I watched him rearrange his clothing. I said, “So the red star signifies a robot? So I’ve been on a party with a bunch of pretty synthetics? Okay, Mister Rubber-Liver, now tell me what happened to Alec. Where is he? DON’T tell me they cut his heart and brain out and stuck it in that phony flesh-pot. I don’t believe it, and if you don’t tell me where Alec is I’ll scramble your cogs.” What I had been calling “Alec” laughed nervously and realistically. “You give me the same chills we all had when we first tried these _proxies_ out. It does seem a bit ghastly at first, but it’s all so perfect that you can’t argue it down. Bill, I’m in two places at once. Right now my real body is back at my apartment in an indestructible--well, you won’t like the word, but we call them coffins. Oh, very well, don’t believe me. I’ll show you, by heaven!” We drove back to his apartment. I was so befuddled it didn’t even seem strange when he told me to wait beside him while he stretched out full length in front of a closed door leading out of his kitchenette. He relaxed and then sagged even more, until he was motionless at my feet. The door clicked an inch ajar behind me. Alec’s voice yelled out _from the room_. “Wait a minute, Bill.” * * * * * I wasn’t waiting. I was finding out. I kicked the door open and found myself in a five-by-eight cell with just enough room for the narrow door to swing in and miss a sure-enough coffin. Only it was transparent, and the body in it was just lying down making itself comfortable. A white arm was reaching up to close the lid when the head turned and saw me. It was Alec, all right, naked and looking kind of annoyed. “Dammit, Bill, I told you--well, it’s no longer sterile in here, so come in.” He shoved back the lid, got out and took a robe off a hook. “Are you convinced now?” He grinned and stuck out his hand. I was convinced, but I wasn’t happy about it. “Yeah, I suppose so,” I admitted, “but now that I’m here, how does it work?” He put on the robe and reached down inside the coffin. “These two levers control the whole business. This one,” he pressed it, “cuts in the proxy. When my head is between those electrode plates I’m in perfect rapport. Watch.” He bent into the coffin. I heard a shuffle on the kitchen floor, and in walked another Alec. I looked from one to the other. It wasn’t a healthy sensation. I said, “Cut it out. One of you guys is enough at a time.” The proxy lay down carefully, and Alec withdrew his head.