"Three of our men," the Professor said, "will head for the South gate as soon as we're in, and three others will open the East gate. If the surprise is great enough, they shouldn't have too hard a time overcoming the Watchers at the gates. They'll be too confused to know what hit them." "Mike," Dan said, "will barricade the Watcher's barracks at 10:18, and then wait until he is joined by the group from the West. That will only take a few minutes and, once there, the group will split. Part will keep the Watcher's under control and the rest will invade the Detention Plant." "Mike can pass out guns from the Watcher's arsenal to our people in the Plant and direct them to the Playground. I'll head for the Playground as soon as we're in," the Professor continued, "and we'll take over there." "You'll have the most men, Alan," Dan said. "I'm taking eight men and heading for the Council Building. We'll grab the Council and bring them to the Playground. Check, Alan?" "Check!" "It's 10:16. Pass the word along to watch for the first sign of the gates opening," Dan directed. Silence fell as each man in Dan's group waited while the remaining minutes passed. Every eye was fixed on the city gates. 10:19. 10:20. "Let's go!" Dan yelled at the top of his voice and leaped to his feet. The gigantic gates began to swing outward as the forty five men in Dan's group sprang to their feet and raced, shouting, toward the opening gate. "This way!" a voice called shrilly. "It's Ed!" Dan called to Professor Corbett who was running by his side. They reached Ed as the rest of the group entered the gate. Shots were being exchanged between the Rebels and the Watchers now. "Where's Bill?" Dan yelled above the noise. "They shot him," Ed answered. "Come on!" Suddenly, a series of terrific explosions filled the night with screaming sound. The earth shook under their feet. "The warehouses are gone!" Dan yelled. "I'm heading for the Council!" The eight men Dan had selected raced after him down the empty street of the city. The sound of firing, announcing the entry of the group at the East gate, met their ears. As Dan's men careened around a corner they saw two Watchers sprinting toward them. One of the Rebels dropped to his knee, fired twice, and the two Watchers froze, in the typical macabre positions produced by a hypno-ray gun. The group parted and made separate approaches to the Council Building. Dan and four others stopped as they came in sight of the building. A group of Watchers stood, guns ready, peering up and down the deserted street. "Let's go!" Dan yelled, and the Rebels sprang forward, dodging in and out of doorways for protection. The other Rebels appeared at the opposite end of the street. The Watchers, seeing themselves outnumbered, suddenly turned and fled up the steps of the Council Building. "Stop!" Dan shouted. He fired a warning shot and the fleeing Watchers halted.