“It wouldn’t do any good. A duplicate file of cards pops out at Army GHQ. It’s check and balance. They can keep their eye on us as continuously as they wish.” Anderton glanced briefly at the top card. “So even if we wanted to accept a – ”
He broke off, his lips tightening.
“What’s the matter?” Witwer asked curiously.
Carefully, Anderton folded up the top card and put it away in his pocket. “Nothing,” he muttered. “Nothing at all.”
The harshness in his voice brought a flush to Witwer’s face. “You really don’t like me,” he observed.
“True,” Anderton admitted. “I don’t. But – ”
He couldn’t believe he disliked the young man that much. It didn’t seem possible: it wasn’t possible. Something was wrong. Dazed, he tried to steady his tumbling mind.
On the card was his name. Line one – an already accused future murderer! According to the coded punches, Precrime Commissioner John A. Anderton was going to kill a man – and within the next week.
With absolute, overwhelming conviction, he didn’t believe it.
II
In the outer office, talking to Page, stood Anderton’s slim and attractive young wife, Lisa. She was engaged in a sharp, animated discussion of policy, and barely glanced up as Witwer and her husband entered.
“Hello, darling,” Anderton said.
Witwer remained silent. But his pale eyes flickered slightly as they rested on the brown-haired woman in her trim police uniform. Lisa was now an executive official of Precrime but once, Witwer knew, she had been Anderton’s secretary.
Noticing the interest on Witwer’s face Anderton paused and reflected. To plant the card in the machines would require an accomplice on the inside – someone who was closely connected with Precrime and had access to the analytical equipment. Lisa was an improbable element. But the possibility did exist.
Of course, the conspiracy could be large-scale and elaborate, involving far more than a “rigged” card inserted somewhere along the line. The original data itself might have been tampered with. Actually, there was no telling how far back the alteration went. A cold fear touched him as he began to see the possibilities. His original impulse – to tear open the machines and remove all the data – was uselessly primitive. Probably the tapes agreed with the card: He would only incriminate himself further.
He had approximately twenty-four hours. Then, the Army people would check over their cards and discover the discrepancy. They would find in their files a duplicate of the card he had appropriated. He had only one of two copies, which meant that the folded card in his pocket might just as well be lying on Page’s desk in plain view of everyone.
From outside the building came the drone of police cars starting out on their routine round-ups. How many hours would elapse before one of them pulled up in front of his house?
“What’s the matter, darling?” Lisa asked him uneasily. “You look as if you’ve just seen a ghost. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” he assured her.
Lisa suddenly seemed to become aware of Ed Witwer’s admiring scrutiny. “Is this gentleman your new co-worker, darling?” she asked.
Warily, Anderton introduced his new associate. Lisa smiled in friendly greeting. Did a covert awareness pass between them? He couldn’t tell. God, he was beginning to suspect everybody – not only his wife and Witwer, but a dozen members of his staff.
“Are you from New York?” Lisa asked.
“No,” Witwer replied. “I’ve lived most of my life in Chicago. I’m staying at a hotel – one of the big downtown hotels. Wait – I have the name written on a card somewhere.”
While he self-consciously searched his pockets, Lisa suggested: “Perhaps you’d like to have dinner with us. We’ll be working in close cooperation, and I really think we ought to get better acquainted.”
Startled, Anderton backed off. What were the chances of his wife’s friendliness being benign, accidental? Witwer would be present the balance of the evening, and would now have an excuse to trail along to Anderton’s private residence. Profoundly disturbed, he turned impulsively, and moved toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Lisa asked, astonished.
“Back to the monkey block,” he told her. “I want to check over some rather puzzling data tapes before the Army sees them.” He was out in the corridor before she could think of a plausible reason for detaining him.
Rapidly, he made his way to the ramp at its far end. He was striding down the outside stairs toward the public sidewalk, when Lisa appeared breathlessly behind him.
