The Vegan pointed to the building on the left and uttered a stream of words. Lawrence smiled politely and headed toward the left-hand building. After he had gone about half the distance, he noticed the increase in the sweetness in the air. He stopped, ripped off his shirt, and wrapped it over his mouth and nose. That would be ample protection. By the time he reached the building, the guards posted outside were safely asleep. He seized one of the strange pistols from them, and entered. Where to find Meero and the girl, he wondered. Vegans were sagging into sleep all over the lobby of the building. Shrugging his shoulders, he decided there was only one way. He would have to look in every room of the immense building. But he didn't have far to look. After about ten minutes' search of the slumber-wrapped building, he stepped into an ornate, impressive-looking building, and found Meero. Awake. The thin Vegan whirled in astonishment as Lawrence entered. He was at the back of the room, bending over the nude form of Bette Bauer. Lawrence noticed a strange odor in the room, even through his improvised face-mask--and it wasn't the odor of the drug he'd slipped into the air system. Angrily, Andsu Meero ripped out a barking sentence in Vegan. Then his eyes narrowed. "Oh, the Earthman? How did _you_ get in here?" Lawrence's pistol rose. "Get away from that girl, Meero. Get away or I'll shoot you." "Just try," Meero chuckled. He calmly drew his own gun from its holster, and Lawrence realized with a shock that he was as good as unarmed, because he did not know how to use the Vegan gun! He hurled the useless gun at Meero and dove behind a chair just as the Vegan's pistol fired. A section of the wall caved in. Lawrence peered out, then ducked back as he saw Meero looking for him. Cautiously, he began to thread his way along the side of the room toward Meero. "Don't move, Earthman," Meero said coldly. "I see you." "But you don't see me!" cried a new voice. Surprised, the alien turned, and in that moment Lawrence sprang and hit him with all he had. The gun went flying from the Vegan's hands. He struck back, but Lawrence parried the blow and smashed his fists into Meero's face. The alien rolled over and lay still. Lawrence glanced up at Bette Bauer, who had spoken. "You saved my life," he said. "And you mine." She reddened, and snatched a drape from the wall to cover her nakedness. "Meero was just about to drain my mind for--" She paused. "I know what for," Lawrence said. "I know the whole thing." He glanced around. "I might have known," he said. "Meero was using some kind of drug on you, wasn't he?" She nodded. "There's time for explanation later," Lawrence said. "The Viagoni are waiting for us, to take us back to Earth and to safety." "What about Meero?" "He'll go with all the rest of them," Lawrence said. "When we've built your annihilator, and when we've wiped out this cancer spot of the universe. Let's go."