Had there been a lapse of seconds
or minutes? Had Evarin spoken?
Evarin arrested the compelling motion with one finger. "Several of these
pretty playthings are available to the children of important men," he
said absently. "An import of value for our exploited and impoverished
world. Unfortunately they are, perhaps, a little ... ah, obvious. The
incidence of nervous breakdowns is, ah, interfering with their sale. The
children, of course, are unaffected, and love them." Evarin set the
hypnotic wheel moving again, glanced sidewise at me, then set it
carefully back.
"Now"--Evarin's voice, hard with the silkiness of a cat's snarl, clawed
the silence--"we'll talk business."
I turned, composing my face. Evarin had something concealed in one hand,
but I didn't think it was a weapon. And if I'd known, I'd have had to
ignore it anyway.
"Perhaps you wonder how we recognized and found you?" A panel cleared in
the wall and became translucent. Confused flickers moved, dropped into
focus and I realized that the panel was an ordinary television screen
and I was looking into the well-known interior of the Cafe of Three
Rainbows in the Trade City of Charin.
Pages:
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162