"I was hungry," Hanlon answered simply. "I'd just ordered dinner when your message was delivered. I came as soon as I'd finished." "Those who work for me usually ... uh ... come running when I call." Hanlon grinned wolfishly. "Maybe they're afraid of you." "And you aren't?" "Should I be?" "I don't like impudence or insolence," the voice was more curt and the eyes lost some of their calmness in a flash of anger. Hanlon knew he had gone far enough for the time being, so instantly became less brash, more apologetic. "If I take your job if you offer me one, sir, I'll obey all orders promptly, and I'll give you everything I've got, naturally. But I'm not one of your snivelling toadies." The leader regarded him once more with silent appraisal, in which a measure of respect, or at least approval, seemed to show. Hanlon, probing the other minds present, was secretly amused at their astonishment at his temerity ... and the fact that he was getting away with it. After long moments the leader nodded his head, as though he had reached a decision. "What were you doing in the bank this morning?" "Why, just depositing some of my stuff in a safety deposit box," he said, surprised. "Why?" "How did you get your own box so quickly?" "What do you mean so quickly? I went in yesterday and asked if one was available, and the girl clerk signed me up for it, and said I could get entry today." "Oh, I see. I was told it was done like you already had a box and ... uh ... wondered about it." Hanlon reached in his pocket and threw a key onto the desk "Go look in it for yourself if you think it's important. And incidentally," he said contemptuously, "I've known all day long I was being shadowed." But was instantly sorry he had said that last. For there came a deadly coldness in the leader's tone, and a gleam in those hard eyes that boded ill for someone. "I see. Well, let it pass." He pushed the key back toward Hanlon, who pocketed it thankfully. His bluff had worked. This was the key to his own box, of course; his master key was in a hidden pocket in the cuff of his trousers. The leader sank back into his chair and was silent for long minutes, thinking deeply, while Hanlon waited patiently, still trying to get some glimmering of thought from that unreadable mind, still frustrated almost to the point of despair that he couldn't. Finally the man spoke, but not to Hanlon. "Panek, you and the others go find Rellos and bring him here."