Randall Garrett

“ Lorence tell you what the characteristics of this world are?"
"He said a few things. You fill me in."
"It's 300 years since we last had a war of any sort. Crime had been extinct 150 years—until Lugert.
"Lugert. I heard of him. Who is he?"
"He's the man you're going to kill for us," Karson said bluntly.
The man named Jack grinned. "Oh? A rub-out job?"
"I think that's the term," said Karson. "Lugert's a throwback—a man out of the past. A man out of your time, suddenly reborn in our era for God knows what reason. He's cold and hard and utterly ruthless. Nothing stops him; we're powerless. ”

“ A crafty glint showed in Lugert's eyes. "You're just a hired killer, then. A man without conscience. Suppose I offer you 30 pounds of gold not to kill me. Fifty pounds? A hundred?"
The generator in Jack's arm twitched warningly. He knew Karson and Lorence were listening in. "No," he said. "There's no percentage in it. You don't have the time-net. You can't send me back to my own time. I'll stick with their offer."
"No! Look, we can be partners! You're the kind of man I can get to like, Jack. We'll work together, you and me. ”

“ He said, "I'm from Speaker Karson. I'd like to see Lugert."
The guard frowned. "How come Karson didn't just phone the boss?"
"Beats me," Jack said. "Must be top-secret."
The guard frowned at Jack's strange language, shrugged, and sent him on in. He passed rapidly through the lobby and reached the elevator.
A guard inside the elevator wanted to know where he was going. "I'm from Speaker Karson," he said. "I have an urgent message to deliver to Lugert."
The guard held out his hand. "Let's have it. I'll take it up to him; the boss doesn't like to meet strangers." ”