The big new UN Building, towering over the city, had been built thirty years before to replace the old one. He had supposed it would be an empty shell, now that the whole Secretariat was out on Mars. But it wasn't. Here was Evacuation headquarters for a whole part of America, and the building was jammed with officials, files, clerks. He was expected, it seemed. He went right through to the regional Evacuation Marshal's office. * * * * * John Fairlie was a solid, blond man of thirty-five or so, with the kind of radiant strength, health, and intelligence that always made Wales feel even more lanky and shy than he really was. "We've been discussing your mission here," Fairlie said bluntly. He indicated the three other men in the room. "My friends and fellow-officials--they're assistants to Evacuation Marshals of other regions. Bliss from Pacific Coast, Chaumez from South America, Holst from Europe--" They were men about Fairlie's age, and Wales thought that they were anxious men. "We don't resent your coming, and you'll get 100 percent cooperation from all of us," Fairlie was saying. "We just hope to God you can get Evacuation speeded up to schedule again. We're worried." "Things are that bad?" said Wales. Bliss said gloomily, "Bad--and getting worse. If it keeps up, there's going to be millions still left on Earth when Doomsday comes." "What," asked Wales, "do you think ought to be done first?" "Find Kendrick," said Fairlie promptly. "You think his disappearance that important?" "I _know_ it is." Fairlie strode up and down the office, his physical energy too restless to be still. "Listen, Wales. It's the fact that Kendrick, who first predicted the catastrophe, hasn't himself left Earth that's deepening all these doubts. If we could find Kendrick and show people how he's going to Mars, it would discredit all this talk that his prediction was a mistake, and that he knows it." "You've already tried to find him?" Fairlie nodded. "I've had the world combed for him. I wish I could guess what happened to him. If we could only find his sister, even, it might lead to him." Yes, Wales thought. Martha and Lee Kendrick had always been close. And now they had vanished together. He told Fairlie what had happened to him in the Jersey City. Neither Fairlie nor the others seemed much surprised. "Yes. Things are bad in some of the evacuated regions. You see, once we get all the listed inhabitants out, we can't go back to those places. We haven't the time to keep going over them. So others--the ones who don't want to go--can move into the empty towns and take over." "_Why_ don't they want to go?" Wales studied the other's face as he asked the question. "Five years ago, everyone believed in the crash, in the coming of Doomsday. Now people here are skeptical. You say that Kendrick might convince them. But what made them skeptical, in the first place?"