"Curfew," he told her. "We'd better go."

"What about him?" she asked. There was fright in her eyes as she looked at Remo, as if she were seeing him for the first tune.

"Leave him. He'll get it off when he stops panicking. Don't worry about him."

He led her to the gymnasium door. At the exit, she looked back at Masters, but Remo pulled her outside. They walked to her hotel in Copley Square without saying a word to each other. Remo knew what was wrong. He had changed during those few moments with Chuck Masters, and Josie had caught a glimpse of a different Remo and she was confused and perhaps frightened. Remo did not try to speak to her. He didn't know how he could tell her that it was only her presence that had kept Masters alive to pester someone else another day. He simply left the Indian girl at her door and told her he would see her in Moscow. And continue her balance beam lessons.

Chiun was waiting for Remo when he got back to his own room. He was pacing the floor.

"Where were you?" he demanded.

"I broke training," Remo said.

"So. This is how it starts. Five minutes late now. Ten minutes tomorrow. Soon you will be staying out to all hours of the night, coming home looking like something the cat does doo-doo in, and there goes my gold medal."

"Your gold medal?"

"Yes," Chiun said, without acknowledging Remo's sarcasm. "My gold medal. My endorsements. My fame. The security for my old age."

67

"Get off my case," Remo said. "That creep from the race, that blond guy, pestered me."

"And what did you do?"

"I just played with him a little."

"You did well. I do not know it I could have been that lenient with him. There was a time when you would not be so lenient either."