“Okay.” Lazarus holstered the gun but let his hand rest on the grip.
“Who are you?” repeated Vanning. “What’s the meaning of this intrusion?”
“I was just about to ask you that, Bud,” Lazarus said mildly, “but we’ll let it ride. I’m another one of those old Johnnies you’re looking for . . . like Mary here.”
Vanning looked at him keenly. “I wonder-” he said. He looked back at Mary. “It can’t be, it’s preposterous. Still it won’t hurt to investigate your story. I’ve plenty to detain you on, in any event, I’ve never seen a clearer case of antisocial atavism.” He moved toward the videophone.
“Better get away from that phone, Bud,” Lazarus said quickly, then added to Mary, “I won’t touch my gun, Sis. I’ll use my knife.”
Vanning stopped. “Very well,” he said in annoyed tones, “put away that vibroblade. I won’t call from here.”
“Look again, it ain’t a vibroblade. It’s steel. Messy.”
Vanning turned to Mary Sperling. “I’m leaving. If you are wise, you’ll come with me.” She shook her head. He looked annoyed, shrugged, and faced Lazarus Long. “As for you, sir, your primitive manners have led you into serious trouble. You will be arrested shortly.”
Lazarus glanced up at the ceiling shutters. “Reminds me of a patron in Venusburg who wanted to have me arrested.”
“Well?”
“I’ve outlived him quite a piece.”
Vanning opened his mouth to answer-then turned suddenly and left so quickly that the outer door barely had time to clear the end of his nose. As the door snapped closed Lazarus said musingly, “Hardest man to reason with I’ve met in years. I’ll bet he never used an unsterilized spoon in his life.”
Mary looked startled, then giggled. He turned toward her. “Glad to see you sounding perky, Mary. Kinda thought you were upset.”
“I was. I hadn’t known you were listening. I was forced to improvise as I went along.”
“Did I queer it?”
“No. I’m glad you came in-thanks. But we’ll have to hurry now.”
“I suppose so. I think he meant it-there’ll be a proctor looking for me soon. You, too, maybe.”
“That’s what I meant. So let’s get out of here.”
Mary was ready to leave in scant minutes but when they stepped out into the public hall they met a man whose brassard and hypo kit marked him as a proctor. “Service,” he said. “I’m looking for a citizen in company with Citizen Mary Sperling. Could you direct me?”
“Sure,” agreed Lazarus. “She lives right down there.” He pointed at the far end of the corridor. As the peace officer looked in that direction, Lazarus tapped him carefully on the back of the head, a little to the left, with the butt of his blaster, and caught him as be slumped.
Mary helped Lazarus wrestle the awkward mass into her apartment. He knelt over the cop, pawed through his hypo kit, took a loaded injector and gave him a shot. “There,” he said, “that’ll keep him sleepy for a few hours.” Then he blinked thoughtfully at the hypo kit, detached it from the proctor’s belt. “This might come in handy again. Anyhow, it won’t hurt to take it.” As an afterthought he removed the proctor’s peace brassard and placed it, too, in his pouch.
They left the apartment again and dropped to the parking level. Lazarus noticed as they rolled up the ramp that Mary had set the North Shore combination. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“The Families’ Seat. No place else to go where we won’t be checked on. But we’ll have to hide somewhere in the country until dark.”
Once the car was on beamed control headed north Mary asked to be excused and caught a few minutes sleep. Lazarus watched a few miles of scenery, then nodded himself.
They were awakened by the jangle of the emergency alarm and by the speedster slowing to a stop. Mary reached up and shut off the alarm. “All cars resume local control,” intoned a voice. “Proceed at speed twenty to the nearest traffic control tower for inspection. All cars resume local control. Proceed at-”
She switched that off, too. “Well, that’s us,” Lazarus said cheerfully. “Got any ideas?”