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The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
Страница: 36 из 164«One minute,» Dagenhamsaid. «There's that Admiralty order.»
Without apology or explanation he disappeared too. Presteign raised his eyebrows. «Another party to the Star Chamber secret,» he murmured. «But at least he had the tact to conceal his knowledge until the secret was out.»
Dagenham reappeared. «No point wasting time going through the motions of the maze,» he said. «I've given orders in Washington. They'll hold Yeovil up; two hours guaranteed, three hours probably, four hours possible.»
«How will they hold him up?» Bunny asked.
Dagenham gave him his deadly smile. «Standard FFCC Operation of Dagenham Couriers. Fun, fantasy, confusion, catastrophe. . . .We'll need all four hours. Damn! I've disrupted your dolls, Presteign.» The robots were suddenly capering in lunatic fashion as Dagenham's hard radiation penetrated their electronic systems. «No matter, I'll be on my way.»
«Foyle?» Presteign asked.
«Nothing yet.» Dagenham grinned his death's-head smile. «He's really unique. I've tried all the standard drugs and routines on him . . . Nothing. Outside, he's just an ordinary spaceman . . . if you forget the tattoo on his face. . . but inside he's got steel guts. Something's got hold of him and he won't give.»
«What's got hold of him?» Sheffield asked.
«I hope to find out.»
«How?»
«Don't ask; you'd be an accessory. Have you got a ship ready, Presteign?»
Presteign nodded.
«I'm not guaranteeing there'll be any 'Nomad' for us to find, but we'll have to get a jump on the navy if there is. Law ready, Sheffield?»
«Ready. I'm hoping we won't have to use it.»
«I'm hoping too; but again, I'm not guaranteeing. All right. Stand by for instructions. I'm on my way to crack Foyle.»
«Where have you got him?»
Dagenham shook his head. «This room isn't secure.» He disappeared.
He jaunted Cincinnati-New Orleans-Monterey to Mexico City, where he appeared in the Psychiatry Wing of the giant hospital of the Combined Terran Universities. Wing was hardly an adequate name for this section which occupied an entire city in the metropolis which was the hospital. Dagenham jaunted up to the 43rd floor of the Therapy Division and looked into the isolated tank where Foyle floated, unconscious. He glanced at the distinguished bearded gentlemen in attendance.
«Hello, Fritz.»
«Hello, Saul.»
«Hell of a thing, the Head of Psychiatry minding a patient for me.»
«I think we owe you favors, Saul.