s six feet six。〃
〃Oh； I thought her slightness was one of her most charming features；〃 said Madison。
〃Well； drink up；〃 said Snelz； 〃and I'll run you on through to the chief clerk。〃 Other than that； Snelz didn't seem to have much more to say； which was not strange； now that he knew Madison was a fake。
Madison paid for the drinks and they got onto a zip…bus and were shortly speeding through the tunnels。 They got out and made their way to an elevator。 They sped to the high tower where Lombar had his main clerical office； and Snelz pushed Madison in and posed himself and his squad in the passageway to wait。
The criminal old chief clerk frowned at Madison。 〃I know you have a blanket order。 You probably think； by seeing me； you can get to see the chief。。。。〃
〃No；〃 said Madison。 〃Actually； I want to see you。 I know very well that chief clerks really run things。〃
〃Well； you're the first one to ever mention that！ What can I do for you？〃
〃Two things。 As the Apparatus is actually an intelligence activity； I can only suppose that you have lots of information on people。 So the first one is； I want to know if you have data on publishers and editors。〃
〃Blackmail； you mean。 It's a fact that we have informers in their houses and in their offices； but it's a dry run。 We've tried for years to get something really good on them but all we hear about is just domestic spats。 Tiresome trash。 You won't find any twists。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 said Madison； 〃I want everything on every publisher and editor and everyone around them。〃
The old chief clerk shrugged； called another clerk and led Madison to the central data console。
With the clerk operating it； they shortly had torrents of printouts ing from the machine。
After a while the chief clerk came over。 〃You remind me of Gris。 He sneaked in here one day and ran this machine totally out of paper。〃
〃It's important；〃 said Madison。
〃It's trash；〃 said the chief clerk。 He picked up a corner of the roll and in a snide voice read； 〃 'Lady Mithin this morning accused her husband of being an unreasonable boor when he plained the jolt was not hot。' I can see you now trying to blackmail Noble Mithin； publisher of the Voltar Vigilant； with that！〃
Madison suddenly found himself looking at reports from informers； doormen and such； who had noted his calls on publishers the day before。 Yes； the Apparatus ran quite a network。 Well； he could run quite a network himself： he would have to see that proper false reports were fed into their system。
The paper eventually amounted to a formidable bale： the rolls had had to be replaced twice。
〃I hope that's all；〃 the old chief clerk said。
〃Well； no； it isn't；〃 said Madison。 〃Anywhere on Voltar or in the Confederacy； is there a real psychiatrist？〃
The old chief clerk shook his head。
〃A psychologist？〃 said Madison。
The old chief clerk shook his head again。
〃A psychoanalyst？〃 said Madison。 〃You know。 Somebody who handles mental illness？〃
〃Mental illness？〃 said the chief clerk； 〃That's a funny term。 Mental things don't have any germs or virus connected。。。 Wait。 I just remembered something。 What was that first word you used again？〃
〃Psychiatrist。〃
〃Aha； yes！ That crazy Doctor Crobe； when he came back from Blito…P3； was yapping about treating 'mental illness。' He was refusing to go back into his laboratory because he was now that funny word you just used。 He's right down on the first sub…level here。〃
〃Crobe？ Can I have him？〃
〃Oh； and wele；〃 said the chief clerk。 And he promptly wrote out the order of custody。
Chapter 6
Doctor Crobe was lying on a filthy operating table； obviously in a bit of a haze。
The rest of Snelz's squad had stayed outside； guarding the cart of printouts； but two of them and Snelz preceded Madison into the rooms。
Snelz punched at Crobe with a stinger a couple of times and the man writhed around； blinking。
The smell of the place hit Madison like a club。 Old dried blood and decayed tatters of flesh stained the floor and furniture。 He stared at the dirty doctor。
Suddenly； Madison recognized him。 Too long a nose； too long in limb； weirdly misshapen。 This was the same man Smith had sent to his office and that he had sent to Bellevue Mental Hospital in New York！ His luck was in！
