“Okay,” Cliff said, “let’s hear it. And I’m warning you, I’ll be playing the part of a very skeptical critic. We’re not the first ones to ever try beating this, you know. I’ve now documented thirteen cases—and there are probably many more—where people have tried to break free of the Major’s little Utopia. Four are burned-out hulks—living bodies with no minds—and the rest are dead.”

“I know,” Eric said, “but I’ve got it all worked out.” Then he shook his head ruefully. “Except for one question.”

“All right, let’s hear your solution first, then the question.”

Eric took a deep breath, determined not to let his excitement show through. “We have two problems, as I see it. First, we have to get the implantation out, and second, we have to get the wrist computer off. Right?”

“Three problems,” Cliff corrected. “Have you forgotten that the wrist computer and the implantation chip are electronically interdependent? If you could break the band of the wrist computer—which you cannot do, because any pull automatically triggers the Punishment Mode. But if you could—”

“I can.”

“How?”

“I’m not going to break it. I’m going to cut it.”

Cliffs head jerked up, and he stared at Eric. “It can’t be done. As I told you before, the band is made of specially hardened steel. You’d need a saw with a very hard blade—which would probably be very hard on your arm—or special cutters. And we’ve already checked those. All are carefully controlled. You need a special permit to even touch one. With the Major monitoring your every movement, you won’t get within a mile of one.”

“I’ll get it off,” Eric said. “I’ll tell you how in a minute. So go on with my third problem.”

“We went through all this before. The wrist computer, if cut, triggers the implantation. The implantation, if removed, triggers the Punishment Mode in the wrist computer. Either or both are fatal.” He sighed. “Eric, the third problem is the problem. The other two are irrelevant until you solve it. Every one of the nine who were killed was killed in one of those two ways. No, you’ve got to give the Major and Dr. Gould credit. They have devised a very effective, interlocking system.”

“True, and that’s what’s been absolutely stumping me. But I’ve worked it out.”

“How?”

“Remove both of them at precisely the same instant.”

Cliff stared at him, disbelieving.

“If you have heavy-duty bolt cutters, you can do it. Have the incision in the neck already made, and don’t even touch the chip until the cutters are in place. Then simply yank the implantation out at the exact moment you cut the other, and all you have is a very clever interlocking system sizzling in thin air. Right?”