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.""They should be shot." A fat, gray-haired man who was not in uniform sat down on a workbench."All right, let's get it over with.Who's the parcel for, boyo? Let's have a name.""I don't know.""Sure.You decided to wander into the protection zone in the middle of a howling snowstorm, with a million dollars worth of brain-burner on you, just for the fun of it.What made you think the defense system wouldn't fry you on the spot?""I thought it would."The gray-haired man studied him."Damned if I'm not inclined to believe you." He handed him a white cloth."Here, kid.Wipe your face."Job did as he was told.Until that moment he had not realized that he was crying."Did you know what you were carrying in the package?" said the fat man.Job thought about that.He didn't know, but he had been developing his suspicions."I wasn't sure.""But now you are? So who sent you? Tell me that, and take us there, and you'll do yourself a favor.If we can get someone good, we won't worry much about you.Come on, now." The man could see Job's hesitation."They dropped you in it, didn't they, without one word of warning? What do you owe them?"Tracy hadn't done anything to him—she had done her best to protect him, even argued with Miss Magnolia.She had wanted to warn him.Job shook his head.The fat man shrugged."If that's the way you want it.Take him away, Lou.Let him stew for a while."The younger of the uniformed men nodded, grabbed Job by the arm, and led him through to another room.This one was warmer, not just a garage and repair shop.The man gestured Job to a chair."Want a drink? You must be frozen." Without waiting for an answer he filled a cup from a big metal jug and handed it to Job.It was a hot, sweet liquid that Job had never tasted before, and it burned his gullet all the way down to his stomach."There.Warming you up a bit?" The man had a cheerful dark face, and when he took his cap off his hair stood up in damp spikes."Hell of a night to send a young kid out, 'specially for a drug run." He was studying Job."Just how old are you, anyway?""I'm ten." Job paused, then added, "Ten today.""God love us.What a birthday present.Did you get any presents?"Job shook his head."Well, happy birthday anyway.Like your drink?" "It's good." But it was making Job dizzy."More there when you want it.So what's your name, kid?""Job Salk.Job Napoleon Salk.""Good.And where do you live?" The man's voice was casual."Not out on the streets, I'll bet money on that.You'd freeze to death in this weather.""At Bracewell Mansion." Job had answered before he thought."And before that I was at Cloak House," he added."So they sent you here straight from Bracewell?" The man ignored Job's feeble attempt at misdirection.Job knew he had been trapped; but it was too late to do anything about it.He nodded."Good lad." The man seemed pleased, but he wasn't gloating."Sit there and drink as much as you like.Keep warm.I'll be back."When he returned the other two were with him.They were wearing overcoats, and the young uniformed man was carrying Job's gloves and hat."Horrible night for it, but we have to take a little ride," said the fat man, his gray hair hidden now by a fur cap.He was holding the square packet in its waterproof wrapping."Can you identify the person from Bracewell Mansion who gave you this, and sent you here?"Job nodded unhappily."So you'll do that.You won't need to talk.Fasten your coat.You'll be in a car most of the time, but wrap up."He led the way out, with the uniformed men on either side of Job.Under other circumstances, the trip back to Bracewell Mansion could have been thrilling.First they rolled nearly a quarter of a mile underground on a labyrinth of smooth transportation belts that rose, fell, and merged with each other.Some were deserted, some carried dozens of people.At last they came to another garage and Job was led forward to a long, black car.He sat in front between the driver and the fat, gray-haired man.The dashboard was filled with gadgets that Job didn't understand: range sensor, radar navigator, thermal tracker.The engine was not running, but when they were all aboard the car began to move.It entered a tunnel, traveled for thirty seconds in total darkness, then unexpectedly emerged at ground level outside the Mall Compound and protection zone.The engine started with a low-pitched purr.Although the night was dark and the snow drove down harder than ever, the opaque front windscreen of the car showed the passengers a clear, hard-edged view of roads and buildings in black and white.The car eased forward, lights off.As midnight approached more people were refusing to let the weather halt New Year party plans.They were in the streets, many of them ignoring the sidewalk in favor of the center of the road.Drunk or drugged, they took little notice of the dark car sliding past them.It took almost as long to get to Bracewell Mansion as it would have on foot.Job stared nervously at the front steps of the mansion as the car approached, hoping to see a familiar figure.He had been sent to do an errand, and not only was his mission unaccomplished but he was bringing strangers back with him.The only person who might understand how it had happened was the professor.The front steps were deserted.Strangely, they had been cleared of snow.Stranger yet, the usual entrance was closed off, while the boards in front of a great pair of double doors in the middle of the steps had been removed.The gray-haired man opened the door of the car and motioned Job to get out."Wait here," he said to the others."Give me fifteen minutes.If I'm not back you know what to do." And to Job, "All right, kid.Take me to your leader."Job ascended the steps and paused at the top.He had never been in this way, or seen the double doors from inside the building.He had no idea where they might lead.At last he opened one of them and went in.He found himself in a tiled hallway.It led to a broad staircase carpeted in pale mauve, and at the head of that, twenty feet above them, stood Miss Magnolia in a long gown of vivid green."That's her," said Job in a whisper."She gave it to me."If Miss Magnolia heard him, she gave no sign of it.She stood unmoving and expressionless as Job led the man up the stairs towards her."Can I help you?" she said at last.She was looking calmly at the man and gave Job not even a glance."I believe you can." But there was a first note of uncertainty in his voice as he held out an oval badge."Can we go somewhere to talk?""No.We can talk right here
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