Чужак в чужой стране

           Sincehecouldn’taskBen,whomdidheknowwhowouldknow?

           Hell’shalfwit,hehadjustbeentalkingtoone!JubalturnedbacktothephoneandtriedtoraiseTomMackenzieagain,runningintoonlythreelayersofinterferenceontheway,allofwhomknewhimandpassedhimalongquickly.Whilehewasdoingthis,hisstaffandtheManfromMarscamein;Jubalignoredthemandtheysatdown,Miriamfirststoppingtowriteonascratchpad:"Doorsandwindowslocked."

           Jubalnoddedtoherandwrotebelowit:"Larry–panicbutton?"thensaidtothescreen,"Tom,sorrytobotheryouagain."

           "Apleasure,Jubal."

           "Tom,ifyouwantedtotalktoSecretaryGeneralDouglas,howwouldyougoaboutit?"

           "Eh?I’dphonehispresssecretary,JimSanforth.OrpossiblyJockDumont,dependingonwhatIwanted.ButIwouldn’ttalktotheSecretaryGeneralatall.Jimwouldhandleit."

           "ButsupposeyouwantedtotalktoDouglashimself."

           "Why,I’dtellJimandlethimarrangeit.BequickerjusttotellJimmyproblem,though;itmightbeadayortwobeforehecouldsqueezemein?andeventhenImightbebumpedforsomethingmoreurgent.Look,Jubal,thenetworkisusefultotheadministration–andweknowitandtheyknowit.Butwedon’tpresumeonitunnecessarily."

           "Tom?assumethatitisnecessary.SupposeyoujusthadtospeaktoDouglas.Rightnow.Notnextweek.Inthenexttenminutes."

           Mackenzie’seyebrowswentup."Well–ifIjusthadto,IwouldexplaintoJimwhyitwassourgent-"

           "No."

           "Bereasonable."