"Aha," Spookie said, looking around the doorway. "Our sleeper awakes.
Who do you think you are now, Sam? Our old pal Kent or the King of the
Outer Planets?"
"Damn you," I said. "Untie me."
"Maybe later. You're too much for us Earthlings to take chances with.
You were really way out, little chum."
"I'm sorry," I said, beginning to remember.
"You'd better be," Joy said from around the corner. "You were
absolutely outrageous. I'm making coffee. Want some?"
"Yes, please. How did Spookie get here? I thought he was still on
Ultra."
"They've got a very efficient shuttle service," Spookie said. "They
decided it'd be better to ship me back than to get themselves bad
publicity by keeping me prisoner."
"Tell Sam how you threatened them," Joy said.
"With the undying wrath of the Spookie Masters Fan Club," Spookie said.
"Three and a half million anti-Monolithians was more than they were
willing to risk--especially teen-agers, who are inclined to be extreme."
"What an ego," I said. "Did Rod Harris come back with you?"
"He did. I left him at the AP, busting to file a story."
"How come they let him go?"
"My influence, I think," Spookie said. "You're sure full of questions
for a reporter without a notebook."
"How did you get here? You didn't answer that one."
"I was anxious about Joy, naturally. I called her up and she told
me she had a madman in her living room. Maidens in distress are my
specialty."
"You did not call up," I said. "The phone never rang."
Joy answered that: "I happen to have another phone in my bedroom, with
a private number. A good thing, too, the way you were carrying on. And
if you want to know where Spookie got the number," she added defiantly,
"I gave it to him. Any objections, _Mister_ Kent?"
"No," I mumbled, considerably deflated. "I'm sorry, Joy--about lots of
things."
"Forget it," she said. "How about some scrambled eggs?"
"You'll have to feed me."
Spookie said, "No. I think we'll risk untying your arms and see whose
side you're on."
* * * * *
5:30 A.M. We had eaten--I politely, free-armed, with no trouble to my
captors--and the sun was peeping through the morning haze when WGMS
interrupted its music with a news bulletin.
"More coffee?" Joy said.
"Shh," I said, and the radio said:
"Bulletin from our newsroom. President Allison has just issued the
following statement. Uh--one moment, please. Is this on the lev--"
The announcer hadn't hit the cough button quite soon enough. He was
back after a moment of dead air, saying:
"We have now verified that this statement is actually from the
President. According to all three American wire services, he called
them personally before dawn. Here is President Allison's statement,
exactly as he dictated it:
"'My dear fellow citizens. During the next few days you may hear a
number of rumors which I wish to nip in the bud right now.
"'I hasten to assure you now, before these vicious lies spread, that
they are fabrications designed to split your loyalties.
"'You will hear it said that I have been kidnapped and that an
impersonator has taken my place in the White House. You will be asked
to believe that all Earth's leaders have been abducted and that
Monolithian duplicates have been substituted for them.
"'Let me repeat that this will be pernicious propaganda, spread by
your enemies and mine, designed to undermine confidence in the great
interstellar alliance for peace we have lately forged on Ultra.
"'Later today I will record, on tape and film, a similar message to
you, my fellow citizens, to banish any lingering doubts you may have.
I have asked our great radio and television networks to broadcast my
message hourly throughout the day, so that you will both see and hear
me give the lie to this outrageous plot to delude you and undermine
your faith in your government and your President, who remains sincerely
and genuinely yours--Gouverneur "Gov" Allison.'"
* * * * *
6:47 A.M. Telephone. The one in the living room. Joy, yawning, answered
it.
"Yes, this is Joy Linx.... Well, yes, sir--he does happen to be
here...."