"Don't worry, Dr. Yarr, everything is safe so far."
Yarr took an enormous breath, held it for a moment and then let it out
with a _woosh_. In natural tones he said: "I wanted to ask you if you'd
hold on to the couple. I'd like to examine them for a check on the
Prognosticator."
Gently, the C-S explained: "We're not trying to catch them, Dr. Yarr.
We don't know who they are and we may never know. All we want to do is
to prevent this conversation."
* * * * *
So we forgot about taking a walk through the gardens and there was more
cold and more silence and more waiting. I clasped my hands together and
I was so chilled and nervous it felt like I had ice water between the
palms. A quick streak of red slanted up through the sky, the rocket
discharges of the Lunar Transport, and ten seconds later I heard the
_wham_ of the take-off echoing from Governor's Island and the follow-up
drone. Only that drone kept on sounding long after it should have died
away and it was too thin--too small--
I looked up, startled, and there was a helio making lazy circles over
the center of the rock gardens. Its silhouette showed clearly against
the stars and I could see the bright squares of its cabin windows.
Suddenly I realized there was a stretch of lawn in the center of the
gardens where a helio could land--where a couple could get out to
stretch their legs and take an evening stroll.
I didn't want to act scared, so I just said: "I think we'd better go
inside and get that helio out of there."
So we entered the gate and walked briskly toward the gardens, the two
cops right at our heels. I managed to keep on walking for about ten
steps and then I lost all control. I broke into a run and the others
ran right behind me--the controller, the C-S, Yarr and the cops. We
went pelting down the gravel path, circled a dry fountain and climbed a
flight of steps three at a clip.
The helio was just landing when I got to the edge of the lawn. I
yelled: "Keep off! Get out of here!" and started toward them across
the frozen turf. My feet pounded, but not much louder than my heart. I
guess the whole six of us must have sounded like a herd of buffalo. I
was still fifty yards off when dark figures started climbing out of the
cabin. I yelled: "Didn't you hear me? Get out of this park!"