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〃Well； I'm not giving any over a viewer…phone； no matter what authority you've got。 Tell your driver to land you at Camp Endurance。〃 He clicked off。
Flick； up and around now； went into a deeper gloom。 〃I knew it would happen sooner or later： you been ordered to Camp Kill。 They'll simply take us out of the car and throw us in the chasm。 That's what they do with criminals the Apparatus can no longer use。〃 And he would have gone off to bid the staff farewell if Madison hadn't grabbed his arm and shoved him toward the hangar。
Far above the traffic lanes； at six hundred miles an hour； they went over the mountains； crossed the Great Desert with its dust dancers and； after a harsh challenge； were permitted to land at the camp。
Troops were marching here and there and for some time the three of them simply sat in the landing area； unapproached。
〃They're getting the execution squad ready；〃 Flick told Cun。 〃They will probably rape you first。 Then over we go。 I've just got time to re…re…reform so I can go to my death thinking about Hightee Heller。〃
Cun hit him。
A smart young officer； followed by a squad； came out to the car。 He looked somehow different than others who were around。 His squad came to a military halt； very precise。 The officer leaned in the window。 〃I'm Captain Snelz。〃 By chance of changing duty rosters； it was the very same man who had been the fast friend of Heller and the Countess Krak。 〃Is your name Madison？〃
Flick cowered back and Madison had to reach over and get his identoplate； just used in the slot。 Snelz looked at it。 He clicked the buttons on the back。
〃Hello； hello；〃 said Snelz。 〃Unlimited pay status？ Well； it just so happens the canteen is on the way and you won't mind setting up some drinks for me and the squad before we proceed。 I'm your escort。〃
Madison got out。 The hot desert wind hit him。 He stared at the huge black bulk of the castle and then he felt himself being pushed along。 〃Wait a minute；〃 he said。 〃I am supposed to see Lombar Hisst's chief clerk； not attend a military review。 What is this place？〃
Snelz said； 〃You must be new in the Apparatus not to know this is Spiteos。 Where are you from？〃
〃Earth；〃 said Madison。
〃Earth？〃 said Snelz。 〃You mean Blito…P3？〃
〃That's what they call it here；〃 said Madison。 〃The right name is Earth。〃
〃Hmm；〃 said Snelz。
They got to the canteen and Snelz ordered tup all around。 When he had washed the desert dust out of his throat； he said； 〃By any chance did you run into an officer named Jettero Heller on Earth？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Madison。 〃One of my dearest friends。〃
〃Hmm；〃 said Snelz。 〃How is he？〃
〃Oh； splendid； splendid；〃 said Madison。
〃You didn't e back here with him； did you？〃 said Snelz。
〃No； I'm afraid I didn't have that pleasure；〃 said Madison。
〃Then you know his lady；〃 said Snelz。
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Madison。 〃Lovely person。〃
〃What does she look like？〃 said Snelz。 〃Just to make sure we're talking about the same person。〃
〃Oh； lovely； lovely；〃 said Madison。 〃Very lovely。〃
〃But； confidentially；〃 said Snelz； 〃didn't you think she was a little short for him？ I mean； a girl only five feet two when Heller is six feet six。〃
〃Oh； I thought her slightness was one of her most charming features；〃 said Madison。
〃Well； drink up；〃 said Snelz； 〃and I'll run you on through to the chief clerk。〃 Other than that； Snelz didn't seem to have much more to say； which was not strange； now that he knew Madison was a fake。
Madison paid for the drinks and they got onto a zip…bus and were shortly speeding through the tunnels。 They got out and made their way to an elevator。 They sped to the high tower where Lombar had his main clerical office； and Snelz pushed Madison in and posed himself and his squad in the passageway to wait。
The criminal old chief clerk frowned at Madison。 〃I know you have a blanket order。 You probably think； by seeing me； you can get to see the chief。。。。〃
〃No；〃 said Madison。 〃Actually； I want to see you。 I know very well that chief clerks really run things。〃
〃Well； you're the first one to ever mention that！ What can I do for you？〃
〃Two things。 As the Apparatus is actually an intelligence activity； I can only suppose that you have lots of information on people。 So the first one is； I want to know if you have data on publishers and editors。〃
〃Blackmail； you mean。 It's a fact that we have informers in their houses and in their offices； but it's a dry run。 We've tried for years to get something really good on them but all we hear about is just domestic spats。 Tiresome trash。 You won't find any twists。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 said Madison； 〃I want everything on every publisher and editor and everyone around them。〃
The old chief clerk shrugged； called another clerk and led Madison to the central data console。
With the clerk operating it； they shortly had torrents of printouts ing from the machine。
After a while the chief clerk came over。 〃You remind me of Gris。 He sneaked in here one day and ran this machine totally out of paper。〃
〃It's important；〃 said Madison。
〃It's trash；〃 said the chief clerk。 He picked up a corner of the roll and in a snide voice read； 〃 'Lady Mithin this morning accused her husband of being an unreasonable boor when he plained the jolt was not hot。' I can see you now trying to blackmail Noble Mithin； publisher of the Voltar Vigilant； with that！〃
Madison suddenly found himself looking at reports from informers； doormen and such； who had noted his calls on publishers the day before。 Yes； the Apparatus ran quite a network。 Well； he could run quite a network himself： he would have to see that proper false reports were fed into their system。
The paper eventually amounted to a formidable bale： the rolls had had to be replaced twice。
〃I hope that's all；〃 the old chief clerk said。
〃Well； no； it isn't；〃 said Madison。 〃Anywhere on Voltar or in the Confederacy； is there a real psychiatrist？〃
The old chief clerk shook his head。
〃A psychologist？〃 said Madison。
The old chief clerk shook his head again。
〃A psychoanalyst？〃 said Madison。 〃You know。 Somebody who handles mental illness？〃
〃Mental illness？〃 said the chief clerk； 〃That's a funny term。 Mental things don't have any germs or virus connected。。。 Wait。 I just remembered something。 What was that first word you used again？〃
〃Psychiatrist。〃
〃Aha； yes！ That crazy Doctor Crobe； when he came back from Blito…P3； was yapping about treating 'mental illness。' He was refusing to go back into his laboratory because he was now that funny word you just used。 He's right down on the first sub…level here。〃
〃Crobe？ Can I have him？〃
〃Oh； and wele；〃 said the chief clerk。 And he promptly wrote out the order of custody。
Chapter 6
Doctor Crobe was lying on a filthy operating table； obviously in a bit of a haze。
The rest of Snelz's squad had stayed outside； guarding the cart of printouts； but two of them and Snelz preceded Madison into the rooms。
Snelz punched at Crobe with a stinger a couple of times and the man writhed around； blinking。
The smell of the place hit Madison like a club。 Old dried blood and decayed tatters of flesh stained the floor and furniture。 He stared at the dirty doctor。
Suddenly； Madison recognized him。 Too long a nose； too long in limb； weirdly misshapen。 This was the same ma