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outlaw lover in history。 And such plans he had had； to embellish and add glitter to the outlaw part of it！ Wister robbing the Federal Reserve Bank had been the least of his PR projections。 He could have made it all soar to greater and greater heights。 He could have had every law…enforcement agency in the world； every one of them from Nazi Interpol right on down to the meanest town cop； absolutely baying on Wister's trail and slavering to catch him。 It would have ended with the biggest public execution man had ever known。 Wister would have been absolutely IMMORTAL！
Then he brightened up。 He could do the same thing here if he had a chance。 That the man's real name was Heller made no difference in his plans。 He was tireless enough to simply scrub his other work and start anew。 They had Domestic Police。 They had the Army Division。 And even if the Fleet might be lukewarm at first； he could heat them up。 If he worked this right； he would have the whole Apparatus behind him。
He began to daydream in the dim and empty hall： headlines about Heller robbing the estates of Lords and giving the proceeds to the poor； Heller robbing spaceships； 18…point type； Heller kidnapping the daughter of some earl or duke and story after story of her pleading with him piteously to be raped…how the public would LOVE it！ Headlines of Heller robbing every bank on every planet of the entire Confederacy； each one with a new twist； each one with new blood； each one with new staggering amounts of loot being given to the poor。 What a hero he would be！ Heller； the most hunted outlaw in 125；000 years！ Confederacy history！ MAGNIFICENT！
Then he had another idea： He could hyphenate Heller's name。 He could call him Heller…Wister and rake in and rake over ALL the earlier stories； spreading them throughout the entire Confederacy。 No； his earlier work was NOT lost…it was only being amplified！
Ah； now he was getting somewhere。 And he could safely begin to dream the greatest dream of all： Madison walking up to Bury in a sort of offhand way； 〃Well； Mr。 Bury； I finally finished a job for you。 Heller…Wister is immortal。〃 And Mr。 Bury would take him by the hand； tears of gratitude sparkling in his eyes and in a voice charged with emotion say； 〃Madison； you are restored to grace。 Please； please accept the presidency of F。 F。 B。 O。 and please forgive me for ever doubting you for a second。 Never again will I chase you in army tanks！〃
The glow faded。 A chill wind blew in the hall。 The reality of the situation was that； right now； if Bury even caught sight of him； even providing he could get home； he would be stood up against a wall and shot。 It was death if he did not succeed with Heller…Wister。 Death without even the fort of a blindfold or cigarette： it was a good thing he didn't smoke。
A bit of the rock music from down below beat for a moment more loudly against the floor。 The rhythm sounded so much like Earth that it gave him pause。 He began to get a sort of hunted feeling： Bury was sort of supernatural…maybe he could even reach him here！ When he thought of possible links between Rockecenter and Lombar； he began to shiver。 Oh； it was surely death indeed if he did not somehow get to work on Heller…Wister！
The current guard shifted position slightly and the axe emitted a puff of ozone。 It brought his mind to Teenie。
Up to now he had been thinking that if he went upstairs and went to bed with her； she would then help him。 He realized she had made no guarantees of that whatever。 All she had promised was that if he went upstairs and slept with her； he would not be executed at dawn！
It was a problem wherein if he did he would die because of his mother and if he didn't he would die because of Bury。 It wouldn't help him at all to go up there。
Obviously； this required some other solution！
He was usually good at getting ideas and had always been proud that； because of the Oedipus plex； he was a genius at it。 But tonight his mind seemed bankrupt。
He glanced at his Omega wristwatch。 He had been sitting here for two hours！ What a long time for him just to sit without getting a single constructive idea！ He took a grip on himself。 After all； he was a PR man； a true…blue professional。
He would be orderly。 He would now skim over everything Teenie had said to him since the moment he found her by the pool。 It didn't take long。 He tried it again。
Suddenly he stiffened in his chair。
HE HAD IT！
If it didn't work； he would only be dead anyway。
IF IT DID； HE COULD FINISH HIS JOB ON HELLER…WISTER！
Madison looked up at the guard。 Calmly； keeping all signs of elation out of his voice so the guard would suppose him to be operating in defeat； he said； 〃Take me upstairs to your mistress。〃
OH； GOD； THIS HAD TO WORK！
PART SEVENTY…THREE
Chapter 1
The guard hissed sharply into a microphone disguised as a silver button。
Instantly a sergeant sped into the huge hall。 He looked at Madison's guard； who jerked a thumb toward the stairs； and the sergeant nodded。
With a clank and a rattle they struck off Madison's chains。 He stood up and rubbed his wrists and neck。
They thrust him into a washroom and made him strip and bathe。 They inspected him。 Intimately。
〃He doesn't seem to have any lice or bacteria；〃 said the original guard； gazing critically at Madison； 〃but he's not well equipped。 I don't see how he can give her a good time。〃
〃Well； listen you；〃 said the sergeant to Madison； suddenly flicking a knife out of the back of his silver coat； 〃if you don't act nice and give her a good （bleep）； I'll personally use this to cut your （bleeps） off。 Is that understood？〃
Madison gulped； covered his （bleeps） protectively with his hand and backed up。
They threw a white silk robe on him that still bore a Royal crest and the words Property of Queen Hora。 Do not use this robe for burial。 Return it to palace in undamaged condition。
〃Now； what's the proper protocol？〃 the guard asked the sergeant。 〃I don't for the life of me recall whether my grandfather said to deliver the man in shackles or gold ropes。〃
〃Neither one；〃 said the sergeant。 〃It was a collar and a gold leading chain。 Why； there's one of them right over on that shelf。〃 He got it and looked at it。 〃What do you know？ It isn't true the collar had spikes inside it。 My grandmother must have made that up。 See； look here；〃 he showed the guard。 〃It's an electric wire。 And see here； there's the activating button at the end of the chain。 Oh； no！ Its power pack is dead。 No sparks。〃
〃Hey； lucky！〃 said the guard； gazing into the power recess in a link。 〃It's the same type we use in our boot toes。 Here； I'll take the one out of my left boot。〃 He did so； and when they tested the collar again； it sparked when the button on the end of the chain was pressed。
They put it on Madison。
〃Now；〃 said the sergeant； 〃if I heard right； the protocol is； you lead him in； bow； and when the queen puts out her hand； you place the chain handle in it； and I think you say； 'Your Majesty； here is one to do your bidding： pray thee； if he does not please thee； I shall be right outside the door with an electric whip。' 〃
〃We haven't got an electric whip；〃 said the guard。
〃Well； you can't go changing protocol；〃 said the sergeant。 〃Don't you go shifting words around。 You keep t