," said Chiun. "But you are not with him now."
"This is a temporary necessity," Josip Broz Tito grated. "Evil meat machines are attempting to terminate him. Until I have devised a safe method to return him to his habitation, I have placed him in a secure place.
"Where, O statue?"
"I will not tell you. You may mean harm to him. I cannot allow that, for it threatens my survival."
"I understand perfectly, O mysterious statue whose true nature is unknown to me," Chiun said broadly. "Perhaps I can help you in your plight."
"Explain."
"What are you doing?" Lupe demanded. "You cannot bargain with a statue. It does not live."
" I will offer you safe passage back to America," Chiun went on, ignoring the outburst, "you and the true President, where you will be safe."
The statue hesitated. Its mouth stood open, but no grinding words issued forth.
"More information," it said at last.
"I work for the President's government," the Master of Sinanju said proudly. "I cannot tell you how, for it is a secret. But I will report to my emperor, and tender to him any offer you wish to make. I am certain he will barter your survival for the President's safety. "
"This would solve my dilemma," the statue said rackingly.
"If you will remain here, I will make contact with my emperor," said Chiun.
A bronze arm lifted in warning. "No. I do not trust you. We will meet in another place."
Chiun nodded. "Where?"
"I do not know the names of places in this city."
The statue's head swiveled like a football on a bronze spit. It groaned horribly.
Guadalupe Mazatl recoiled from the statue's inhuman regard.
"You, indigenous female meat machine. Name a place where there are no others like you in great numbers."
"Teotihuacan," Lupe sputtered. "It is a ruined city. To the north. Very large. Very empty. That would be a place such as you wish."
"In three hours," the statue intoned, "I will await you in Teotihaucun."
"Done," said the Master of Sinanju, executing a quick bow.
And then the Master of Sinanju beheld a sight such as he had never before seen in his many decades in the West.
The bronze statue lifted one foot. One bronze boot wrenched free of its base, leaving a shiny irregular patch. The other foot snapped loose.
Then, arms creaking, legs bending to the tortured shriek and snarl of bronze, the statue of Josip Broz Tito walked off its pedestal and marched away, stiff and ungainly as an old stop-motion mechanical man.
It stamped up the Paseo de la Reforma back in the direction of the Hotel Nikko.
"Increible!" Guadalupe said hoarsely. She made a slow sign of the cross, but the words she muttered were ancient Nauatl, and the gods she invoked were of old Mexico, not the East.