"I _thought_ it was some light-finger stuff," I grinned. "Well, it will take me a while to set up a real test of your Psi Powers. Where can I reach you--or are you spending the night here?" "Certainly not!" she said, casting an annoyed glance at Elmer. She looked at her watch. "Would it be much longer than an hour? I might still be here, if Elmer--" "Jes' fine," T-shirt said. "Unless yo' mine watching Keys and me practice." He grinned at me. "Keys is he'ping me build up mah TK," he explained. "That'll make you popular," I sneered, as I wrote down Elmer's phone number. They let me out. It had been a pretty room, and in a way I hated to leave it. Still, by the time a cruising 'copter had taken me halfway back to my office up-town, I could relax the shield over my thoughts--and that was worth getting out of that Stigma hideaway. * * * * * It was a little after nine when I walked into the lobby and rang for the elevator. A man lounging against the wall over near the building directory raised a wrist-phone to his mouth and spoke quietly into it as I waited for the car to come. He didn't seem to be interested in me--but then, he wouldn't want to show it if he were. Fool around with the Stigma, would I? The building was mostly dark--in our circle we make too much dough to be interested in overtime. I keyed myself into our waiting room, turned on the ceiling, and went into my private office. There was enough light leaking in from our foyer, so I added none. I found Lindstrom at home--after all, he should have been by nine o'clock. "Maragon!" he said. "Kill your focus. I have guests!" I reached up to twist the 'scope so that my image would be a blur on his screen. Nice beginning. I was as welcome as a thriving case of leprosy. "I want you to make a test for me, Professor," I said. "Tonight." He shook his head. "I told you I had guests. We're entertaining. No thanks, Maragon." "A Normal is being crucified," I said quietly. "They've got her pegged as a Psi. I've got to get her off the hook." "How could this happen?" he demanded. "She hangs with a bunch of Stigma cases, for one thing," I said. "Nobody forced her to associate with a gang of Psis," he said. "Serves her right." "Nobody forced you to, either, Prof," I snarled. "But you have a steady stream of Stigma cases going through your laboratory." "That's different!" he protested. "Nuts. Now name a time when I can see you there." "I don't want any part of it. If you're along, it will just mean trouble, Maragon. You got too much publicity on defending that TK locksmith. I've got a professional standing to maintain." "You'd sure look silly if all the Psis in town blackballed you," I snarled at him. "Let me pass the word around--and you darned well know I've got the contacts to do it--and you've tested your last Stigma case. Then let's see what kind of a professional standing you've got."