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News of the Matsue disaster spread to the international scene via CNN, rapidly reaching the major networks in the U.S. At first it was reported as an unsubstantiated rumor.

Japanese military and police forces cordoned off the affected area refusing to permit access to news agencies. Given the nature of the rumors most of the reporters weren't really sorry they wouldn't be allowed through until it was declared safe. However, one daring TV news reporter managed to sneak in and make history with the video taped report he brought out.

Ryan Williams had been with the BBC for nearly twenty years, the last ten spent looking at life through the bottom of a Seagram's bottle. It had been years since he'd broken or even covered a major news event. He'd been hanging on by delivering a few pieces here and there to be used as fillers when the supply of really juicy news features ran thin. He was on his last leg as far as his boss at the BBC was concerned and he knew it. His wife had left him five years ago and Ryan hadn't heard from his daughter in almost as long.

He gazed sadly into the small cracked mirror hanging on the wash room wall, looking at the bulbous red nose covered with tiny blue veins he couldn't remember having twenty years ago and shook his head. He'd almost given up on himself and the one thing he used to be good at--reporting TV news. "Ryan," he said dismally, "you're very near the end of your tether, old man."

He'd been sent to Matsue by his news director to get a story on a British Embassy official who'd been caught with his hand in the pocket of a Japanese firm seeking lucrative new contracts with the British Government. The firm's home office was located in Matsue. The story might draw some interest back home even though stories about corrupt government officials weren't really shocking anymore, or new.

Ryan admitted to himself he had received the assignment out of the goodness of his boss's heart. If he didn't get this story it would probably be the last assignment he ever got.

He also admitted he wasn't exactly eager to get to Matsue so he'd stopped off at a small tea house (a quaint euphemism for "bar,") for a quick drink before continuing the last few miles into the city.

His hand trembled as he poured his first glass from the bottle and he began to pray for the first time in thirty years. "Dear God, I've not been a good husband or father and in fact I've not been much good at all. I want another chance and I want the courage to take control of my life once more. I need your help, Lord, because I haven't the strength to do it on my own." He mumbled his prayer aloud with all his heart and soul, his head bowed and eyes closed and his hands clasped so tightly together his knuckles turned white. As he sat there he realized he hadn't touched the drink. He reached for it but controlled the urge and lowered his hand. Just then a truck driver ran in and began excitedly telling everyone who'd listen what he'd heard about the happenings in Matsue.

Ryan listened to the incredible story then stood, took one last look at his drink and the bottle, and left them untouched. He was going to Matsue. He was totally convinced this was his chance given to him by the Almighty. He would salvage his career here and now or die in the attempt.

Ryan would never forget that moment. As he moved up within the hierarchy of the BBC and once again covered the really big news stories worldwide he would occasionally wonder how something so horrible as the scene he had faced in Matsue could be the instrument of salvation for someone who lived through it just because he had stopped at a bar to pray.

Bert Johnson had just stretched out in front of his TV set at home when his telephone rang. As he reached for the handset the news anchorman lead into an extraordinary story from the BBC's correspondent in Japan who had scooped the world's best reporters. "Late breaking news just in from a city on the eastern coast of Japan, we go now to Ryan Williams of the BBC in Matsue..." Bert mechanically picked up the handset of the phone. He was dumbfounded as he listened with one ear to the news from the TV set and with his other ear to his boss who was practically screaming the same news.

Icicles of panic grew in Bert's gut as he watched the scene unrolling in living color on his TV screen. In a one-square-mile area of Matsue thousands of people had mysteriously died. Hundreds of corpses lay on sidewalks and in the streets where they'd fallen. From inside a hospital Ryan showed the world a bizarre, macabre scene. Surrounded by the bodies of a surgical team, a corpse on an operating table was still connected to a respirator; his chest still pumping up and down more than ten hours after his death.

Bert mumbled into the phone that he was "on top of the situation" and would call his boss back soon with more news, then hung up with his boss still sputtering on the other end. Bert reached for the phone again, this time to call Skipper at the Sam Cho Ri Hotel in Chun Chon. Just as his hand touched the receiver the phone rang.

