"Yes. He's not like anybody else. For one thing, he's crazy."
"And you like that?"
"I guess so. I must be crazy too."
"Well, at least it's a change from Julian."
CHAPTER 12
"Young man," said Senator Givens of Oklahoma, leaning back in his tailored chair, "I like your style, and this is certainly an exciting concept. If we can bring this off, why, it will be one for the history books. Except, I sort of wonder if there will be any history books."
"I don't know about that, Senator, but anyhow, you'll have the satisfaction of doing something really swell. And besides, you and your loved ones will get off the Earth before it explodes."
"Yes, there is that, although of course I would never do anything for personal reasons, because I am first, last and foremost a servant of the people. And I know my distinguished colleagues in both Houses will see it in that light, regardless of affiliation. This has to be a bipartisan effort, in fact a multiglobal effort. Have you talked to the Speaker?"
''I'm supposed to see him Monday morning, and some other congressmen."
"Good, good. Now I want you to meet three or four other people in the Senate this afternoon, and then maybe next week sometime we could have an informal joint meeting. It's important to get these things lined up well in advance. Tell me, in your opinion, what sort of a political organization are we going to be able to put together on this new planet?"
"I don't know anything about that, Senator. I guess it could be pretty much whatever you want."
"Good, good. That's just what I was thinking."
Linda Lavalle, dressed to the nines, entered the Nether-land Hotel lobby, which was about the size of a freight elevator. It didn't even have a real airlock, just a weather door. She advanced to the desk. "Mr. Stone, please. Tell him Ms. Lavalle is here."
The deskperson, a human being, spoke into his/her microphone, listened. "He'll be right down, Ms. Lavalle."
"Thank you."
"He is a wonderful person, isn't he?"
Lavalle raised her eyebrows. "Yes, I guess so." She turned and looked at the lobby: one polyethylene plant, a sofa, two armchairs. She crossed to one of the chairs, took a closer look at the variegated blotches on the upholstery, and decided to stand.
After a moment the elevator door opened and Stone came out, wearing the same suit. "Hi there," she said.
"Hello. Glad you could come. Listen, do you want to have a drink in the bar next door?"
"No, let's go. I've got a taxi waiting. "
As the armored cab pulled out into traffic, she turned to Stone and crossed her arms. "Why are you staying in that trash can?" she asked. "The cabbie couldn't even find it, that's why I'm late."
"It's cheap," he said.
"Well, it must be, but if you're masterminding an international project-"
"Yeah, but I haven't got any money, until my line of credit comes through. Are you mad?"
"No, I'm not, but I'm confused. Do you like Greek food?"
"I never had any."
"Great."
There was a jam at Watts and Sixth; up ahead they could see dark figures silhouetted against a tower of flame. "What's the matter now?" Lavalle asked.
"Looks like they torch another sweeper, " said the cabbie's voice.
"Can you get around by Hudson? We're in a hurry. "
"Ma'am, this cab don't fly."
"What's a sweeper?" Stone asked.
"It scoops up the druggies that pass out in the middle of the street. Sometimes people throw a bottle of Flame-O at them.''
"What for?"
"To tie up traffic, I suppose."
The cab inched into the far lane, and in a few minutes they were out of the compression. They rode in silence through the flaring streets until the cab pulled up at the restaurant. Stone reached for his wallet, but she said, "No, that's all right," and put her card through the slot.
"Listen, I can pay for a cab," Stone said as they crossed the littered sidewalk.
"You can pay for the next one. Let go of my arm."
"You are mad at me," he said.
"No, I'm not, but I can get through a door without help. Hello, Spyros."
The maitre d' bowed and smiled. "Always a pleasure, Ms. Lavalle. Will you come this way?"
He led them to a table covered with a snowy white cloth, plates, silverware, flowers, and candles. "Now I think I will have that drink," she said. A smiling waiter appeared. "Gibson for me, Jimmy."
"And you, sir?"
''I'll have a rye highball."
"Yes, sir." The waiter did not quite make a face. He went away.
Lavalle took a pack of cigarettes out of her purse. When she put one in her lips, Stone was leaning across with a lighter. She stared at him, but allowed him to light the cigarette. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Say, how come all the cigarette packs have a skull and crossbones on them?"
"They're bad for you. Give you lung cancer and emphysema."
"I wish you hadn't of told me that." Stone had a pack of Camels Heavies half out of his pocket; he looked at it and put it back. "Now I've got to quit," he said mournfully.
"Why right now?"
"Because if I died before the project gets finished, I'd be letting the aliens down." He opened the menu and looked at it. "What is all this stuff?"
"It's all good, but I recommend the moussaka."
"What's moussaka?"
"Eggplant, cultured lamb, and cheese."
"You're kidding. I'll have a steak."
The waiter brought the drinks and took their orders. "I want some kampa with the moussaka, Jimmy. What about you, Ed?"
"What's kampa?"
"It's a Greek wine."
"Oh. I guess I'll have a glass of beer." The waiter went away again.
"Okay," Lavalle said, "what is this famous project anyway, and who are the aliens?"
"The aliens are the ones that kidnapped me and brought me here from nineteen thirty-one. They want me to build a box big enough to put the whole human race in it."
"What for?"
"I'm not sure."
"You're crazy. "
"I know."
Lavalle stubbed her cigarette out nervously and took another one out of the pack. "Don't do that," she said when he offered his lighter. She lit the cigarette herself, took one puff and put it in the ashtray. "Listen, what I want to know is, why do I feel this way about you?"
He looked unhappy. "Because I touched you with my ring when we shook hands."
"What's the ring got to do with it?"
"The aliens put something in it that makes people like me and believe in me."
"They did, huh? Let me see this ring."
He held out his hand and she took it. The ring seemed to be made of some dull metal that was not silver or platinum; there was a place for a gemstone in the middle, but it was empty.
"I think they copied it out of an ad in a magazine," he said. "They didn't get it quite right. I mean, they're aliens. Listen, I think it'll wear off eventually. "
"It will?"
"Yeah, and then if you still like me, it'll be because, you know, you like me."
"Well, that's a relief. "
The food came. The waiter poured the wine and beer.
"Listen," Stone said, "I'm sorry about this, but I had to talk to somebody. I can't believe some of the things I've found out since I came back. All these swell inventions, but you've got poison gas in the air, these African countries are bombing each other, and you're having another depression-"
"Growth adjustment."
"Is that what they call it now?"
"Uh-huh. Before that it was 'recession,' and before that 'depression,' and before that it was 'panic.' Whenever we don't like something, we change the name so we can like it better."
"Well, it's still the same thing, right? And millions of people are starving- This isn't how I thought it would be."