d
they get his wave-band so soon?"

"You can worry about that one, too," I told him.

"Okay. Never mind. Where are you now? Never mind that either. Just stay
there. Call the nearest police station and have them send someone after
you. Get in a nice snug cell and stay put. We'll take care of Grogan and
Maxwell. Okay, now. Don't waste any time."

* * * * *

We hung up together. Then I quickly dialed the operator and asked for
the nearest sectional police station.

When the face of the desk sergeant flashed on the screen, I told him,
"My name is Earl Langston. My life is in immediate danger. I'm in a vp
booth near the Pacific Street entrance, number four, of Underhill's
department store, second level."

"Stay where you are," the sergeant replied. "We'll have someone after
you in ten or fifteen minutes."

In a surprisingly short time, an overweight, gray-uniformed policeman
with a face like a bulldog rapped at the door of the booth.

I stood up and opened the door.

"Earl Langston?" he asked. I nodded and followed him to an elevator. We
went up to the third level and then through a maze of aisles and
departments before going out a door that opened on a parking lot.

The policeman led me to an unmarked auto and opened the back door for
me. Two dogs barked at my heels as we walked to the vehicle. I shooed
them off before I closed the door.

I leaned back on the soft cushions with a sigh and set the heavy defense
mech on the edge of the seat beside me, still holding the handle loosely
with one hand.

The motor purred as we moved slowly out of the parking lot and into the
street.

I paid no attention to where we were going. Just breathed another sigh
and closed my eyes. At last, I could begin to relax. In just a few
minutes, now, I'd be safe. I hadn't realized how tense I was. My neck
muscles ached and my stomach slipped slowly from my chest cavity back
down to where it belonged.

It seemed a long time ago that I had abandoned Maxwell to Grogan's
thugs.... What had happened to him since then? How long ago had it been?
Only half an hour? Not much longer, anyway.

Now again I had time to think, and this time I did think. I began to ask
myself questions--to wonder about certain things.

How had Grogan learned Maxwell's wave-band so soon?

What was Grogan doing with a telenizer in the first place, and what was
he up to? Just personal revenge against me?

How did I know for sure