t the sodium pentathol injection he was given could
just as well have been so much water."

The group pondered this information, each after his own fashion. Then
Birch of the State Department made a precise, scholarly observation.
"Incredible!"

Brent smiled faintly. "One point of vital importance. We do know that
there were, originally, ten of these creatures roaming the country.
Eight are accounted for. The other two are still at large."

Jones of the Air Force asked, "Were all eight apprehended in large
cities?"

"Yes."

"Shouldn't that mean something to us?"

"Well, it's a pattern, all right, but no one's been able to give it any
meaning--so far."

No one had any further comment on that point. Brent waited a moment and
then threw the bombshell. "We are quite sure that these creatures are of
extraterrestrial origin."

For a time it seemed as though Brent's bombshell had been a dud. There
was no comment from around the table--no sound of any kind. But each man
was evaluating the information after his own fashion. The key thought,
no doubt, other than a natural and instinctive moment of sheer unbelief,
was that this marked a giant, forward lunge in world history. And also,
no doubt, in this group of responsible men, there was a common question:
It would appear that our world had at last come to grips with the
universe around it. Was our world ready?

And there was general doubt.

Now the questions came. From whence? To what purpose? Hostile? Benign?
Dangerous? Harmless?

"What other information was gained from the creature?"

"Very little. He knows our language. He is here for a definite and
clear-cut purpose. Probably hostile. But what he was supposed to do or
how he was supposed to accomplish it we do not know."

"Do you think you will eventually get these answers?"

"I think," and there was an ominous note in Brent's voice, "that we
will. If not from the creature himself, then in some sudden and far more
violent manner."

This statement also had impact. It seemed that the group had overlooked
Brent's previous revelation that ten of the creatures had arrived and
only eight had been accounted for.

"Perhaps," Jones said hopefully, "whatever their plan, it required the
participation of all ten."

"In that case," Brent said quietly, "we have nothing to worry about. At
least, at the moment."

"Are you of the opinion that these creatures have been dropped anywhere
else on earth?"

"All I can say