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I didn't do it to help Heller。 I did it because； back of the mob and ing straight toward me was a yellow…man； holding in his hand what could only be the bill！
The explosion of filaments was deafening。
I spun。 I had already spotted the main switchboard back of the dance platform。 With unerring aim； I blasted it to bits！ It was totally dark。
Above the deafening din of the crowd a new scream sounded； 〃Police！ It's the police！〃 Dim emergency lights came on。 Sure enough； I saw a flicker of blue。 Police plowing through the crowd； baton charging the riot！
A firm hand grabbed my collar and I was yanked out of the booth so fast I flew horizontally。 I was being dragged across the floor。
The emergency exit door banged open！ I was being dragged up the alley！ I could barely hold on to my gun。
We were at the airbus。 The door opened and I was hurtled inside。 And only then did I see who had dragged me。 It was the Countess Krak！
I looked back anxiously toward the emergency exit。 Sound and lights were bursting through it out into the alley。
There came Heller！ He was still holding his sister high over his head。
Behind them came a solid wave of blue！ Oh； my Gods； the police were right on their heels！
The Countess Krak sprang into the airbus and batted me to one side！
Heller arrived at the door。 He launched his sister inside and the Countess Krak caught her expertly and put her on the settee。
Heller slid fast under the wheelstick。
A police helmet right at his door。 A face。
〃We'll be at the hangar ahead of you； Jet。 We're all clear！〃 It was Snelz！ Snelz in a cop uniform！
The airbus sprang into the air！
We had fought free！
Perhaps it was because Hightee Heller was laughing fit to burst…it takes steel nerves to be a celebrity in the Confederation。 Perhaps it was because I was still a bit high on bubblebrew。 But I felt a bit elated。 By not paying the bill I had escaped being cashiered on the one hand for bankruptcy or executed on the other for passing counterfeit money。 And nobody but Hightee had been recognized； I supposed； and Hightee wouldn't matter。 What luck！
We stopped at Hightee's garden in the clouds。 She unstrapped the chorder…beat and Heller said he'd get it returned to the club for her。 She kissed each of them on the cheek and touched my hand。
She stood for a moment under the darkened trees and called back； 〃Thank you for a wonderful evening。 Good luck； you two！ And Jet！ I really approve！〃 She was gone。
On the way back to the Apparatus hangar； we were given a routine challenge by night sky surveillance and I had to reach over and catch Heller's hand： he was automatically reaching for his own identoplate and I gave him mine。 We mustn't leave a trace of identity on this night！
We landed at the hangar。 The guardsmen's air…transport was parked there。 Snelz and his men were sitting around in the dim hangar depths； chuckling and drinking a late snack。 The Countess slipped out in her helmet and gas cape and sped to the tug。
Heller still sat under the wheelstick。 My driver was ing toward us with some big boxes and Heller was waiting for him。 The driver wasn't moving very fast so Heller turned to me in the back。
〃I think I owe you a bit of an apology；〃 he said。 〃I didn't realize this afternoon that I was forcing your promotion party on you at an inopportune moment。
〃You don't have to go back there tomorrow to pay your check。 When we arrived and the floorman held out his hand for payment to get us a good table； I couldn't help but see you flinch。 I realized you must be broke and that pushing the party off on you came under the heading of a dirty trick。
〃So I slipped into the manager's office and grabbed him and put my identoplate on a blank dinner check。〃 I think my heart stopped beating。
〃I couldn't tell you straight out in front of the waiters and the girls but I passed the message to you a couple of times that it was cared for。 I didn't want your evening spoiled。〃 Ske was there now with the boxes and Heller told him to return the edy cop uniforms to the party costumer tomorrow and take the chorder…beat back to the club at the same time。
He got out and called back to me； 〃It was a great party。 I hope you did enjoy it。 Good night！〃 He was gone。
I knew what that identoplate would spell。 It would hit the newssheets and Homeview。 The Grand Council would know we had not left。
They would be all over Endow。
Lombar would be all over me！ It might even imperil Lombar's whole Blito…P3 hidden operations！
A sudden surge of rage hit me。 I felt like killing Heller！
I was instantly sick at my stomach。
Chapter 6
After a night of nightmares； burdened with an aching head； my upset stomach refusing even the thought of hot jolt； I sat； at noon the following day； on a pile of rusted hullplates； dully watching the almost unforgivable bustlings in the Apparatus hangar。
I was expecting the worst。 I got something worse than the worst。
My driver； returning from the return of the edy cop uniforms and the chorder…beat； walked over to me。 From his smug smile； I should have been more prepared。
He didn't hand me the headache pills I had requested him to get。 He did not deliver any of the medicine I had begged him to bring back for my stomach。
He simply dropped the newssheet in my lap。 He walked away and I was left to suffer over it alone。
There was a huge photo of Heller holding Hightee high above the crushing crowd！ Somehow the lighting made the steelman stars vanish and it was Heller； recognizable； vivid； unmistakable！
The story was not some back…page filler that might be missed。 It was headlines！
GUNSHOTS IMPERIL LIFE OF HIGHTEE HELLER！
FAMED BROTHER RESCUES HV STAR FROM FLYING BLASTS RIOT POLICE BRAVE STORM OF HOSTILE SHOTS ENRAGED MOB SEEKS POSSIBLE ASSASSIN Last night at the Artistic Club in Joy City； a routine fan orgy of worship for Hightee Heller； Voltar's most popular Homeview star； was turned into a riot of blazing guns and charging battle police when an unknown maniac； using military multiblast weapons； threatened the lives of thousands。
Braving the avalanche of deadly fire； Jettero Heller； Royal officer and famed bat engineer； with superhuman strength； lifted his sister out of the path of the deadly hail。
Battle police； in a baton charge； fought furiously to establish order； suffering an unknown number of casualties。
By purest chance； a Homeview camera team； that visits the Artistic Club routinely； recorded part of the riot and has been beaming it continuously since 3：00 A。M。 on the interplanetary Homeview all…home channels。
Interviewed at dawn in her home on Pausch Hills； Hightee Heller； with the true courage of an artist； disclaimed personal injury。 〃Please assure my billions of fans that I am perfectly all right；〃 was the only ment she would make。 But this reporter detected possible eye bruises。
Jettero Heller could not be found or interviewed。 It had been generally believed that he was engaged in a secret mission for the Grand Council and had long since departed Voltar。 A spokesman for the Crown； contacted at dawn； attempted to refute the continued presence of Heller on Voltar； stating； 〃We have it on the most reli