"Bert, this is Skipper. It went major over here a few hours ago." Skipper sounded calm, but serious.

Bert's voice quavered a little as he answered, "I just now saw it on the news. Is it as bad as the TV says? Thousands of people?"

"I think so Bert. News is a little sketchy here. Korea's gone on national alert and everybody's going nuts. It could have been worse and if I can't stop him before he fires that thing up again, it will be.

"Worse?!"

"Yeah. Nobody's claimed responsibility for this...I think Pak missed. I think he meant to take out the whole city. My guess is he's test-firing it - sighting it in like you would a gun. Once he's certain he can hit a target the demands will start. I'm pretty sure I know where Pak's operating from. I'll head out there as soon as we hang up. With luck I can put him and the machine out of action before he tries it again.

"Oh, and, Bert...take care of Patti if something happens to me, would you?"

"You even need to ask?"

Without responding Skipper hung up and called General Kim.

The general wasn't home but Skipper contacted him at his headquarters. At first General Kim was very short, although courteous, but he became very attentive when Skipper told him he had information that the Matsue occurrence was orchestrated by Pak as a test. The General was quick to realize the international impact of a South Korean attacking a Japanese City. Understanding the urgency of the situation the general told Skipper to go to the Korean Army Post in Chun Chon where he would have a helicopter pick him up immediately. Skipper jumped in a taxi and left at once.

Thirty minutes later Skipper and the general quickly sketched out a rough plan which they put into action without delay.

Pak wasn't pleased to hear Arnburg had already been found dead -- Mason would be looking for him soon, if he wasn't already. Sitting in his recently repaired communications center Pak watched CNN and a few other international news services on several screens at once.

He was surprised to learn that both North and South Korea had gone on full military alert following his test on Matsue. He hadn't expected Korea to go on alert but it mattered little. Even though the first test was slightly off target one more test firing should have it sighted in and Pak was almost giddy with elation at the success of the Roacherian Effect device. Even Mason couldn't stop him now.

"Mr. Choi," he snarled, "I want every man in this complex on alert watching for Mason. He must not interfere." Pak glared at Choi a few more seconds then abruptly motioned for him to leave. Pak was waiting for his engineers to announce the next test firing. "After that," he mused, "I must select exactly the right moment for the next strike before announcing my ultimatum to the world."

Choi was still on uncertain terms with Pak and had been relentlessly driving his contacts throughout South Korea in an effort to locate Skipper and Patti. Since they hadn't shown up in California he assumed they were still in Korea.

Fortune smiled on him as a Chun Chon taxi driver reported taking an American fare from the Sam Cho Ri Hotel to the Korean Army Post in Chun Chon. Oddly, his "meegook" passenger also spoke fluent Korean. The driver needed money badly and could almost feel it in his pocket as he drove away from the front gate.

Armed with the driver's information Choi almost tripped over himself in his haste to gather a squad of men, then he left for Chun Chon immediately after reporting to Pak. If he found Mason at the hotel he'd kill him. If he found Patti he wasn't about to tell Pak if he could help it. Patti White would be his tonight!

Bert poured another cup of coffee and stood in the kitchen listening to Mary play the piano in the den. It was almost bedtime and Bert wondered if it was about to be bedtime for the whole damn world. Bert couldn't put off his boss forever. But until he heard from Skipper all he could do was wait.

Darkness began invading the east side of the mountain. A ROK Army Special Forces Mountain Team worked its way up the cliff just under the ascending line of darkness. Across the valley Major Cho would wait another fifteen minutes before committing his forces to the assault on the monastery. He would time his assault to just precede the team's arrival on their side of the monastery.

His instructions were crystal clear. Allow no one to escape. When the monastery had been secured he was to pull his men back to a safe distance while the ROK Special Forces Black Berets took whatever further steps would be necessary.

