"Here," Whitey's voice was weak, but Joe followed it. He found Paul, heaved him to his shoulders and staggered away toward a wall. It was the wall to the passageway he decided dully and felt along it until he found the door. It opened easily as if pushed by a giant hand. He struggled hard to get across the threshold against the pushing air. He made it, dropped Paul to the passageway. Then he tugged desperately against the pull of the air against the door as he dragged it shut. Somehow, he got it closed, twisted the locking lever. He sat down against the wall of the passage and breathed in long, shallow breaths. In the darkness, he heard Paul's voice: "Did you mean that about Carol," Paul asked, and his heart was in it. "Yes," said Joe. "She's still waiting for you to come back to her." It was quiet there for a moment, with only the muted ringing of the bell from the power room seeping through the wall. Joe said: "Did I hurt you when I dropped you, Paul?" "Not much," Burnet answered. "My head's a little dizzy, but it takes more than an easy jar like that to make it dangerous. Forget it." "But how did you get through the physical for the trip? The metal plate in your skull should have barred you." "I'm one of the few who know what the power plant here is like, remember? Besides, the physical wasn't too steep. And Joe, I'm sorry I was such a heel to sock you when you couldn't hit me back. You'd have killed with the blow." "I know," said Joe. He heard Paul breathing in harsh gasps. "Paul," he said anxiously. "It's all right." "But it isn't! Here, I'll carry you to the first aid room." Joe got up, lifted Paul to his shoulders. Joe had carried Paul perhaps a hundred feet when lights flickering on the walls and the sound of footsteps signaled the advance of the others. "So," came Arden's voice as the beam from a flashlight centered on Joe's face, "the rat came out of his hole." After the blackness, the light hurt Joe's eyes and he lowered his head. Arden came forward quickly, slapped Joe openhanded across the mouth. "I've waited a long time for this!" He slapped him again, and Joe felt the blood trickling from his lips. Joe lowered Paul Burnet easily to the floor. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, said: "You don't understand. I'm bringing Paul, he's hurt. His skull was fractured a long time ago, and it's reacting." He knelt beside Burnet, took the hurt man's wrist. "How are you now, Paul?" Burnet smiled weakly: "A little better." Arden kicked Joe aside: "Keep your diseased hands off him, traitor." Joe got wearily to his feet. "Arden," he said, "Bairn told me how upset you are about your wife. That's why I excused those slaps. But this--" Joe's right arm drew back swiftly, drove his doubled fist to Arden's jaw. Arden dropped as if the floor had fallen from under him.