Line of Succession

As the Vice-President campaigns against covert operations and Governor Michael Princippi pledges to target black-budget projects, letters signed Tulip expose CURE to both nominees. Tulip recruits Jalid's Hezbollah group and later Antonio Serrano's Eastie Goombahs to attack the candidates. Remo and Chiun stop several attempts; apparent bodyguards Adonis and a masked ninja also intervene while claiming presidential authority, but the source never establishes that the President sent them. In a meeting with Smith, the figure using the Eileen Mikulka appearance says the real Eileen is alive and locked in a patient room, then shifts into Adonis. Later, Smith identifies Tulip, Adonis and the ninja master as one adversary. The narration identifies him as Jeremiah Purcell, called the Dutchman, and learns Purcell accessed the Sinanju histories; the source leaves the scrolls' exact contents and eventual fate uncertain.

Back in Sinanju, Remo's wedding to Mah-Li is interrupted when Jilda arrives with Freya, his previously unknown daughter. Mah-Li leaves the ceremony and is later found dead. Chiun eventually concludes Purcell killed her, citing the flawed throat blow and the red tear, but the killing is not shown. Purcell abducts Freya and stages an apparent death; he later says she is alive in a steamer trunk, and Remo finds her by hearing her heartbeat and lifts her out. Purcell escapes Sinanju after using illusions to make the villagers appear as him. Remo pursues him to Saint Martin, where Purcell's apparent victory and destruction of the world prove to be illusions after his mind breaks. Remo captures Purcell alive, but Chiun says Purcell's mind has gone and the aftermath is not shown.

Purcell hires former CIA assassin Herm Accord to disrupt the televised debate. Remo and Chiun stop Accord's concealed-camera attack. The candidates resume the debate and endorse a continuing role for counterintelligence; Smith concludes CURE will continue. At the cemetery, Jilda refuses to join Remo while he remains in CURE, but leaves Freya's future training open if she and Remo wish it when the time comes. Chiun has signed Remo to two more years of service, and Remo returns to the work while still grieving Mah-Li.