Naomi was impatient. "Well, if you think he's a spy, then shoot him."
"Yes," said Ginger, "why should we take chances?"
The man showed irritation. "Young lady," he told Ginger very sternly, "I must at this point advise you that my life is not on file at Matrix Center, and that any contemplated execution of me would constitute murder. Irrevocable murder."
"This guy speaks like a lawyer," Jeanette murmured in my ear. "Better investigate."
"What kind of identification did you find on him?" I asked Ginger.
"Oh, a bunch of papers saying he was an assistant professor at Mars University. But those are easily forged."
"A professor, eh? What's your field? What are you doing here?"
He stared at me with a kind of superior smile. I had the vague feeling I'd seen him before, which is ridiculous: I've never been on Mars.
"Ah, at last some intelligent questions. My field, young lady, is sociology. I happen to be doing some research on juvenile delinquency, which is why I came here. Lewis Worth is my name. Are you perhaps the leader of this gang? If so, I would appreciate your help."
Ginger snorted. "What a fantastic line!"