The office door opened, and Ken Naylor entered. Naylor was a big man, almost as tall--though not as broad--as Riddell himself. Riddell had met him for the first time the night of the bombing, and three years later they were still operating as a team. "I've heard this thing about Northburg," Naylor said without preamble. "What's gotten into them? Are they crazy, trying to conquer America city by city?" Riddell shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe they think they're going to start a new Roman Empire here in America." "Do you think we can stop them? We're not too heavy on guns." "We're not going to go to war, Ken. We're not going to fire a shot." "What do you mean?" "I've seen enough war, and I've killed enough men. We'll handle this the sane way. The way I'm trying to teach our youngsters to live." Naylor stared blankly at him. "But--" The phone rang. Riddell picked it up--listened--then said, "We'll have a man right over, Charlie." He hung up. "Who was that?" "Charlie Drew. On the farm about a mile out of town on the road to Northburg. I sent a couple of boys into Northburg last night, just to feel around and see how things looked. One of the boys was Len Colter, the one you just saw. The other was Ben Kingston. Couple of minutes ago, Kingston's body got dumped on Charlie Drew's farm. There was a note pinned to it. '_We don't like spies._'" Naylor's face tightened. "And you say we won't fight?" "There'll be no war. Get out to Drew's farm and pick up the body. Here--here's a permit to use my car." He scribbled a note that would allow Naylor to consume some precious gasoline. "When that's taken care of, move into my office and act as Mayor until I get back--_if_ I get back." "Where are you going?" Naylor asked. "I've got to catch Len Colter before he reaches Northburg." "But I thought...." "I'll do the thinking," Riddell said. "You do what you're told." * * * * * Ten minutes later, Riddell overtook Len Colter, halfway to Northburg. "Go home," Riddell said. "I'm taking you off the job. It's too risky." Disappointment showed in the boy's eyes. "But I got back safe the first time, sir!" "I'm giving you an order!" Riddell snapped. "Ben Kingston was just found dead. I don't want you to go the same way." "But--" Riddell gestured with an upraised arm. "Don't stand here arguing with me, Len. Go on home!" The boy turned away, moved slowly back toward town. Riddell watched him for a moment, then walked rapidly toward Northburg and the challenge there. The road was still in good shape, despite pitted craters here and there, despite an occasional slagheap where a stray blast of atomfire had seared the hillside and sent molten rock spilling down on the highway. Grass was pushing up in the slagheaps, the blasted trees were being replaced by timid saplings, the farms along the way were starting to look like farms again. America was returning to life.