〃Get up；〃 said Snelz。 〃You're being handed over to this man。〃
〃I will not go；〃 said Crobe。 〃I am busy。〃
Madison； looking at Crobe's eyes； had a strong suspicion。
A twisted sort of assistant was timidly peeking in。 Madison said to him； 〃What's the doctor so busy on？〃
The assistant shook his head。 〃There are no more freaks being made： the chief is interested in other things。 He must be talking about his bottles and pans。 He has been working for a week on them and just yesterday； he flopped down on that table and this is the first time he's moved。〃
〃Show me；〃 said Madison； with a sudden flare of hope。
The assistant led him deeper into the maze of rooms and stopped； pointing at a laboratory bench。
Madison smiled a smile of exultation。 It was more than he had ever hoped for。 There was a pile of moldy seeds。 There was a pan to collect the fungus。 There were the tubes and vials。 Doctor Crobe had been making lysergic acid and from it； lysergic acid diethylamide； LSD！
Yes； there was a gallon jar full of crystals and next to it； three gallon jars full of liquid！
He had suspected it the moment he had taken a close look at Crobe's eyes。 Many a psychiatrist and psychologist augmented his ine by making LSD in his kitchen and spreading it around。 And Crobe had been so industrious he had enough there to knock out a billion people： it only took one one…hundred…thousandth of a microgram to produce a full…blown trip。
〃Pack up all this stuff；〃 Madison ordered the assistant。 He went back to Crobe and looked at him。 The man had evidently finished his task and had celebrated by sampling his wares！
〃Don't worry；〃 said Madison to Crobe。 〃We're taking your cookout along and all your LSD〃
〃You know it？〃 said Crobe； suddenly interested。
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Madison。 〃LSD is wonderful stuff。 Don't know what I would do without it。〃 Which was a plete lie： he had never touched it in his whole life and wasn't ever going to； nor any of his crew either。 Talk about poisoning wells！ That was nothing pared to what Crobe could do。 With that much LSD poured into waterworks； he could disable the whole planet。
The assistant came out of the back； wheeling the LSD and paraphernalia on a cart。
〃What the Hells is this？〃 said Snelz。 〃Are you carting away the whole castle？〃
Madison flashed his blanket order in front of Snelz。 Then he had the assistant push the cart out the door and into the hall。
Crobe rose right up and followed the cart。
Snelz stared。 He had thought it would take two soldiers to force Crobe to leave。 He made an experiment。 He pushed the cart along himself。 Crobe ambled right on after it。 〃Magnets；〃 said Snelz。 〃It must be magnets。〃
Back once more in the landing area； Madison shuddered at the idea of letting the filthy Crobe ride in the Model 99： he could hardly bear to be near him； such was the stench。 Using his order； he mandeered an air…coach and loaded Crobe in。
〃I better send a couple soldiers；〃 said Snelz； 〃just to make sure he gets to where you want him…and of course to make sure we get the transport back。〃
Madison shrugged。 They loaded the printouts； the LSD； the cooking paraphernalia and Crobe into the shabby air…coach。
Snelz told off a corporal and a soldier and they got in。
〃Well； I certainly do thank you；〃 Madison said to Snelz。
〃Say nothing of it；〃 said Snelz。 〃Any friend of Heller's is a friend of mine。〃
Madison； as they took off； wondered if he had detected sarcasm in that voice。 Well； it was of no importance。 Riding across the desert； the air…coach close beside； Madison was experiencing his own kind of glow。
He not only had his data； he also had a real Bellevue…trained psychiatrist。 And there was a terrific bonus： he had gallons of LSD！
He couldn't possibly lose！
He could follow the American Psychiatric Affiliates caper right here on Voltar。 He didn't even have to dream anything up！ It had all been done and proven utterly before。 Earth ran on it； right this minute。 Pure perfection！
The stepping stones were leading him right up to Heller！ Oh； it would be no swift th