"Now, we're being nice and giving you an honest deal, but don't kid yourself about having a choice. In case you haven't been following the news, the corporations are running things now. When they say 'jump,' you don't say 'how high?' You say 'Can I come down now?' That's the way it is whether you like it or not."
Mausier felt weak.
"And if I don't jump?" he asked quietly.
Stills grimaced.
"Now that would be unpleasant for everybody."
Mausier raised his eyes to look at them.
"Are you saying they'd actually kill me?"
Stills actually looked surprised.
"Kill you? Hell, man, you read too many spy novels!"
Weaver spoke for the first time.
"Look around you, Mr. Mausier. You're running a very delicate operation here. What happens to it if the phone company refused you service? Or if the people who manufacture all the gadgetry either recall it or refuse to service it? The Zaibatsu have been monitoring your scramblers for years. Suppose they publish a notice in all newspapers that in one week they'll publish a list of names of all agents still on your list of clients? Now, I don't like threats, Mr. Mausier, but if we wanted to we could shut you down overnight."
Mausier sagged in his chair. The two corporate men waited in respectful silence for him to recover his composure.
"Where do we go from here?"
Stills stood up.
"I've got to report in. Weaver here will stay with you as your new assistant to start learning the ropes. Policy says that all key personnel are supposed to have understudies."
He started for the door.
"Stills!"
Mausier's voice stopped him with his hand on the knob.
"Is this the way it's going to be?"
Stills shrugged and smiled and left without answering.
The room lapsed into silence as Mausier sat staring into space. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Weaver.
"Cheer up, Mr. Mausier." His voice was sympathetic. "It could be worse. You're a valuable man. Just play ball and they'll take care of you. You know, 'go along, get along.'"
Mausier didn't respond. He just kept thinking about the gun in his bedroom closet.