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Foyle nodded. «That's right, there are thousands, but only one that can telesend.»
«What's that got to do with it?»
«You're going to be the ventriloquist; I'm going to be your dummy. I don't know the upper classes; you do. They have their own talk, their own jokes, their own ma
«But you could learn.»
«No. It would take too long. And charm can't be learned. I want to buy your charm, Miss Wednesbury. Now, about salary. I'll pay you a thousand a month.»
Her eyes widened. «You're very generous, Fourmyle.»
«I'll clean up this suicide charge for you.»
«You're very kind.»
«And I'll guarantee to get you off the army gray list. You'll be back on the white list by the time you finish working for me. You can start with a clean slate and a bonus. You can start living again.»
Robin's lips trembled and then she began to cry. She sobbed and shook and Foyle had to steady her. «Well,» he asked. «Will you do it?»
She nodded. «You're so kind . . . It's . . . I'm not used to kindness any more.»
The dull concussion of a distant explosion made Foyle stiffen. «Christ!» he exclaimed in sudden panic. «Another Blue Jaunte. I…”
«No,» Robin said. «I don't know what blue jaunte is, but that's the Proving Ground. They…” She looked up at Foyle's face and screamed. The unexpected shock of the explosion and the vivid chain of associations had wrenched loose his iron control. The blood-red scars of tattooing showed under his skin. She stared at him in horror, still screaming.
He touched his face once, then leaped forward and gagged her. Once again he had hold of himself.
«It shows, eh?» he murmured with a ghastly smile. «Lost my grip for a minute. Thought I was back in Gouffre Martel listening to a Blue Jaunte. Yes, I'm Foyle. The brute who destroyed you. You had to know, sooner or later, but I'd hoped it would be later, I'm Foyle, back again. Will you be quiet and listen to me?»
She shook her head frantically, trying to struggle out of his grasp. With detached calm he punched her jaw. Robin sagged. Foyle picked her up, wrapped her in his coat and held her in his arms, waiting for consciousness to return. When he saw her eyelids flutter he spoke again.
«Don't move or you'll be sick. Maybe I didn't pull that punch enough.»
«Brute . . . Beast . . .»
«I could do this the wrong way,» he said. «I could blackmail you. I know your mother and sisters are on Callisto, that you're classed as an alien belligerent by association. That puts you on the black list, ipso facto. Is that right? Ipso facto. 'By the very fact.' Latin. You can't trust hypno-learning. I could point out that all I have to do is send anonymous information to Central Intelligence and you wouldn't be just suspect any more. They'd be ripping information out of you inside twelve hours. . .»
He felt her shudder. «But I'm not going to do it that way. I'm going to tell you the truth because I want to turn you into a partner. Your mother's in the I
«Safe?» she whispered.
«I don't know.»
«Put me down.»
«You're cold.»
«Put me down.»
He set her on her feet.
«You destroyed me once,» she said in choked tones. «Are you trying to destroy me again?»
«No. Will you listen?»
She nodded.
«I was lost in space. I was dead and rotting for six months. A ship came up that could have saved me. It passed me by. It let me die. A ship named 'Vorga.' 'Vorga-T:i339.' Does that mean anything to you?»
«Jiz McQueen-a friend of mine who's dead now-once told me to find out why I was left to rot. That would be the answer to who gave the order. So I started buying information about 'Vorga.' Any information.»
«What's that to do with my mother?»
«Just listen. Information was tough to buy. The 'Vorga' records were removed from the Bo'ness amp; Uig files. I managed to locate three names .
three out of a standard crew of four officers and twelve men. Nobody knew anything or nobody would talk. And I found this.» Foyle took a silver locket from his pocket and handed it to Robin. «It was pawned by some spaceman off the 'Vorga.' That's all I could find out.»
Robin uttered a cry and opened the locket with trembling fingers. Inside was her picture and the pictures of two other girls. As the locket was opened, the 3D photos smiled and whispered: «Love from Robin, Mama . . . Love from Holly, Mama . . . Love from Wendy, Mama …”
«It is my mother's,» Robin wept. «It . . . She . . . For pity's sake, where is she? What happened?»
«I don't know,» Foyle said steadily. «But I can guess. I think your mother got out of that concentration camp . . . one way or another.»
«And my sisters too. She'd never leave them.»
«Maybe your sisters too. I think 'Vorga' was ru
«Then where are they?»
«I don't know. Maybe they were dumped on Mars or Venus. Most probably they were sold to a labor camp on the Moon, which is why they haven't been able to get in touch with you. I don't know where they are, but 'Vorga' can tell us.»
«Are you lying? Tricking me?»
«Is that locket a lie? I'm telling the truth . . . all the truth I know. I want to find out why they left me to die, and who gave the order. The man who gave the order will know where your mother and sisters are. He'll tell you . . . before I kill him. He'll have plenty of time. He'll be a long time dying.»
Robin looked at him in horror. The passion that gripped him was making his face once again show the scarlet stigmata. He looked like a tiger closing in for the kill.
«I've got a fortune to spend . . . never mind how I got it. I've got three months to finish the job. I've learned enough maths to compute the probabilities. Three months is the outside before they figure that Fourmyle of Ceres is Gully Foyle. Ninety days. From New Year's to All Fools. Will you join me?»
«You?» Robin cried with loathing. «Join you?»
«All this Four Mile Circus is camouflage. Nobody ever suspects a clown. But I've been studying, learning, preparing for the finish. All I need now is you,»
«Why?»
«I don't know where the hunt is going to lead me . . . society or slums. I've got to be prepared for both. The slums I can handle alone. I haven't forgotten the gutter, but I need you for society. Will you come in with me?»
«You're hurting me.» Robin wrenched her arm out of Foyle's grasp. «Sorry. I lose control when I think about 'Vorga.' Will you help me find 'Vorga' and your family?»
«I hate you,» Robin burst out. «I despise you. You're rotten. You destroy everything you touch. Someday I'll pay you back.»
«But we work together from New Year's to All Fools?»
«We work together.»