Part 3 (1/2)
”As bad as that?”
”Yes,” said Mihul. ”As bad as that. She was controlling herself with Plemponi. But I've been observing her in the physical workouts. I've fed it to her as heavy as I could, but there's a limit to what you can do that way. She's kept herself in very good shape.”
”One of the best, I've been told,” said Quillan.
”Condition, I meant,” said Mihul. ”Anyway, she's trained down fine right now. Any more of it would just make her edgier. You know how it goes.”
”Uh-huh,” he said. ”Fighter nerves.”
”Same deal,” Mihul agreed.
There was a short pause. ”How about slapping a guard on all Colonial school exits?” he suggested.
”Can you send me an army?”
”No.”
”Then forget it. She was a student here, remember? Last year a bunch of our students smuggled the stuffed restructured mastodon out and left it in the back garden of the mayor of Ceyce, just for laughs. Too many exits. And Trigger was a trickier monkey than most that way, when she felt like it. She'll fade out of here whenever she wants to.”
”It's those d.a.m.n tube portal systems!” said Quillan, with feeling. ”Most gruesome invention that ever hit the tailing profession.” He sighed.
”You win, Mihul! The Commissioner isn't in at the moment. But whether he gets in or not, I'll have someone over today to pick her up. Matter of fact, I'll come along myself.”
”Good for you, boy!” Mihul said relievedly. ”Did you get anything out of yesterday's grabbers?”
”A little. 'Get her, don't harm her' were their instructions. Otherwise it was like with those other slobs. A hole in the head where the real info should be. But at least we know for sure now that someone is specifically after Argee. The price was kind of interesting.”
”What was it?”
”Flat half million credits.”
Mihul whistled. ”Poor Trigger!”
”Well, n.o.body's very likely to earn the money.”
”I hope not. She's a good kid. All right, Major. Signing off now.”
”Hold on a minute,” said Quillan. ”You asked a while ago if the girl had gone ta-ta.”
”So I did,” Mihul said, surprised. ”You didn't say. I figured it was against security.”
”It probably is,” Quillan admitted. ”Everything seems to be, right now.
I've given up trying to keep up with that. Anyway--I don't know that she has. Neither does the Commissioner. But he's worried. And Argee has a date she doesn't know about with the Psychology Service, four days from now.”
”The eggheads?” Mihul was startled. ”What do they want with her?”
”You know,” Quillan remarked reflectively, ”that's odd! They didn't think to tell me.”
”Why are you letting me know?” Mihul asked.
”You'll find out, doll,” he said.