1

The leak turned out to be in a section that could be sealed off by closing a couple of valves without interfering too much with the plant's operation. I told the plant exec what I had found, and he agreed to call in a Minor specialist to make the actual repairs. I guided Muscles to the right valves, made sure they were closed and Shorty's instrument showed the gas pressure in the line was dropping, then had Shorty gunk up the leak with a temporary sealant and flag the spot inside the duct. Meanwhile Stretch marked the duct on the outside, then lifted Shorty down through the nearest access panel. I hustled them all through the showers in the decontamination room and stripped them out of their protective gear while I used Straight to make sure the exec knew where to send the check and to bring the car around. As they piled in and I headed them home, I turned most of my attention to the body that was coming out of dormancy.

The body was still lethargic, but I managed to bring the eyes into focus and look around. As I had expected, this was one of the Agency's chambers. I pressed the buzzer by my side to let Haggerty know I was there. He came into the room in less than a minute, followed by an assistant who checked the body's vital signs, then slid back the cover of the hibertank and began disconnecting the feeders.

Haggerty has been with the Agency a long time. He's not a Minor; he runs his Section of the Agency through a network of at least a half dozen personal clones he keeps active all the time. For the same reason that this clone of me was here: there's no more secure communication line than through an operating clone. But as I sat up and steadied myself, and brought my eyes into focus on his face, I saw that this was him. Primary. Gray hair, wrinkles, bad teeth and all.

Haggerty has never been one to pamper his primary body, but he doesn't waste it either. Consciously or not, he was giving me a message. Son, this is important. And that meant very important. Just having been contacted through a roused clone was enough to let me know that something was coming down that had Urgent and Top Security written all over it. What could top that? I pushed the body a little, and tried to make its throat work, but all it was ready to produce was a feeble rasp.

Haggerty said, "Don't push too hard, Johnny. I'll do the talking." With his eyes he signaled that what he had to say was not for the ears of the attendant who was just about done freeing the clone from the hibertank. The head was clear now, and my coordination was getting better. I swung the legs over the side, got up and staggered into the shower for a quick wash to get the tank residues off, then slipped into an Agency jumpsuit that was waiting for me. By then we were alone, and I had found my voice.

Haggerty was sitting in a chair, and I could tell most of his attention was in some other location, but when I sat down opposite him he quickly brought me into focus. Following his suggestion, I waited for him to speak.

"Johnny, do you remember where I took my vacation last year?" he asked me.

It seemed a queer way to start his briefing, but I knew the answer so I gave it to him. "I know damn well you didn't take one at all, boss. You haven't had a day off that I know of in at least the last five years. Why would you ask me that?"

"Sorry, Johnny, but I had to come up with a bit of a test to be sure you're who I think you are. You gave me the answer I needed."

I must have looked puzzled and a bit taken aback, because Haggerty leaned forward and put a hand on my shoulder reassuringly, and said, "I'll explain everything. At least, as far as I can. You'll have to bear with me."

He was right. It's probably a good thing I didn't instantly understand the implications of his little test. They were staggering; I probably would have let Straight drive the car off the road.