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find out he’s been drunk on duty,
then
complain.”
    “And you mean to stand there, young man, and tell me that I’m going to get shot at Saturday? Again!” Governor Lawson tipped his chair back and roared withlaughter: an exercise he broke off abruptly to glare with an intensity akin to hatred at Darrow and the wraith-like Steve Hawkins. “So what else is new?”
    “The predictive Incident says that a .38 slug will penetrate the right ventricle.” Steve’s voice shook slightly. Henry wondered if he’d made a mistake in bringing Steve, who was very new to his gifts and the Center’s staff. “The man will approach from the left …”
    “What does it matter where he comes from?” The Governor said, sharply, hostilely. “Oh, I don’t disbelieve you, Darrow. Or you, Hawkins. I’ve heard too much about you people to be skeptical anymore. But, if I don’t appear …”
    “You have to appear,” Henry replied. “We ran the alternates through a probability computation and find that your appearance at that Forum Meeting must take place to sway a currently uncommitted 8% of the popular vote to your party. Without that 8%, you fail to receive the critical majority and if you fail, the Laborites can obtain the plurality they need to effect a counter-measure that would have disastrous consequences on the economy.”
    Governor Lawson began a chuckle, his belly shaking first before the amusement was shunted up the rotund abdomen to the chest and finally became audible in the head cavity. Finally Lawson’s lips parted to emit a rich, juicy laugh.
    “So, that’s the way it’ll be, huh?”
    “Yes, if your eloquence doesn’t falter with foreknowledge.”
    “Huh? How’s that?”
    “You have been given a prescience of the immediate future. Such knowledge could, in itself, alter the circumstances of the future. We do not always have either the personnel or the foresight to modify the future. In your case, we make an exception. A Laborite Majority is not a good thing for the Talented.”
    Governor Lawson nodded in appreciation of that expediency.
    “Your man will intercept the bullet?”
    Henry nodded.
    “And the nut will be put away? That’s better than leaving him free for another shot Good! How many political figures does your group protect?”
    “Those who need it. And we’d appreciate a kindly word for the Center when Steve diverts that bullet.”
    Lawson nodded agreement. “Those who need protection? Or those whom you need, Darrow? No, don’t answer that one. Answer this … will I win this election?”
    Henry smiled slowly. “You know the answer to that one, Governor, but the
fun
lies in making certain you’ve played the game right.”
    “How far do you guys play fun and games?”
    “Just far enough!”
    “Now, Mr. Rambley, what seems to be your problem?”
    “Not my problem, Mr. Darrow. Yours!” The Internal Revenue Department man smiled a thin smug smile and began to pull IBM cards from his neat fake-pig case.
    “Really?”
    “We have here WT forms from the Department of Law Enforcement and Order, from Johns Hopkins, Bethel General, Midtown, from Dupont Merck Pharmaceuticals … need I go on?”
    “Just as you please.”
    “These salary chits represent the earnings of Barbara Holland, Titter Beyley, Charity McGillicuddy, Gil Gracie, Frank Negelsco, Augustus Molnar …” Again the IRD representative regarded Henry Darrow with a cute expression on his fleshless face. “I could continue …”
    “Just as you please. I give every government official the courtesy due his office.” Henry inclined his head towards Mr. Rambley who, for the first time since he’d minced into Henry’s tiny lair, looked nonplussed. “After all, some of my best people are employed by the government.”
    With an irritated sigh, Rambley dosed the stack of cards and tapped them in an admonitory fashion on the desk.
    “Come now, Mr. Darrow. These people,” and he brandished the cards, “earn tremendous salaries