a pair of full agents and three recruits.
Glawen went to meet them, and all trooped into the store, to disturb Keelums anew. Glawen ordered soup for the new arrivals. Then, at Flock's instructions, Glawen called the Pexelburg Central Police Station.
"This is Captain Glawen Clattuc. Connect me at once with Superintendent Wullin, on an important matter."
The response was sardonic.
"At this time of night? Have you had some sort of insane dream? Superintendent Wullin would not desist in his snoring for the Avatar Gundelbah himself.
Try tomorrow."
"The matter is most urgent. Connect me with Inspector Barch.
Tell him Captain Glawen Clattuc is calling."
Inspector Barch came to the telephone.
"Captain Clattuc? I'm surprised to hear from you! I thought that you had gone home long ago. Why do you call while I try to sleep?"
"Because I have information of great importance, and because I am in a state of fury and outrage, both justifiable."
"Apparently you have had some interesting adventures."
"Yes, quite." Glawen gave an account of his adventures, stressing his outrage, and the need for official response without a moment's delay.
"I can hardly overstate the insolence of these freakish people, and their cynical mistreatment of a police officer."
"You have used the correct word," said Barch. ""Freakish' describes them in all adequacy. For this reason, they have been treated perhaps too casually in the past."
Glawen spoke on.
"I was held for two months in a cave which they assured me was Zonk's Tomb. Naturally I discovered no treasure. But the mystery is at last put to rest!" Even as Glawen spoke, he reflected that Barch must have known of his imprisonment. The idea made cordiality difficult.
Barch, however, seemed to have no such trouble; if anything, he was amused.
"You have had an unhappy experience. Still, realities are as they are, and as you know, Lutwiler Country is outside our bailiwick."
"And you propose to take no action?"
"Not so fast! Here on Tassadero, nothing is simple. Things are done in a certain way, and two plus two often totals seven, or perhaps thirty-seven, depending on who is in charge of the reckoning."
"I don't understand this kind of talk," said Glawen.
"I want simplicity, and I want action. Perhaps I should notify the IPCC, since you are worried about your jurisdiction. The IPCC acts anywhere across the Gaean Reach."
"Exactly so, and this is why their efforts are so inept," said Barch.
"The local IPCC are all cookie-pushers. If action is what you want, you have come to the right place.
You are at Flicken?"
"Correct, at Keelums' General Store."
"Stand by the telephone while I call Superintendent Wullin.
He'll surely order a big raid on the Mbnomantic seminary.
But don't call the IPCC; they'll only interfere."
"Whatever you say."
A few moments later Barch called back.
"The Superintendent asks that you wait where you are at Flicken. He has decided to take definite action."
"What kind of action?"
"It will be stern and definite, I can assure you of this!
We'll discuss the options later. Above all, do not talk to anyone about your experiences," "I don't see why not. In fact, I'll talk to whoever is interested, since I have undoubtedly located Zonk's Tomb and there is not so much as a counterfeit dink et to be found.
This news should be disseminated rapidly, as a service to tourists."
"That's an altruistic point of view," said Barch.
"Is there anyone to whom you have already told your story?"
"No, it's still too early."
