There were the five of them in the small space. There were the two couples facing each other, and Durham on his knees between them. And then there was something else. There was a spiky shadow, perfectly black, of undetermined size and nameless shape, except that it was spiky. Baya did not quite scream. She pressed against Varnik, and they both recoiled into the alley mouth. The young couple paled under their greenness, and they, too, drew back. Durham crouched on the ground. The shadow bounded and rolled and leaped through the air and hung cloudlike over Durham's head. Suddenly it shrieked out, in a high, toneless voice like that of a deaf child, a clatter of gibberish in which one syllable stood clear, repeated several times. "Jubb!" said the shadow. "Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!" III Jubb. It might have been a name, a curse, or a battle cry. Whatever it was, the young couple did not like it. Their faces twisted into slim masks of hate. They raised their guns at the shadow, and the shadow laughed. Abruptly it bunched up small and shot at them. Durham heard them yell, in pain or fright or both, and he heard their running feet, but he did not see what happened to them. He was going away himself, down the narrow alley that Varnik and Baya were no longer interested in blocking. When he reached the end of the alley he came out onto a well lighted street with lots of people on it, but he still did not feel safe. Varnik and Baya were not far away. Baya was leaning against a wall, with her mouth wide open. She was not used to running. Varnik was standing beside her looking sulky. He scowled at Durham when he came out of the alley. Durham stopped, bracing himself and ready to yell for help. But Varnik shook his head. "Nyuh!" he said. Baya panted. "What's the matter, you afraid?" "Yes," said Varnik. "Those two little green ones, they are not playing for fun. And that black one--" He quivered all over. "I'm afraid. I see you again, Baya." He went away. Baya was close onto tears, partly from her own fright, partly from sheer fury and frustration. But she did not cry. She turned and looked at Durham. "What got into you?" she said. "It was all set, and then you had to louse it up." She cursed him. "It's just like you, Lloyd, to cost me a nice chunk of money." "Who are those people, Baya?" "They didn't tell me. I didn't ask." "Total strangers, eh?" "Turned up this afternoon at my apartment. I should think you could tell. They're not the type _I_ run with." "No." He frowned, still breathing hard and wiping sweat from his face. "How did they know about us?" She shrugged, and said maliciously, "Somebody must have told them. Well, so long, Lloyd. I wish you all the luck you deserve."