"I think there may be time enough," Wales said. He got the shackles unlocked, and helped Kendrick to his feet. "But we've still Fairlie to reckon with." Kendrick broke into raging curses, and Wales stopped him sharply. "Cut it, Lee. I feel exactly the same way about it but we've no time for hysteria. It'll be tricky trying to get to Fairlie in his own stronghold, over in New York. Tell me--has he come here often?" "He hasn't been here for two weeks," Kendrick said. "He--and Bliss and the others in it with him--you know what they wanted of me? They wanted me to issue statements saying that Nereus might not hit Earth after all. They said they'd leave me here for Doomsday, if I didn't. Damn them--" Again, Wales calmed him down. "Those guards didn't go over to New York to report to him, did they? Did they use radiophone?" Kendrick looked startled. "Why, yes, they did. I've heard them. But I don't know what secret wavelength they used." "Maybe," said Wales tightly, "we can find that out. Martha, you help him down the stairs. A few steps at a time, till his legs steady." He hurried back down again. The wounded man he had tied up had recovered consciousness. He sat, his face a pallor of pain, and looked up at Wales with wide, fearful eyes. "Yes," said Wales softly. "I'd love to kill you. You're right about that. But maybe I won't. What's your name?" "Mowler." "You know how to call Fairlie, on the portable radiophone? Well, you're going to call him. You're going to tell him just what I say." By the time he found the radiophone and brought it, Kendrick was coming shakily down the last steps with Martha steadying him. Wales asked Mowler, "What's the wavelength for Fairlie's private phone?" Mowler, looking up into his face, shivered and told him. He set the dial. Then he told the wounded man what to say. He finished, "Don't do it wrong." Again looking into Wales' face, Mowler said, "I won't." * * * * * Wales touched the call-button. He held the instrument in front of Mowler. And presently a voice came from it. "Fairlie speaking." "Mowler here," said Mowler. "Our guest wants to see you. He says he's ready to make that statement now--any statement you want." "About time," growled Fairlie's voice. "All right, I'll come." Wales switched off the instrument and took it away. He went out on the parapet, and waited in the darkness with the Venn gun in his hands. Martha and Kendrick came out, and as another Marslift ship flamed up across the sky, he saw that her face was white and strained. She said, "Don't kill him, Jay." He said, without turning, "The Evacuation has been delayed, and there may not be enough time to make up that delay. We may not get everyone off Earth in time. And every one of those who are left to face Doomsday will have been killed by Fairlie and his pals." "I know," she said. "But don't, Jay."