。 。 。 now that scares you。 Because reason tells you it doesn't make sense。' Halloran had instinctively gone into a crouch。 He shifted position again； heard his own feet scuff the floor。
'Scares the shit out of you； right？' A finger prodded his back。
Halloran moved again and kept moving； reaching out for a wall； something solid on which to get his bearings。 His stretched fingers touched a face。
Then brilliant light forced his eyes shut。
'You were helpless。 I had you cold。' They were on the platform once more； Halloran steadily forcing his jarred nerves to settle； Kline sitting beside him； grinning； his oil…slick eyes watching。 Halloran could smell the other man's sweat； could see the damp patches beneath his armpits。
'Sure； you had me cold；' he agreed。 'What was the point though？'
'A 'tiny lesson about the unreality of reality。 You asked me to educate you some more。'
'That wasn't what I had in mind。' Kline giggled。 'Fear was something I put into you。 And you did feel fear。'
'Maybe。'
'Yet you knew it was only me and you in here。 A little guy like me up against a trained heavy like you。 Unreasonable； wouldn't you say？ The darkness overcame your reason； don't you see？ Made you vulnerable。'
'I admit I was disorientated。'
'Much more； I think。'
'It hasn't helped me understand anything。 I don't see what it had to do with finding copper on a map。； 'Perhaps it was a demonstration and a test at the same time。' The coarseness had left Kline's voice and his manner had subtly changed； the banter all but gone to be replaced by a cool mocking。 'A silly game； yes； but I wanted to gauge your reaction to； as you put it yourself； disorientation。 My life appears to be in your hands； after all。'
'Let's get on to that later。 Talk to me about copper in New Guinea。 How did you locate this new source？'
'Through my mind； of course。 Intuition； second sight； sixth sense； extrasensory perception…call it what you will。 I look at maps and I perceive hidden minerals and ores。 Even stores of raw energy。 I can tell where they can be found beneath the earth's crust。 Oh； I don't mean to boast…I'm not always right。 Seventyfive per cent of the time I am； though； and that's good enough for Magma。 Oh yes； that's mare than good enough for Sir Victor Penlock and his board of directors。' Halloran slowly shook his head。 'You find these 。 。 。 these deposits with your mind？ Like a diviner locates underground springs？'
'Huh！ Finding water beneath the soil is the easiest thing in the world。 Even you could do that。 No； it's a bit more involved。 Let's say scientific geological studies and even carefully calculated estimations point me in the right direction。 I'm given an area to look at…it could cover thousands upon thousands of square miles…and I totally shed irrelevant matters from my thoughts。 This room helps me do that： its emptiness cleanses my mind。' He waved a hand around at the room。 By using the remote control a few moments before； Kline had dimmed the light considerably； rendering the walls and floor a pale； cheerless grey。 Halloran could now see faint lines where the screens were imbedded。 He also noticed tiny sensors strategically and discreetly positioned to pick up mands from the console held loosely in the other man's hand。 The room was ingenious in structure and design。
'Can you understand why I'm so valuable to the Corporation？' asked Kline； gazing down at the floor and massaging his temples with stiffened fingers as though easing a headache。 'Have you any idea how fast the developed countries are using up our resources…fossil fuels； minerals； metals； timber； even soils？ We're rapidly running them down。 Worldwide we're searching and digging and consuming。 We've got greedy。 The big corporations don't believe in restraint： they've always done their utmost to supply the demand； with no cautions； no warnings； nothing to upset the flow of cash into their silk…lined pockets。' He raised his head and there was something sly about his smile when he looked at Halloran。
'Now they're getting scared。 The harder new sources of raw materials are to find； the more concerned they get； the more expensive it is to scour those materials from the earth； the more jitterish they bee。 That's what makes me Magma's biggest asset why I'm so precious to the Corporation。 Even ￡50 million would hardly pensate for my death；' Halloran rose and walked away； his hands tucked into his trouser pockets； head bowed as though he were deep in thought。 He turned； looked back at the small watching figure。
'That's some story you're asking me to swallow；' Halloran said。
Kline's cackled laughter shot across the room。 'You don't believe me！ You don't believe I can do it！ All I've shown you and you think this is some kind of game。 Wonderful！' He pummelled his feet on the white floor with the joke of it。
Halloran spoke calmly。 'I said it's hard to believe。' Kline became still。 'You think I give a shit what you believe？ All you have to do is protect me； nothing more than that。 So maybe it's time I found out how good you are。' His thumb worked the remote control unit once more and a buzzer or a light must have alerted the man outside the doubledoor； because one side opened and the bodyguard stepped through。
'Halloran here doesn't think you're up to much； Monk；' said Kline。 'You want to give him a little workout； introduce yourself？' Monk wasn't smiling when he approached。
Halloran still faced Kline。 'I don't do auditions；' he said。
'In that case Monk's liable to break your arms。' Halloran sighed and turned to meet the other man who was ambling forward as if he intended to do nothing more than shake the operative's hand。 But there was a certain； recognisable； gleam in Monk's eyes。
He took the last two yards in a crouching rush。
To find Halloran was suddenly behind him。
Monk felt Halloran's foot planted squarely against his rear end； a hard shove propelling him further forward； the action one fluid movement。 All balance gone； the bodyguard skidded to his knees； reduced to a clumsy scrabbling figure。 He came up in a crouching position。
'Bastard。' The curse was high…pitched； almost a squeal； as though his voice…box was squeezed somewhere too low in his throat。
'Jesus； it speaks；' said Halloran。
The bodyguard ran at him。
'Felix； call him off！' It was Cora's voice； but Halloran didn't bother to look towards the doorway。 He had no wish to hurt this lumbering apeman； but at the same time it was too early in the day to be playing silly games。 He stepped aside from the charge again and brought his knee up into the bent man's lower ribs； using only enough force to bruise and upset his victim's breathing for a while。
Monk went down with a whoosh of escaping air and spittle from his open mouth。 To give him credit； he immediately began to rise again； his face red and glowering。 Resignedly； Halloran prepared to jab a pressure point in the man's neck to bring the contest to a swift and relatively harmless end。
But Cora strode between them to confront Kline。 'Put a stop to this； Felix；' she demanded。 'Right now。' Halloran caught the brief flash of rage in the small man's eyes before it was suppressed and Kline beamed a smile of the innocent。
'Only a test； Cora；' he all but simpered。 'No harm done。 I needed to know how good this guy was； that's all。'
'He wouldn't have been remended to us if he wasn't any good；' she replied； her tone modified by now。 She turned to Halloran。 'I'm so sorry； this should never have happened。' Monk was clutching his sore ribs with one hand； looking from Halloran to Kline； awaiting further instructions。
'Wait outside；' Kline snapped； obviously displeased with his man's performance。 Then； to Halloran as Monk left the room with less ease than he had entered： 'You move pretty fast。'
'If he's your best； you've got problems；' said Halloran。
'Oh； he's not my best； he's my ox。' Kline rose from the dais； a quick feline movement。 His eyes seemed even darker than before； and glistened with some inner thought。 'No doubt there are matters you will have to discuss with Cora concerning my future safety。 She's my PA…no； much more than t