"Gives you the spooks, doesn't it?" Jarvis was still tense, poised to respond to the first signal of danger. "Feels like we're the last men alive!" "Funny about Hank and Garland. There's nothing here to harm anyone." Jarvis looked at his watch. "Better contact HQ for instructions." The two stepped off the path, into the shade of a grotesque chunk of broken masonry. Mark set up the radio and twirled the dials. "Team Four, calling HQ. Team Four, reporting!" "HQ here." The voice from the radio blared loud in the stillness. "Give your report, Team Four." "Looks like nothing's moved here in a thousand years. Safe as a baby's dream. Rock-solid, air morning-pure. But--" He hesitated, trying not to sound like a scared school boy. "No sign of Team Three. Or of Teams One and Two, either. Over." "Look here, Team Four. It's your job to find out. The earth didn't just swallow them. Final report from each team placed them well within the city. It's been ten days since the last contact. Probe every inch of the place." "Right!" "But be careful. We can't afford to lose any more men! Roger!" "Roger!" There was only one way now--ahead. It lay clearly marked. The dim footsteps never strayed or faltered. Three hours of search revealed no pitfalls, no dangers, and no trace of the missing men. Then night was upon them and they bedded down gratefully. "Strange, isn't it? The war over. The invaders blasted from the earth. All peril gone. And yet--men disappear." Jarvis stared at the ruins around them. "I can't take much more, Mark. Twelve years of war is enough. Are we never to have a life--have our home and women back, and--_peace_?" "Sure, it's been tough. But think of the women and children isolated on that sub-satellite. It's tougher for them--just waiting." Stretched on his back, Mark stared at the cloudless, evening sky. "But pretty soon we'll get this planet cleaned up and bring them in. Christ! Four years without even seeing a woman. I remember the last time--" "Okay!" Jarvis interrupted impatiently. "Let's get to sleep." "Sure, pal. Goodnight." They fell asleep to dream of green hills, corn ripening, apples roasting over an open fire. Peace, and home, and girls, their firm legs flashing in the sun. Soldierlike, Mark was suddenly awake. He lay without motion, sensitive to some subtle change in the surroundings. From the corner of his eye he could see Jarvis wrapped in sleep. The silence seemed eternal. Then, whisper-soft, came a murmur, a sound, a voice. A girl's voice, sighing and singing, from deep in that devastated spot. A woman! * * * * * Instantly, Mark was on his feet. No need to wake Jarvis. Plenty of time for Jarvis to find out--afterwards. But not yet! A miracle that a girl had survived in all that wreckage. But a miracle he wanted to savour alone!