human
Ken, he said.
gpt
I thought you were on vacation. What are you doing calling up the FBI, or do you just want to feel superior to us poor working slobs?
human
I need some information,
gpt
How to beat the tables, you mean? he said.
human
How are things in good old Las Vegas?
gpt
How about Burris? he said after a second.
human
Has he come up with any new theories yet?
gpt
New theories? Boyd said.
human
What about?
gpt
Everything, Malone said.
human
From all I see in the papers things haven't been quieting down any. Is it still Brubitsch, Borbitsch and Garbitsch putting psychodrugs in water-coolers, or has something new been added?
gpt
I don't know what the chief thinks, Boyd said.
human
Things'll straighten out in a while. We're working on it--twenty-four hours a day, or damn near, but we're working. While you take a nice, long vacation that--
gpt
I want you to get me something, Malone said.
human
Just go and get it and send it to me at Las Vegas.
gpt
Money?
human
Dossiers, Malone said.
gpt
On Mike Sand and Primo Palveri.
human
Palveri I can understand, Boyd said.
gpt
You want to threaten him with exposure unless he lets you beat the roulette tables. But why Sand? Ken, are you working on something psionic?
human
Me? Malone said sweetly.
gpt
I'm on vacation.
human
The chief won't like--
gpt
Can you send me the dossiers?
human
Ken, I can't do it without the chief finding out about it. If you are working on something ... hell, I'd like to help you. But I don't see how I can. You don't know what things are like here.
gpt
What are they like?
human
The full force is here, Boyd said.
gpt
As far as I know, you're the only vacation leave not canceled yet. And not only that, but we've got agents in from the Sureté and New Scotland Yard, agents from Belgium and Germany and Holland and Japan ... Ken, we've even got three MVD men here working with us.
human
It's happening all over?
gpt
All over the world, Boyd said.
human
Ken, I'm beginning to think we've got a case of Martian Invaders on our hands. Or something like it. He paused.
gpt
But we're licking them, Ken, he went on.
human
Slowly but surely, we're licking them.
gpt
How do you mean?
human
Crime is down, Boyd said,
gpt
Skip the handbasket, Malone said.
human
But you're working things out?
gpt
Sooner or later, Boyd said.
human
Every piece of equipment and every man in the FBI is working overtime; we can't be stopped forever.
gpt
I'll wave flags, Malone said bitterly.
human
And I wish I could join you.
gpt
Believe me, Boyd said,