"The file. I've been watching you."
The giant shrugged, brought the file in view and continued to saw at his chains. "This is Oscar's donation," he said. "I hid it in his collar. If you want it, take it with that." He nodded to the blaster.
Logan hesitated, licked his lips, then brought the gun down hard along a fleshy temple. The smile faded and the fat man folded. He took the file, searched the surroundings, the blankets in the corner, found nothing and returned to the controls. The odds were mounting against him. Maybe next time....
When Edward Snyder regained consciousness an hour later, Logan's eyes hadn't left the mirror. The giant didn't smile anymore. Shortly he became occupied with his pet, making grabbing motions at the air.
The chronometer moved faster. There was Earth to look at—green, peaceful Earth. He had done it! A few more hours and the nightmare would be over! Lord, how he wanted sleep! He computed his primary orbit and tuned in the Lunar Patrol station.
"Logan calling...."
"Go ahead, Lieutenant." The cherub face of the Moon's radaronics operator appeared on the scanning screen.
"Requesting landing instructions from Earth via Moon." His set was too small to receive through Earth's atmosphere. The Moon acted as a relay station.
"Make ground contact at—"