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rmac； untrue。 But it was hypnotic； its unreality drew the eye and held it there。 'e on； Jim。' Omally tugged at Pooley's sleeve。 'You're falling behind again。'
Pooley struggled on。 Ahead； the Lateinos and Romiith building dwarfed all beneath its black shadow。 The sky was dark with tumbling clouds； strange images weaved and flowed beyond the mysterious glittering walls； shimmering over the roof…tops。 Even now something terrible was occurring beyond the boundaries of the borough。
The awful procession turned out of the Butts and up into Moby Dick Terrace。 Professor Slobe drew his followers aside from the throng and the helmeted duo scuttled after him。 'Make haste now。'
The Lateinos and Romiith building filled the eastern skyline。 Jim noted with increasing gloom that an entire terrace of houses had gone； overwhelmed by the pitiless structure which reared into the darkling sky。
On a roadside bench ahead an old man sat with his dog。
'Good day； lads；' said Old Pete； as the strangely…clad threesome passed him by at close quarters。 'Fair old do this year； isn't it？'
'Bloody marvellous；' Pooley replied。 'Hope to see you later for one in the Swan if all goes well。'
Old Pete cleared his throat with a curiously mechanical coughing sound。 'Look out for yourself；' said he。
The three men continued their journey at the Jog…
'Stop here now；' said Professor Slobe； as they came finally to the corner of the street。 'I am expecting somebody。'
'A friend I hope。'
'That would be nice；' said Jim； with a little more flippancy than the situation warranted。 'Organizer of the Festival raffle is it？ Or chairman of the float mittee？'
Omally took what he considered to be one of the last opportunities left to him to welt Jim about the head。 'Oow ouch！' he said； clutching at a throbbing fist。 Pooley smiled sweetly。 'How much do you want for the copyright of this helmet？' he asked the Professor。
'Leave it out； you two。 Here he es。'
Along the deserted pavement； weaving with great difficulty； came an all too familiar figure； clad in grey shopkeeper's overall and trilby hat。 But what was this that the clone shopkeeper rode upon his precarious journey？ Could this be that creaking vestige of a more glorious age； now black and pitted and sorely taken with the rest？ Surely we have seen these perished hand…grips before？ Marvelled at the coil…spring saddle and oil…bath chainguard？ The stymied Sturmey Archer Three…speed and the tungsten…carbide lamp？ Yes； there can be no doubt； it is that noted iron stallion； that prince of pedaldom； squeaking and plaining beneath the weight of its alien rider； it can be no other。 Let men take note and ladies beware： Marchant the wonder bike； it is he。
'Get off my bleeding bicycle；' yelled John Omally。
Norman the Second leapt down from his borrowed mount with some alacrity。 Not； however； with sufficient alertness to avoid the sneaky pedal which had been awaiting its chance to drive in deep。 Norman's right trouser cuff vanished into the oil…bath and the automated shopman bit the dust。
'Bastard；' squealed the mechanical man。 'I'll do for you。'
'Nice one； Marchant；' said John； drawing his bike beyond reach。 The bicycle rang its bell in greeting and nuzzled its handlebar into its master's waistcoat。
'Bloody pathetic isn't it？' said Jim。 'A boy and his bike； I ask you。'
'Do you think we might apply ourselves to the job in hand？' the Professor asked。
'I like the helmets；' said Norman the Second。 'What is it then； Justice League of America？'
'A running gag I believe；' Jim replied。 'Did you have to bring his bike？ That thing depresses me。'
'Easy Jim； if I am going to die； I will do it with Marchant at my side； or at least under my bum。'
'Bloody pathetic。'
'Time to do your party trick； Jim；' said Omally。 'Professor？'
The old man indicated a dimly…lit panel on the bleak wall。 'Just there；' he said。
'I don't know if this is such a good idea；' Jim plained。 'I think the best idea would be to give the place a good leaving alone。'
'Stick your mitt out； Jim。'
The cursed Croesus placed his priceless palm on to the panel。 There was a brief swish and a section of the wall shot aside。 A very bad smell came from within。
'Quickly now；' said the Professor。 'Keep your hand on the panel until we're all in； Jim。'
A moment later the gap closed upon three men； one robot shopkeeper； and a bike called Marchant。
'Blimey；' said Omally。 'I don't know what I expected； but it wasn't this。'
They stood now in what might have been the lobby and entrance hall of any one of a thousand big business consortiums。 The traditional symbols of success and opulence； the marble walls； thick plush carpeting； chromium reception desk； even the rubber plant in its Boda plant…stand； were all there。 It was so normal and so very ordinary as to be fearful。 For behind this facade； each man knew； lurked a power more evil than anything words were able to express。
'Gentlemen；' said Professor Slobe； 'we are now in the belly of the beast。'
Omally suddenly clutched at his stomach。 'I think I'm going to chuck up；' he said。 'I can feel something。 Something wrong。'
'Hold on。' The Professor laid a calming hand upon Omally's arm。 'Speak the rosary； it will pass。'
Beneath his breath Omally whispered the magical words of the old prayer。 Its power was almost instantaneous； and the sick and claustrophobic feeling lifted itself from his shoulders； to alight upon Jim Pooley。
'Blech；' went Jim。 Being a man of fewer words and little religious conviction； he threw up over the rubber plant。
'That will please the caretaker；' chuckled Omally。
'Sorry；' said Jim； drawing his shirt…sleeve over the cold sweat on his brow。 'Gippy tummy I think。 I must be going cold turkey for the want of a pint。'
'You and me both。 Which way； Professor？'
The old man fingered his chin。 'There is no…one on the desk； shall we take the lift？'
Norman the Second shook his head； 'I would strongly advise the stairs。 A stairway to oblivion is better than no stairway at all I always say。 Would you like me to carry your bike； John； or would you prefer to chain it to the rubber plant？'
