ently, and then fell in behind him, dogging
respectfully after him, a few paces away. A moment later a second big
claw joined it. Silently, the claws trailed him, as he walked slowly
toward the bunker.

Hendricks stopped, and behind him, the claws came to a halt. He was
close, now. Almost to the bunker steps.

"Scott! Can you hear me? I'm standing right above you. Outside. On the
surface. Are you picking me up?"

* * * * *

He waited, holding his gun against his side, the transmitter tightly
to his ear. Time passed. He strained to hear, but there was only
silence. Silence, and faint static.

Then, distantly, metallically--

"This is Scott."

The voice was neutral. Cold. He could not identify it. But the
earphone was minute.

"Scott! Listen. I'm standing right above you. I'm on the surface,
looking down into the bunker entrance."

"Yes."

"Can you see me?"

"Yes."

"Through the view sight? You have the sight trained on me?"

"Yes."

Hendricks pondered. A circle of claws waited quietly around him,
gray-metal bodies on all sides of him. "Is everything all right in the
bunker? Nothing unusual has happened?"

"Everything is all right."

"Will you come up to the surface? I want to see you for a moment."
Hendricks took a deep breath. "Come up here with me. I want to talk to
you."

"Come down."

"I'm giving you an order."

Silence.

"Are you coming?" Hendricks listened. There was no response. "I order
you to come to the surface."

"Come down."

Hendricks set his jaw. "Let me talk to Leone."

There was a long pause. He listened to the static. Then a voice came,
hard, thin, metallic. The same as the other. "This is Leone."

"Hendricks. I'm on the surface. At the bunker entrance. I want one of
you to come up here."

"Come down."

"Why come down? I'm giving you an order!"

Silence. Hendricks lowered the transmitter. He looked carefully around
him. The entrance was just ahead. Almost at his feet. He lowered the
antenna and fastened the transmitter to his belt. Carefully, he
gripped his gun with both hands. He moved forward, a step at a time.
If they could see him they knew he was starting toward the entrance.
He closed his eyes a moment.

Then he put his foot on the first step that led downward.

Two Davids came up at him, their faces identical and expressionless.
He blasted them into particles. More came rushing silently up, a whole
pack of them. All exactly