"That decision you've got to make yourself, Conlon. Only remember, that leaving your post gives the Lieutenant the right to shoot you in the back!" "I'll take that chance. I've got to see Mildred and Billy. You think you'd do the same thing, Peterman, if you had legs? Would you?" "I might. I don't know. I'm in no position to give it much thought." "But don't you think this is stupid to wait for certain death when there's no hope--when I've got the chance to see the ones I love, maybe for the last time?" "It's stupid all right I guess." "You've got loved ones, haven't you, Peterman? You know how much it means?" Peterman clammed and refused to talk. Jerry went to the storage which was built into the side of the concrete wall, opened the door, and brought out his rifle. He examined the automatic weapon and found it undamaged. He looked around. Lieutenant Blake was out of sight inside the dugout where he was still trying to pick up messages. The replacement was mechanically heaving debris away from the traverse frame of the big gun. "Conlon." It was Peterman calling. "What do you want?" "There's only one thing I'd like you to do before you leave. You and the replacement lift me to the gunner's seat, will you? I have a bad dose of radiation on top of everything else. I don't know how long I can hold out, but I might as well be doing some good for the time I have left." Jerry put the rifle down, called to the replacement. Together they hoisted Peterman into the seat. Lieutenant Blake came out just as they finished the job. "That's what he wanted, sir," Jerry said. "You're so short-handed we didn't think you'd object." Blake said, "Peterman, you should be keeping yourself quiet." Peterman failed to answer for a long moment. Finally he said, "Damn the Enemy! Why don't they hurry up and get it over with?" Jerry walked over to where he had stacked his automatic rifle. He swung it under his arm and turned to face the Lieutenant. "I'm leaving, sir. Don't try to stop me! What we're doing here is plain stupid. I've got a wife and kid that I've got to see before I die! I'm leaving, and I'll shoot to kill if anybody tries to stop me! Got that, Lieutenant?" "I'm not going to stop you, Conlon," Blake said quietly. "I hope the rest of you can manage the gun while I'm gone!" Jerry cried. "We'll manage all right until you get back." A faint far-away roar sounded in Jerry's earphones. The sound became rapidly louder. "No sense in me coming back, Lieutenant, because from the sound of things, you won't be around much longer." Jerry backed toward the concrete steps that would take him to ground level. He climbed up, kicking away litter so that he would have places for his feet. He kept the rifle pointed at the motionless, watching men. The roar became louder.