am," Marc said, not rising from behind the desk.

"Then you're the guy responsible for any trouble here," Mantor said. "So
I'm going to tell you how to avoid trouble." His brutally scarred face
twisted into a grin.

"There's a lot of loot around here. I'm not going to ask you where it
is. My boys can take care of that matter. But there's also the Navy
warehouse. Maybe we won't know what some of the stuff in there is for,
so you're going to tell us."

Mantor leaned across the desk, his eyes as hard and cold as chips of
duratite. "And if you won't, there's going to be trouble and you'll be
it--you and your friend here."

Marc sat impassively, meeting the hard-eyed gaze. "That warehouse is
government property," he said. "So far, there's only piracy against you.
But if you raid that building you're going to be the personal problem of
the Navy. If I were you I'd leave it alone."

"You let me worry about that," said Mantor.

"Besides," Marc went on, "I don't see what good the stuff in that
warehouse can be to you. There's little of cash value in there. And I
doubt if you can use any of the parts on your ship."

"That could be," Mantor replied. "But on the other hand, maybe we can
find a market for certain items." He smiled coldly. Watching, Lee knew
he referred to Venus. She sat perfectly still, praying for him not to
notice her.

Mantor spread his hands on the desk, a look of hatred and ferocity on
his face. "What I want to know is--are you or are you not going to
cooperate? And I want to know fast."

"Don't get me wrong," Marc said softly. "I'm not telling you what to do
or what not to do. But that warehouse is the thing I'm here to protect.
And if I were to agree to help you, the Navy would be after me, too. So
I've got to say to hell with you."

John Mantor rocked back on his heels, hooking his thumbs in his belt. A
slow smile spread over his face. "Okay," he said. "I think I get what
you mean. So I guess we got to work you over. And we'll do it where
there aren't any outside witnesses."

Marc grinned back at him.

Lee was puzzled. It took her a moment to realize that the grins sealed a
contract between the two men. Marc would cooperate if he were beaten up
enough first to satisfy a later investigation--but not too severely for
his own comfort!

Lee found it difficult to hide her contempt. She stared at her hands,
clenched in her lap, and waited for Mantor to leave.

The looting and destruction were wel