He smiled modestly. "I also brilliant person. Learn tech part much rapid. Apply own idea, which not so innocent. Fact, very insidious. Telenize right persons, they _want_ Martian then! Vote to let come, yups?" Maxwell broke in: "Then why didn't you start in on the right people at once? Why not set up your headquarters in Belgrade and telenize the World Council members, instead of playing around with a bunch of hypochondriacs here?" Blekeke held up his hand. "So fast not so. Must work with what got. Doctor machine very simple, and he telling me not all. Not trusting even me all way. Needing much work, then. Muchness development. Six months I working, then need testing. SRI, oaks? So now have proof for Mars government, which verysome cautious. Demanding evidence." This time I broke in. "Blekeke," I said, with some of the respect I was beginning to feel for him, "you're a patriot, I guess, and I have to admire you for that. But you're also a damned fool. You can't get away with this--and I think you know it. There are just too many loop-holes." "Where loop-hole?" "Well, in the first place, I made a phone call before I got here--while I was in the car and my defense mech was on. As a result, the police will be here in a very few minutes--probably before you can get to the rocket--" Blekeke smiled blandly. "Where second place?" "In the second place, assuming that you do get to the spaceship and take off before the police get here, it still won't matter. They _know_, now, who has been operating the telenizer. They can track you down. You'll be picked up long before you get to Mars." I stood up and strode purposefully toward him. "Give me the blaster, dammit. You're licked before you're even started." Blekeke frowned and pointed the blaster at my chest. "Please. So fast not so. Go back corner, please." I obediently returned to the corner and sat down. It had been worth a try. The Martian lowered the weapon and smiled. "You too brave. I not like kill. But pfoof for loop-hole. All plugged. Looking what front-door camera see. Polices here now." He pushed the button on the wall. * * * * * A police auto was screeching to a halt in the driveway before the big house, and a half-dozen uniformed men, armed with deadly blasters, were piling out. Another car was whipping around the final curve. I knew that Maxwell was giving me a look of gratitude, but suddenly I wasn't sure it was warranted. I had assumed on a sort of blind faith that the police would get here in time--but as I watched the scene, I didn't feel so good. For the policemen were not charging the house. They were not even looking at it. They were milling around, aimlessly. No, not aimlessly, exactly. They were looking _for_ something; but they weren't seeing it. One of them got back in the car and used the radio, and the others wandered around, glancing unseeingly in all directions.