simply warn you so you'll have no excusefor such idiocy again." He smiled.
"You know, Mr. Masterson, I don't know how much they pay you by theyear to sit around here, but I doubt that it's as much as I pay mybeaters for a week end of hunting. So obviously, even if I were forsale, the man who could afford the tab could pick you up with his smallchange." He paused thoughtfully.
"Come to think of it, if your annual pay is more than my beaters get,I'll have to raise their wages. They do their job--intelligently."
He turned, then swung back for an instant. The bronze button had comeout of his lapel. He tossed it on Masterson's desk.
"Here," he said. "A present for you. I can't stand the smell of it."
* * * * *
Dully, the two men sat, watching the closed door. At long last, Raysonturned his head with obvious effort, to stare at Masterson, whorecovered a few milliseconds more slowly.
But Masterson's recovery was the more violent of the two. He staredblankly at Rayson for an instant, then sprang to his feet.
"Why that young...! I'll turn him every way but loose."
He sprang around his desk and took a stride toward the door.
"No, no." Rayson raised a hand warningly. "This is no way to handlesuch a matter." He smiled gently.
"After all, this young man succeeded in immobilizing both of us for aconsiderable time. In the first place, I doubt you'd be able to catchhim. In the second, do you think he would stand still while you mauledhim by yourself?"
Masterson turned around, frowning. "He caught me unprepared," hesnarled. "He can't do that to me again. Not while I'm ready for him."
"No? I think he could. Any time, any place, and under almost anyconditions. And I have much more experience in these matters than you,my friend. This is a very dangerous young man, and he requires specialhandling. Sit down and let us consider this young man."
Masterson growled impatiently, but returned to his desk. He sat down,glowering at his companion.
"Suppose you tell me what you're talking about," he demanded.
Rayson looked down at his hands, which rested on the desk.
"We have been talking about mental influence, I believe. In fact, wementioned this very matter to our young friend. This is correct?"
"Sure we did. So?"
"And our young man was quite positive that he could never be socontrolled and that any effort to do so would be immediately apparentto him. This is also correct, I believe?"
"That's about the way of it, yes. What are you driving at?"
Rayson sighed. "Let me remind you of something, then. You are, ofcourse; of the Ministerial Investigative Force, just as I am. But ourspecialties are different. Your dealings are with the teaching andpreparation of youth for useful citizenship, and with the prevention ofcertain gross misbehavior. Thus, you deal with those more obvious andmaterial deviations from the socially acceptable and have littleexperience with the more dangerous and even less acceptable deviationswith which I must concern myself." He smiled faintly.
"Your handling of this young man just now would indicate a quitecomplete lack of understanding of the specialty I have prepared myselffor. And even if there were no other reasons, it would serve to pointup the reason for our difference in relative rank. You must admit yougot something less than desirable results." He cleared his throat andlooked disapprovingly at Masterson.
"Of course, you are familiar with stories of mental influence. And Ihave no doubt that you have had some experience with this type ofthing, even though it is not in your direct line of work."
Masterson shook his head. "Sorry," he admitted. "This is the first timeanyone's ever pulled anything like that on me."
Rayson inclined his head slowly. "So," he said softly. "Your lack ofcaution and discretion is more understandable, then. You have beenquite fortunate, I should say. Of course, extreme individualism is farfrom common now, and persons who combine extreme individualism withhigh empathic power are rare, but they do appear. And they aredangerous in the highest degree." He spread his hands.
"A fully developed person of this type could do almost as he pleasedand there would be no one who would be able to deny him or even checkhis course. You can see what I mean, surely?"
* * * * *
Masterson stared contemplatively into space. "Yes," he said. "Yes, Ithink I get the idea. A person like that could demand almost anythingfrom almost anyone--and get it. But how would you go about it torestrain one of those people?"
"It can lead to difficulties." Rayson smiled reminiscently. "I canremember cases where----" He frowned.
"But no matter. We seldom allow them to reach high development. Veryoften, they betray themselves in little ways and we discover them quiteearly. We are then able to take care of them before they can do seriousharm. Some, even, we are able to ... ah ... reorient, so that theybecome normal, useful subjects of the realm. But sometimes ... well, wehave to call upon the Guard and get heavy weapons. Complete eliminationbecomes necessary." He frowned.
"And sometimes, like our young friend, they gain considerable powerwhich they manage to conceal, and only betray themselves when understress. Then, they become dangerous in the extreme. And there is noreally legal way in which they can be handled, since they haven't yetcommitted any overt act of violence." He shook his head.
"No, this young man will require quite special handling. He will haveto be carefully watched, and will probably get to the stage wherecomplete elimination is demanded. I shall set the process in motionimmediately." He reached for the telephone on his desk.
Masterson looked at him thoughtfully.
"You say these people are pretty rare, and really dangerous?"
"Yes. To both questions, definitely yes."
"Well, then, I should think that anyone who managed to organize anddirect the elimination of one of them would be likely to get quite abit of credit. Might even lead to a good promotion."
Rayson took his hand from the telephone.
"This is true," he admitted. "You are thinking of----?"
Masterson nodded. "Why don't we pick up a few people and run thisoperation ourselves?" he asked.
Rayson shook his head. "The idea is excellent," he agreed. "But Ireally see no reason for a joint effort." He got to his feet.
"After all, you must admit the total implication of this matter was mydiscovery. I had to explain it to you. And thus, I can see no reasonfor making a full partnership of the matter." He raised a hand.
"Of course, you will receive credit in the matter," he added quickly,"and you might even find yourself advanced. But I shall have to insiston taking the final steps and directing the operation personally." Hesmiled coldly.
"I can consult with certain of my colleagues and get the necessarysupport. And when I have left, you may get in touch with your superiorsand report the matter, telling them that action is being initiated.This way, we will both receive our due credit." He paused.
"Oh, yes," he added, "and you might interview this young Kelton again,with his companions. Thus, you will gather evidence for use injustifying my operations."
Masterson looked at him unhappily. "Well ... all right," he agreedreluctantly. "Rank has its privileges, I suppose. And I guess in thiscase, that includes the collection of more rank. Suppose I'd bettertake what I can get."
"To be sure." Rayson smiled at him benignly. "This way, you are sure ofprofiting. Otherwise, you might run into disaster." He rose and strodetoward the door.
"You may get those boys in for interview as soon as I leave," he said."From them, you can get sufficient evidence of these powers of youryoung friend. Ah ... and I would suggest that you use a little morediscretion with them than you showed with this young Michaels of ours.You were a trifle--shall we say, crude?" He coughed.
"Then you may call in and advise Headquarters that evidence has beengathered and action is being taken in this case of Donald Michaels."
He turned and went
out the door.
Masterson watched as the door closed, then reached into the back of adesk drawer. He took out a small box with a number of switches mountedon its top. For a moment, he examined the object, then he got to hisfeet and went to the window.
He stood, looking out of the window for a few moments, nodded, and lethis fingers play among the switches. Finally, he nodded in satisfactionand went back to his desk.
He looked contemplatively at the telephone for a moment, then picked itup and started flipping at the dial.
* * * * *
The sports flier dropped free