Basil looked at her with a mixture of apology and hopefulness, then turned to Earl. "Uh, I came in to borrow some base formula," he said. "Just need a few cc's and didn't want to take the time to get a full gallon from the storeroom." "Help yourself," Earl said. He grinned sidewise at Irene. "By the way, Irene is looking for someone to go with her to see some show that's on at the Rialto." "I'll be glad to," Basil said eagerly. "No thanks," Irene said. "I'm going with my aunt." "Your aunt?" Basil said. "I didn't know you had an aunt living in Crestmont." He went to a supply shelf over a wall bench and poured some base formula from a rubber tube dangling from a large bottle. "She just arrived in town," Irene said dryly. "Can I meet her?" Basil said coming back from the supply shelf. He was facing Irene and half facing Earl. He was in a position so that there was nothing between him and the window across the room. "Sorry," Irene said. "She's leaving town in the morning. I'm sure--Oh, how can you be so clumsy, Basil?" * * * * * The test tube had dropped from his hand. Small glass fragments and the oily fluid were spattered on the floor and his shoes. He was examining a small cut on the inside of his thumb that was beginning to bleed. "Clumsy?" he said absently. "Oh no. I didn't drop the test tube. It broke in my hand." "It couldn't have," Irene said accusingly. "You dropped it." "What's the difference?" Earl said. "Here. I'll get you another test tube with some base fluid. No harm done." He opened a drawer and took out a new test tube. When he was closing the drawer he glanced absently toward the window. His eyes widened. "What the devil!" he exclaimed. "Look at that. The window's broken too." "That's odd--too strange a coincidence," Basil frowned. "Supersonic vibrations?" Earl said, smiling. "Maybe a foreign spy has heard of Project Synthetic Nerve Fluid and was trying to kill Basil with a new secret weapon!" "Ha ha," Basil said without humor. He accepted the test tube of base formula from Earl. "Thanks, Earl," he said. He went to the door. There he turned appealingly to Irene. "I would like to take you--and your aunt--to the show, Irene," he said. "Sorry," Irene said, smiling at him sympathetically. "We'll have too much we want to talk about." "Uh--okay," Basil said unhappily. "He's such a jerk," Irene said when Basil had left. "All he would do is fawn over me all evening. I'd--I'd rather go alone," she added, looking at Earl appealingly. "Sure," Earl said. "Be sure and let me know how you like the show. Now--" He smiled half jokingly to take the sting from his words. "Scram. I've got work to do." Irene made a face at him and went to the door. When she was gone, Earl sighed wearily. Then he frowned at the broken window.