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〃It certainly did；〃 I said。 〃And before you falsely accuse me of welshing on my own gang； look at this。 Once I found the gold vaults were beyond us； I grabbed what I could and ran。〃
I handed them the heavy sack of junk stones。
They spilled some of it on the table and stared at it。 And I will say this； it sure glittered in the glowlights。
〃Look at this！〃 said a pilot； holding up a big paste emerald。
〃Look at these！〃 said an engineer； pouring a handful of synthetic diamonds and flawed glass rubies from palm to palm。
〃They're all yours；〃 I said； grandly。 〃Divide them up amongst you any way you wish。 In appreciation of your loyal support and to pensate for no gold； you can keep every one。〃
With moist eyes； Captain Stabb said； 〃You're a great man； Gris； even if you are an officer！〃
There was no higher tribute from these pirate scum。
I went back to my room and grinned and grinned。
〃Gris；〃 I said to my image in the mirror as I undressed to take a well…earned sleep； 〃there is nothing that can stop you now。 All problems are just buzzing flies and with cunning and money； you can swat them。 Even Heller and Krak。〃
I lay down for my well…earned rest and dreamed dreams that were bloody and very sweet。
Chapter 4
I slept until all hours； making up for the high excitement of recent days。 I dressed in a new； red sports suit。 Musef was on duty。 Karagoz had a black eye and even though it was midafternoon； I got a breakfast in which the coffee was hot； the melon cold and the eggs were quite all right。
A marked change had occurred all around me。 It was wonderful。
Lacking； now； immediate plans； I thought I had better gather data。 It's a good excuse one can give oneself when he feels too smug and self…satisfied to do any real work for the moment。 Also； one likes to savor the suffering of those who are about to writhe in agony。
It was the first time I had had both viewers together。 But working two screens； I could get a much more precise idea of reactions and actions； for Krak would be looking at Heller from time to time and vice versa。
I got Krak's going first。 I didn't need the second viewer to see what she looked like today。 She was washing a window！ Her reflection in the glass was quite clear against the dingy morning of a smoggy New York day。 She had on space coveralls and her hair was tucked under one of Heller's baseball caps！
Something was moving to her right in the reflection。 The cat。 It was sitting on the desk washing its face。
Well； if getting busy to go home to Voltar meant washing office windows； I certainly was safe。 If I could just keep them slowed down long enough； keep them from doing anything effective； word would e one of these days that the Heller reports made no difference now and they could both be safely killed。 So wash away； Krak。 You're doing just fine。
There was something else behind her； somebody standing there motionlessly and staring at her back。
It was Izzy！
Krak； too； became aware of it。 She gave the window one last wipe and turned around。 Izzy backed up。 He sank down on the edge of a couch and started crying！
The Countess Krak said； 〃Why； Izzy。 What on Earth is wrong？〃
Izzy sobbed a while。 Then he said in a muffled voice； 〃You're too beautiful to have to live in an office。〃
Beautiful？ In space coveralls too big and a baseball cap too big？ What was Izzy up to now？ Some con； I wagered。 I waited with interest to see what it was。
Krak said； 〃But this is a beautiful office； Izzy。〃
〃No； no；〃 he said； 〃not beautiful enough for you。 You deserve a gorgeous apartment。〃
She seemed to think about it。 Then she said； 〃Well； I have a credit card。 Maybe I could rent one with that。〃
My hair went straight up！
Then Izzy said something that really warmed my heart。 I really realized what a sterling true…blue character he was after all。 〃No； no； no！ I am responsible for Mr。 Jet。 If any apartments are to be gotten； I will get them。 Please promise me you won't do that。 You wouldn't find anything beautiful enough for you。〃
I couldn't quite figure it out。 Was he angling for a mission or what？
On Heller's viewer； I had just been seeing elevators and halls。 But here was a view of the office。 He had just walked in。 He took a look at Izzy。 〃What's wrong？〃
Izzy was crying again on both viewers。 He was pointing helplessly at Krak。
Heller said to her； 〃Dear； would you please step into the 'thinking room' and clean it up。 Close the door so I can get to the bottom of this before he jumps off something again and beats me to it。〃
When Krak had closed the door； Heller said； 〃What's wrong； Izzy？〃
Izzy was mopping at his eyes with the heel of his palm。 〃The bartender thinks she must be a movie star or is about to be。 The model agency down the hall has been pestering me to get her to run for Miss America so they can have a contract to use her in the Coca…Cola ads。 Bang…Bang says she is the most beautiful woman on the planet。 And because I am a failure； I am forcing her to live here without any home at all。〃
〃Well；〃 said Heller； 〃buy a condo or something。〃
Izzy went into a fresh spasm of wailing。 Then he said； 〃That's the trouble。 We're barely making expenses on arbitrage。 IRS is boring in and we can't pay them。 And when I came in a little while ago and saw her again； I realized I was condemning her to squalor and poverty。 It drove the ruin home so hard I couldn't stand it！〃
Heller said； 〃Well； all right。 I'll go out and make some money。〃
Izzy amazed me。 Here he had led it all up to some perfect con。 But he leaped up in alarm； waving his arms。 〃No； no； no！ Don't try to persuade somebody to shoot at you again so you can collect the fee。 That's too dangerous！〃
Heller laughed。 He said； 〃I'll think of something else。〃
〃You're taking over my job and I deserve it。 But please； please promise me you won't do anything foolish！〃
〃I can only promise to try not to；〃 said Heller。
Krak came out of the other room； putting a pillow in its case。 Izzy instantly leaped for the door and fled。
〃What was that all about？〃 said Krak。
〃He thinks you're too beautiful；〃 said Heller。 〃But so do I。 Especially with the very best brand of New York soot on the end of your nose。〃
She threw the pillow at him。 He caught it and； on the pretext of giving it back； kissed her。 Both my viewers went FLASH！
But Heller did not hold her long。 He let go of her and wandered over to the bar。 She stood staring after him。 He picked up a newspaper somebody must have been reading and started going through it。
〃Money；〃 he was muttering to himself。 〃Money； money； money。 This planet doesn't run on an axis。 It runs on money！〃 He passed the ic page too fast to let me see what was happening to Bugs Bunny these days。
He stopped suddenly at an ad。 It said：
ATLANTIC CITY
WINTER CASINO PECTACULAR
5 Casino 5
EXTRAVAGANZA！
New Year's Bills Getting You Down？
RECOVER WITH ROULETTE
He looked up。 He said to Krak； 〃You're working too hard。 We're g