Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 56 — page 50: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

STRANGE settle him at his desk and then leave. The human-brained - android, meanwhile, with a Nullifier on its person, would also leave, though by another , exit. It would then take a flycar and head for a certain town and a certain man, carrying the identity of a League member. who was, however, quite above suspi- cion so far as Security men were concerned, and carrying forged Detector Area clear- ance visas. When the secretary arrived she would be told that her employer had worked through the night in his laboratory and was already in. The janitor would inform her of this. When she reached the office she would see a life- like figure siiting at her employer’s desk, busy with papers. A voice that she would never guess to be a record emitted from a posi- tronic brain, would tell her that she was to get on with her own work and not disturb him. He did not want ito speak to anyone or to see ‘ any callers. This would not surprise her, as her employer fiequenily told her this at the 49 SUICIDE siart of the day. When she returned from her lunch the door would be open and she would see the broad back, the bent head and the packet of sandwiches. She would be given the same instructions as before. Do not disturb. She would say: “Yes, sir,” quite meekly, as she always did, and she would shut the door without knowing that a time lock had been fixed to the catch. Then, when it came time for her to leave she would knock, expecting the customary: “Oh, is it time already? All right, you’d better go. ll be working late.” But there would be silence. She would worry. She would call the janitor and he would use his master key. And they would be bound to call the police when they saw the body and the hypodermic syringe. A complicated plan, but one that would do two things: ensure the longevity of a valuable brain and—by caus- | ing a suicide in a society in which suicide was impossible —sow the seeds of fear in the minds of the State authorities; fear that the Detector was no longer Gmnipotent—and the comiclooks.corn