Major Cho had been personally selected for this operation by General Kim and he wouldn't let the general down. His best combat troops were up front and his mortars were already trained on the only access road. They'd turn the blacktop into rice paddies before allowing anyone to escape by that route.

Skipper and the Black Berets were just twenty meters below the monastery wall. He could clearly see two guards walking slowly back and forth, looking cold and nervous. Skipper guessed they'd been instructed to expect something or someone. He smiled grimly. After his previous visit they had every right to be worried.

Plans for the assault had been quickly drawn together and Skipper wanted to be sure nothing went wrong from this end. He verified the plan of action with Captain Yun, the Black Beret leader.

"Captain Yun," Skipper whispered, "have the men ready when the assault on the other side begins. It will be any minute now."

"Ara-sumne-da! (I understand, Sir!)" Quietly, he fired off rapid orders to his lieutenant, then turned back to Skipper, who continued,

"I'll initiate our attack by taking out the guards up there. You follow my lead, okay?"

"Ara-sumne-da!"

Captain Yun was a tough, capable officer who knew his men and his job. He was a professional soldier and a combat veteran who seemed to live only for his team. He'd been carefully briefed and on hearing Skipper's background had decided to test this American. So far Skipper had passed with flying colors. The captain and his men were rapidly gaining respect for him.

Skipper tightened the silencer on his MAC 11. The guards would be dispatched quickly and quietly when the time came. Just a few more minutes.

Below, in the valley facing the monastery, General Kim arrived at Major Cho's position a few minutes before the assault was to begin. The general had the hard-looking, ramrod-straight image men clamor to follow. He was as smart and as hard as he looked.

At first he'd been ambivalent about supporting Skipper, thinking Pak to be only a harmless religious fanatic. That changed when Skipper explained that Pak had been responsible for the Matsue disaster and that Matsue was probably only a dress rehearsal for Pak's attempt to overthrow the South Korean Government. Kim had quickly realized the grave danger to national security if Skipper was right and he'd received presidential approval for this mission within twenty minutes. Skipper hinted that Pak had achieved the Matsue disaster by a new kind of poison gas, but left even that somewhat misleading information vague.

Major Cho saluted smartly, then asked "General Kim, Sir. Would you honor us and take command of the operation?"

General Kim wisely and politely refused. "No, Major Cho. The honor is yours. You were chosen for this mission. I'd be remiss not to allow you to carry it out."

This did great honor to Cho who visibly swelled with pride.

The second hand on Cho's watch ticked straight up and he barked the order to commence the assault.

The first wave of troops began moving toward the monastery's perimeter and sporadic firing was soon heard, followed by several explosions. Then a steady increase of small arms and machine-gun fire filled the air.

The first battle reports began filtering in to Cho's command post almost immediately. Scattered anti-personnel mines were encountered close to the wall but caused few casualties. The motor pool was taken with the loss of one defender but no government troops.

Skipper heard the first gunshots and motioned for the team to prepare. At the first explosion he was ready. The two guards had moved close to one another and two rapid shots from his silenced weapon dropped both of them with hardly a sound. Without hesitation the Black Beret team followed Skipper over the wall and into the compound.

They divided into several smaller groups, some moving toward the front gate while several more secured the higher defensive vantage points at the east end of the compound.

Skipper took three men and dove into the buildings and tunnels in search of Pak. Sounds of fighting rang out from all points of the compound and the halls echoed with shouts and gunfire.

Kicking open the massive doors outside which he'd killed a guard on his last visit, Skipper dove and rolled across the floor, then fired at a lone sentry at the other end of the huge room. The man lurched backward against a door and slid slowly to the floor leaving a smear of blood on the wood behind him. Skipper quickly looked around. Satisfied, he signaled for the others to follow.

Moving the dead guard aside Skipper found the heavy door locked. A quick search of the guard's body failed to produce a key, but it was only a minor problem easily solved by the Black Beret demolitions expert. The "demo man" molded a small amount of C4 plastic explosive onto the doorjamb near the lock, signaled the others to take cover, lit the fuse and dove for safety himself.

