was waving at them to e in。 Flick landed。
An old man in a watchman's uniform was at their door。 He was carrying a small box in his hand。 〃So you're the fellow that wants to buy this place；〃 he said to Flick。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Flick emphatically。 〃Another dream that's going to e true。〃
〃Why hasn't anybody bought it？〃 said Madison； not at all happy about what he was getting into。 He might be able to use some offices； but this was not even getting a building： it was a planned robbery。 He was being steered way off his mark； and the meaningful look of Teenie hovered in memory。
〃Oh； they're crazy； of course；〃 the old man said； 〃but they think the place is haunted。〃
That was all Madison needed to get along： the robbery of a haunted townhouse。 What a headline THAT would make！ He tried to think of something that would dampen Flick's enthusiasm。
But the old man was talking； 〃You can't get into this place without help；〃 he said； climbing in。
〃I know；〃 said Flick。
〃So I thought I'd better e up in person with the box。 They're all waiting for you down below； so if you'll just move this airbus ahead to that small white dot you see there； we'll go in。〃
Flick； quivering with expectancy； moved the car as stated and the old man pushed at the side of the box。
SWOOP！
Hidden doors whose edges had not been evident activated and they were still sitting in the airbus but it was now sitting in the center of a palatial living room！
Madison glanced up。 The door was gone。
Three nicely dressed men were sitting around a desk。
Flick leaped out of the car； looking all around。 There were paintings on the walls； vases on stands。 He rubbed his hands。
Flick rushed over to the desk。 He didn't shake hands。 〃Let me see the rest of this layout！〃
One of the men； gray…headed； said； 〃We have to be sure this is a serious offer。 We came over from the bank just in case somebody really wanted to buy it。〃
〃We got to see the whole place；〃 said Flick。
The three businessmen and the watchman seemed a little cool but then Flick； like a stage magician； flashed Madison's identoplate。
〃Pay status UNLIMITED？〃 gawped the gray…haired man。
Flick gave Madison a broad wink when the bankers weren't looking。
Madison swallowed。 This was NOT good PR！ The identoplate was now being used as an entrance to case a joint and rob it！ He had visions of himself being carted off to jail。
The bankers made haste to show them some of the rest of the townhouse。 To see all of it would have taken more than a day。 Five floors of this size would have taken far more walking than they had the legs for。
There were apartments beyond count； some quite elegant。 Some were like the palatial cabins of ships at sea； some were like those of spacecraft。 Some looked like hunting lodges。
There were several bars as big as a tavern； chairs and tables and decor approximating styles of different planets。
There were kitchens that were plex mazes of electronic cooking gear which sent viands upwards which would then appear magically on tables in dining salons without having seemed to travel。
There were rooms which contained such a multitude of screens that one got the impression he could look at any band or transmission on any planet anywhere。
They came to an auditorium that would seat at least two hundred people and whose stage revolved or simply flapped back when another decorated stage rose。
Madison got the distinct impression they were not seeing everything there was to see in these rooms。 Something odd about it all； something strange。 Spooky。 Part of it was that there seemed to be windows but they were all black。
The old watchman didn't seem to be much interested。 Flick ran along and the watchman would hit buttons in his box and the doors of rooms would open。 Flick would look in； see paintings and hangings of great value and rush on。
〃You realize；〃 the watchman said at last； 〃that if I was not working this box right； we not only could not pass down these halls； for I've opened all the invisible barriers； but traps would open in the floor as well。 There's this box for watchmen and such but some of the master suites can't be opened at all until they're voice…tuned to the new owner。〃
Flick whispered to Madison excitedly。 〃There's a half a million credits in loot in this place。 It would be the haul of the century。〃 Then he went racing on to glance into more rooms。
〃Of course；〃 the gray…haired banker told Madison； 〃the apartment has regular street entrances and elevators： several of them in fact。 But you can only e up to the first floor of these five。 The upper ones require special entrance。 General Loop was pretty security conscious； I'm afraid。〃
Finally the three bankers and the bored watchman were so worn out with walking that they simply stopped。 〃Do you mind；〃 said the gray…haired man； 〃if we go back to the hangar salon？ If you're still interested。。。〃
〃Oh； we're interested！〃 said Flick with a wink at Madison。 And he followed them back to where the airbus was。
Flick； arriving there； reached out his hand to the watchman。 〃Could I see that box？〃
The watchman shook his head。
The three bankers sank wearily into chairs； quite worn out from almost two hours of unaccustomed walking。 Madison himself felt fagged。
〃If you're willing to talk price；〃 said the gray…haired man； 〃we are open to some serious offers。 We know that the place is large； too large。 And it could never obtain a hotel license。 The entire remainder of the building； all seventy…five lower floors； are separately owned by residential families such as club officials and so on； and they are much smaller。 This so…called townhouse is all under one deed that can't be broken down into subdeeds and so it can't be separately rented out or sold in pieces。 Now； I am being very frank。 The general's heirs want to get rid of it。 It would not be honest of us not to tell you。 So what do you offer？〃 Madison was sure Flick would find some excuse。 Madison's main problem was how he was going to discourage Flick from a break…in and robbery。
Flick was looking at the box in the watchman's hands。 It was obvious the watchman was not going to give it up。 Flick sighed deeply。 Madison had visions of being part of a break…in that would bring immediate arrest。 There was only one way to handle this。 As a PR man he knew how to wheel and deal。 He would offer a price too low。 They would leave and then he would use his authority to argue some sense into Flick。 Maybe bribe him。
〃Well；〃 said Madison to the gray…haired man； 〃I'm afraid we can't go higher than twenty thousand credits。〃
〃Sold；〃 said the gray…haired man without even looking at the other two。 〃The heirs will be very pleased。 The papers are already here。 I will fill in the amount and you can stamp them。〃
Madison blinked。 Then he suddenly realized the offer was about four hundred thousand dollars！
HE HAD BOUGHT A HAUNTED TOWN…HOUSE！
Chapter 5
〃Jumping ets； are you smart！〃 crooned Flick as they rose up through the roof and flew away。 〃Now we can rob the place without any watchman even sticking their noses in。〃
〃Flick；〃 said Madison； 〃we OWN the place。〃
〃Makes no difference；〃 said Flick。 〃My dream is going to e true！ Look； I got the box and a four…foot stack of directions in the bargain。 Wow； what an easy break…in this will be！ Oh； man； are all my dreams ing true！〃
〃Flick… … 〃
〃Oh； leave this up to me。 You're smart。 I got to admit that now。 I was wrong： a murderer can have brains for something else besides nightmares。 Wow； what a master stroke！ Boy； and I puzzled and puzzled over that for months and months！〃
〃Flick； it's sunset and I think we ought to call it a day。 I got to get up early in the morning and get on my job！〃
〃Hey； that shows you why you should leave all this up to me。 Crime works best by night and you ought to know that。〃
They had leaped up into the sky and the traffic lanes； strung out like fireflies in the dusk； were falling behind them。
〃Flick； we seem to be leaving the towns。 Where are you going？〃
〃Now； don't bother your head。 Just because you got one bright idea doesn't prove you know enough to handle everything in sight。 Just relax back there。〃
〃Flick； I think。。。〃
〃Hand me a sweetbun； would you？ They're in that side locker。 Have some yourself？'
A vast sea was on their left and t