'I'll carry my own bike； thank you。'
Pooley squinted up at the ragged geometry； spiralling into nothingness above。 'Looks like a long haul；' said he。 'Surely the cellar would be your man； down to the fuse boxes and out with the fuse。 I feel that I have done more than my fair share of climbing today。'
'Onward and upward。'
Now there just may be a knack to be had with stairs。 Some speak with conviction that the balls of the feet are your man。 Others favour shallow breathing or the occupation of the mind upon higher things。 Walking up backwards； that one might deceive your legs into thinking they were ing down； has even been suggested。 In the course of the next fifteen minutes it must fairly be stated that each of these possible methods and in fact a good many more； ranging from the subtly ingenious to the downright absurd； were employed。 And each met with plete and utter failure。
'I'm gone。' Pooley sank to his knees and clutched at his heart。
'Nurse； the oxygen。' Omally dragged himself a stair or more further and collapsed beneath his bike。 'We must give poor Jim a breather；' he said。 'The life of ease has gone to his legs。'
'Are you all right yourself？' Norman the Second enquired。
'Oh yes。' Omally wheezed bronchitically and wiped the sweat from his eyes。 'It is Jim I fear for。'
Professor Slobe peered down from a landing above。 If his ancient limbs were suffering the agonies one would naturally assume them to be； he showed no outward sign。 The light of determination burned in his eyes。 'e on now；' he urged。 'We are nearly there。'
'Nearly there？' groaned Jim。 'Not only can I hear the grim reaper sharpening his scythe； I am beginning to see the sparks。'
'You've enough breath； Jim； lend him your arm； John。'
'e on； Jim。' Omally shouldered up his bike and aided his sagging panion。 'If we get out of this I will let you buy me a drink。'
'If we get out of this I will buy you a pub。'
'Onward and upward then。'
Another two flights passed beneath them； to John and Jim it was evident that some fiendish builder was steadily increasing the depth of the treads。
'Stop now。'
'With the greatest pleasure。'
Professor Slobe put his eye to the smoked glass of a partition door。 'Yes；' said he in a whisper。 'We shall trace it from here； I think。'
Norman the Second ran his fingertips about the door's perimeter and nodded。 'Appears safe enough；' he said。
'Then let us see。' Professor Slobe gestured to Jim。 'You push it； please。'
Pooley shook his head dismally but did as he was bid。 The door gave to expose a long dimly…lit corridor。
Omally fanned at his nose。 'It smells like the dead house。'
Professor Slobe pressed a large gingham handkerchief to his face。 'Will you lead the way； Norman？'
The robot entered the corridor。 'I can feel the vibration of it；' he said； 'but it is some distance away。 If I could get to a VDU。'
'Stand alone； clustered； or wide…area network？' Omally asked； sarcastically。
'Super advanced WP and a spread…sheet planner； hopefully；' said Jim。
'Do I take the piss out of your relatives？' Norman the Second asked。 'Stick your palm against this panel will you please？'
'Security round here stinks as bad as the air；' Pooley pressed the panel。 A gleaming black door slid noiselessly aside。
'Ah；' said Norman the Second； 'magic。'
The room was nothing more than a cell； happily unoccupied。 Black walls； floor and ceiling。 A cunningly concealed light source illuminated a centralized puter terminal； bolted to the floor。 'And people have the gall to ask me why I never take employment；' said Omally； parking his bike。 'Imagine this place nine to five。'
The robot faced the console and cracked his nylon knuckles。 'Now；' said he； 'only one small problem。 We do not possess the entry code。'
Professor Slobe handed him a folded sheet of vellum。 'Try this。' The automaton perused the paper and stared up at the old man。
'Don't ask；' said John Omally。
'All right then。' With a blur of digits the robot punched in the locking code。 The words 'ENTER ENQUIRY NOW' sprang up upon the now illuminated screen。 Norman's hand hovered。
'Ask it for permission to consult the main access body；' said the Professor。
Norman punched away at the keyboard。
PERMISSION DENIED； INFORMATION CLASSIFIED。
Professor Slobe stroked at his chin。 'Ask it for a data report。'
Norman did the business。 Rows of lighted figures plonked up on to the monitor。 Row upon coloured row； number upon number； little illuminated regiments marching up the screen。 'Magic；' crooned Norman the Second。
'Looks like trig；' said Jim disgustedly。 'Never could abide trig。 Woodwork and free periods； but trig definitely not。'
'The music of the spheres；' said Norman the Second。
Professor Slobe's eyes were glued to the flickering screen。 His mouth worked and moved； his head quivered from side to side。 As the projected figures darted and weaved； so the old man rose and fell upon his toes。
'Does it mean something to you？' Omally asked。
'Numerology； John。 It is as I have tried to explain to you both。 Everything； no matter what； can be broken down into its base elements and resolved to a final equation： the numerical equivalent； all of life； each moving cell； each microbe； each network of cascading molecules。 That is the purpose of it all。 Don't you see？' He pulled Omally nearer to the screen； but John jerked away。
'I'll not have it；' said he。 'It is wrong。 Somehow it is indecent。 Obscene。'
'No； no； you must understand。' The Professor crouched lower towards the screen； pushing Norman's duplicate aside。
Pooley was jigging from one foot to the other。 'Can't we get a move on。 I'm freezing to death here。'
The room had suddenly grown impossibly cold。 The men's breath steamed from their faces。 Or at least from two of them it did。
Omally grasped Pooley by the wrist； for the first time he realized that the Professor was no longer wearing his helmet； and hadn't been since they had joined him on the landing。 'Oh； Jim；' whispered John； 'bad Boda。'
The 'Professor' stiffened； slowly his head revolved a hundred and eighty degrees upon his neck a