Just as they plugged their ears the door splintered apart in a nerve-shattering bang and the three ROK soldiers actually beat Skipper through it. They'd been told to protect him and had been chagrined that this American had twice managed to precede them into the face of danger. These hardened troops were impressed with the way Skipper accounted for himself. He'd won their respect and they were proud to fight alongside him.

Skipper followed them into Pak's inner office. It was empty but they heard the hum of the elevator motor begin. Not knowing whether it would make any difference Skipper fired a burst from the MAC 11 at the door, then ran over and placed his ear against it. The elevator was still running.

Mentally going over the monastery's layout Skipper guessed the elevator ascended to the helipad carved into the mountainside above. Deep inside the mountain the old military walkie-talkie radios carried by the Koreans were useless so Skipper dispatched two of the ROK soldiers to notify Major Cho of an escape attempt by helicopter. With the third soldier standing guard Skipper searched the office -- no need to worry too much about the helicopter because there was a ROK Army Cobra attack helicopter standing by for just such a possibility. They shouldn't get far.

Pak's desk was a mess. He'd apparently been caught off guard and had ransacked it to get all he could before running. Papers and other small items lay about the desk in total disarray. A lower drawer was completely out and upended on the floor. Beneath where the drawer had been a small floor safe stood open. It was empty.

As Skipper sifted through the clutter under the desk a small dark object laying on the floor near the elevator door caught his attention. He picked it up - Microfilm. Pak probably intended to take it with him and had dropped it as he ran for the elevator. Quickly Skipper headed toward the door to leave the office. Then, on second thought, he turned and punched the call button on the elevator. The door slid open, scraping noisily where his .380 rounds had punctured it. The elevator was empty and Skipper, suspecting booby traps, warned the soldier with him not to use it, nor to let anyone else use it. Leaving the soldier to guard Pak's office, Skipper went out into the hallway.

The soldiers he'd sent to warn the command post about Pak's probable escape met him in the long corridor outside the main hall.

"Sir! The fighting's stopped and the compound's been secured. Major Cho notified us that the helicopter has been shot down several kilometers to the southwest." The reporting soldier saluted smartly.

Skipper was relieved. "Thank you," he said. "Go back and notify Major Cho that I'll conduct a search of the compound before I leave."

The soldier saluted again and ran down the corridor.

Skipper hoped to find the Roacherian Effect device and destroy it before anyone else learned of it's existence. He also wanted to find a projector and learn what was on the film. If Pak had the film here in his headquarters he undoubtedly had the means to read it as well.

"Do Ju Nim! We're being attacked by the Army!" Pak's guard commander yelled into the telephone. "We've been surrounded."

"Fight you fool," screamed Pak. "Defend this temple with your lives. If you fail you will surely die a slow and agonizing death. I will activate my machine and save us all. Just buy me some time."

"Yes, Do Ju Nim." The commander turned to his Lieutenant and ordered a suicidal counter attack.

Pak was unprepared for this. He'd expected Mason to come after him and was prepared for that. But the Army? Pak decided to relocate until it was safe to return. He ordered his helicopter made ready to fly and quickly gathered what he needed to make good his escape. In his small safe he had nearly five hundred thousand dollars American in cashiers checks and cash. He divested himself of his traditional garb under which he wore street attire and, from the top of his desk, he snatched the small roll of microfilm containing the plans for the Roacherian Effect Device. He hastily stuffed it into his pocket as he ran for the elevator. He didn't notice that the film fell out of his pocket as he withdrew his hand.

The blast from the outer office door sent a shower of splinters through the closing elevator door causing Pak to shudder. If the government troops hadn't reached the helipad he may yet escape. The elevator started moving and two bullets punched through the door near his feet and imbedded themselves in the opposite wall. Seconds later the express-speed elevator came to an abrupt stop leaving Pak's stomach suspended with a weightless feeling as the damaged door screeched open. He lurched forward at a run and his waiting helicopter began lifting off before Pak even had the door closed.

