" he said softly to himself.

He crossed to the teletype, switched the current on. He began typing his
notes on it for the benefit of Washington.

* * * * *

Back in the hotel room, Julia released Walt. Free, he stood up
uncertainly.

"I think you'll help me," she said levelly. "I disconnected the bridge
in your mind; I'm going to leave it that way. I can't afford not to. But
am I right, Walt?"

"I'm not sure. I, I'll have to see."

"We're going to fly to Washington tonight."

"Washington?"

"The seat of the government. You clean up in the bathroom, now. But
hurry. We'll have to catch a plane out of here at eight o'clock. It's
after six."

"All right."

While she was waiting, she studied herself despairingly in the mirror. I
look, she thought, like something the cat dug up.

When Walt came back, she took his arm possessively.

"I'm hungry," he said.

"Oh?" Julia said. "We'll have time to eat, I guess. I wish we didn't
have to eat hotel food, though. I'm a good cook." She led Walt to the
door. "You'll see what I mean, if we can get this invasion stopped. I'm
going to make you invisible, now."

After they ate, Julia drove her car to the airport. The reservations
were waiting. So was the F.B.I. man.

"I teletyped my report to them. They wanted me to accompany you."

He introduced himself to Walt.

Walt shook his hand. Walt no longer recoiled from the touch of an
earthling.

In the plane, the F.B.I. man ordered cocktails. Walt had never tasted
alcohol before. It was an unpleasant taste. But once it was down, it was
not objectionable.

He forced himself to drain the glass. He felt himself relaxing.

"Ugh," he said.

The F.B.I. man ordered another round. Julia declined. Walt accepted.

Walt said, "I feel _warm_."

The F.B.I. man kept glancing out the window of the plane, up at the
stars. Clouds hung below; moonlight played over them.

Walt found that he was very ... fond ... of Julia. If only, he thought,
she weren't so damned superior!

The alcohol filtered through his body. The compartment of the airplane
danced not unpleasantly. He longed to feel Julia very close to him. He
wanted to reach out and touch her uncovered skin.

Faintly, far off, barely heard was the sound of the others talking.

He grew heavy and sleepy. He closed his eyes.

He awakened once, and Julia was not beside him. He moved his tongue. It
felt fuzzy and thick.

He wanted Julia.

"J