"Do you mean to tell me that you could steal the plans, say, of the USSE's new space drive?"
Thorpe rubbed his hands together, his grin broadening.
"We sold them the plans. In fact, we sold those same plans to the Black Republic, the Arab Federation, China and New Spain as well. The only reason we didn't sell them to the United States is because they happened to be the ones who had developed them."
He paused to let his words sink in. "That may seem unethical, but it's our policy. In our small way, we feel that we help to preserve the status quo."
"Rubbish!" said Vickers. "If you'd done that, they would have sent the lot of you off to Jupiter."
"They try." Thorpe looked at his watch. "In fact, Vickers, we have information that the ISP plans to raid us in exactly twenty-three minutes."
Vickers stiffened. "Is that straight?"
"Quite. But don't alarm yourself. They'll never get past the blue door."
Far from being soothing, Thorpe's reassurance had just the opposite effect on Vickers. For the first time, he began to doubt that he could get through that blue door himself. There was something so damned complacent about the man behind the desk—
In sudden alarm, Vickers opened his nictitating lids, flicked a quick glance around.