His plan was to slip out of the country through the sea port of Inchon. As a crew member on board one of the many tramp steamers he could leave Korea and enter Hong Kong virtually unnoticed. To fly would attract too much attention from the authorities.

His thoughts were disrupted when the helicopter jolted suddenly and spun wildly toward the earth. He screamed at the pilot, ordering him to continue flying but the man was too busy to answer. Seconds later they crashed, still upright, in the snow amid a few small trees. The chopper tilted over and sat at a drunken angle as smoke began to fill the cabin. The pilot was alive, but a broken tree limb protruded grotesquely from his chest and he was staring blankly through the broken plexiglass, his hands still moving the controls. Pak gathered his wits, abandoned the injured pilot and raced down the hillside toward the road, his arms and legs flailing the air.

Skipper located a microfilm reader in a laboratory down another corridor even deeper into the mountain. Within seconds he was looking at frame after frame of engineering designs and equations, all of which bore the names of Dr. Roach and Intertech Electronics International at the bottom. Skipper pocketed the film and continued searching. In the next room he found it.

For a moment Skipper thought he'd stepped onto a movie set from the famous 1939 version of "Frankenstein" starring Boris Karloff. Boris would have felt right at home with this machine which spread out over several hundred square feet of floor space. "It'd be funny if it wasn't the instrument of so much tragedy," Skipper said aloud.

Also in the room were a complete set of plans, several dead guards and two technicians being held at gunpoint by Captain Yun, two of his Black Berets and several regular soldiers. The technicians were vociferously insisting they had been forced to operate the machine and that they hadn't wanted to kill all those people in Matsue. Suddenly one of them grabbed a rifle from the hands of a young soldier and turned it on Skipper.

Captain Yun opened fire. The staccato chatter of the M-16 rifle echoed in the mountain laboratory and both technicians were dead before they hit the floor.

The atmosphere in the room became a smoky stunned silence. Without Yun's quick reactions Skipper would be dead. Yun took a deep breath and nodded to Skipper.

Skipper took the captain aside.

"Thank you for saving my life, Captain. I have to ask another favor of you."

"Yes, certainly, Mr. Mason."

"Captain, this machine has killed too many people already. I want to destroy it and I also want to destroy these plans so that no one else can ever make a machine like this again. Will you let me?"

"I saw nothing inside this room Mr. Mason and neither have my men. Those other soldiers will say nothing. It would appear that whatever caused the massacre in Japan was not here or it was hidden and we failed to find it. I have no idea what might have caused the explosion that is about to happen." Captain Yun turned and spoke to the other soldiers, who snapped to attention and saluted before double-timing from the room. After speaking briefly with his own men he turned to Skipper. "Deal?"

Skipper looked searchingly at the other black berets in the room. Each man answered his gaze with a nod of agreement.

"Deal," he said, shaking the captain's outstretched hand.

He and Captain Yun assisted the demo man in placing enough explosives throughout the device to make the largest remaining piece the size of an anemic jelly bean. After burning the plans and the microfilm in a trash can Skipper set the detonation timer to go off in 45 minutes then ran out with the others. They where the last ones to leave the underground complex.

Trucks had arrived and were already transporting the last of the soldiers and prisoners back down the mountain. General Kim and Major Cho were on hand as well. After quickly briefing the two Skipper joined them in their staff car. They were the last vehicle off the mountain. As the car sped down the road behind the convoy of trucks Skipper heard the explosion rumble deep within the mountain behind him.

"Stop the car! Look." General Kim was looking over the back seat toward the mountain.

Skipper turned and watched sadly as the top of the once beautiful mountain began collapsing.

Pak had done extensive tunneling while building his underground complex, adding several miles of passageways and large rooms to the already existing cave formations. This, coupled with shoddy engineering, questionable construction techniques and substandard materials had become the beginning of the end for the old monastery.

