Chapter 19 Chapter Eighteen

The nations of the planet have now been broken up into many small republics, too small to be called "countries" any longer.These republics have done everything possible to eliminate the power of the government, especially the power of transnational power.But they know it's okay to have nothing.They still need some kind of organization to deal with criminals - thieves, murderers, people who disrupt the peace and security of others in every way - who are good at fleeing from one republic to another (actually, everyone can, because There is no such thing as a "passport" or "visa" at all these days).There are fewer criminals than there used to be, even in proportion to a world population that has been greatly reduced.After all, however, there is crime and it must be addressed.This is what the "(Republican) Ministry of International Security" was created for.But the purpose of its establishment is not to track alien visitors from space...but who else can do this except them?

"'Guoan''s records are wrong!" Sandy yelled, "It's impossible!" Margery didn't answer, she looked very tired and just shook her head. "If they're right, who am I?" he roared. Margerie answered the question literally: "You're a man, and a man I like very much—can't you see that?" "But……" "But we don't know how on earth you became a human being," she said. "Yeah, but that doesn't change anything, does it?" She coughed. "I'm really sick," she said thoughtfully. He didn't hear her at all. "I can't believe what you said about my mother," he said sullenly.

Margerie shrugged, struggling to show sympathy. "I'm really tired," she said apologetically. "It's been a rough day—you have to be with you when you're not sleeping, and when you're resting, I'm going to assign tasks and report back. something else that happened so I know what questions to ask you." She shook her head, then added, "Maybe that's why I'm telling you everything now. I can't believe what I've done. I Not in the habit of having sex with the suspects I'm watching." "suspects!" "That's who I was assigned to watch," she said. "Sandy, I didn't expect what happened next. Ham's going to be very angry."

"That's none of his business!" Sandy growled. "Sandy, dear, it's all about 'national security'." She shook her head, looking tired and weary. Sandy suddenly collapsed. "Oh, Margerie," he choked out, reaching out to her aimlessly with both hands.They hugged each other, and Sandy was shaking.Slowly, the smooth, soft, and elastic female body he touched aroused his consciousness, and he changed his hugging posture. Margerie stopped him, smiling weakly. "Not now, honey. You're almost overwhelming me, you know? You've hurt me just now."

She let go of him suddenly and sneezed. "Actually, Sandy," she said in the tone of one who makes a bad discovery, "I don't feel very well for some reason." Sandy saw with concern that her lips were swollen, and frowned in confusion.He didn't expect this to happen.He knew that the Haikeli people were all happy and satisfied after mating, why couldn't the people on earth be like this?Is there such a big difference between them?If there was such a difference, and Margery's reaction was normal, why did they take the risk? She had put on her bathing suit again, wrapped two wet towels around herself, and sat as close to the electric heater as possible.But she was still shaking.She forced a smile at Sandy and said, "Maybe we'd better get out of here. But this is the only time we'll ever be able to talk alone. I have something to ask."

His heart sank. "What else?" he asked.What else could happen? "Oh, dear, I don't mean things about you," she tried to reassure him. "There are things the Highkleys don't tell us and we don't know how to deal with. The bugs, for example." "I don't know anything about bugs," he said firmly. She explained: "The men who were guarding the landing boat caught three new insects—actually they said they weren't exactly insects, they were bugs anyway. All three were the same, the entomologist said. They're not in the slightest connection to any terrestrial species. One of them was seen flying out of the dropship while a Hyklei stood at the door."

"What are they like?" She gestures. "As big as my thumb, it can fly." "Oh," Sandy understood and was relieved, "I see. They are hawks, and they are harmless, except for other bugs. We locked a few hawks in the landing ship, but you don't have to worry. There's no queen bee in it, it's all barren males." She didn't answer.He looked at her with concern, her breathing was short and her eyes were closed.Suddenly, without opening her eyes, she giggled and said, "Infertile males, huh? What reminds you?" He frowned straight at her. "What are you talking about?" he asked gruffly.But she didn't hear it, and kept talking.At least it seemed that she thought she was speaking, for her lips moved, but only faint sounds came out.Sandy brought the hearing-aid ear so close to her that it almost touched her lips, but still nothing came together.

Sandy understood what the word "delirium" meant.This is what happens when the police try to get people in hospital beds to name their murderers.But nothing like this had ever happened before his eyes. She deserves to be healed as soon as possible.But how? There was no telephone in the room, and no exit to the water.It was impossible for Margery to lead the way through the underwater passage and return to a safe place, even if they still had two oxygen cylinders. They don't have two oxygen tanks. He touched her again, and Marge's skin was hot and her breathing was choppy.To make matters worse, one of her eyes couldn't close and was half-open with the pupil flipped upward.She looked like... like... There was only one word Sandy could find for the situation: "Dead."If she hadn't been breathing heavily, it would be easy to believe that this was true.

She has to get out of here! There was no doubt that what she needed was medical assistance; Sandy could not provide it herself. With only one oxygen cylinder, what should he do?Not to mention he can't swim.It is impossible to leave, but it is very necessary.Sandy morosely put the breathing mask on the unconscious, groaning Margery, and fumbled to connect it to the full oxygen tank.He closed his eyes and pictured in his mind the path they had come in along the way.Descend the spiral staircase, through the bank foyer, out onto the open water, and swim to the surface. It only took five or ten minutes when they came in, he thought.That was with Margeley leading the way, she knew what to do, and it would take him 15 minutes to get out.Well, then, he can hold his breath for about three minutes, let's say two and a half minutes just to be on the safe side.That is, he needs six breaths.

is it possible? The only way is to try.He held his breath, stretched out his hand to Margery's unconscious face, pulled the mask away, and easily covered her mouth and nose with his huge palm, while exhaling the air in his lungs as much as possible .With the other hand, he pulled the mask over his face until his lungs refilled.Then he put it back on Margery's face. Immediately, he squatted down in frustration.He wasn't at all sure he'd be able to keep the water from getting into Margerie's lungs.And that's not the worst part, what's worse, getting out like this takes most of the time.Breathing every two minutes, he won't last long, and there's one more thing to consider: he doesn't have enough hands.He needed one hand to stop the water from getting into Margery's nose and mouth, one hand to hold the mask to let himself breathe, a third hand to hold on to whatever railing or furniture it was to stabilize them, and a fourth Come and hug Margery.

The whole thing is impossible.They need two oxygen cylinders. Suddenly, Sandy yelled in surprise and joy, causing the unconscious Marge Li to move and groan.They have two oxygen tanks!The only problem was that one bottle was empty. When Sandy figured out how to get some of the oxygen out of the full bottle into the other, Margery's moaning stopped too.She looked as if she was asleep.He shook her, but she still didn't wake up. Sandy helped her put on her wetsuit, put on her mask, and began the long underwater crawl.Along the way he came, he grasped the handrail of the spiral staircase with his hand and moved down little by little.After going down, he could see the sunlight outside. Three minutes later, he was on the surface, screaming for help to those who saw him in a passing workboat.