state secrets.

Finally he was thrown back into his cell and left to himself. When he
recovered from his faint--that was a very slow process--he had no idea
of how many hours or days had gone by. There was a water tap in the room
and he drank thirstily, vomited the liquid up again, and sat with his
head in his hands.

So far, he thought dully, they hadn't done too much to him. He was short
several teeth, and there were some broken fingers and toes, and maybe a
floating kidney. The other bruises, lacerations, and burns would heal
all right if they got the chance.

Only they wouldn't.

He wondered vaguely how Security had gotten onto his track. Berg's
precautions had been very thorough. So thorough, apparently, that Harris
could find no trace of what had really happened that summer, and was
going only on suspicion. But what had made him suspicious in the first
place? An anonymous tip-off--from whom? Maybe some enemy, some rival on
the Project, had chosen this way of getting rid of his sector chief.

In the end, Lancaster thought wearily, he'd tell. Why not do it now?
Then--probably--he'd only be shot for betraying Berg's confidence. That
would be the easy way out.

No. He'd hang on for awhile yet. There was always a faint chance.

His cell door opened and two guards came in. He was past flinching from
them, but he had to be supported on his way to the questioning room.

Harris sat there, still smiling. "How do you do, Dr. Lancaster," he said
politely.

"Not so well, thank you." The grin hurt his face.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But really, it's your own fault. You know
that."

"I can't tell you anything," said Lancaster. "I'm under Security oath. I
can't speak of this to anyone below the President."

Harris looked annoyed. "Don't you think the President has better things
to do than come running to every enemy of the state that yaps after
him?"

"There's been some mistake, I tell you," pleaded Lancaster.

"I'll say there has. And you're the one that's made it. Go ahead, boys."
Harris picked up a magazine and started reading.

* * * * *

After awhile, Lancaster focused his mind on Karen Marek and kept it
there. That helped him bear up. If they knew, out in the station, what
was happening to him, they--well, they wouldn't forget him, try to
pretend they'd never known him, as the little fearful people of Earth
did. They'd speak up, and do their damnedest to save their friend.