"Back to Bullen. I understand the setup now. Maybe we'd better play
ball with him."
"Did you find out what place this is?"
"Yes--well, sort of. Here's a rough rundown. Incredible as it seems,
we really are in a past time period--different from our own past. This
period doesn't have color TV yet. Bullen wants to be first on the
market with it. So he sent our pal Greet Snader here to pick a man in
future time who had already mastered TV and sell him to Bullen as a
captive scientist. I imagine Snader raids the future for many experts."
Snader stepped up to him with a dangerous smile. "All right, big wit.
Tell me my business. Tell me all about it."
"You heard me. You're in the slave business." The blood throbbed in
Jeff's head.
"You don't like?" Snader's scarred face looked fierce and gloating.
"Maybe you shovel coal from now. Or wipe floors."
Jeff saw policemen watching from the jail entrance. He clamped his
mouth shut.
"Don't be excitable or you get hurt," Snader advised. "We own you. We
gave you a break. Remember that, wise boy. You ready now?"
Jeff nodded silently.
Snader playfully twisted Jeff's ear and shoved him into the limousine.
"Don't tell me anything. Then I don't hurt you."
V
Between Snader and Ann in the front seat, Jeff held Ann's hand and
winked encouragingly at her.
"Snader, I guess you're right," he said. "This is a good deal for me.
I was sort of washed up in my own time."
"Now you smart," Snader said. "Your little lady? She smart, too?"
"Yep. By the way, how come you got us out so early? It's only nine
o'clock. Bullen said he'd expect me at eleven."
"We go to time station first," Snader explained shortly. "I pick up
documents there. Breakfast there."
"Good," Jeff said cheerfully. A plan was taking shape in his mind. "All
I'm worried about is my speed-up pills. Can I get some at the station?
I'm almost out." He pressed Ann's knee warningly.
"Speed-up pills?" Snader looked suspicious--but then, he always did.
"What you mean?"
"Don't you have speed-up tablets?" Jeff put surprise in his voice.
"Stuff to activate the half of the brain that normally doesn't work.
You _must_ have them."
"What they look like?"
Jeff fumbled for his silver pillbox. "They're the big red and yellow
capsules." He handed the box to Snader. "Don't spill them. I only have
three left. Where can I get more like those? I won't be nearly as good
without them."
Keeping one hand on the wheel, Snader glanced down. The box had a
jumble of black vitamin pills and red and yellow sleeping tablets.
"You say these big ones help brain?" he asked warily.
"They speed up the reflexes--they make everything seem clear and easy.
Please give them back before you spill them."
Snader thumbed the red and yellow capsules out and handed the box back
without them. "I keep these." He moved his head craftily to watch
Jeff's face in the mirror.
Jeff was ready. He registered rage and fear. "Gimme those!" he shouted.
"I need them."