r wrist. The
brick went over his shoulder and the nails of her other hand raked his
face. He seized her without regard for niceties and they went to the
ground. She fought with everything she had and he methodically
neutralized all her weapons--her hands, her legs, her teeth--until she
could not move.

"Leave me alone. Please!"

"What's wrong with you? I'm not going to hurt you. But I'm not going to
let you hit me with a brick, either!"

"What do you want? Why did you chase me?"

"Look--I'm a peaceful guy, but I'm not going to let you get away. I
spent all afternoon looking for somebody. I found you and you ran away.
I came after you."

"I haven't done anything to you."

"That's silly talk. Come on--grow up! I said I'm not going to hurt you."

"Let me up."

"So you can run away again? Not for a while. I want to talk to you."

"I--I won't run. I was scared. I don't know why. You're hurting me."

He got up--gingerly--and lifted her to her feet. He smiled, still
holding both her hands. "I'm sorry. I guess it's natural for you to be
scared. My name's Frank Brooks. I just want to find out what the hell
happened to this town."

He let her withdraw her hands, but he still blocked her escape. She
moved a pace backward and straightened her clothing. "I don't know what
happened. I was looking for someone too."

He smiled again. "And then you ran."

"I don't know why. I guess--"

"What's your name."

"Nora--Nora Spade."

"You slept through it too?"

"Yes ... yes. I slept through it and came out and they were all gone."

"Let's get out of this alley." He preceded her out, but he waited for
her when there was room for them to walk side by side, and she did not
try to run away. That phase was evidently over.

"I got slipped a mickey in a tavern," Frank Brooks said. "Then they
slugged me and put me in a hole."

His eyes questioned. She felt their demand and said, "I was--asleep in
my hotel room."

"They overlooked you?"

"I guess so."

"Then you don't know anything about it?"

"Nothing. Something terrible must have happened."

"Let's go down this way," Frank said, and they moved toward Madison
Street. He had taken her arm and she did not pull away. Rather, she
walked invitingly close to him.

She said, "It's so spooky. So ... empty. I guess that's what scared me."

"It would scare anybody. There must have been an evacuation of some
kind."

"Maybe the Russians are going to drop a bomb."

Frank s