"Where's Williams," I said. I kept kicking and asking. After five
tries, Arena shook his head and tried to sit up. I put a foot in his
face and he relaxed. I asked him again.
"You didn't learn this kind of tactics at the Academy," Arena whined.
"It's the times," I said. "They have a coarsening effect."
"Williams was a fancy-pants," Arena said. "No guts. He pulled the
stopper."
"Talk plainer," I said, and kicked him again, hard--but I knew what he
meant.
"Blew his lousy head off," Arena yelled. "I gassed him and tried scop
on him. He blew. He was out cold, and he blew."
"Yeah," I said. "Hypnotics will trigger it."
"Fancy goddam wiring job," Arena muttered, wiping blood from his face.
* * * * *
I got the wire and trussed Arena up. I had to clip him twice before I
finished. I went through his pockets, looked at things, recovered my
souvenirs. I went over to Stenn. He was breathing.
Arena was watching. "He's okay, for crissake," he said. "What kind of
punch you think I got?"