But the front entrance was no place for a Sixer. He went on past it,
stepping aside regularly for citizens of higher class than his own
assumed Six. He made his way around to the narrow alley that ran past
the rear of the building.
There was a Class Five guard armed with a heavy truncheon, standing by
the door that led into the workers entrance. The Guesser, as he had
been instructed by Deyla, had his card out as he neared the doorway. The
guard hardly even glanced at it before wagging a finger indicating that
The Guesser was to pass. He didn't bother to speak.
The Guesser was trembling as he walked on in--partly in anger, partly in
fear. It seemed ridiculous that one glance had not told the guard that
he was not a Class Six. The Guesser was quite certain that he didn't
_look_ like a Sixer. But then, Fives were not very perceptive people,
anyway.
The Guesser went on walking into the complex corridors of the lower part
of the building, following directions that had been given him by Deyla.
There was no hesitation on his part; his memory for things like that was
as near perfect as any record of the past can be. He knew her
instructions well enough to have navigated the building in the dark.
Again, The Guesser found himself vaguely perturbed by the relative
freedom of Sixers. As long as they got their jobs done there was almost
no checking as to how they spent their time. Well, actually, the jobs to
which they were suited were rather trivial--some of them were actually
"made work." After all, in a well-run society, it was axiomatic that
everyone have basic job security; that's what kept everyone happy.
Of course, there were plenty of Sixers working in construction and on
farms who were kept on their toes by overseers, but cleaning jobs and
such didn't need such supervision. A thing can only be so clean; there's
no quota to fill and exceed.
After several minutes of walking and climbing stairs--Sixers did not use
lift chutes or drop chutes--he found the room where Deyla had told him
to meet her. It was a small storeroom containing cleaning tools and
supplies. She was waiting for him.
And, now that the time had actually come for them to act on her plan,
fear showed on her face. The Guesser knew then that he had been right in
his decision. But he said nothing about that yet.
"Now are you certain about the destination?" he asked before she could
speak.