ion of the optical
mike.

He snapped the case shut and hit the rude table with the heel of his
hand. "There are other supplies. Jake, do you have any signal to get in
touch with Molly at the Ryan house?"

"Three raps on the rear left window. I'll get Lou."

"No!" Doc came to his feet, reaching for his jacket. "They're looking
for three men now. It's safer if I go alone--and I'm the only one who
knows what supplies are needed. With luck, I may even get the electron
mike. Got a gun I can borrow?"

Jake found one somewhere, an old revolver with a few loads. He began
protesting, but Doc overruled him sharply. Three men could no more fight
off the police than one, if they were spotted. He swung toward the
tractor.

"You'd better start spreading the word on everything we know. If people
realize they're already safe or doomed it'll be better than having them
going crazy to avoid contagion."

"Most of the villages know already," Jake told him. "And damn it, get
back here, Doc. If you can't make it, turn tail quick, and we'll think
of something else."

Southport seemed normal enough as Doc drove through its streets. The
stereo house was open, and the little shops were brightly lighted. He
stopped once to pull a copy of Southport's little newspaper from a
dispenser. All was quiet on its front page, too.

As usual, though, the facts were buried inside. The editorial was
pouring too much oil on the waters in its lauding of the role of
Medical Lobby on Mars for no apparent reason. The death notices no
longer listed the cause of death. Medical knew something was up, at
least, and was worried.

He parked the tractor behind Chris' house and slipped to the proper
window. Everything was seemingly quiet there. At his knock, the shade
was drawn back, and he caught a brief glimpse of Molly looking out. A
moment later she opened the rear lock to let him into the kitchen.

"Shh. She's still up, I think. What can I do, Doc?"

He tried to smile at her. "Hide me until it's safe to get into her
laboratory. I've got to--"

The inner kitchen was kicked open and Chris stood beyond it, holding a
cocked gun in her hand.

"It took longer than I expected, Dan," she said quietly. "But after your
letter, I knew you'd swallow the bait. You bloody fool! Did you really
believe I'd start doing research here just because of your imaginings?"

He slumped slowly back against the sink. "So this is a fool's errand,
then? There never was any equi