Frank Herbert - High-Opp

“I’ve just saved your life,” said Gerard. “Do you know that?”

Movius nodded. “And I may have saved yours.” He looked across the desk toward the hidden tube.

Gerard wet his lips with his tongue. “Exactly. I wasn’t joking when I said I’ve been looking for someone like you. I need a man I can trust like my right arm.”

“Tell me what to do,” said Movius.

Gerard sat back. “In a bureau such as this you sometimes get someone who is overly ambitious.” His expression hardened. “Owl Guts Addington and The Coor are behind the man who heads one of my sections. They hope to put that man in my seat.” He mopped nervously at his bald head. “There have been two attempts on my life.”

“And you want a bodyguard?” asked Movius.

“No, much more than that. You were certified to department CR-14 by the Sorter. I want you to go down there and hang a frame around the neck of the department director. I know you’re the man for the job.”

Why all the praise? wondered Movius. He decided to apply London’s methods, get at what the other man wanted. “What’s so dangerous about the job?”

“Mmmmm,” said Gerard. “You are sharp.” He slapped a hand onto the desk. “All right, here’s the proposition. You’re filling a vacancy in the department caused by the death of the last man I sent down there. He fell down a light well.”

Movius nodded, pointed toward Gerard’s desk drawer. “Let me have that lapel gun.”

Gerard leaned back, opened the drawer, handed gun and holster to Movius.

“What is CR-14?” asked Movius.

“Confidential routing,” said Gerard.

We’re playing it cagey , thought Movius. He said, “Who’s the department head?”

“Rafe Newton. He’s a cousin of The Coor.”

“Nepotism?”

“It sometimes happens,” said Gerard. “I’d boot him in a minute otherwise.” He leaned back, steepled his hands. “No love lost on The Coor, is there?”

Movius shook his head.

“I believe The Coor is heading for a showdown at the time of his major poll this Fall.” Gerard consulted a desk calendar. “That’s October 8, about two weeks away.” He looked up at Movius from beneath his brows. “You were tired of this latest plaything Glass picked up, eh?” Almost to himself he said, “I’ll have to see he finds that out.”

The door to Gerard’s private room swung open. Grace emerged wearing a standard work suit, a little too large for her. The legs had been rolled up.

Without looking at her Gerard said, “You were listening, weren’t you, my dear?”

Grace’s voice had a tone of defiance. “Why not?”

Gerard turned his bald head slowly until he was facing her. “No reason. A wife should take an interest in what’s happening to her husband.” He reached into the desk drawer, withdrew one of the ankle guns, slipped gun and handful of recharges from the holster. Coming around the desk, he displayed the little weapon to Grace. “You slip the re-charge in like this. Then press this to break the seal and put the first pellet in the chamber. This is the safety. When it shows red the gun is ready to fire.” He handed it to Grace, turned toward the open door of his private room. “Put a pellet into the couch there to get the feel of it. I want you to have this gun in case they try to pick you up again.”

Grace lifted the little weapon, squeezed off a single shot. It went fap SPLAT! into the leather couch. She thumbed on the safety, put the gun in her pocket.

Gerard leaned back on his desk. “You’ve fired one of those before.” Suddenly, he bent forward from the hips. “Where?”

Grace looked to Movius, eyes frightened.

“I said where does an LP female learn to shoot a fap gun?” Gerard demanded.

“I showed her,” said Movius.

Gerard continued to stare at Grace. “Where did you get the gun, Movius?”

Here it is , thought Movius. He said, “Off Pescado.”

Gerard whirled toward him.

“He was one of The Coor’s bully boys,” said Movius. “He jumped me the same night I was low-opped. He and two others.”

“You were running away from that ALP wrong rap?”

Movius shrugged. “What else could I do?”

“And they had six weeks to find you and couldn’t? Where’d you hide?” His voice bit off the questions as though he was shooting them from a gun.

Movius nodded toward Grace. “My wife hid me.”

Gerard moved slowly away from the desk, turned to look at Movius. “I understand, that will have to do for now.”

Movius got to his feet.

Gerard looked at the muscular bulk of him, said almost to himself. “I don’t think they’ll be dropping you down any light wells. No, indeed, I don’t.” His eyes stared up at Movius. “You clean this one up and I’ve a better job for you.” He turned, reached across the desk, opened a top drawer, pulled out a green pad. Using Movius’ stylus, he scribbled on it, finished, looked at the stylus and grinned. “Mind if I keep this as a sort of memento?”

“Not at all.”

Gerard pocketed the stylus, handed the note to Movius. “This presented at District Housing will get you an apartment in the privileged section—a special apartment where you’ll be safe. My own quarters are on the roof. I’ll have a car and driver assigned to you. We may as well come out in the open; there’s no way to keep your position secret after what happened today. You’ll go into CR-14 as my man and no questions asked.” Gerard waved a hand. “Take the rest of the day; report in the morning.”

“Will there be any trouble about the special status?” asked Movius. “The Sorter rated me clerk.”

“And I rated you executive assistant,” said Gerard. “That’s a bureau chief’s privilege.”

“Let’s get my duties straight,” said Movius. He looked down at the District Housing order in his hand.

“I don’t want to know what you do,” said Gerard. “You get rid of Newton. Either make it legal or make it look accidental.” He turned to Grace. “I’ll have you taken off the LP rolls.”

“You needn’t bother.”

Movius could tell from her tone that she’d formed a violent dislike for Gerard.

“You’re coming off the rolls anyway,” said Gerard. “Can’t have Dan worrying about his wife. You stick close to the apartment. I’ve a small army of guards on the place. You’ll be safe there.” He turned away, dismissing them.

As they went out the door, they heard Gerard on the phone. “Have a car and driver in the side driveway for Mr. Movius. And send up some building maintenance men. I want my pneumo tube yanked out and re-routed into the outer office.”

“And you were almost ready to get rid of Gerard?” said Glass. He leaned back against his desk, stared down at Rafe Newton.

The nephew avoided The Coor’s eyes. “I could…”

“You can leave Gerard alone!” Glass barked the words. “And you can get a sample of that poison gas for us. Gerard is suddenly too bold. I want to know how long Movius has been working for him. Probably all the time he was Liaitor. He could have booby traps in every department of government; he went everywhere. That gas! How could someone develop a thing like that right under our noses? That may be what’s making Gerard so bold.”

“Or desperate,” said Newton.

“I said bold .” Glass frowned. “We have to find out what his position is before we make a move.”

Newton shifted his position on the couch, “What about Movius?”

“Movius! Well, we know where he is now. Give Movius a couple of days to rattle around while we check back on everyone who contacts him. Then kill him.” Glass smiled without humor.