United States or Mexico ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Orne looked beyond the pool: wooded hills and, dimly on the horizon, a broken line of mountains. The Bullones lived in expensive isolation. Around them stretched miles of wilderness, rugged with planned neglect. Time to report in, he thought. Orne pressed the neck stud on his transceiver, got Stetson, told him what had happened to this point. "All right," said Stetson. "Go find the daughter.
"Now, if there's anything you need you just ring the bell there by your bed. The autobutle will know where to find us." The Bullones left, and Orne crossed to the window, looked out at the pool. The young woman hadn't come back.
And this made him acutely aware that Stetson or an aide had heard everything said between them that afternoon. The autobutle called dinner. Orne changed hurriedly into a fresh lounge uniform, found his way to the small salon across the house. The Bullones already were seated around an old-fashioned bubble-slot table set with real candles, golden shardi service.
"But, darling ... of course. She " "You'd better take me to her and fast!" snapped Orne. He touched the stud at his neck, but Stetson's voice intruded. "Great work, Lew! We're moving in a special shock force. Can't take any chances with " Orne spoke aloud in panic: "Stet! You get out to the Bullones! And you get there alone! No troops!" Diana had jumped to her feet, backed away from him.
In spite of the blue I-A fatigues and a rather severe pulled-back hairdo, this was a handsome woman. He found himself liking her, and this caused him a feeling near self-loathing. She was a suspect. He couldn't afford to like her. But the Bullones were being so decent, taking him in like this. And how was their hospitality being repaid? By spying and prying.
"Check for women who mastermind their husbands in politics. Let me know how many and who." "Lew, that's not enough to " "That's all I can give you for now, but I think I'll have more. Remember that ..." he hesitated, spacing his words as a new thought struck him "... the ... Nathians ... were ... nomads." Day began early for the Bullones.
In a nutshell, since you're going to be a house guest at the Bullones' we suspect Ipscott Bullone of being the head of a conspiracy to take over the government." "What do you mean take over the government?" demanded Orne. "The Galactic High Commissioner is the government subject to the Constitution and the Assemblymen who elected him."
"One of the Bullones' seven daughters is currently at home," he said. "Name's Diana. A field leader in the I-A women. One of the Nathian code messages we intercepted had her name as addressee." "Who sent the message?" asked Orne. "What was it all about?" Stetson coughed. "You know, Lew, we cross-check everything.
"What do you mean?" demanded Stetson. "I'm saving our stupid necks!" barked Orne. "Alone! You hear? Or we'll have a worse mess on our hands than any Rim War!" There was an extended silence. "You hear me, Stet?" demanded Orne. "O.K., Lew. We're putting the O-force on standby. I'll be at the Bullones' in ten minutes. ComGO will be with me." Pause. "And you'd better know what you're doing!"
"Lew, you're acting very strangely. Are you sure you're feeling all right." She put a hand to his forehead. "Perhaps we'd " "Just a minute," said Orne. "About us " He swallowed. She withdrew her hand. "I think my parents already suspect. We Bullones are notorious love-at-first-sighters." Her overlarge eyes studied him fondly. "You don't feel feverish, but maybe we'd better "
Word Of The Day