"Sort of," the girl answered. "The fact is, I almost got raped. I was afraid I wasn't going to reach you." "I was busy and didn't pick you up at first," the craggy man said. His voice was a rumble of sound in the darkness. He did not seem surprised when she mentioned what had almost happened. "The colonel followed you, eh?" "Yes. I told you he would." "How did you know I would follow you?" Zen demanded. With the lieutenant's gun in his hands, he felt very secure. "Any woman would know that," Nedra answered. Her laugh tinkled in the darkness. Finding Zen's arm, she squeezed it. "He is one of the new people," she said, to West. Zen wished he could have sunk into the ground. The craggy man did not seem surprised. "Hmm," he said again. "That is nice." Reserve seemed to have appeared in the bass tones. "Let's get inside," Nedra suggested. "It's been a hard day and I'm so tired I feel as if I'm walking on my leg bones instead of my feet." "Sorry," West said, without moving. "What's wrong?" Nedra asked. Alarm suddenly appeared in her voice. "Don't you believe he is actually one of us? I told you he was." "I did not say I disbelieved you. But what if you are mistaken?" "I can't be mistaken. He followed me, didn't he? That proves I'm right." "Men have been following women since Bhumi started turning," West replied. "What if you are wrong?" "Oh," the nurse said, a falling inflection in her voice. "In that case, who would shoot him?" West continued. "Oh," the nurse said. Her voice fell lower still. "You know the rules. We cannot have anyone except true mutants." "Yes." "In case someone brings in a person who is not a true mutant, it is the duty of the person who introduced the interloper to dispose of him." "I know," Nedra said. "In this case, it would be up to you to shoot the colonel," West continued. "Could you do it?" "Well, I wouldn't want to--" The reluctance in her voice was very strong. "But I would do it." "I hope I don't have to hold you to your promise," West said. "But in that case, come on, both of you. That is, if the colonel wishes." "You can't kid me," Zen said. "Neither of you are capable of shooting anybody." He spoke fearlessly but he felt a trace of doubt. Not one of the new people had ever betrayed their group. This indicated something. "Lead on. I'm following." Nedra found Zen's arm. "Would you cry, after you had shot me?" Zen asked. "Y--yes." "But that wouldn't keep you from shooting me?" "No." "Well, that would be nice, anyhow, though I do not see what good it would do me." "You sound as if you wouldn't care," the girl said. "There are times when I am sure death would be a blessed relief." Zen meant every word he said. "That life down there," he jerked his thumb to indicate the lower ranges and the plains so far below, "gets tiresome. That's an understatement, if I ever made one." The nurse was silent. "Yes, I understand," she said at last. "It was that way with me, once."