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problems are just buzzing flies and with cunning and money； you can swat them。 Even Heller and Krak。〃
I lay down for my well…earned rest and dreamed dreams that were bloody and very sweet。
Chapter 4
I slept until all hours； making up for the high excitement of recent days。 I dressed in a new； red sports suit。 Musef was on duty。 Karagoz had a black eye and even though it was midafternoon； I got a breakfast in which the coffee was hot； the melon cold and the eggs were quite all right。
A marked change had occurred all around me。 It was wonderful。
Lacking； now； immediate plans； I thought I had better gather data。 It's a good excuse one can give oneself when he feels too smug and self…satisfied to do any real work for the moment。 Also； one likes to savor the suffering of those who are about to writhe in agony。
It was the first time I had had both viewers together。 But working two screens； I could get a much more precise idea of reactions and actions； for Krak would be looking at Heller from time to time and vice versa。
I got Krak's going first。 I didn't need the second viewer to see what she looked like today。 She was washing a window！ Her reflection in the glass was quite clear against the dingy morning of a smoggy New York day。 She had on space coveralls and her hair was tucked under one of Heller's baseball caps！
Something was moving to her right in the reflection。 The cat。 It was sitting on the desk washing its face。
Well； if getting busy to go home to Voltar meant washing office windows； I certainly was safe。 If I could just keep them slowed down long enough； keep them from doing anything effective； word would e one of these days that the Heller reports made no difference now and they could both be safely killed。 So wash away； Krak。 You're doing just fine。
There was something else behind her； somebody standing there motionlessly and staring at her back。
It was Izzy！
Krak； too； became aware of it。 She gave the window one last wipe and turned around。 Izzy backed up。 He sank down on the edge of a couch and started crying！
The Countess Krak said； 〃Why； Izzy。 What on Earth is wrong？〃
Izzy sobbed a while。 Then he said in a muffled voice； 〃You're too beautiful to have to live in an office。〃
Beautiful？ In space coveralls too big and a baseball cap too big？ What was Izzy up to now？ Some con； I wagered。 I waited with interest to see what it was。
Krak said； 〃But this is a beautiful office； Izzy。〃
〃No； no；〃 he said； 〃not beautiful enough for you。 You deserve a gorgeous apartment。〃
She seemed to think about it。 Then she said； 〃Well； I have a credit card。 Maybe I could rent one with that。〃
My hair went straight up！
Then Izzy said something that really warmed my heart。 I really realized what a sterling true…blue character he was after all。 〃No； no； no！ I am responsible for Mr。 Jet。 If any apartments are to be gotten； I will get them。 Please promise me you won't do that。 You wouldn't find anything beautiful enough for you。〃
I couldn't quite figure it out。 Was he angling for a mission or what？
On Heller's viewer； I had just been seeing elevators and halls。 But here was a view of the office。 He had just walked in。 He took a look at Izzy。 〃What's wrong？〃
Izzy was crying again on both viewers。 He was pointing helplessly at Krak。
Heller said to her； 〃Dear； would you please step into the 'thinking room' and clean it up。 Close the door so I can get to the bottom of this before he jumps off something again and beats me to it。〃
When Krak had closed the door； Heller said； 〃What's wrong； Izzy？〃
Izzy was mopping at his eyes with the heel of his palm。 〃The bartender thinks she must be a movie star or is about to be。 The model agency down the hall has been pestering me to get her to run for Miss America so they can have a contract to use her in the Coca…Cola ads。 Bang…Bang says she is the most beautiful woman on the planet。 And because I am a failure； I am forcing her to live here without any home at all。〃
