open. The smell of
alcohol was distinct. He was drunk. He gazed ferociously up at the
driver of the truck.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded belligerently.

The driver spoke sternly, repeating what he'd said before. The drunk
assumed an air of outraged dignity.

"If I wanna stay here, that's my business! Who th' hell are you
anyways, disturbin' a citizen tax-payer on his lawful occasions? Are
you Martians? I wouldn't put it pasht you!"

He sat down and went back to sleep.

The driver said fretfully, "He oughtn't to be here! But we ain't got
room to carry him. I'm gonna use the truck radio an' ask what to do.
Maybe they'll send a Army truck to get him outa here. He could set the
whole town on fire!"

He went out. The small man who was his helper followed him. He hadn't
spoken a word. Lockley growled. Then Jill said breathlessly, "The
switch-board has some long distance lines. I know how to connect them.
Shall I try?"

Lockley agreed emphatically. Jill slipped into the operator's chair
and donned the headset. She inserted a plug and pressed a switch.

"I did an article once on how--Hello! Serena calling. I have a very
important message for the military officer in command of the cordon.
Will you route me through, please?"

Her manner was convincingly professional. She looked up and smiled
shakily at Lockley. She spoke again into the mouthpiece before her.
Then she said, "One moment, please." She covered the mouthpiece with
her hand.

"I can't get the general," she said. "His aide will take the message
and if it's important enough--"

"It is," said Lockley. "Give me the phone."

She vacated the chair and handed him the operator's instrument with
its light weight earphones and a mouthpiece that rested on his chest.

"My name's Lockley," said Lockley evenly. "I was in the Park on a
Survey job the morning the thing came down from the sky. I relayed
Vale's message describing the landing and the creatures that came out
of the--object. I was talking to him by microwave when he was seized
by them. I reported that via Sattell of the Survey. You probably know
of these reports."

A tinny voice said with formal cordiality that he did, indeed.

"I've just managed to get out of the park," said Lockley. "I've had a
chance to experiment with a stationary terror beam. I've information
of some importance about detecting those beams before they strike."

The tinny voice said hastily that Lockley should speak to the ge