ing a big conference. He says to keep everybody out."

"That doesn't apply to me, Scotty," Don snapped. "Get out of my way."

Scotty stood up, reluctantly, but barred the way. "He said it applied to
everybody, Mr. Mathers."

Don put his full weight into a blow that started at his waist, dug deep
into the other's middle. Scotty doubled forward, his eyes bugging. Don
Mathers gripped his hands together into a double fist and brought them
upward in a vicious uppercut.

* * * * *

Scotty fell forward and to the floor.

Don stood above him momentarily, watchful for movement which didn't
develop. The hefty bodyguard must have been doing some easy living
himself. He wasn't as tough as he looked.

Don knelt and fished from under the other's left arm a vicious-looking
short-barrelled scrambler. He tucked it under his own jacket into his
belt, then turned, opened the door and entered the supposedly barred
office.

Demming and Rostoff looked up from their work across a double desk.

Both scowled. Rostoff opened his mouth to say something and Don Mathers
rapped, "Shut up."

Rostoff blinked at him. Demming leaned back in his swivel chair. "You're
sober for a change," he wheezed, almost accusingly.

Don Mathers pulled up a stenographer's chair and straddled it, leaning
his arms on the back. He said coldly, "Comes a point when even the
lowest worm turns. I've been checking on a few things."

Demming grunted amusement.

Don said, "Space patrols have been cut far below the danger point."

Rostoff snorted. "Is that supposed to interest us? That's the problem of
the military--and the government."

"Oh, it interests us, all right," Don growled. "Currently, Mathers,
Demming and Rostoff control probably three-quarters of the system's
radioactives."

Demming said in greasy satisfaction, "More like four-fifths."

"Why?" Don said bluntly. "Why are we doing what we're doing?"

They both scowled, but another element was present in their expressions
too. They thought the question unintelligent.

Demming closed his eyes in his porcine manner and grunted, "Tell him."

Rostoff said, "Look, Mathers, don't be stupid. Remember when we told
you, during that first interview, that we wanted your name in the
corporation, among other reasons, because we could use a man who was
above law? That a maze of ridiculously binding ordinances have been laid
on business down through the centuries?"

"I remember,"