〃Well；〃 said Heller； 〃buy a condo or something。〃
Izzy went into a fresh spasm of wailing。 Then he said； 〃That's the trouble。 We're barely making expenses on arbitrage。 IRS is boring in and we can't pay them。 And when I came in a little while ago and saw her again； I realized I was condemning her to squalor and poverty。 It drove the ruin home so hard I couldn't stand it！〃
Heller said； 〃Well； all right。 I'll go out and make some money。〃
Izzy amazed me。 Here he had led it all up to some perfect con。 But he leaped up in alarm； waving his arms。 〃No； no； no！ Don't try to persuade somebody to shoot at you again so you can collect the fee。 That's too dangerous！〃
Heller laughed。 He said； 〃I'll think of something else。〃
〃You're taking over my job and I deserve it。 But please； please promise me you won't do anything foolish！〃
〃I can only promise to try not to；〃 said Heller。
Krak came out of the other room； putting a pillow in its case。 Izzy instantly leaped for the door and fled。
〃What was that all about？〃 said Krak。
〃He thinks you're too beautiful；〃 said Heller。 〃But so do I。 Especially with the very best brand of New York soot on the end of your nose。〃
She threw the pillow at him。 He caught it and； on the pretext of giving it back； kissed her。 Both my viewers went FLASH！
But Heller did not hold her long。 He let go of her and wandered over to the bar。 She stood staring after him。 He picked up a newspaper somebody must have been reading and started going through it。
〃Money；〃 he was muttering to himself。 〃Money； money； money。 This planet doesn't run on an axis。 It runs on money！〃 He passed the ic page too fast to let me see what was happening to Bugs Bunny these days。
He stopped suddenly at an ad。 It said：
ATLANTIC CITY
WINTER CASINO PECTACULAR
5 Casino 5
EXTRAVAGANZA！
New Year's Bills Getting You Down？
RECOVER WITH ROULETTE
He looked up。 He said to Krak； 〃You're working too hard。 We're going to Atlantic City。〃
She stopped putting cleaning things away and looked at him with a shocked expression on her face。 〃WHAT？ And leave your own work undone on this planet？〃
〃No； no；〃 he said。 〃Not Atalanta； Manco。 Atlantic City； New Jersey。 And wash your face。 This has got to be a clean hit。〃
〃Where is this place？〃 said Krak； ing over to him。
He showed her the ad。 He hadn't read it all。 Toward the bottom it said：
FREE FLOOR SHOW
The Clowns
The Apes
Dingle…Poop Rock Band
Mamie Boomp； Continental Singer
〃Oh；〃 said Krak； 〃I know her。 And I want to see her； top； to get her opinion on spring styles。〃
A voice sounded behind them。 〃Anybody home？〃 It was Bang…Bang。 He was carrying a sack。 〃I'm sorry； Joy； but those birds in that fancy shop never heard of nothing called 'hot jolt。' So I got the Bavarian Mocha Mint and the champagne。 But I think that Scotch would go better in it。 Not even the cat will touch champagne： it gets in his nose。〃
〃Where'd you park the cab？〃 said Heller。 〃We're going to Atlantic City。〃 He held up the ad。
Bang…Bang looked at it。 His finger came down to the bottom of the page。 He was pointing out the final line to Heller。 It said：
Scalpello Casino Corp。 of New Jersey
Bang…Bang said； 〃That's the Atlantic City Mafia。 Small time； maybe； but vicious。 If you're going to knock the place over； I ought to go with you as a back…up gun。 But that （bleeped） parole officer is narrow…minded： He won't let me set foot out of New York。 So you be awful careful； Jet…you hear me speaking？〃
Heller said； 〃The lady and I will be all right。〃
Bang…Bang's eyes shot wide。 〃The lady！ You takin' Joy down there？ Jesus…beggin' your pardon； miss…but she's too beautiful to let them punks even glance at her！ They don't deserve it！〃
〃She'll be all right；〃 said Heller。
〃Oh； Jet；〃 said Bang…Bang； 〃that's a （bleeped） … begging your pardon； miss…dangerous place。 Those （bleepards） … begging your pardon； miss…don't care who the hell they shoot。〃 He apparently saw Jet wasn't impressed。 He gave