The people on the sidewalk rushed to get out of the way. Abruptly the
man's arm swung back and forward.
"Catch."
Something flashed in the air.
Dan's impulse was to jump aside, then tackle the man. Instead, his
body turned slightly. His right hand, already partly raised, whipped
in a short arc, caught something, flicked it to his left, and blurred
straight out again.
The man opposite Dan blinked and jumped aside.
At the same instant, Dan's left hand shot out.
There was a gasp from the crowd. The man collapsed with the butt of a
knife jutting from his chest.
A voice behind Dan said warmly, "Superb! A return attack complete in
one stroke!"
Dan turned to see three alert, strong-looking men. One counted bills
from a thick roll. The second opened up a square case with carrying
handle. The third was unwinding an armband with a badge on it.
The man with the case held it out. "If you'll just put your fingertips
on these plates, so we'll be sure to get your mating credits--"
Dan sensed from the waiting attitude of the people watching that this
was some kind of test. Unhesitatingly, he held out his fingertips.
There were also two bright flashes as a small tube was held to Dan's
eyes.
Once Dan could see again, everyone seemed relaxed and friendly. The
crowd was excitedly arguing the details of what had happened. The man
with the roll of bills handed over a small fistful, saying, "Double,
for the return at one stroke."
The man with the armband put it on Dan's arm as he rapidly recited the
words of some rote formula, of which all Dan caught was a frequent
reference to "the Code," and the words "peril and deadly danger," and
the last words, "now say, 'I do.'"
"I do," said Dan, fervently wishing he were somewhere else.
The man with the case was beaming as he snapped the little rod inside.
He said genially, "I always know an honest fight when I see it. And
these days it's a real pleasure to--"
Just then, he clapped the case shut.
The case gave out a clang like the general alarm on a space cruiser
under surprise attack.