me, he might report in and arouse Brock's interest in a way I wouldn't
like.

I finally got to a tubeway, but it stopped at every station, and it
took me nearly an hour and a half to get to Viking Test Area Four.

At the main door, I considered--for all of five seconds--the idea of
simply telling the guard I had to go in. But I knew that, by now, Jack
was there ahead of me. No. I couldn't just bull my way in. Too crude.
Too many clues.

Hell's fire and damnation! I'd have to waste more time.

I looked up at the ceiling. The surface wasn't more than a hundred
feet overhead, but it felt as though it were a hundred light-years.

If I could get that guard away from that door for five seconds, all
would be gravy from then on in. But how? I couldn't have the diversion
connected with me. Or--

Sometimes, I'm amazed at my own stupidity.

I beetled it down to the nearest phone and got hold of my BANning
number.

"Jack already inside?" I snapped.

"Hell, yes! What happened to you?"

"Never mind. Got to make the best of it. I'm a corner away from Area
Four. Where's your nearest man?"

"At the corner near the freight office."

"I'll go to him. What's he look like?"

"Five-nine. Black, curly hair. Your age. Fat. Name's Peter Quilp. He
knows you."

"Peter Quilp?"

"Right."

"Good. Circulate a report that Jack has been seen in the vicinity of
the main gate to Area Four. Put it out that there's a reward of five
thousand for the person who finds her. I'm going to have Quilp gather
a crowd."

He didn't ask a one of the million questions that must have popped
into his mind. "Right. Anything else?"

"No." I hung up.

* * * * *

Within ten minutes, there was a mob milling through the corridor.
Everybody in the neighborhood was looking for Jaqueline Ravenhurst.
Then Peter Quilp yelled.

"I've got her! I've got her! Guard!"

With a scene like that going on, the guard couldn't help but step out
of his cubicle to see what was going on.

I used the key I was carrying, stepped inside, and relocked the door.
No one in the crowd paid any attention.

From then on up, it was simply a matter of evading patrolling
guards--a relatively easy job. Finally, I put on my vac suit and went
out through the air lock.

McGuire was still sitting there, a bright blue needle that reflected
the distant sun as it moved across the ebon sky. Ceres' rotation took
it from horizon to horizon in less than