Rodney cursed. "And every second we stand here doing nothing gives us that much less time to find a way out. Martin--" "Make one move toward that switchboard and I'll stop you where you stand!" * * * * * Wass moved silently through the darkness beyond the torches. "We all have guns, Martin." "I'm holding mine." Martin waited. After a moment, Wass switched his flashlight back on. He said quietly, "He's right, Rodney. It would be sure death to monkey around in here." "Well...." Rodney turned quickly toward the black arch. "Let's get out of here, then!" Martin hung back waiting for the others to go ahead of him down the metal hall. At the other arch, where the ramp led downward, he called a halt. "If the dome, or whatever it is, is a radiation screen there must be at least half-a-dozen emergency exits around the city." Rodney said, "To search every building next to the dome clean around the city would take years." Martin nodded. "But there must be central roads beneath this main level leading to them. Up here there are too many roads." Wass laughed rudely. "Have you a better idea?" Wass ignored that, as Martin hoped he would. He said slowly, "That leads to another idea. If the band around the city is responsible for the dome, does it project down into the ground as well?" "You mean _dig_ out?" Martin asked. "Sure. Why not?" "We're wearing heavy suits and bulky breathing units. We have no equipment." "That shouldn't be hard to come by." Martin smiled, banishing Wass' idea. Rodney said, "They may have had their digging equipment built right in to themselves." "Anyway," Martin decided, "we can take a look down below." "In the pitch dark," Wass added. Martin adjusted his torch, began to lead the way down the metal ramp. The incline was gentle, apparently constructed for legs shorter, feet perhaps less broad than their own. The metal, without mark of any sort, gleamed under the combined light of the torches, unrolling out of the darkness before the men. At length the incline melted smoothly into the next level of the city. Martin shined his light upward, and the others followed his example. Metal as smooth and featureless as that on which they stood shone down on them. Wass turned his light parallel with the floor, and then moved slowly in a circle. "No supports. No supports anywhere. What keeps all that up there?" "I don't know. I have no idea." Martin gestured toward the ramp with his light. "Does all this, this whole place, look at all familiar to you?" Rodney's gulp was clearly audible through the radio receivers. "Here?" "No, no," Martin answered impatiently, "not just here. I mean the whole city." "Yes," Wass said dryly, "it does. I'm sure this is where all my nightmares stay when they're not on shift."