The relatively small amount of explosives used to destroy the Roacherian Effect device shook the already weak structures enough to form huge cracks through the concrete and subterranean rock strata. This in turn caused the supporting structures to shift, crumble and collapse. In a growing chain reaction the middle of the mountain caved in on itself upsetting the larger and still solid structure above. Tipping precariously the huge piece of mountain moved and slid forward, gaining speed and incalculable force before smashing down on the ancient Buddhist monastery. Within seconds the beautiful old monastery was a smoking rubble and the entrance to the now destroyed laboratory and the Roacherian Effect Device was sealed forever.

Choi hid in a rented car as his men approached the Sam Cho Ri Hotel. He'd instructed them not to harm the blond American girl in any way. Anyone else was fair game.

Like most Koreans the nine members of the Lee family guarding Skipper and Patti were unarmed but they were well trained and fearless. Like their relative now living in the United States all were fairly high ranking black belts. Seven of the nine served with the Korean Army Paratroopers, the other two were Marines. None were asleep when Choi's fifteen thugs jumped out of a truck and ran up the hotel steps.

Shouting an alarm the two Lee men guarding the entrance charged the onrushing attackers, quickly dispatching three of them before being joined by the rest of the Lee contingent. As more Lee men waded into the fray the attackers' advance was slowed to a standstill and only one of Choi's thugs managed to get past them into the lobby. He was followed closely by Lee's nephew.

Mr. Lee and his wife heard the shouting and hurried from their room into the lobby.

Knowing her husband must protect Patti, Mrs. Lee pushed her husband in the direction of Patti's room. Turning back like a tigress she threw herself at Choi's man who had begun savagely beating her nephew with a club.

The man Mrs. Lee rushed to attack was astonished to see this slight, elderly woman coming at him. Slowed by age and arthritis she was utterly unable to defend herself as he awkwardly struck her across the temple with the club, driving her to the floor.

Reaching Patti's room Mr. Lee looked back down the hall and saw his wife laying motionless in the lobby.

Her nephew took advantage of the momentary distraction provided by his aunt to deliver a powerful scoop kick, snapping the attackers knee like a dry stick. Then he pulled the man's head down, breaking his nose and cheekbones with a knee strike and sending him to the floor like a load of wet laundry.

Pushing his sense of duty ahead of his grief Lee resolutely continued along the path his honor demanded he follow. Together he and Patti climbed out a rear window and made their way around the hotel.

As they reached the main road a car slid to a stop in front of them. Patti turned to run but Skipper's voice turned her around. Skipper listened to Lee's rapid-fire Korean as Patti ran back. As she reached him he quickly guided her gently but firmly into the car then quickly kissed her. Giving Lee instructions in Korean Patti didn't understand Skipper and one of the ROK Black Beret Sergeants who'd accompanied him ran toward the hotel. The other ROK soldier stayed in the car with Patti and Mr. Lee. Patti began to cry as Lee put the car in gear and drove away from his hotel toward Seoul.

* *

Pak had escaped the helicopter crash and was still at large. Skipper was counting on the authorities to find him -- but not too much. Before he died the pilot had revealed that Pak's destination was Inchon.

Now it seemed that either Pak or his men had found him even if they didn't know it yet. And Skipper truly didn't like the way Paks friends were abusing the Lees hospitality. With Patti safely on her way to Seoul he was free to deal with whoever had come to Chun Chon to find him.

Skipper couldn't miss the car with its parking lights on stopped near the entrance to the hotel. Inside a male figure was gesturing wildly and yelling commands out the window; obviously the leader of the raiding party. As Skipper crept closer two-toned police horns suddenly blared in the lane behind him.

Choi turned in surprise and found himself staring into Skipper's eyes through the side window of the car. His face contorting in rage Choi raised his pistol but a short burst from the MAC 11 in Skipper's hands made the rage disappear. At such close range it made Choi's whole face disappear.

In the brief instant before firing Skipper recognized Pak's second in command, Dae Suk Choi, from General Kim's file photos.

Hearing the gunfire and police horns behind them the remainder of Choi's men began to run.

