nformation about this leaks out, the whole country
will be thrown into a panic."

Julia nodded.

"We've evacuated the civilians to another hotel," the colonel said.

Two guards with rifles stood at the street doorway.

"It's going to be a hard day for you both," the colonel said once they
were in the car. "You're scheduled to meet representatives of some
foreign countries at ten o'clock. And after that, we'll spend the rest
of the day picking both your brains as clean as we know how."

"That's the way it's got to be," Julia said. "I understand."

It was after midnight when she returned to her hotel. Surprisingly, she
was able to sleep until dawn. She arose and showered in the first
sunlight and dressed and ordered breakfast. The sergeant on duty at the
desk downstairs went out himself to get it for her.

At nine (this was Friday morning) she and Walt were back in the
Pentagon. Walt's face was puffy, his eyes were red. "I'm tired," he
murmured as an officer hurried him toward a meeting with the Ordnance
Section. For a moment Julia considered restoring his mutant bridge. But
she was not completely certain that she could trust him; even the
tiniest doubt was an excuse not to--since there was no overwhelming
advantage to be gained from having two mutants instead of one in the
Pentagon.

A few minutes later, Julia was ushered into the office of one of the
very high ranking general officers. He rose to greet her, and then
returned to his desk. Julia sat down across from him and he pushed
stacks of reports to one side until he located his cigarette box.

Julia took a cigarette.

"Julia? I may call you that?"

"Please do."

He bent across the desk to light her cigarette. He pushed an ash tray
toward her.

"I expect you'd like to know what we've done so far?"

"Very much."

"I'm preparing a report for the President. I hope to have it for him by
noon." He glanced at his watch. "I want to verify with you everything
that goes into it."

* * * * *

The smoke made Julia dizzy. She cleared her brain. It was a relief to
hear someone else talking for a change.

"... we're preparing an atomic rocket to intercept their space station,"
he said. "I understand from this report that your mutant powers aren't
infinite. It says in here somewhere that it would be impossible to stop
by, by teleportation you call it, don't you? an object as large as a
rocket?"

"It's mostly a question of ine