Argo seemed now rather anxious to make friends with us. He was in a high good humor. His eyes flashed at me sharply when I questioned him once or twice; but he offered us no indignities. To Elza he spoke commandingly, but with that deference to which every woman of birth and breeding is entitled from a man.
We rose straight up and, at 18,000 feet, headed northward by a point or two west. We would pass the Pole on our right--too far to sight it with the naked eye, I realized; but I knew, too, that the Director there would see the distant image of us on his finder, even though we refused connection should he call us. And we had no right to be up here in the 18,000-foot lane. They'd order us down--shut off our power, if necessary.
We could not escape observation on this daylight flight. Heading this way, it would take us past the Pole and on southward, down the Western Hemisphere over the Americas. We could not refuse connection for long. We would be challenged, then brought down. Or, if Argo answered a call, some Director would examine our pit with his finder--would see Elza, Georg and me as prisoners. We could gesture surreptitiously to him....
My thoughts ran on. Argo's soft, ironic voice brought me out of them.
"We will answer the first call that comes," he said smilingly. "You understand? We are the Inter-Allied News on Official Dispatch." He was addressing me, his glance going to the insignia on my cap. "_You_ are of the Inter-Allied?"
I did not like his tone. "None of your--"
"Yes. Division 8, Manhattan," he read from my cap. "Well, when the first Director calls--from the Pole perhaps--you will tell him we are Inter-Allied Officials. He will see us here--I do not believe, the way we are sitting, that he will think anything is wrong. He will see us of Venus. There are Venus men employed by the Inter-Allied. Is it not so?"
I had to admit that it was. He nodded. "You will fool the Directors, Jac Hallen. You understand? You will get the reports on weather today down the 67th Meridian West. And ask if we can have power to the Equator and below." His eyes flashed. "And if you attempt any trickery--you will die. You understand?"
I did, indeed. And I knew that his plans were well laid--that I would be helpless to give us over without paying for it with my life--with the lives of Elza and Georg as well.