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own； telling her to 〃Buy！ Buy！ Buy！〃 that very morning。 I had unwittingly sealed my own doom。
I still owed them hundreds of thousands。 I didn't have a penny to my name。 And I had no slightest channel here on Earth to get any。
The house would be seized。 The staff would be sold。 But not only that； even I would find myself on the auction block； being bought most likely by an Arab who thought more of camels than his slaves。 And thus a nightmare shattered any peace the unconsciousness could bring： I was an auctioneer shouting 〃Buy！ Buy！ Buy！〃 as I sold myself time and again to masters far more cruel than the Manco Devils： the credit panies！
Chapter 7
It was evening in New York。
Assured by the elevator operator that Mr。 Jet； as Heller was popularly known； was still in his office； Krak tipped magnificently the chauffeur； stewardess and building porters via just mentioning the number of the credit card…which they probably already knew from Utanc。 The amount made them blink and me go faint again。 Finally； they all withdrew and left Krak with a mountainously piled； four…wheel handcart before the door。
She had arrived！
She looked at her reflection in the gloss of the hall wall。 She took off a fur cap； threw it on the cart and fluffed her hair。 She straightened up her Blackgama mink cape。 She looked closely at her reflection where the cup had now been removed。 She was satisfied。
She took a long deep breath。 I could hear her heart thudding heavily。 She swallowed。 She lifted her chin。 She opened the door and let it swing wide。 She stood there。
Heller was at his desk； open books between his two hands。
He looked up。
He stared。
He couldn't believe it！ His mouth opened。
He muttered； 〃Am I dreaming？〃
The Countess Krak had a little trouble speaking。 She said； 〃You're not dreaming； Jettero。 It's me。〃
Heller leaped from his chair。 He came around the desk and began to run toward her。
She ran forward to meet him。
They came together in a crush of embraces in the center of the room。
After a savage clench； they both began to cry。
They just stood there； holding each other； crying！
Minutes went by。 They did not do anything or say anything。 They just stood there holding on to each other； sobbing！
Finally； her voice muffled by his shoulder； she said； 〃Then you didn't fall in love with a thousand beautiful women！〃
〃No； no；〃 he said huskily。 〃I put you on my pillow every night。 I have only dreamed of you。〃
They kissed。
My screen went into a wild blur； wiped out！ Even the sound went。 Carbon…oxygen power surge and two sets of bugs too close together。
At last they moved reluctantly apart。 Heller put her gently in a chair。 He went out in the hall and pushed the hugely piled cart into the office。 He closed the door。
Heller came back and knelt beside her。 She was drying her eyes with a lace handkerchief。 Then she swabbed at his。 She laughed shakily。
He laughed。 Then he said； his voice heavy with emotion； 〃I don't dare talk about how glad I am to see you。 It's like the skies suddenly opened and you just materialized。 How did the Gods bring you here？〃
〃Soltan sent for me。〃
〃But how did you know where I was？〃
She said； 〃He told me。〃
〃But how did you get away from Spiteos？〃
〃Lombar sent me。 There are no trained acts； now。
There aren't even any freaks。 Lombar is engrossed in other things and has no time for them。 So he sent me to help you out。 He said you were overworking。 And you asked for a cellologist so he sent Crobe。〃
〃That crazy Doctor Crobe？ Where is he？〃
She said； 〃I think Soltan is holding him for a while。 On the ship he wasn't studying English much。 I tried to help him but he said why talk to somebody when you were just going to cut out their tongues anyway。 My guess is that Soltan is holding on to him until he learns English。〃
〃Soltan knew the address of this office？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well；〃 said Heller； 〃you got here safely and you are beautiful and I love you。 And with that we've covered everything important。〃
They suddenly were hugging again。 Finally they separated and looked at each other's faces。
The Countess Krak said； 〃Oh； darling； I missed you； missed you so！ It seemed like years and years and years。 A whole lifetime。 Two lifetimes。 Please don't let's separate again。 I can't stand it！〃 She started to cry again and was swabbing at her nose with her lace handkerchief。
Heller said； miserably； 〃I am sorry。 I really am。 I wanted to finish this mission fast and e home to you。 But I've not been very lucky and there have been delays。 It's kind of a tough planet。〃
The Countess Krak suddenly put her hands on his shoulders。 〃Listen。 I have a wonderful surprise for you。 I promised not to tell you what it is and I won't。 But just realize it is terribly good for both of us。〃
I flinched。 She was talking about the 〃Royal〃 forgeries。 Her 〃pardon〃 and his 〃future〃 of no dangerous missions。 It was typical of her （bleeped） perfidy that she would keep her word to me and not tell him。 If she only would； I could get them traced and destroy them。 But in any event； if those 〃documents〃 were ever presented； not only Krak but also probably Heller would be executed。 I did not want to be a third member of that electric…jolt party！ These two had to be stopped！
Heller said； 〃Sounds interesting。 I accept your word that it is good for us。〃
The Countess Krak said； 〃Not just good but marvelous beyond our wildest dreams！ So let's get busy and wind up this mission to a rocket success and get home。〃
Oh； Gods。 My sending her was having exactly the opposite effect to what was intended。 Even Lombar had told her Heller was working too hard and she was paying no attention to that！ Oh； Gods； with all my other troubles； they really had to be slowed to nothing。 If I could delay them long enough； then word would e and with a few shots I could kill them both。 I prayed。 Please； please； Gods of evil； intervene for once on my side。 How could I slow them？ If I only had money。 If I could only get rid of other crises； maybe I could do it。 Not maybe。 I had to； for it meant my life。
