e odd, bitter odor in the air.
With the flashlight he probed the darkness, spotting the high, vaulted
ceiling above him. And below him--

At first he couldn't see, probing the vast excavation before him, and
then, strangely, he saw but couldn't realize what he saw. He stared for
a solid minute, uncomprehending, then, stifling a gasp, he _knew what he
was looking at_--

Lights. He had to have lights, to see clearly what he couldn't believe.
Frantically, he spun the flashlight, seeking a light panel, and then,
fascinated, he turned the little oval of light back to the pit. And then
he heard the barest whisper of sound, the faintest intake of breath, and
he ducked, frozen, as a blow whistled past his ear. A second blow from
the side caught him solidly in the blackness, grunting, flailing out
into a tangle of legs and arms, cursing, catching a foot in his face,
striking up into soft, yielding flesh--

And his head suddenly exploded into a million dazzling lights as he sank
unconscious to the ground--

* * * * *

It was a tiny room, completely without windows, the artificial light
filtering through from ventilation slits near the top. Shandor sat up,
shaking as the chill in the room became painfully evident. A small
electric heater sat in the corner beaming valiantly, but the heat hardly
reached his numbed toes. He stood up, shaking himself, slapping his arms
against his sides to drive off the coldness--and he heard a noise
through the door as soon as he had made a sound.

Muted footsteps stopped outside the door, and a huge man stepped inside.
He looked at Shandor carefully, then closed the door behind him, without
locking it. "I'm Baker," he rasped cheerfully. "How are you feeling?"

Shandor rubbed his head, suddenly and acutely aware of a very sore nose
and a bruised rib cage. "Not so hot," he muttered. "How long have I been
out?"

"Long enough." The man pulled out a plug of tobacco, ripped off a chunk
with his teeth. "Chew?"

"I smoke." Shandor fished for cigarettes in an empty pocket.

"Not in here you don't," said Baker. He shrugged his huge shoulders and
settled affably down on a bench near the wall. "You feel like talking?"

Shandor eyed the unlocked door, and turned his eyes to the huge man.
"Sure," he said. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't want to talk about nothin'," the big man replied,
indifferently. "Thought you might, though."

"Are you the one that rou