Within minutes the scene was relatively calm. The Lee family was well respected by the local authorities and they and the ROK Black Beret Sergeant vouched for Skipper. A phone call from General Kim to the local chief of police guaranteed Skipper could do no wrong in Korea. Within an hour Skipper and his Sergeant caught a cab from police headquarters in Chun Chon and started for Seoul. Skipper was bone tired and from experience knew he should take every opportunity for a few minutes sleep. The soldier automatically understood and motioned for Skipper to sleep; he'd stand this watch.

* *

Stopping by the front desk at the Seoul Plaza Skipper arranged for an adjoining room for his two Black Beret Sergeants. He had a feeling he may need them around awhile yet. They were proving valuable.

Neither of the two tough Black Berets had ever in their lives been surrounded by such opulence even though theirs was only a standard room at the Seoul Plaza with two double beds. They stood very still in the middle of the room, surreptitiously glancing around and at each other. They were not about to complain about being "forced" to stay here...especially after Skipper explained room service and told them to order anything they wanted. When Skipper left they went berserk ordering from room service then spent the next ten minutes jumping up and down on the Western style beds and hitting each other with the fluffy pillows.

Skipper didn't know what to say to Mr. Lee who was sitting in the corner of the room with his head down looking disconsolate. Then it suddenly it dawned on Skipper that Lee probably thought his wife had died in the attack on their hotel. Although she'd suffered a slight concussion and a small laceration on the side of her head which would keep her in the hospital overnight, she was okay. She had received the most serious injury in the family. Choi's men hadn't fared as well.

"Mr. Lee," Skipper said, "your wife is at Kangwon-Do Hospital. She has a headache but she'll be happy to see you when you arrive. I can't hope to repay you for all your help but please take the car and return home now."

Lee lit up like a Christmas tree and bolted across the room to the door. Catching himself he turned to Skipper with a bow, a handshake and a word of thanks. Shaking Lee's hand with both of his, as is proper Korean etiquette, Skipper quietly stuffed a wad of large denomination won notes in Lee's pocket, "for gas money." Then he made sure Mr. Lee had the car keys and wished him well.

Skipper smiled and turned to Patti. A wave of fatigue passed over him, invading every fiber of his being. Patti was sitting on the bed and Skipper lay down next to her, putting his arm across her lap. She started to say how glad she was he was back but as she looked at him she saw he was already asleep. She carefully lifted his arm, placed a pillow under his head and lay down next to him. A worried sort of smile played briefly across her face as she snuggled closer to him and drifted off to sleep.

Pak reached the road and managed to flag down one of the many overcrowded buses which transport Koreans between cities. Six-and-a-half hours later after stopping at every little town, village, roadside vendor and interesting pot hole his bus arrived in the Inchon harbor area. Soon he would be on a boat and out of the country. He had only to make the right connections and Pak was very good at making the right connections .

Calling in favors and giving orders to a few of his local followers he had a new identity and a new passport within three hours. Palms were heavily greased and he landed a berth as an able-bodied seaman on a tramp steamer heading for Hong Kong. The captain knew not to bother his new hand or expect anything from him.

Pak didn't think Skipper would wait long before going to Hong Kong, thinking the business card and safe-deposit box key would be burning a hole in his pocket. He felt sure that before long Mason would show up at the bank and Pak planned to be waiting for him. With luck Mason would have the microfilm as well. The tramp steamer would take several days to plow its way from Korea to Hong Kong but it was better than getting caught.

Eight hours later Pak was so seasick he was sure he'd die. He swore that if by some miracle he survived, Mason would die for putting him through this agony. Modern medicine in the form of Dramamine came to his aid before long but he maintained the ruse as a convenient excuse for remaining in his cabin.

In the restaurant, Skipper leaned on his elbows staring into space.

Patti reached out and touched his hand, "Skipper, is it going to go on and on? When will all this end?"

She was worried and it showed in her eyes and the little lines in her lovely face. The strain was evident, as were the new strands of white in her golden hair. She and Skipper had talked about what had happened and she was beginning to deal with it a little better but was still very frightened.

