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nding orders to shoot at anyone who tried to leave the building。 A nice trap。 The cops inside would keep looking until they found me。 If I tried to leave I would be blasted。 I was beginning to feel very much like a trapped rat。
Every light in the store came on and I stepped； frozen。 I was near the wall of a large farm…goods showroom。 Across the room from me were three soldiers。 We spotted each other at the same time； I dived for the door with bullets slapping all around me。 The military was in it too； they sure must have wanted me bad。 A bank of elevators was on the other side of the door…and stairs leading up。 I hit the elevator in one bounce and punched the sub…basement button； and just got out ahead of the closing doors。 The stairs were back towards the approaching soldiers； I felt like I was running right into their guns。 I must have made the turn into the stairs a split second ahead of their arrival。 Up the stairs and around the first landing before they were even with the bottom。 Luck was still on my side。 They hadn't seen me and were sure I had gone down。 I sagged against the wall； listening to the shouts and whistle blowing as they turned the hunt towards the basement。
There was one smart one in the bunch。 While the others were all following the phony trail I heard him start slowly up the stairs。 I didn't have any gas grenades left； all I could do was climb up ahead of him； trying to do it without making a sound。
He came on slowly and steadily and I stayed ahead of him。 We went up four flights that way； me in my stocking feet with my shoes around my neck； his heavy boots behind me making a dull rasping on the metal stairs。
As I started up the fifth flight I stopped； my foot halfway up a step。
Someone else was ing down； someone wearing the same kind of military boots。 I found the door to the hall； opened it behind me and slipped through。 There was a long hall in front of me lined with offices of some kind。 I began to run the length of it； trying to reach a turning before the door behind me could open and those exploding slugs tear me in half。 The hall seemed endless and I suddenly realized I would never reach the end in time。
I was a rat looking for a hole…and there was none。 The doors were locked； all of them； I tried each as I came to it； knowing I would never make it。 That stairwell door was opening behind me and the gun was ing up。 I didn't dare turn and look but I could fee＇ it。 When the door opened under my hand I fell through before I realized what had happened。 I locked it behind me and leaned against it in the darkness； panting like a spent animal。 Then the light came on and I saw the man sitting behind the desk； smiling at me。
There is a limit to the amount of shock the human body can absorb。 I'd had mine。 I didn't care if he shot me or offered a cigarette…I had reached the end of my line。 He did neither。 He offered me a cigar instead。
〃Have one of these； diGriz； I believe they're your brand。〃
The body is a slave of habit。 Even with death a few inches away it will respond to established custom。 My fingers moved of their own volition and took the cigar； my lips clenched it and my lungs sucked it into life。 And all the time my eyes watched the man behind the desk waiting for death to reach out。
It must have shown。 He waved towards a chair and carefully kept both hands in sight on top of the desk。 I still had my gun； it was trained on him。
〃Sit down diGriz and put that cannon away。 If I wanted to kill you； I could have done it a lot easier than herding you into this room。〃 His eyebrows moved up in surprise when he saw the expression on my face。 〃Don't tell me you thought it was an accident that you ended up here？〃
I had； up until that moment； and the lack of intelligent reasoning on my part brought on a wave of shame that snapped me back to reality。 I had been outwitted and outfought； the least I could do was surrender graciously。 I threw the gun on the desk and dropped into the offered chair。 He swept the pistol neatly into a drawer and relaxed a bit himself。
〃Had me worried there for a minute； the way you stood there rolling your eyes and waving this piece of field artillery around。〃
〃Who are you？〃
He smiled at the abruptness of my tone。 〃Well； it doesn't matter who I am。 What does matter is the organization that I represent。〃
〃The Corps？〃
〃Exactly。 The Special Corps。 You didn't think I was the local police； did you？ They have orders to shoot you on sight。 It was only after I told them how to find you that they let the Corps e along on the job。 I have some of my men in the building； they're the ones who herded you up here。 The rest are all locals with itchy trigger fingers。〃
It wasn't very flattering but it was true。 I had been pushed around like a class M robot； with every move charted in advance。 The old boy behind the desk…for the first time I realized he was about sixty…five…really had my number。 The game was over。
〃All right Mr。 Detective； you have me so there is no sense in gloating。 What's next on the program？ Psychological reorientation； lobotomy…or just plain firing squad？〃
〃None of those。 I'm afraid。 I am here to offer you a job on the Corps。〃
The whole thing was so ludicrous that I almost fell out of the chair laughing。 Me。 James diGriz； the interplanet thief working as a policeman。 It was just too funny。 He sat patiently； waiting until I was through。
〃I will admit it has its ludicrous side…but only at first glance。 If ' you stop to think； you will have to admit that who is better qualified to catch a thief than another thief？〃
There was more than a little truth in that； but I wasn't buying my freedom by turning stool pigeon。
〃An interesting offer； but I'm not getting out of this by playing the rat。 There is even a code among thieves； you know。〃
That made him angry。 He was bigger than he looked sitting down and the fist he shook in my face was as large as a shoe。
〃What kind of stupidity do you call that？ It sounds like a line out of a TV thriller。 You've never met another crook in your whole life and you know it！ And if you did you would cheerfully turn him in if you could make a profit on the deal。 The entire essence of your life is individualism…that and the excitement of doing what others can't do。 Well that's over now； and you better start admitting it to yourself。 You can no longer be the interplanet playboy you used to be…but you can do a job that will require every bit of your special talents and abilities。 Have you ever killed a man？〃
His change of pace caught me off guard； I stumbled out an answer。
〃No 。 。 。 not that I know of。〃
〃Well you haven't； if that will make you sleep any better at night。 You're not a homicidal； I checked that on your record before I came out after you。 That is why I know you will join the Corps and get a great deal of pleasure out of going after the other kind of criminal who is sick； not just socially protesting。 The man who can kill and enjoy it。〃
He was too convincing； he had all the answers。 I had only one more argument and I threw it in with the air of a last ditch defense。
〃What about the Corps； if they ever find out you are hiring half…reformed criminals to do your dirty work we will both be shot at dawn。〃
This time it was his turn to laugh。 I could see nothing funny so I ignored him until he was finished。
〃In the first place my boy； I am the Corps…at least the man at the top…and what do you think my name is？ Harold Peters Inskipp； that's what it is！〃
〃Not the Inskipp that…〃
〃The same。 Inskipp the Uncatchable。 The man who looted the Pharsydion II in mid…flight and pulled all those other deals I'm sure you read about in your misspent youth。 I was recruited just the way you were。〃 He had me on the ropes and knew it。 He moved in for the kill。
〃And who do you think the rest of our agents are？ I don't mean the bright…eyed grads of our technical schools； like the ones on my squad downstairs。 I mean the full agents。 The men who plan the operations； do the preliminary fieldwork and see that everything es off smoothly。 They're crooks。 All crooks。 The better they were on their own； the better a job they do for the Corps。 It's a great； big； brawling universe and you would be surprised at some of the problems that e up。 The only men we can recruit to do the job are the ones who have already succeeded at it。
〃Are you on？〃
It had happened too fast and I hadn't had time to think。 I would probably go on arguing for an hour。 But way down in the back of my mind the decision had been made。 I was going to do it； I couldn't say no。
I was losing something； and I hoped I wouldn't miss it。 No matter what freedom I had working with an organization； I would still be working with other people。 The old carefree； sole responsibility days were over。 I was joining the ranks of society again。
There was the beginning of a warm feeling at the thought。 It would at least be the end of loneliness。 Friendship would make up for what I had lost。
Chapter 4
I have never been more wrong。
The people I met wer