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It stayed shut！ 〃OPen！ ohPEN！ open！ OPEN； （BLEEP） IT！〃 A workman up in the flight deck yelled down； 〃Are you calling me？〃 I got out of there。
Maybe I could arrange a convincing air crash before tonight。 Maybe from ten thousand feet free fall！ That was all I could possibly afford。
Chapter 2
At nine o'clock that fatal night； the Countess Krak was smuggled out of the tug in a riot helmet and gas cape while Snelz and his guardsmen studiously paid attention only to their dice game in a corner of the darkened hangar。
The windows of the airbus were darkened。 My driver was nowhere to be seen。
Heller stopped by the dice game and said something to Snelz and then came sauntering over to the vehicle and slid back of the wheelstick。
I sat there in back； unaccustomed to being so clean and outright unfortable in the sparkling one…piece dinner suit。 I was trying to look calm but actually I was quite terrified to be sitting so near the Countess Krak。
The airbus vaulted into the night； speeding up to try to match the way Heller drives。
The Countess got out of her riot helmet and cape and straightened her hair。 And indeed she looked very lovely： her face perfection itself； her tresses like a halo； her dinner gown a pale； pale orange； the kind with the ripple lights that pulsate to the cadence of the female's speech。 Her eyes were sparkling； as innocent as a child's。 How looks can deceive…I hoped I could get through this without her killing me for some fault in grammar or table manners。 Gods knew what might happen when she found I couldn't pay the bill。
〃Oh； Soltan！〃 she said。 〃You've got a new skyjumper！ And all polished up！〃 She leaned back luxuriously on the circular settee； her gorgeous body stretching like a cat's。 She twitched her pale； pale gold boots。 〃You like my new boots？〃 As she spoke the boots pulsated light。 I edged away。 I knew her footwork。 Deadly！
Heller had unblinded the windows and the last twinkling panorama of Voltar's specialist cities spread out beneath the stars。 The streaks of early evening traffic made intricate patterns below。 I was caught off base for a moment。 It was a glorious night。
And then I saw we were headed in the wrong direction！ Had I been decoyed into an escape？ We were not heading for Joy City！ We were heading for Pausch Hills！
〃Aren't you on a wrong course？〃 I said to Heller up in front。 〃There aren't any nightclubs in Pausch。 There's only the filthy rich！〃 Heller laughed； not even looking back。 He had the airbus up to five hundred。 Thank heavens the new one didn't shake。 Maybe； hopefully； it was rated for five hundred。 〃We're going to pick you up a dinner panion！〃 he said。 〃Can't have a solitary male sitting about spoiling the party even if he is the host！〃 Oh； my Gods。 I couldn't pay for the three of us； much less four。 And any female that resided in Pausch Hills would be the extremely expensive kind。 The forecast of the evening's bill suddenly soared。
The skyscrapers of Pausch are set amongst artificial streams and lakes； pumped at vast expense up the hills。 It is a fascinating panorama at night。 The more expensive homes are； however； on top of the skyscrapers。 And in renewed alarm； I saw we were not landing at any front door； we were heading for a domed home which had two acres of grounds of its own right on top of the tallest structure。 From it one could see vast views or just pretend the gardens limited it to its own solitary world。 Expensive！
What kind of a female would live there？ One that could spend a junior officer's whole year's pay on a box of sparklepowder！ My estimate of the bill to e soared again！
Heller said a code word into a microphone。 The lights of the home and gardens went out。 What an absence of security and espionage sense。 The sudden vanishment of those lights would call attention to the place from miles around。
He landed lightly on the garden flight target。
A hooded and cloaked figure sped out from under a darkened tree and sprang into the airbus。
The door slammed。 We zipped into the night sky。
The new passenger laughed a beautiful laugh。 〃What fun！〃 She threw off the hood and cloak。
My Gods； it was Hightee Heller！ His sister！ The most known face on all Voltar。 And although my spirits drooped at this new incautious development； her beauty was enough to turn a stone statue into quivering desire。 She was wearing a dark blue shimmergown； a contrast with her pale skin and hair but almost matching her lovely eyes。 One glance at such as Hightee Heller and any male swallowed convulsively several times。
I had enough courage to warn both Heller and the Countess Krak that they must not use her name to anyone。 We hit upon her mother's name； Lindus。 I hoped Heller would have brains enough to remember it during introductions。
〃Hightee；〃 he called back； 〃that is your dinner panion； Officer Soltan Gris。 And this is the girl！ We will call her 'Lindus' for now。〃 Hightee was settling herself on the settee。 She gave me a nod； probably used to Heller's numerous friends。 Then she looked searchingly at the Countess Krak。 Heller； （bleep） him； even turned up the interior lights so she could。
〃Jettie；〃 said his sister。 〃You have the finest taste in all the world！〃 The Countess Krak beamed！
The girls lightly touched hands。
〃My； my！〃 said Hightee； still impressed。
Devils and Gods； I groaned to myself。 This woman you are talking to and plimenting your brother about is a condemned murderess； released illegally only for a brief time； from the dungeons of Spiteos！ Hightee； you might be the most beautiful woman on Voltar but you are a plete fool！
〃You look like a Manco lady；〃 said Hightee。
〃She is〃 Heller called back。 〃Her people once owned property in Atalanta。〃
〃Do I know your family？〃 asked Hightee pleasantly。
〃I don't think so；〃 said the Countess Krak。 〃They lost their property centuries ago。 Like so many； they kept their title and don't even have the square yard of land to erect a tombstone。〃 The girls laughed over this。 It was apparently some local Manco joke。
〃From your accent； I'd say the family kept their nobility quite well！〃 said Hightee。 I wondered what she was doing。 She sounded like a marriage contractor。 And then it dawned on me that Heller must have been on the munication lines to his sister and from her type of interest he must have told her…oh； my Gods…that he wanted her to meet the girl he was going to marry！ The difficulties this presented almost spun my wits。
〃Not really；〃 sighed the Countess。 〃My mother had considerable skill in training animals。 Her family estates were forest estates and the skill runs in the blood。 My father really fell from grace。 He became a stage magician。 They toured all over Manco and even on some other planets。〃 She laughed。 〃I'm afraid I share your stage background； Hightee。 My first appearance was at the age of six months when I was part of an act where I was supposed to be eaten by a savabeast； only to magically reappear riding him at the act's end。〃 Hightee laughed with delight。 Then she seemed to be thinking of something； trying to remember。 Oh my Gods； I thought。 Show people are show people。 They remember everything！ The Countess had messed it all up！
H