e're stuck," Burnine grunted. "We can't burn our way
through that. And if we move, we'll have a hundred men popping out again
behind our backs."

"We'll try one of these rooms back here," Case said. "Always the chance
of it having a window."

The first room they tried was a blank. So were the next couple. While
Case kept the corridor cleared, Burnine stuck his head inside and
investigated.

"This one," he said at his fourth try. "Bars on the window, but maybe we
can burn them off. Looks like a council room."

They darted inside, slammed the door behind them. Outside there was the
pounding of many feet. While Burnine watched the door, Case turned his
fire on the barred windows.

One of the bars turned red, glowed bright and started to melt. But it
was going to be a long job. And they hadn't much time now. Case snatched
a quick look at his watch and saw there was but an hour left.

"Damon!" That was from the corridor. Yuna's voice. Too calm, Case
thought. Yuma had a card up his sleeve. "Better give up!"

"Make us," Case called.

"There is a telecast machine in the room," came the reply. "Turn it on."

Yuna wasn't just wasting time. He knew something. Case hesitated, looked
around and sighted the machine. It was the familiar kind, but with an
unfamiliar attachment. He fiddled with it, got it going.

"Damon," said a voice he remembered but could not identify. "Turn up the
video."

There was a threat in the words. But Case Damon was beyond being
frightened. He had nothing to lose. Only curiosity made him flick the
switch.

There was that room again, with its unpainted walls. There was the
couch. And there was Karin!

"We decided to save her on the chance you'd get through," said the
voice. A moment later, a man walked into view.

* * * * *

It was Vargas. Somehow, Case was not surprised. It all made sense.
Vargas had not wanted to join the Council. He'd held out for
concessions, and those concessions had included a certain freedom from
supervision of his country.

"Listen," Vargas said. "It is possible you have managed to do some harm
there. If so, undo it at once."

His hand dipped into his pocket and came out with a gun. He calmly
pointed it at Karin's head. With a sinking heart, Case realized that
this time there would be no interference, this time Vargas would go
through with it.

"All right," Case said. "You win."

He turned away from the video, and swung his gun