For the first time in her life something terrible didn't happen to the "other guy," it had happened to her. It was as though she'd lost her innocence. Her trust in the basic goodness and rightness of the world had been damaged. The world had become a more dangerous and uncertain place. Her faith in herself and her ability to handle any situation had been shaken badly. Long talks with a counselor would help her process through the experience and "get it together" again but it was going to take time, lots of it, and she knew she'd never quite return to the state of mind she'd enjoyed before her abduction.

Skipper jumped perceptibly as he came back to the present. "What? Oh, uh, I'm sorry, I was thinking. No, I think it's over now.

"Tomorrow we'll do some sightseeing here in Korea. Do you remember Grandmaster Lee telling you about the Korean number one treasure, the Pulguska Buddhist Temple, and about the history of the Warrior Keumgang from another Buddhist Temple, Sokkuram Cave? We'll go and visit both of those tomorrow if you want."

"Oh, yes! I'd like that," Patti answered, with more interest than she'd shown in anything since her abduction.

"Great. The next day we're flying to Hong Kong for a few days and then it's off around the world." He smiled. "You deserve it and I need the rest. No expense spared, first class all the way." Skipper kissed her hand and hoped she couldn't see through his facade. He hated hiding the truth from her but he was sure she couldn't handle it right now. When they got back home would be soon enough. Hiding it from her helped Skipper shore up his own defenses. He had to be strong for them both right now.

Later that night he called Bert. "Bert? Skipper here. Yeah, everything's fine. Quiet down and listen. I got your package but I don't have the thief and there's an off chance he may have a duplicate."

Bert was instantly elated and just as quickly shot down. "Oh, crud. So what do we do now Skipper? The "powers that be" want answers, son. After the Matsue deal they went ballistic. What am I supposed to tell them now? Come on, pal, give me something to go on."

"I'd like to think it's all over but there are too many loose ends," Skipper said, dousing Bert's hopes. "All the airports and harbors are being watched for Pak but I've got a nasty feeling he'll probably slip through the net and get out of the country anyway -- if that's his plan."

"What other plan do you think he might have?" Bert asked.

"Well, the flip side of the coin is that Pak doesn't have a copy of the plans but may think I do and come after me. I don't know. I think it's just as likely Pak still has a copy and left the one we found to buy himself some time.

"Okay. As for your bosses," Skipper was thinking fast now. "I've totally destroyed the machine and the plans I found here. Tell 'em that. Also tell 'em there's always the off chance that Pak still has a copy. He's on the run but I'm close and I'll get him. I know it'll be tough but they've just gotta sit tight. Tell 'em you okayed me to take a vacation in Hong Kong 'cause that's where I think I'll find him. I have reason to believe he'll show up at a certain bank there looking for more cash and I should be able to nail him when he does.

"And, Bert -- I want Patti to think this thing's over. She can't take much more and I'm not at all sure it's safe to send her home yet. It makes it a little tougher but I'll keep her with me. Got all that?"

"Okay Skip. But I sure hope you land our boy soon. And be careful for cryminee sakes. You're lucky to be alive now and I'll be honest, Skipper, you're scarin' me. I want a friend, not a memory, okay?"

"Thanks, Bert. Love to Mary and I'll give your best to Patti." Skipper hung up before Bert had the chance to get any more blubbery.

Bert was a little embarrassed by his outburst but then he thought, "Aw, what the heck. He knows how I feel about him and he's my best danged friend in the world I got him into this mess and I'm worryin' myself into an early grave over it. I've got every right in the world to say things like that, so to heck with him."

He knew Skipper never gave up on a case until it was completely wrapped up regardless of the personal danger and this particular case was infinitely more important than anything either of them had ever tackled before. Skipper was the type to see it finished to the last detail or die in the process. Bert shuddered at the thought, shook his almost full head of rapidly thinning and greying hair and went to give the "powers that be" the latest news.