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campaign, for it promised so much that no one would believe it. I was no minor party candidate; I was
the leading challenger, with an even chance of winning the election if I did not throw it away here. But
if I repudiated the script, Dorian Gray would suffer, and, of course, I myself would be summarily
whisked away and doomed, for I remained in the power of the enemy. They did not realize that my
system had fought off the addiction, the mem-wash, and the reeducation program. I was no robot to do
their bidding, but they still had some power over me. Not the city-blasting threat not here! but still
the power of individual murder.
A man stood at my elbow, theoretically to assist me, but as I hesitated, he touched something in a
pocket, and I felt a dread twinge of discomfort in my gut. He had a pain-box there tuned to me! They
had buttressed their program in the professional manner, giving me positive and negative incentives to
perform. Tocsin really wanted me out of the race! How could I get out of this?
Then I spied a familiar face in the group before me: Thorley. Suddenly I knew it was all right. If he was
here, then QYV knew my location; indeed, QYV would have tracked me all along. Spirit would have the
situation in hand.
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Except for that pain-box. I literally could not act independently, as long as that was tuned to me.
I had no time to ponder. The broadcast signal came on, and I started my prepared speech. I had no other,
and I could not risk what would happen if the enemy caught on to my awareness before we gained
control of that sub and nullified the pain-box.
Actually the text began moderately enough; it was the cumulative effect of it that would be devastating.
While I spoke, I watched my audience especially Thorley. He knew that I had been abducted; I was
sure that fact had been concealed from the public, but Thorley had been, as it were, in on the conspiracy.
He would let me know when it was safe for me to break free. But did he know about the pain-box,
which would cripple me the moment I tried?
Then the signal came: Thorley's thumbs-up. That meant that our people had completed the nullification
of my captors, working quietly behind the scenes. The enemy administrators, elsewhere in the city,
would not know. Tocsin would not know. I was free to pursue my own course.
Except for that man beside me with the pain-box. They couldn't approach him without alerting him, and
that would be bad for me. He could screw the agony up to the fatal point, if he saw I would otherwise
escape. I would have to take him out myself.
Easier decided than accomplished. A pain-box could not simply be grabbed or smashed; the victim
could be holding it, and still be helpless. The thing had to be detuned or retuned; only then would I be
truly free.
I paused, looking about. Part of the takeover had to be of the broadcast facilities, so that I could not be
abruptly cut off. This was, after all, a campaign speech, after a long hiatus; my silence would be almost
as damaging as my wrong-headed speech. Now I could speak plainly, and to good effect, assuming that
the man beside me was a hireling who did not know my specific script. But what should I say? What
could I afford to reveal that would not alert him or alert someone in touch with him and bring immediate
cutoff by pain?
Then I got a notion. Thorley's thumbs-up meant more than success elsewhere; it meant he had the
solution to my immediate problem. Pain-boxes are easy enough to defeat, because of the particular
impulses they generate; my people had to know my predicament. They would have a damper or detuner,
if it could be brought within range. I had to get it here.
"Now, I have been making promises," I said. "I realize that some of you are doubtful. You don't believe
I can or will fulfill these promises as president. I would like to reassure you specifically." I glanced
about again. "I see that some of my most effective critics are in attendance. You, sir..." I pointed at
Thorley. "Do you doubt?"
Thorley smiled with that relaxed-tiger way he had. "I confess I do, Candidate."
"Well, I shall refute your doubt!" I declaimed. "Come up here if you have the nerve! Debate me face-to-
face, and I shall destroy your silly points!"
The others in the small audience smiled now; this was more like my old form. "You are a glutton for
punishment, my liberal Candidate," Thorley responded, rising huffily. "I came here ostensibly to report
the event; however "
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