 What is the flaw in the cousins' plan?
By EVELYN E. SMITH Illustrated by DILLON [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction August 1957. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] No one, least of all Martin, could dispute that a man's life should be guarded by his kin—but by those who hadn't been born yet? Nobody in the neighborhood was surprised when Martin's mother disappeared and Ninian came to take care of him. Mothers had a way of disappearing around those parts and the kids were often better off without them. As for his father, Martin had never had one. He'd been a war baby, born of one of the tides of soldiers—enemies and allies, both—that had engulfed the country in successive waves and bought or taken the women. Besides, if she really was his great-great-grand-daughter, as she said, why would she tell him to call her " Aunt Ninian "? It was safer with Ninian, though, because when he pushed her too far, she would cry instead of mopping up the floor with him. "He's dissatisfied with the current social order and killing you is part of an elaborate plan he's formulated to change it. All the people he knew lived in scabrous tenement apartments like his, but she seemed to think it was disgusting. But Ninian didn't know that and she went into a real tizzy, babbling that Martin had been sick and would make up the work. It wasn't that she cared what these people thought of her, for she made no secret of regarding them as little better than animals, but she was shy of attracting attention. When it became clear that his mother was never going to show up again, Ninian bought one of those smallish, almost identical houses that mushroom on the fringes of a city after every war, particularly where intensive bombing has created a number of desirable building sites. "This is a much better neighborhood for a boy to grow up in," she declared. Martin was told to call him Uncle Raymond. From time to time, there were other visitors—Uncles Ives and Bartholomew and Olaf, Aunts Ottillie and Grania and Lalage, and many more—all cousins to one another, he was told, all descendants of his. The adults obviously figured that if a one-car family hired private tutors for their kid, there must be something pretty wrong with him. She was grown up; she was supposed to know better than he did.
 They have kept Martin isolated for almost his entire life, he has no son. Therefore, they will cease to exist.
 Conrad could target their great-great-grandmother and achieve the same result.  Conrad could target their great-grandmother and achieve the same result.  They have kept Martin isolated for almost his entire life, he has no son. Therefore, they will cease to exist.  All Conrad needs to do to find Martin, is to follow the cousins back in time.