2,499,999,999 down to
five.

The one I sought was a member of the GG.

* * * * *

Opening night brought Harry and Frank to my office. They tried to be
casual, engaged me in desultory nothings. Frank looked reproachful--I
was there too late.

The following night, Mel ambled in at midnight. He grinned, discussed a
plot, suggested we go out for a beer, changed his mind, left.

The third night, I waited in the dark. Nor was I disappointed: Dex and
Hazel showed.

"What do you want? It's 2 A.M.!"

There was a long regrouping pause; then Hazel said, "Dex has a fine
idea."

"Well?"

"I've been thinking about gravity--"

"About time," I said sarcastically, disliking myself but hoping it would
get rid of them, "we opened three days ago."

He ignored my petulance and grinned. "No, I meant anti-gravity. I think
it's possible. If you had a superconductor in an inductance field--"

"Why tell me?"

"Thought you'd have some ideas."

I shook my head. "That's what I hired _you_ for. My only idea right now
is going to sleep."

Bewildered, they left.

And on the fourth night, no one came. So I headed for the Tour. Now,
having risked everything on my logic, I was a dead pigeon if wrong.
There were only minutes left.

I eased through the back door, heard our automation equipment humming.
Despite darkness, I shortcutted, nearly reaching the door to the service
hallway in back of the planetary rooms. There was a distinct click, and
a flashlight blinded me. I waited, stifling a cry, knowing if it were
he, death was next.

Death never spoke in such quiet, sweet tones. Frank asked, "What are you
doing here?"

_Frank, Frank, not you!_

Surprise shocked me: the light, her voice, the sudden suspicion. Still,
diversion and counterattack ... "Perhaps you've the explaining to do," I
said nastily. "Why are you here?"

Her wide-eyed ingenuousness making me more suspicious, she answered,
"Waiting to see if you'd appear." Then she stopped being truthful: "You
forget we had a date--"

"We didn't have any damned date," I said flatly, hurting deep within.

"All right, I want to know why you're still driving yourself. It isn't
work; that's finished."

The way she talked made me hopeful. Maybe she wasn't the one ... and
then came fear. Frank, if he's here, you're in danger. The monster
respects nothing we hold dear--law, property, dignity, life.

There was one way to find out: make her leave. I