«Flat-chested bunch, aren't you? “Angela”. Her name is “Angela”. Title: “I Married a Martian”. Start: All my life I had longed to become an astronaut. Paragraph. When I was just a tiny thing, with freckles on my nose and stars in my eyes, I saved box tops just like my brothers — and cried when Mummy wouldn't let me wear my Space Cadet helmet to bed. Paragraph. In those carefree childhood days I did not dream to what strange, bittersweet fate my tomboy ambition would — »
«Boss!»
«Yes, Dorcas?»
«Here come two more loads.»
«Hold for continuation Miriam, sit at the phone.» Jubal went to the window, saw two air cars about to land. «Larry, bolt this door. Anne, your robe. Jill, stick close to Mike. Mike, do what Jill tells you to.»
«Yes, Jubal. I will do.»
«Jill, don't turn him loose unless you have to. And I'd much rather he snatched guns and not men.»
«Yes, Jubal.»
«This indiscriminate liquidation of cops must stop.»
«Telephone, Boss!»
«All of you stay out of pickup. Miriam, note another title: “I Married a Human”.» Jubal slid into the seat and said, «Yes?»
A bland face looked at him. «Doctor Harshaw?»
«Yes.»
«The Secretary General will speak with you.»
«Okay.»
The screen changed to the tousled image of His Excellency the Honorable Joseph Edgerton Douglas, Secretary General of the World Federation of Free Nations. «Dr. Harshaw? Understand you need to speak with me.»
«No, sir.»
«Eh?»
«Let me rephrase it, Mr. Secretary.
Douglas looked surprised, then grinned. «Doctor, you have ten seconds to prove that.»
«Very well, sir. I am attorney for the Man from Mars.»
Douglas stopped looking tousled. «Repeat?»
«I am attorney for Valentine Michael Smith. It may help to think of me as
«You must be out of your mind!»
«Nevertheless I am acting for the Man from Mars. And he is prepared to negotiate.»
«The Man from Mars is in Ecuador.»
«Please, Mr. Secretary, Smith — the real Valentine Michael Smith, not the one who appeared in newscasts — escaped from Bethesda Medical Center on Thursday last, in company with Nurse Gillian Boardman. He kept his freedom — and will continue to keep it. If your staff has told you anything else, then someone has been lying.»
Douglas looked thoughtful. Someone spoke to him from off screen. At last he said, «Even if what you said were true, Doctor, you can't speak for young Smith. He's a ward of the State.»
Jubal shook his head. «Impossible. The Larkin Decision.»
«Now see here, as a lawyer, I assure you — »
«As a lawyer myself, I must follow my own opinion — and protect my client.»
«You are a lawyer? I thought you claimed to be attorney-in-fact, rather than counsellor.»
«Both. I am an attorney, admitted to practice before the High Court.» Jubal heard a dull boom from below and glanced aside. Larry whispered, «The front door, I think,
Jubal shook his head. «Mr. Secretary, time is running out. Your men — your S.S. hooligans — are breaking into my house. Will you abate this nuisance? So that we can negotiate? Or shall we fight it out in the High Court with all the stink that would ensue?»
Again the Secretary appeared to consult off screen. «Doctor, if Special Service police are trying to arrest you, it is news to me. I — »
«If you'll listen, you'll hear them tromping up my staircase, sir! Mike! Anne! Come here.» Jubal shoved his chair back to allow the angle to include them. «Mr. Secretary General — the Man from Mars!» He could not introduce Anne, but she and her white cloak of probity were in view.
Douglas stared at Smith; Smith looked back and seemed uneasy. «Jubal — »
«Just a moment, Mike. Well, Mr. Secretary? Your men have broken into my house — I hear them pounding on my study door.» Jubal turned his head. «Larry, open the door.» He put a hand on Mike. «Don't get excited, lad.»
«Yes, Jubal. That man. I have know him.»
«And he knows you.» Over his shoulder Jubal called out, «Come in, Sergeant.»
An S.S. sergeant stood in the doorway, mob gun at ready. He called out, «Major! Here they are!»
Douglas said, «Let me speak to the officer commanding them, Doctor.»
Jubal was relieved to see that the major showed up with his sidearm holstered; Mike had been trembling ever since the sergeant's gun had come into view — Jubal lavished no love on these troopers but he did not want Smith to display his powers.
The major glanced around. «You're Jubal Harshaw?»
«Yes. Come here. Your boss wants you.»
«None of that. Come along. I'm also looking for — »
«Come
The S.S. major looked startled, came into the study, and in sight of the screen — looked at it, snapped to attention and saluted. Douglas nodded. «Name, rank, and duty.»
«Sir, Major C. D. Bloch, Special Service Squadron Cheerio, Enclave Barracks.»
«Tell me what you are doing.»
«Sir, that's rather complicated. I — »
«Then unravel it. Speak up, Major.»
«Yes, sir. I came here pursuant to orders. You see — »
«I don't see.»
«Well, sir, an hour and a half ago a flying squad was sent here to make several arrests. When we couldn't raise them by radio, I was sent to find them and render assistance.»
«Whose orders?»
«Uh, the Commandant's, sir.»
«And did you find them?»
«No, sir. Not a trace.»
Douglas looked at Harshaw. «Counsellor, did you see anything of another squad?»
«It's not my duty to keep track of your servants, Mr. Secretary.»
«That is hardly an answer to my question.»
«You are correct, sir. I am not being interrogated. Nor will I be, other than by due process. I am acting for my client; I am not nursemaid to these uniformed, uh, persons. But I suggest, from what I have seen, that they could not find a pig in a bath tub.»
«Mmm… possibly. Major, round up your men and return.»
«Yes, sir!» The major saluted.
«Just a moment!» Harshaw interrupted. «These men broke into my house. I demand to see their warrant.»
«Oh. Major, show him your warrant.»
Major Bloch turned red. «Sir, the officer ahead of me had the warrants.»
Douglas stared. «Young man… are you telling me that you broke into a citizen's home
