han five minutes remaining. One of the aliens hovered
at the larger transmitter.)

He tried to grab her. His hand passed through her body.

She smiled.

He tried to adjust to her level of displacement. He choked. Quickly he
realized what was wrong; he rectified the air so he could breathe. She
changed to normal just as he sprang. He hurtled through her as through
the air itself.

She turned to face him. He was panting. "When I was a kid," she said, "I
used to throw rocks when I got mad."

_Damn you!_ His fists clenched. He towered over her.

She did not have any more time to waste with him. 'That means,' he had
said, 'we're ready to invade.'

How much time did she have? The full extent of the menace was gradually
taking form in her mind. With an army of indoctrinated mutants....
Invasion! Murder! Destruction! For an instant she wanted to collapse and
cry like a frightened little girl.

What am I going to do? what am I going to do? what am I going to do? she
thought frantically.

I've got to see someone! I've got to convince someone--I've got to show
people my mutant powers: they'll have to believe me! The President, the
Army....

How much time?

She made a distortion field. Invisible, she rushed to the door. She
paused, returned for her handbag. Holding it, she passed through the
door.

I haven't got time to beat reason into his head, she thought. I'll tend
to him later.

Half way down the stairs, she suddenly became visible.

CHAPTER VII

Oh, _damn_! she thought. This happened once before. How long will it
last this time?

A great chill exploded in her body.

... suppose--?

Now she ran in earnest. Her legs moved like pistons. The few patrons in
the lobby glanced up in disapproval. At the door she almost bowled over
a young man with a brown sack full of quarts of beer.

Once in the street, she stopped and darted frightened glances about her.
It was growing dark. Neon winked. The street was unnatural and brittle
under the artificial lights. Well dressed women, serious and unsmiling
(serenely confident that they were being mistaken for movie stars)
walked beside athletic escorts; sales girls and office clerks window
shopped intently.

At the curb Julia almost danced with nervousness.

He can come upon me invisible! she thought. He can throw things! He
can--! _I can't even tell when he's near me!_

She waved desperately for a cab.

"Cab! Cab! _Taxi!_"

It receded toward Vine Stre