Heller was showing her the office now。 〃At least we have a working base；〃 he was saying。 〃Until the next rent day。 Here is the secretary's boudoir and some closets。 Over here is a 〃thinking room〃 with a couch where I sleep。 Over there is the bath。 This is the bar and the only 'kitchen。' It's all the home I've got right now。 It will have to do； I guess。〃
〃Have to do！〃 said the Countess Krak； until recently a prisoner in stone cubicles in Spiteos。 〃It's a palace！〃 Her eyes lighted on the cat which was sitting on the desk eyeing them。 She said； 〃Who is this？〃 Heller said； 〃Oh； that's the cat。〃
The cat dropped down off the desk and came over and sat down in front of her； looking at her interestedly。
She said； 〃Doesn't he have a name？〃
Heller said； 〃He's kind of a shady character。 He won't tell us。〃
The Countess took off her cape and threw it on a chair。 She knelt down and looked at the cat。 She said to it； 〃The thing to do is to take an alias that isn't in the Domestic Police puters。 Would you like to do that？〃
The cat began to purr loudly as it sat there； looking at her。 The silly wench。 She was talking to it in Voltarian and it was an Earth cat。
Heller said； 〃He's very particular about his associates。 He usually just spits at or ignores anybody but me and Bang…Bang； our driver。 He's taken to you； but； of course； who wouldn't？〃
〃What kind of a cat are you？〃 said the Countess Krak。
Heller said； 〃He's an African cat。 You can tell because he's white with black and orange patches。 They're supposed to be great fighters。 They're awfully smart and they bring good luck…don't you； cat？ Oh； also； they're called calicos。〃
So he does have a name；〃 said the Countess。 〃Mister Calico。 You like that name？〃
The cat purred。
〃All right；〃 said the Countess Krak； kneeling there in front of the silly cat； 〃let's see how smart you are。 How much is two and two？〃
The cat was watching her finger。 Krak had extended it at a point between the cat's eyes。 Krak now took her finger and tapped it four times on the floor in front of the cat。
The cat lifted its paw and tapped the floor four times！
I watched this with considerable dismay。 I did not want to believe her reputation that she could train anything to do anything。 She was dangerous enough without that ability。 But then； it was just coincidence。
〃Very good；〃 said the Countess Krak。 〃Mister Calico； how much is two and two？〃
The cat solemnly tapped his paw four times on the floor！
Krak laughed with delight。 She picked up the cat and petted it。
Heller said； 〃Hey； we've got an adding machine。 Why don't you teach him something useful？〃
The Countess said； 〃That I will！〃
Heller said； 〃Well； he doesn't know how to unpack for you yet； so let's get you moved in。〃
She put the cat down with a stroke of its fur and went over to help Heller unload the cart。 They started to handle some boxes and then they dropped them and came together and just stood there in each other's arms。
Heller said； 〃I can't believe you're here。〃
And then they both started crying again。
After a long time； she said； 〃We've got to get busy and go home and get married and have kids and live happily ever after； Jettero。 I really just came down here to bring you home。 We're getting older。 We will be fully grown…up in another few years。 We can't risk it on a dangerous planet like this。〃
〃I agree；〃 said Heller。 〃It's no planet for a delicate lady。 We'll get busy at once。〃
What little remained of my faint hopes went glimmering。 This time she wouldn't slow him down。 She'd work like mad to speed him up。
Gods help all of us。 But namely me。 The Countess Krak was loosed upon Earth！
Between them； if I didn't stop it； this pair would salvage the planet； bankrupt Rockecenter and ruin Lombar forevermore。
Only the thin； frail reed of me could prevent it。 And I was a penniless； shattered wreck； afraid even to go home。
Chapter 8
Weary nigh unto death； shocked and drained to the dregs of human depression； I stood in the interview room of the hospital； dully pondering where I could go。
I needed a hole to crawl into。 One that I could pull in after me。 Even that was a short…term solution。 I knew that Fate would get to me in the end。
But I could not stay here。 The very environment was traumatic。
A hole。 Some of the spacecrew quarters in the subterranean Afyon mountain base were more like a hole than a room。 Utanc would be unable to find me there。 At least I would have refuge from the ferocity she would exhibit when she found her favorite locket gone。
Having no money； now that my wallet was missing； I very much doubted if I could stretch my credit further with the taxi driver。
The hospital was a tomb of silence。 It must be getting on to three o'clock in the morning。 This is the hour of lowest human vitality： most people die at such a time of day。 I wondered if it might not be the best thing to do after all。
I packed up the viewer in a haphazard way。 I somehow got into my bearskin coat and found it strangely clumsy。 I crept outside into the night and stumbled down the long； dark road。
It was cold； bitter cold。 The wind； with a mournful dirge； played the funeral song of my passage。
It was quite impossible to stand up against those two。 I had no money。 I would soon be swept away by the credit panies。 Lombar's unknown assailant would not be long in finding out the true state of affairs and his dagger would not lag。
Chilled and numb； I came at last to the workman's barracks。 I passed into the secret tunnel。 I finally came to the tunnel end just outside the office of the guard captain。 I was surprised to see him at his desk。
I had； of course； activated the panel lights just by entering the tunnel。
〃There you are！〃 said the guard captain； somewhat in the tones of a German police dog surprised by a