The girl disturbed him. She was wearing practical gray coveralls instead of the filmy creation she'd had on yesterday. She was beautiful even in the baggy garment, but it wasn't altogether that. With the strides that had been made in eugenics, an ugly man or woman was the exception and, perversely, often had more appeal than the uniformly handsome ones. No, he was hungry for a woman, hungry for companionship and admiration. He frowned, catching himself up with a jerk. Self pity! He'd better watch himself. That way led to neurosis, manic depression and insanity. He wished Tani would go away and leave him alone. He worked better alone. But he knew she'd been set to watch him. The Ring probably thought she'd do a better job of it since it was to her interest to see that he didn't double-cross them. She said, "Clyde." "Yes?" He was startled and dropped his nictitating lids. She'd never called him by his first name before. "You resent being forced into this job, don't you? I'm sorry. Honest I am, Clyde. But it was father's life or--or...." "Or mine," he supplied dryly. "That isn't fair." "Isn't it?" "No. You'll be protected and alibied--" He said: "How much do you know about International Spy Ring, Inc.?" She looked startled, her eyes widening. "Not--not very much, I guess. I've heard father speak of them. They're big, Clyde. You don't know how big. They've offices on Earth and Mars and Venus, too. The ISP can't do a thing. They can't get past the blue doors. You can't fight the Ring. They're invulnerable." "Nothing's invulnerable." "Clyde!" Her hand started towards him, dropped. She can't bring herself to touch me, he thought. They're friendly now--because I'm necessary; they can't do without my help. But what about afterwards? What then? If he were lucky, he'd be set free, to work in the moon pits where his double was now. If he were lucky! He shivered a little. He knew too much about International Spy Ring, Inc. As soon as he was of no more use to them, they'd dispose of him. Permanently. Probably in that dimension where their office was located. That beautiful little world with the atmosphere of chlorine. "Clyde," Tani repeated. "What are you going to do? You're not planning to double-cross the Ring, are you? Not that, Clyde?" "No." But he filed the idea away. The ISP might be willing to forget his record, let him start out with a clean slate if he could deliver the Ring into their hands. "Why did the Arabs kidnap your father?" he asked Tani suddenly. * * * * * The girl hesitated. "He--he was working on teleportation. And somehow they got wind of it. It would have made space ships outdated. Armies could be transported instantly behind enemy lines. It would have made the United States supreme. He was about to succeed." She shook her head. "But I don't see how the Arabs learned about it." "Don't you?"