"A friend of mine," Remo told him. "What of it?"
"The one named Youngblood?"
"Yeah. How'd you know that?"
Youngblood snorted like a bull. "Because he's a gook," he said. "You've been set up, Remo."
"It is too bad," said Chiun sadly.
"What is?" Remo wanted to know.
"That you have found your long-lost Army friend. It is very sad."
"Look, Ho. Why don't you take a hike?" Remo suggested. "We've got a lot of catching up to do."
"How can you speak such hard words to one who has meant so much to you?"
"Easy. I'm dead. Dead people can do whatever they want. "
"Ah, then you remember that you are dead. That is good."
"It is?"
"Hey, I don't want no part of this conversation," Youngblood said hotly. "This is bullshit."
Chiun ignored him. "What else do you remember, Remo?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" squeaked Chiun. So Remo did not remember after all. And until he did, Chiun could do nothing with him.
"That's what I said. Now screw off."
"But you do remember that you are dead. You have been dead now for many years."
"Then it's true," Remo said hollowly. "How did you know?"
"Why, because . . ." Chiun began. A thought occurred to the Master of Sinanju. A fable of Remo's upbringing he had once shared with him. "It is because I am your guardian angel. Yes, your illustrious guardian angel. I am here to escort you to where you belong."
"You? My guardian angel is Vietnamese?"
"No, Korean."
"North or South?"
"North, of course."
"My guardian angel is a Communist?"
"No, dense one. Your guardian angel is Sinanju."
"I think there's been some mistake. I'm Catholic."
"Emperor Smith is worried about you."
"Who's Emperor Smith?"
"Why, he is the ruler of America, of course. He sent me to bring you back."
"Did you hear that, Dick? America's turned into a monarchy. Probably because we lost the war, I'll bet. Hey, why would this emperor send someone to bring back a dead man?"
"He's messing with your head, Remo," Youngblood said. "Send him away."
"I am telling the truth," Chiun said haughtily.
"Prove it," Remo snapped.
"How?"
"Get us out of here."
"Why did you not ask before? Wait here."
"For what?"
"I am going to create a distraction to assist your escape."
"Did you hear that, Dick?" Remo said sarcastically. "Uncle Ho is going to create a distraction. If you have anything to pack, now's the time to start."
"I ain't listening to either of you. You're both flipped out. "
"Do not worry," promised the Master of Sinanju. "This will not take long. The elephant of surprise is on our side."
After the Master of Sinanju had vanished, Dick Youngblood had a question.
"Did he say 'elephant'?"
"I think he meant 'element.' Like 'element of surprise.' " Remo was looking through the bullet holes eagerly.
"What're you looking at?" Youngblood asked. "I want to see what he's going to do."
"Do? He's going to go to the camp commander and they're going to drink rice wine and laugh at us until the monsoon season comes. What do you think he's going to do?"
"I don't know," Remo said slowly. "I saw him turn an AK-47 to powder with his bare hands."
Dick Youngblood sat staring at the dimly lit profile of Remo Williams, his bulldog face cocked quizzically. "You know what I think?" he said at last.