A Spaceship Named: 45 Sci-Fi Novels & Stories in One Volume. Randall Garrett

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СКАЧАТЬ almost awed, "they want to keep it a secret."

      "A secret?" Malone said, blinking. "But that's--that's not the American way."

      Burris shrugged. "It's un-congressman-like, anyhow," he said. "But that's what they've done. Tiptoed over to me and whispered softly that the thing has to be investigated quietly. Naturally, they didn't give me any orders--but only because they know they can't make one stick. They suggested it pretty strongly."

      "Any reasons?" Malone said. The whole idea interested him strangely. It was odd--and he found himself almost liking odd cases, lately. That is, he amended hurriedly, if they didn't get too odd.

      "Oh, they had reasons, all right," Burris said. "It took a little coaxing, but I managed to pry some loose. You see, every one of them found inefficiency in his own department. And every one knows that other men are investigating inefficiency."

      "Oh," Malone said.

      "That's right," Burris said. "Every one of them came to me to get me to prove that the goof-ups in his particular department weren't his fault. That covers them in case one of the others happens to light into the department."

      "Well, it must be somebody's fault," Malone said.

      "It isn't theirs," Burris said wearily, "I ought to know. They told me. At great length, Malone."

      Malone felt a stab of honest pity. "How many so far?" he asked.

      "Six," Burris said. "Four representatives, and two senators."

      "Only two?" Malone said.

      "Well," Burris said, "the Senate is so much smaller. And, besides, we may get more. As a matter of fact, Senator Lefferts is worth any six representatives all by himself."

      "He is?" Malone said, puzzled. Senator Lefferts was not one of his favorite people. Nor, as far as he knew, did the somewhat excitable senator hold any place of honor in the heart of Andrew J. Burris.

      "I mean his story," Burris said. "I've never heard anything like it-- at least, not since the Bilbo days. And I've only heard about those," he added hurriedly.

      "What story?" Malone said. "He talked about inefficiency--"

      "Not exactly," Burris said carefully. "He said that somebody was out to get him--him, personally. He said somebody was trying to discredit him by sabotaging all his legislative plans."

      "Well," Malone said, feeling that some comment was called for, "three cheers."

      "That isn't the point," Burris snapped. "No matter how we feel about Senator Lefferts or his legislative plans, we're sworn to protect him. And he says 'they' are out to get him."

      "They?" Malone said.

      "You know," Burris said, shrugging. "The great 'they.' The invisible enemies all around, working against him."

      "Oh," Malone said. "Paranoid?" He had always thought Senator Lefferts was slightly on the batty side, and the idea of real paranoia didn't come as too much of a surprise. After all, when a man was batty to start out with ... and he even looked like a vampire, Malone thought confusedly.

      "As far as paranoia is concerned," Burris said, "I checked with one of our own psych men, and he'll back it up. Lefferts has definite paranoid tendencies, he says."

      "Well, then," Malone said, "that's that."

      Burris shook his head. "It isn't that simple," he said. "You see, Malone, there's some evidence that somebody is working against him."

      "The American public, with any luck at all," Malone said.

      "No," Burris said. "An enemy. Somebody sabotaging his plans. Really."

      Malone shook his head. "You're crazy," he said.

      Burris looked shocked. "Malone, I'm the Director of the FBI," he said. "And if you insist on being disrespectful--"

      "Sorry," Malone murmured. "But--"

      "I am perfectly sane," Burris said slowly. "It's Senator Lefferts who's crazy. The only trouble is, he has evidence to show he's not."

      Malone thought about odd cases, and suddenly wished he were somewhere else. Anywhere else. This one showed sudden signs of developing into something positively bizarre. "I see," he said, wondering if he did.

      "After all," Burris said, in a voice that attempted to sound reasonable, "a paranoid has just as much right to be persecuted as anybody else, doesn't he?"

      "Sure," Malone said. "Everybody has rights. But what do you want me to do about that?"

      "About their rights?" Burris said. "Nothing, Malone. Nothing."

      "I mean," Malone said patiently, "about whatever it is that's going on."

      Burris took a deep breath. His hands clasped behind his head, and he looked up at the ceiling. He seemed perfectly relaxed. That, Malone knew, was a bad sign. It meant that there was a dirty job coming, a job nobody wanted to do, and one Burris was determined to pass off on him. He sighed and tried to get resigned.

      "Well," the FBI director said, "the only actual trouble we can pinpoint is that there seem to be a great many errors occurring in the paperwork. More than usual."

      "People get tired," Malone said tentatively.

      "But computer-secretary calculating machines don't," Burris said. "And that's where the errors are, in the computer-secretaries down in the Senate Office Building. I think you'd better start out there."

      "Sure," Malone said sadly.

      "See if there's any mechanical or electrical defect in any of those computers," Burris said. "Talk to the computer technicians. Find out what's causing all these errors."

      "Yes, sir," Malone said. He was still trying to feel resigned, but he wasn't succeeding very well.

      "And if you don't find anything--" Burris began.

      "I'll come right back," Malone said instantly.

      "No," Burris said. "You keep on looking."

      "I do?"

      "You do," Burris said. "After all, there has to be something wrong."

      "Sure," Malone said, "if you say so. But--"

      "There are the interview tapes," Burris said, "and the reports the Congressmen brought in. You can go through those."

      Malone sighed. "I guess so," he said.

      "And there must be thousands of other things to do," Burris said.

      "Well--" Malone began cautiously.

      "You'll be able to think of them," Burris said heartily. "I know you will. I have confidence in you, Malone. Confidence."

      "Thanks," Malone said sadly.

      "You just keep me posted from time to time on what you're doing, and what ideas you get," Burris said. СКАЧАТЬ