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nothing anyone can do. It's just the way things are." Her hands were urgent,
pleading as her voice pleaded. "We've talked enough. There isn't much time
left tonight. Love me, Hendley!"
He clasped her with a kind of desperation. The warmth of her body, the
resilient softness of the bed, the close dark intimacy of the small room-these
were real, a speck of sanity careening through a universe of chaos, without
sun or stars, without order or meaning.
The texture of Ann's skin suddenly felt rough under his hand, prickling with
cold. "You're cold," he murmured. He started to smile. "Or is it-P"
He paused. A draft touched his body like cool fingers. But the air curtains
shut out cold.
And the door . . .
He twisted away from Ann, rolling toward the edge of the bed. He was too late.
Heavy hands caught his legs. An arm encircled his neck tightly. As he
struggled to break free someone fumbled at the left sleeve of his coverall,
rolling it up. The technique was practiced, deft, quick. He felt the prick of
the needle, but there was little pain.
"Release him!" a voice spoke. There was amusement in the voice, a controlled,
urbane mockery.
"You!" Hendley stumbled to his feet. There were three men in the room. Two
were strangers to him, including the one slipping a hypodermic needle into a
small case.
Recognition of the third man stung him to incredulous anger. "How did you get
here?"
Nik laughed. "I haven't lived in this camp all my life without learning a few
of the ropes."
"Is this your idea of pleasure-pure? Get out!"
But Nik made no move. "Sorry, old boy. I wish it didn't have to be you. But
you'll get to like it here." He glanced past Hendley at Ann on the bed, whose
frightened eyes were on
Hendley. "Too bad I had to come at the wrong moment. I thought I'd given you
time for a few jolts. Seemed like the
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fair thing to do. But this gentleman"-he nodded toward one of the men standing
behind him-"really was the winner. I promised him we wouldn't tie up his prize
all night."
"But you said-you bought him off!"
"Now, now, mustn't get excited. It'll only make the drug work more quickly. I
did have to stretch the truth a bit, but you'll understand why."
Hendley's rage exploded. He lunged toward the Freeman. His legs were heavy and
thick, refusing to obey the command of his mind. He dragged them clumsily.
Nik's face seemed no closer than before. Hendley struck at the thin face with
its sardonic smile. His fist found only air. With a violence born of
desperation he hurled himself forward. The young
Freeman dodged. Hendley's clawing fingers scraped tantalizingly along Nik's
sleeve just before he pulled out of reach. The momentum of the clumsy charge
cost Hendley his balance. He fell heavily to his hands and knees.
"You're just making it worse," Nik said. "Don't fight it. There's nothing you
can do now."
Hendley tried to get up but his limbs refused to obey. "You tried to drug me
before," he said thickly. "At that art exhibit. The drink the girl took."
"Yes. She complicated things for me. It would have been so easy there-I had it
all set up.
This unpleasantness wouldn't have been necessaiy. Oh, don't worry about that
girl, by the way. She'll be fine in a day or so. So will you. The drug is
.quite harmless. You'll wake up sometime tomorrow, and you'll soon be as fit
as ever." Nik's foot reached out to nudge
Hendley's side, pushing him over onto his back. He was unable to resist. His
arms had lost their strength. Helpless, he stared at Nik's face as it loomed
over him. The Freeman said, "Just think of it this way. You'll be free! You'll
have what you've always wanted. And I'll have what I want. I've waited years
for this-waited for just the right one to come along. I've had it planned for
a long time, every step. I knew you were the one the first moment I saw you in
the park with that red emblem on your sleeve."
"What-what are you saying?"
"We're changing places, old boy. Ill be you, and youTl be NIK-yoo. That's all
there is to it."
"Can't," Hendley mumbled. "Identity discs. You'll never get away with it."
"Ah, but I've worked that all out. We're only numbers, you know. We're not
faces-or
people. What makes you you, and me me? That little disc on your wrist and this
one on mine. That's all. Otherwise, we're much the same size, and close to the
same age. That's all that's necessary."
"People will notice-friends."
Nik laughed. "Do you really think anyone will make a fuss? In any event, I'll
ask for a transfer of work assignment as soon as I'm out to eliminate any
problems or unnecessary questions. They'll give me one, won't they?"
Hendley did not answer. He knew the transfer would be granted. It was a common
enough request, and Nik would come up with plausible reasons for it.
"You have a woman outside, don't you? Ill have to think about that. I can
claim we're incompatible-I won't even have to see her. Or do you think I
should? Maybe she'd like me . .
."
Suddenly Ann tore free of the man's grasp holding her on the bed. She leaped
at Nik.
Her fingers raked at his face. "You can't do it!" she cried. "Leave him
alone!"
"Stop her!" Nik raged. "Get her off me!"
Hands dragged ABC-331 away from Nik and threw her down on the bed once more.
Her cries were abruptly muffled. Hendley struggled to rise but Nik's foot
pinned him to the floor. The Freeman grinned at him.
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"This gentleman here, who used his needle so efficiently on you, is a doctor.
His tools are in that little bag. I've already had my own identity disc
altered. The bracelet folds open.
Doesn't show, but I can slip it on or off anytime. As for yours-well, a small
operation, I'm told.
Might have to break the bones in your hand to get the disc off. But the hand
will be set properly, and in no time it'll be as good as new. I promise you
that. I'm spending all my white chips to make sure you get a good job. The
least I can do. And I won't need chips on the outside, will I? Sorry I can't
leave you well-fixed here, but you'll manage. And you're welcome to my room
and anything you find there. You'll find it quite comfortable. We'll be taking
you there in a few minutes now..."
The voice faded away. After a moment it came back, but Hendley could not
understand the words any more. The room was fuzzy. He heard a distant cry.
Have they started on me?
he wondered. Is that scream mine, so thin and-nol It was Ann!
He tried to fight his way out of the thickening web which enveloped his
senses. He had to get to her! His hand struck something. The fingers found the
edge of the bed. He dragged his head up. Bodies were grappling in the murk
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