Read Online The Fracas Factor by Mack Reynolds - Free Book Online Page A

as he had never desired another woman in his life, but subconsciously he had never, never really expected the day to come when he would penetrate her sexually.
    She was saying, gently, “Joe, I am not a virgin. I am nearly as old as you are. I am an M.D., and I have no religious scruples, so it’s not to be expected of me. I have not been… promiscuous, but I am not a virgin. One of the reasons that I am so anti-fracas is that my first… lover, to whom I was also engaged, Joe, was in the Category Military. He, I believe the term you use is copped one, when he was only twenty-two.”
    “I don’t know why I should argue,” Joe said, smiling at her. “How long will this hassle of yours with your brother continue?”
    “The lawyers say it might remain in the courts for years. Balt will never let go of his semi-control of my holdings if he can help it, especially the voting rights. And he still remains Baron of the Haer family.” She snorted disgust. “They call it People’s Capitalism. Industrial Feudalism is the better term.”
    Through all this, they had been nibbling at their lunch. Neither had much appetite, although the food of the Swank Room was delicious. Spontaneously, both of them put down their utensils.
    “When was Holland due at your place?” Joe said.
    “This afternoon. Perhaps we should go.”
    Joe brought forth his universal credit card and put it in the table’s payment slot.
    He grinned at her. “That sounds good to me. Obviously, I’m anxious to get you alone.”
    She made a face at him. “Darling, you’re so ardent,” she said.
    They took a hovercab out to the Haer mansion on the outskirts of the city. On the way, Joe Mauser opaqued the windows and took her, unresistingly, into his arms.
    “Can’t you wait until we get home?” she asked.
    “No,” he said, kissing her.
    He was aware of the fullness of her breasts against his chest, doubly aware of the firmness of her thigh against him. He cupped one of her breasts in his hand and felt the nipple respond. Nadine Haer was all woman. They had kissed before, certainly, and often, but this was the first time he had intimately fondled her. She obviously didn’t mind. He suspected that she was as keen to sleep with him as he was with her.
    They pulled up before the palatial residence of the Haers. Before they could get to the door, it opened and the butler politely greeted them.
    “Good afternoon, Donald,” Nadine said. “I am expecting Mr. Holland. Show him in immediately.”
    “Yes, Doctor Haer.”
    Save for the usual batman during a fracas, Joe Mauser had never had a servant. It fact, he had never known of a servant in these days of automation, except in the homes of the Uppers. He didn’t know, but he suspected that there were at least a dozen of them in the Haer home.
    They strode toward the living room, Joe looking about him appreciatively. Admittedly, the place was furnished and decorated in the best of taste. The paintings were originals and some were obviously worth a fortune. He suspected that Nadine had done much of the decorating.
    He said to her, “What’s going to happen to the Uppers when this socioeconomic change of ours takes place?”
    “We’ll put them to work, like everybody else,” she said crisply.
    “And what’ll happen to houses like this?”
    “Why…I don’t know. We’ll change them to rest houses, nursing homes, something like that, I suppose.”
    They entered the spacious living room, Nadine saying over her shoulder, “Drink? Perhaps a cognac?”
    “Fine,” Joe said.
    Balt Haer got up from the sofa on which he had been seated, at first unseen by them.
    There was a strong family resemblance between him and Nadine. But there was something else about him. He had the aloof look of the aristocrat.
    “Well,” he said, “the ambitious ex-Major Joseph Mauser. The only man I have ever heard of to scheme his way up from the ranks of the Lowers to become an Upper. The Department of Categories must be out