“What on earth has come over you?” Catching hold of his arm, she moved quickly in front of him. “I knew you were leaving,” she exclaimed, blocking his way. “What’s wrong with you? Everybody thinks you’re – ” She checked herself. “I mean, you’re acting so erratically.”
People surged by them – the usual afternoon crowd. Ignoring them, Anderton pried his wife’s fingers from his arm. “I’m getting out,” he told her. “While there’s still time.”
“But – why?”
“I’m being framed – deliberately and maliciously. This creature is out to get my job. The Senate is getting at me through him.”
Lisa gazed up at him, bewildered. “But he seems like such a nice young man.”
“Nice as a water moccasin.”
Lisa’s dismay turned to disbelief. “I don’t believe it. Darling, all this strain you’ve been under – ” Smiling uncertainly, she faltered: “It’s not really credible that Ed Witwer is trying to frame you. How could he, even if he wanted to? Surely Ed wouldn’t – ”
“Ed?”
“That’s his name, isn’t it?”
Her brown eyes flashed in startled, wildly incredulous protest. “Good heavens, you’re suspicious of everybody. You actually believe I’m mixed up with it in some way, don’t you?”
He considered. “I’m not sure.”
She drew closer to him, her eyes accusing. “That’s not true. You really believe it. Maybe you ought to go away for a few weeks. You desperately need a rest. All this tension and trauma, a younger man coming in. You’re acting paranoiac. Can’t you see that? People plotting against you. Tell me, do you have any actual proof?”
Anderton removed his wallet and took out the folded card. “Examine this carefully,” he said, handing it to her.
The color drained out of her face, and she gave a little harsh, dry gasp.
“The set-up is fairly obvious,” Anderton told her, as levelly as he could. “This will give Witwer a legal pretext to remove me right now. He won’t have to wait until I resign.” Grimly, he added: “They know I’m good for a few years yet.”
“But-”
“It will end the check and balance system. Precrime will no longer be an independent agency. The Senate will control the police, and after that – ” His lips tightened. “They’ll absorb the Army too. Well, it’s outwardly logical enough. Of course I feel hostility and resentment toward Witwer – of course I have a motive.
“Nobody likes to be replaced by a younger man, and find himself turned out to pasture. It’s all really quite plausible – except that I haven’t the remotest intention of killing Witwer. But I can’t prove that. So what can I do?”
Mutely, her face very white, Lisa shook her head. “I – I don’t know. Darling, if only- ”
“Right now,” Anderton said abruptly, “I’m going home to pack my things. That’s about as far ahead as I can plan.”
“You’re really going to – to try to hide out?”
“I am. As far as the Centaurian-colony planets, if necessary. It’s been done successfully before, and I have a twenty-four-hour start.” He turned resolutely. “Go back inside. There’s no point in your coming with me.”
“Did you imagine I would?” Lisa asked huskily.
Startled, Anderton stared at her. “Wouldn’t you?” Then with amazement, he murmured: “No, I can see you don’t believe me. You still think I’m imagining all this.” He jabbed savagely at the card. “Even with that evidence you still aren’t convinced.”
“No,” Lisa agreed quickly, “I’m not. You didn’t look at it closely enough, darling. Ed Witwer’s name isn’t on it.”
Incredulous, Anderton took the card from her.
“Nobody says you’re going to kill Ed Witwer,” Lisa continued rapidly, in a thin, brittle voice. “The card must be genuine, understand? And it has nothing to do with Ed. He’s not plotting against you and neither is anybody else.”
Too confused to reply, Anderton stood studying the card. She was right. Ed Witwer was not listed as his victim. On line five, the machine had neatly stamped another name.
LEOPOLD KAPLAN
Numbly, he pocketed the card. He had never heard of the man in his life.
III
The house was cool and deserted, and almost immediately Anderton began making preparations for his journey. While he packed, frantic thoughts passed through his mind.
Possibly he was wrong about Witwer – but how could he be sure? In any event, the conspiracy against him was far more complex than he had realized. Witwer, in the over-all picture, might be merely an insignificant puppet animated by someone else – by some distant, indistinct figure only vaguely visible in the background.