All those allusions to the extraterrestrial was so much bilge. The Russians were infiltrating the country with synthetic men. This meant--oh, God--it meant that in a short time Russia would be able to create an army of these monsters and overwhelm the world. Senator Crane sprang to his feet and measured his indignation in long strides across the thick, expensive carpeting on his floor. The traitor! The sheer, compulsive opportunist! That was certainly all that Brent Taber could be called. Using this deadly situation as a means of furthering his own interests. Senator Crane deliberately stilled his rage and objectively considered what he should do about it. With the obvious source of the androids logically deduced, there was only his own defensive procedures to be considered. And they had to be considered carefully. As he saw himself, he stood alone, against a group of bumbling idiots, with the future of the nation at stake. What to do? The key question, of course, was: How soon will Russia be able to mount an army? Probably not very soon, he decided. That fact gave him time to ferret out more information; to become completely sure of himself. One thing you had to realize about the American public--or about any mass of humanity, for that matter--a thing of importance had to be presented dramatically. This, in a sense, was the duty of the elected public servant--to recognize this somewhat childish failing of the average intelligence and make allowances for it. _You can do this, of course_, Senator Crane told himself, _when you love the people_. And, fortunately for their survival, Senator Crane loved the American people. So, for a few moments, he o'erleaped the hard work ahead and saw the goal--envisioned the headlines: SENATOR CRANE UNCOVERS DEADLY PERIL TO THE NATION Due entirely to the patriotic, selfless efforts of one United States Senator, the nation has been warned in time of.... SENATOR CRANE STUNS CONGRESS AND THE NATION WITH HIS REVELATIONS Standing alone on the rostrum, a heroic figure pitted, as it were, against all the sinister forces that bore from within, one valiant United States Senator.... Crane had dropped back into his chair. His eyes had closed, the better to visualize a grateful nation expending their plaudits. And because he was a man who used a great deal of energy in pursuing an objective, he tired at times. He became drowsy now.... ... And went gently to sleep. 5 "Doctor Corson. Calling Doctor Corson. Please come to the second-floor reception room." Frank Corson got the call as he was leaving the maternity ward. He took the elevator down and found a rather sloppily dressed, middle-aged man sitting on a lounge beside a weather-beaten camera that tended to mark his profession. "I'm Les King, a free-lance news photographer. You're Doctor Corson?" Frank Corson's reaction was slightly hostile. He wondered why. "I'm Doctor Corson."