An exhausted and distracted Pasarian sat on a black leather-and-chrome Mies van der Rohe couch in Buher's austerely elegant living room, and slowly sipped a cup of coffee. He had refused the drink Buher had offered because he was sure it would put him to sleep.

Buher stood nursing a drink, and staring out the window. He was trying to absorb everything that Pasarian had just told him.

'So you think,' Buher began, 'that because this man wouldn't sell to us, he was murdered? By one of our own people?' He downed his drink.

Pasarian nodded wearily. ‘I'm almost sure of it,' he said.

'That's impossible!' said Buher, moving over to the bar to fix himself another drink.

'I was in eight provinces checking out land for us,' Pasarian said, ‘and in three of them-'

‘Three?'

‘Three killings.' Pasarian took another sip of coffee, then put the cup down. ‘That's three too many in my book, Paul,' he said.

'Who could it be?' Buher asked, moving back to the window.

'No idea,' said Pasarian.

'Well,' said Buher, letting out a big sigh, 'I'd better look into it.'

Pasarian stood up to go. 'Shall we tell Richard?' he asked, reaching for his coat.

'We have to!' Buher said vehemently. 'I'll call him first thing tomorrow.' He helped Pasarian on with his coat. 'Oh, by the way,' he said casually 'he wants to see you.'

'Richard? What for?'

Buher walked him to the door. 'Apparently your P.84 is acting up. There's a report on your desk. Richard is worried. It's urgent you check it out in the morning.' He shook hands with Pasarian, then added, 'I don't want to have to shut it down, David.'

Pasarian nodded. 'I'll attend to it,' he said, and opened the door.

Just before they said good-night. Buher's eyes took on a peculiarly distant look as he turned to gaze out at the Chicago skyline framed by the large window. ‘I hope we haven't got some overenthusiastic men in the field,' he said quietly. Then he glanced quickly back to Pasarian and smiled. ‘Thanks for coming over tonight, David. I really appreciate your confidence.'

Pasarian nodded and shook hands, but he left feeling very uneasy, and wondering whether he'd just done the wrong thing.

***

What with Pasarian's sudden and unexpected return and the bad news that he had brought with him, and with Thorn yet to be told, and the P.84 acting up, Buher had totally forgotten that today was the day that the boys from the Academy were coming to visit the immense new agricultural plant which Thorn Industries had only recently acquired.