"What are we going to do? You're not going to let them kill Adam Stone, are you? Don't you realize what Stone's work will mean to us, if it succeeds? No more Scanners. No more habermans. No more Pain in the Up-and-Out. I tell you, if the others were all cranched, as I am, they would see it in a human way, not with the narrow crazy logic which they used in the meeting. We've got to stop them. How can we do it? What are we going to do? What does Parizianski think? Who has been chosen?" "Which question do you want me to answer?" Martel laughed. (It felt good to laugh, even then; it felt like being a man.) "Will you help me?" Chang's eyes flashed across Martel's face as Chang answered: "No. No. No." "You won't help?" "No." "Why not, Chang? Why not?" "I am a Scanner. The vote has been taken. You would do the same if you were not in this unusual condition." "I'm not in an unusual condition. I'm cranched. That merely means that I see things the way that the Others would. I see the stupidity. The recklessness. The selfishness. It is murder." "What is murder? Have you not killed? You are not one of the Others. You are a Scanner. You will be sorry for what you are about to do, if you do not watch out." "But why did you vote against Vomact then? Didn't you too see what Adam Stone means to all of us? Scanners will live in vain. Thank God for that! Can't you see it?" "No." "But you talk to me, Chang. You are my friend?" "I talk to you. I am your friend. Why not?" "But what are you going to do?" "Nothing, Martel. Nothing." "Will you help me?" "No." "Not even to save Stone?" "No." "Then I will go to Parizianski for help." "It will do you no good." "Why not? He's more human than you, right now." "He will not help you, because he has the job. Vomact designated him to kill Adam Stone." Martel stopped speaking in mid-movement. He suddenly took the stance, _I thank you, brother, and I depart_. At the window he turned and faced the room. He saw that Vomact's eyes were upon him. He gave the stance, _I thank you, brother, and I depart_, and added the flourish of respect which is shown when Seniors are present. Vomact caught the sign, and Martel could see the cruel lips move. He thought he saw the words "...take good care of yourself...." but did not wait to inquire. He stepped backward and dropped out the window. Once below the window and out of sight, he adjusted his aircoat to maximum speed. He swam lazily in the air, scanning himself thoroughly, and adjusting his adrenal intake down. He then made the movement of release, and felt the cold air rush past his face like running water. Adam Stone had to be at Chief Downport. Adam Stone had to be there.