"I told you that history bears me out, Carl. For instance--from the fourth to the fourteenth centuries, one of the world's most powerful sects was heavily involved in temporal government--because, it said, of necessity to preserve itself. And surely you must remember the cooperation of the church with Constantine and Charlemagne when their empires were in danger of disintegrating, when unity was so sorely needed, and they knew there was but one that could help them? Often the church--the sect to which I referred before--actually took over the powers of government during Charlemagne's rule--not, perhaps, because it wanted involvement in those things which were Caesar's--but because it realized the grave perils which would face it if whole empires were to break apart, and their peoples reduced to pagan savagery as a result. "I think you see my point. And--I imagine the simile about the captain and his platoon will also be appealing, don't you? The idea of sacrifice that others might live...?" "You--you son of a bitch!" "I'm sorry you said that, Carl. Because the plan will work, you know. From telling it to you, I see that its shock-value is valid. From seeing your final reaction, I realize that you are inwardly as sure as I that it will succeed. It is actually all I wanted, to get your immediate reaction." "Doug, I'm going. But there's just one thing I want to ask you before I smear you from here to damnation. Just what, Congressman, is _your_ cut in this?" "None. I have not once mentioned money." "You're a madman, Blair." "When you've convinced yourself of that, Carl, you may try to smear me if you wish. But first--_first, convince yourself!_" CHAPTER XV As Doug marched, he thought. There was less than an hour yet of marching to complete the great circle, to devise a plan. Two boys in five hundred thousand. An impersonation now demanding so complex a knowledge of the situation of which it was the center that to carry it to successful conclusion would be impossible. Even a moment's belief otherwise was rank stupidity. Escape? Yes, by himself somehow, perhaps he could escape in one of the two sleek ships even now being serviced on the plaza; that had been the basis for his original plan. But the plan was junk now. Junk, unless he could find Terry and Mike first. Two boys, in a half-million! Aircraft were being rolled out on the plaza. The immense aircraft in which he and Tayne would fly as they directed the maneuvers of their quadrants, and the aircraft of the tabulation and evacuation specialists. They were huge, and there were fully a hundred of them. But for all their size and number, they offered no hope. It was like being in a nightmare wherein one had to run for life, but the ground beneath was a sucking, miring bog.