'The tension's getting me down, he said. 'And I haven't had my dinner. They'll have to get up here pretty soon, or frankly I'm going to fold up. I thought of taking George Walt off the satellite entirely, but I'm afraid I'd never get them to the launch field. We'd have to pass too many Golden
Door employees on the way.'
'You're directly over N'York now,' Jim Briskin said. 'So it won't take too long to get a few people there. How many do you want ?'
'Certainly at least a hopper-load. Actually, all you can spare. You don't want to lose your future
Attorney General, do you ?'
'Not especially.' Briskin seemed calm, but his dark eyes were bright. He plucked at his great handlebar mustache, then, pondering. 'Maybe I'll come along,' he decided.
'Why ?'
'To make sure you get away.'
'It's up to you,' Cravelli said. 'But I don't recommend it. Things are somewhat hot, up here. Do you know any girls at the satellite who could lead you through to George Walt's office ?'
'No,' Jim Briskin said. And then a peculiar expression appeared on his face. 'Wait. I know one.
She was down here in Chicago today but perhaps she's gone back up again.'
'Probably has,' Cravelli said. 'They flit back and forth like lightning bugs. Take a chance on it, anyhow. I'll see you. And watch your step.' He rang off at that point.
As he started to board the big jet-bus, which was filled with R-L volunteers, Jim Briskin found himself facing two familiar figures.
'You can't go to the satellite,' Sal Heim said, stopping him. Beside him Patricia stood somberly in her long coat, severing in the evening wind that drew in off the lakes. 'It's too dangerous ... I
know George Walt better than you do - remember ? After all, I had you figured for a business deal with them; that was to be my contribution.'
Pat said, 'If you go there, Jim, you'll never come back. I know if. Stay here with me.' She caught hold of his arm, but he tugged loose.
'I have to go,' he told her. 'My gunsel is there and I have to get him away; he's done too much for me just to leave him there.'
'I'll go instead of you,' Sal Heim said.
'Thanks.' It was a good offer, well meant. But - he had to repay Tito Cravelli for what he'd done; obviously he had to see that Tito got safely away from the Golden Door Moments of Bliss satellite. It was as simple as that. 'The best I can offer you,' he said, 'is the opportunity to ride along.' He meant it ironically.
'All right.' Sal said, nodding. 'I'll come with you.' To Pat he said, 'but you stay down below here.
If we get back, we should be showing up right away - or not at all. Come on, Jim.' He climbed the steps into the jet-bus, joining the others already there.
'Take care of yourself,' Pat said to Jim Briskin.
'What did you think of my speech ?' he asked her.
'I was in the tub; I only heard part of it. But I think it was the best you ever made. Sal said so, too, and he heard it all. Now he knows he made a terrific mistake; he should have stuck with you.'
'Too bad he didn't,' Jim said.
'You wouldn't say something along the lines of "better late than..."
'Okay,' he said. 'Better late than never.' Turning, he followed Sal Heim onto the jet-bus. He had said it, but it was not true. Too much had happened; too late was too late. He and Sal had split forever. And both of them knew it ... or rather, feared it. And sought instinctively for a new rapprochement without having any idea how it could be done.
As the jet-bus whirled upward in brisk ascent, Sal leaned over and said, 'You've accomplished a lot since I saw you last, Jim. I want to congratulate you. And I'm not being ironic. Hardly that.'
'Thanks,' Jim Briskin said, briefly.
'But you'll never forgive me for handing you my resignation when I did, will you ? Well, I can't really blame you.' Sal was silent, then.
'You could have been Secretary of State,' Jim said.
Sal nodded. 'But that's the way the fifty yarrow stalks fall. Anyhow, I hope you win, Jim. I know you will, after that speech; that certainly was a masterpiece of promising everything to everybody - a billion gold chickens in a billion gold pots. Needless to say I think you'll make a superb president. One we all can be proud of.' He grinned warmly. 'Or am I making you sick ?'
The Moments of Bliss satellite lay directly ahead of them; in the center of the breast-shaped landing field the winking pink nipple guided their vehicle to its landing, a mammary invitation beckoning to all. The principle of Yin, out in space, inflated to cosmic proportions.
'It's a wonder George Walt can perambulate,' Jim said. 'Joined at the base of the skull, the way they are. Must be damned awkward.'
'What's your point ?' Sal sounded tense and irritable now.
Jim Briskin said, 'No particular point. But you'd think one would have sacrificed the other long ago, for purpose of utility.'
'Have you ever actually seen them ?'
'No.' He had never even been to the satellite.
"They're fond of each other,' Sal Heim said.
The jet-bus began to settle on to the landing field of the satellite; the spin of the satellite provided its constant magnetic flux, sufficient to hold smaller objects to it, and Jim Briskin thought, That's where we made our mistake. We should never have allowed this place to become attractive -in any sense whatsoever. It was feeble wit, but the best he could manage under the circumstances.
Maybe Pat's right, he realized. Maybe I - and Sal Heim - will never return from this place. It was not the kind of thought he enjoyed thinking; the Golden Door satellite was not at all the kind of place he wanted to wind up. Ironic that I should be going here now, for the first time, under these circumstances, he said to himself.
The doors of the jet-bus slid back as the bus rolled to a halt.
'Here we are,' Sal Heim said, and got quickly to his feet. 'And here we go.' Along with the party volunteers he moved towards the nearest exit. Jim Briskin, after a moment, followed.
At the entrance gate the pretty, dark-haired, unclad attendant on duty smiled a white-tooth smile at them and said, 'Your tickets, please.'
'We're all new here,' Sal Heim said to her, getting out his wallet. 'We'll pay in cash.'
'Are there any girls you wish to visit in particular ?' the attendant asked, as she rang the money up on her register.
Jim Briskin said, 'A girl named Sparky Rivers.'
'ALL OF YOU ?' The attendant blinked, then shrugged her bare shoulders urbanely. 'All right, gentlemen. De gustibus non disputandum est. Gate three. Watch your step and don't jostle, please. She's in room 395.' She pointed toward gate three and the group moved in that direction.
Ahead, beyond gate three, Jim Briskin saw rows of gilded, shining doors; over some lights glowed and he understood that those were empty at the moment of customers. And, on each door, he saw the curious animated pic of the girl within; the pics called, enticed, whined at them as they approached each in turn, searching for room 395.
'Hi there!'
'Hello, big fellow.'
'Could you hurry ? I'm waiting ..."
'Well, how are you ?'
Sal Heim said, 'It's down this way. But you don't need her, Jim; I can take you to their office.'
Can I trust you ? Jim Briskin asked himself silently. 'All right,' he said. And hoped it was a wise choice.
'This elevator,' Sal said. Press the button marked C.' He entered the elevator; the rest of the group followed, crowding in after him, as many as could make it. More than half the group remained outside in the corridor. 'You follow us,' Sal instructed them. 'As soon as you can.'
Jim touched the C button and the elevator door shut soundlessly. 'I'm depressed,' he said to Sal. 'I
don't know why.'
'It's this place,' Sal said. 'It isn't your style at all, Jim. Now, if you were a necktie or a flatware or a poriferous vobile salesman, you'd like it. You'd be up here every day, health permitting.'