Free Seven Steps to the Sun by Fred Hoyle, Geoffrey Hoyle

and I suppose if you could persuade them that you were ready to fit into a group, they might agree.'
    'Otherwise?' asked Mike.
    'I'll try and get you the lightest sentence I can,' said the Major, moving to the door. 'So think really hard.' He then vanished down the corridor.
    A picture began to form in Mike's mind. The development of society became clear. Instead of a steady progress towards stricter central government control of the people, as was happening in the late 1960s, the situation had reversed itself. The people were taking over some of the central government's duties and creating their own type of home rule.
    But the freedom of the individual had gone. Mike thought about his own position for a while, and then quickly decided his plan of action.
     

5
'When in doubt, win the trick.'
Hoyle
    Mike got up off the bed and pressed the button by the door.
    'Yes, sir,' said a soldier coming to the door.
    'Is there anywhere I can get something to eat?'
    'Yes,' said the soldier, looking at his watch. 'You'll just make it before the canteen closes.'
    Mike followed the soldier through the lighted alleyways between single-storey buildings which seemed to be the standard architecture of the establishment, and on to the canteen. It was humming with civilians relaxing and talking. Walking down the room he glanced carefully at the crowded tables, just in case he caught a glimpse of the professor, but he wasn't there. A clock at the back of the counter showed a quarter to twelve.
    After a meal of stew and coffee he was restless and needed the relaxation of a walk. The soldier did not object and the two men set off on a tour of the establishment. Mike had been thinking he might be able to hurdle his way over the high perimeter fence but, on close inspection of the fifteen-foot wire enclosure and the look-out posts, he decided against this idea of escape. It was when he saw a building marked '
bath'
that a more feasible plan began to form. Telling the soldier he'd like a bath, he left him waiting at the main door while he quickly and efficiently went over the building, but it was empty. What he'd had in mind was to borrow a soldier's uniform and make a bid for his freedom through the main gate. Deciding to be more patient, he found himself a bathroom, undressed and lounged in the luxury of deep, warm water.
    'Come in,' said Mike in reply to a knock at the door.
    'Enjoying your bath?' asked Leadbury.
    'Yes.'
    'Thinking about what we were talking about earlier?'
    'Perhaps.'
    'Have a good soak,' said the Major, closing the door behind him.
    Mike turned to check that the man had left. Curious that Leadbury should also be keeping an eye on him, he thought. Maybe the Major was a rather pent-up individual at heart. He shivered as the bath water suddenly felt cold, got out, dried, and dressed quickly swearing aloud when he remembered that they had taken his wallet. Maybe it was a good thing after all. I f he were picked up, he could say he'd lost his memory, or even call himself Charles Dickens.
    Outside the building there was no sign of the soldier. He stood looking round but nobody appeared. Catching sight of the main entrance, on a sudden Impulse he decided to chance it. Hurrying footsteps made him freeze but after a moment they retreated into the distance. He started off warily, looking over his shoulder from time to time. The distance between himself and the cover of the retreating buildings looked enormous. There seemed to be no sign of activity by the main gate, but he wasn't taking any chances. On reaching the back of the guard hut 1.2 listened, but there was no sound. He hadn't time to wonder why. He cautiously made his way round to the door and peered in. It was empty. Someone must have set this all up. Bastards, where were they? He looked back at the buildings in the far distance, hesitated and then started to run past the hut and out of the main gate. From there he sprinted across the road into a large open field, stumbling and