Is this place bugged, or isn't it? asked the shorter one, who seemed a bit younger than the other.

Of course not, said his partner. Just keep your mouth shut.

Well, how does it sound? I asked.

He shook his head again.

Well, the alternative is my telling the whole story, drugs, questions, and all. How does that sound? How will you stand up under protracted questioning?

The big one thought about it, shook his head again.

Will you? he finally asked me.

Yes, I will.

He seemed to consider this.

... Then, I concluded, I cannot save you the pain, as I wish to. Even if you possess drug-consciousness, you know that you will break within a couple of days if they use drugs as well as all the other tricks. It is simply a matter of talking now or talking later. Since you prefer to defer it, I can only assume that you have something else planned to stop RUMOKO ...

He's too damned smart!

Tell him to shut up again, I said. He's giving me my answers too fast and depriving me of my fun ... So what is it? Come on, I said. I'll get it, one way or another, you know.

He is right, said the man with the scar. You are too damned smart. Your I.Q. and your Personality Profile show nothing like this. Would you be open to an offer?

Maybe, I said. But it would have to be a big one. Give me the terms, and tell me who's offering.

Terms: a quarter of a million dollars, cash, he said, and that is the maximum I can offer. Turn us loose and go about your business. Forget about tonight.

I did think about it. Let's face it, it was tempting. But I go through a lot of money in a few years' time, and I hated to report failure to Walsh's Private Investigations, the third-largest detective agency in the world, with whom I wished to continue associating myself, as an independent contractor.