my shield I enjoy complete
immunity. No one but the Central Bureau, itself, can crack this
shield. And no one but they can prevent the conditioned reflex that
stops my heart if for some reason the shield should be broached. I
have a hold on every man beneath me that prevents him from knifing me
in the back. There could be only one thing that I want that you could
give me--" he leaned forward, staring into the deep-pouched eyes--"and
that is a means of getting at the man above me. Am I right?"

"No," said the old man.

Terri stiffened.

"No?" he echoed in angry incredulity.

Their eyes locked. For a long time they held, and at last Terri looked
away.

The old man sighed--sipped noisily from a drink on the table beside
his chair.

"Wait!" said Terri. To his own surprise, his voice was eager, even a
little timorous in its hopefulness. "Wait. I've got it. There will be
a test. There always is a test every time a man moves up. His
superiors watch him when he doesn't suspect it. It will be that way
for me when I am ready for the fourth level. And you have some kind of
advance information. You know what the test will be. Maybe you know
the man who will administer it. You want to sell me this information."

The other said nothing.

"Well," Terri spread his hands openly. "I am interested. I'll buy.
What do you want. Money? A favor? Protection?"

"No."

"No?" Terri shouted, starting up from his chair. "What do you mean by
no? Can't you say anything but 'no'?" A rage possessed him. He flung
himself forward two furious steps to stand threateningly over the aged
figure. "You doddering idiot! Say what you want, and quickly! My two
hours are nearly up. I'll be missed. They'll be here in a few
minutes--the Bureau Guards. They'll crack the room shield. They'll
rescue me. And they'll take you into custody. To be questioned. To be
executed. At my order. Do you understand? Your life depends on me."

After a little, the old man chuckled again. "Yes," he muttered, in a
high-pitched old voice. "That's the way it'll be."

Terri stared at him. "You don't seem to understand. You're going to
die."

"Oh yes," said the old man, nodding his head indulgently. "I'll die.
But I'm an old man. I'd die anyway in a year or so--maybe in a day or
so. But for you--for a young man like you--the up and coming young
governmental with everything to lose--" he leered slyly at Terri.
"Your death won't be so easy for you to take."

"I die?" echo