ide the latch, reached through and
turned the knob. Inside he looked over the shelves, selected a heavy
coil of nylon rope, a sheath knife, a canteen. He examined a Winchester
repeating rifle with a telescopic sight, then put it back and strapped
on a .22 revolver. He emptied two boxes of long rifle cartridges into
his pocket, then loaded the pistol. He coiled the rope over his shoulder
and went back out into the empty street.

* * *

The fat man was standing in front of a shop in the next block, picking
at a blemish on his chin and eyeing the window display. He looked up
with a frown, started away as Brett came up.

"Wait a minute," Brett called. "Didn't you see the Gel? the one that
cornered me back there?"

The fat man looked back suspiciously, kept going.

"Wait!" Brett caught his arm. "I know you're real. I've seen you belch
and sweat and scratch. You're the only one I can call on--and I need
help. My friend is trapped--"

The fat man pulled away, his face flushed an even deeper red. "I'm
warning you, you maniac: get away from me...!"

Brett stepped close, rammed the fat man hard in the ribs. He sank to his
knees, gasping. The panama hat rolled away. Brett grabbed his arm,
steadied him.

"Sorry," he said. "I had to be sure. You're real, all right. We've got
to rescue my friend, Dhuva--"

The fat man leaned against the glass, rolling terrified eyes, rubbing
his stomach. "I'll call the police!" he gasped.

"What police?" Brett waved an arm. "Look. Not a car in sight. Did you
ever see the street that empty before?"

"Wednesday afternoon," the fat man gasped.

"Come with me. I want to show you. It's all hollow. There's nothing
behind these walls--"

"Why doesn't somebody come along?" the fat man moaned.

"The masonry is only a quarter-inch thick," Brett said. "Come on; I'll
show you."

"I don't like it," said the fat man. His face was pale and moist.
"You're mad. What's wrong? It's so quiet ..."

"We've got to try to save him. The Gel took him down into this pit--"

"Let me go," the man whined. "I'm afraid. Can't you just let me lead my
life in peace?"

"Don't you understand? The Gel took a man. They may be after you next."

"There's no one after me! I'm a business man ... a respectable citizen.
I mind my own business, give to charity, go to church. All I want is to
be left alone!"

* * *

Brett dropped his hands from the fat man's arms, stood looking at