e dared come to it, but she
caught his meaning. The working of major changes in out-time social
structures was not viewed with approval by the Paratime Commission on
the First Level. "_If_ we get home," he added. Then an idea occurred
to him.

"Dirzed, Sarnax; this place must have been used by the leaders of the
Volitionalists for top-level conferences. Is there a secret passage
anywhere?"

Sarnax shook his head. "Not from here. There is one, on the floor
above, but they control it. And even if there were one down here, they
would be guarding the outlet."

"That's what I was counting on. I'd hoped to simulate an escape that
way, and then make a rush up the regular tubes." Verkan Vall shrugged.
"I suppose Marnik's our only chance. I hope he got away safely."

"He was going for help? I was surprised that an Assassin would desert
his client; I should have thought of that," Sarnax said. "Well, even
if he got down carnate, and if Girzad didn't catch him, he'd still be
afoot ten miles from the nearest city unit. That gives us a little
chance--about one in a thousand."

"Is there any way they can get at us, except by those tubes?" Dalla
asked.

"They could cut a hole in the floor, or burn one through," Sarnax
replied. "They have plenty of thermite. They could detonate a charge
of explosives over our heads, or clear out of the dome and drop one
down the well. They could use lethal gas or radiodust, but their
Assassins wouldn't permit such illegal methods. Or they could shoot
sleep-gas down at us, and then come down and cut our throats at their
leisure."

"We'll have to get out of this room, then," Verkan Vall decided. "They
know we've barricaded ourselves in here; this is where they'll
attack. So we'll patrol the perimeter of the well; we'll be out of
danger from above if we keep close to the wall. And we'll inspect all
the rooms on this floor for evidence of cutting through from above."

Sarnax nodded. "That's sense, Lord Virzal. How about the lifter
tubes?"

"We'll have to barricade them. Sarnax, you and Dirzed know the layout
of this place better than the Lady Dallona or I; suppose you two check
the rooms, while we cover the tubes and the well," Verkan Vall
directed. "Come on, now."

* * * * *

They pushed the door wide-open and went out past the cabinet. Hugging
the wall, they began a slow circuit of the well, Verkan Vall in the
lead with the submachine-gun, then Sarnax and Dir