and no one was around.
Elizabeth was alone in the sales room going through her routine. We were
able to whisper all we like through the glass. She told me she'd
overheard the sales manager complaining about her low efficiency
recently and that he intended to replace her with a newer model of
another series. Both of us knew what that meant. Materials
Reclamation--the junk pile."

Frank realized he'd have to act at once. He told the girl mech to go to
the rear of the building and between them they managed to get a window
open and Frank lifted her out into the alley.

"The seriousness of what I'd done jammed my thought-relays for a few
minutes," admitted the big servo. "We panicked and ran through a lot of
back streets until I gradually calmed down and started thinking clearly
again. Leaving the city would be impossible. Police patrol jetabouts
were cruising all around us in the main streets--they'd have picked up a
male and female mech on sight. Besides, when you're on pass the company
takes away your master fuse and substitutes a time fuse; if you don't
get back on time, you deactivize and the police pick you up anyway. I
began to see that there was only one way out if we wanted to stay
together. It would mean taking big risks, but if we were lucky it might
work. I explained the plan carefully to Elizabeth and we agreed to try
it. The first step was to get back to the base in South San Francisco
without being seen. Fortunately no one stopped us and we made the
rocketport by 8:30. Elizabeth hid while I reported to the Super and
traded in my time fuse for my master. Then I checked servo barracks; it
was still early and I knew the other servos would all be in town. I had
to work quickly. I brought Elizabeth inside and started dismantling her.
Just as the other mechs began reporting back I'd managed to get all of
her parts stowed away in my locker. The next day I went to San Francisco
and brought back with me two rolls of lead foil. While the other servos
were on pass I wrapped the parts carefully in it so the radioactivity
from Elizabeth's pile wouldn't be picked up. The rest you know,
gentlemen," murmured Frank in low, electrical tones. "Each time I made a
trip I carried another piece of Elizabeth out here concealed in an
ordinary parts box. It took me nearly a year to accumulate all of her
for an assembly."

When the big servo had finished he signed the statement Wynn had taken
down in his notebook. I think even the tw