"Searching for recruits? Then the Group that Dorrine was working for was—"
Reinhardt shook his head. "No. They were going about it the wrong way, just as you thought. We picked up the whole lot of them last week; they're occupying the asteroids now."
"What do you do with the insane catatonics?"
"Put them under hibernene and keep them alive. We hope, someday, to figure out a method of restoring their sanity. Until then, let them sleep."
Houston narrowed his eyes. "How long have you known I was a Controller, Reinhardt?"
The Prussian smiled. "Ever since you first tried to probe me. Fortunately, my training enabled me to put up a shield that you couldn't penetrate; I seemed like a Normal to you.
"I kept you on because I knew you'd be useful in cracking Lasser and his gang when the time came. No one else could have done what you did that night."
"Thanks," Houston said sincerely. "What's going to happen now? After I get well, I mean."
"You'll do what the others have done. A little plastic surgery to change your face a trifle, a little record-juggling to give you a new identity, and you'll be ready to go back to work for the PD Police.
"If anyone recognizes you, it's easy to take over their minds just long enough to make them forget. We allow that much Controlling."