"Who is it?" Marta's voice called out. "Paul." There was a pause. Then the door opened, revealing Marta fastening a negligee. "Did I oversleep?" she asked, yawning. "Have you seen Kotenko?" "No, but I heard him talking to someone in the hall just after you left. It sounded like that reporter." "Did Kotenko go into his room?" "I don't know." Chandler, followed by Marta, continued down the hall to Kotenko's room. He knocked loudly. There was no answer. He knocked again and shouted Kotenko's name. Other doors opened and people stared out. "The drill," Chandler said, and ran out of the building. As the door swung closed, he heard Marta calling after him. He was conscious of someone pushing through the door behind him as he bounded across the meadow toward the drill. A small Army verti-plane swung down alongside him. "Halt!" an amplified voice boomed. Chandler stopped and faced the plane. "It's me, Dr. Chandler." The plane settled down beside him. "Oh, yes, sir," the voice apologized. "We saw you running and--" "Quick, take me to the drill," Chandler said. "Yes, sir," said the voice. The verti-plane floated down beside the massive control ring and Chandler, followed by two armed soldiers, raced through the main doors. "Halt." Guards surrounded them. "Has Kotenko been here?" asked Chandler. "Yes, sir," replied one of the guards recognizing Chandler. "He took a team of technicians to the Gismo." "Follow me," Chandler ordered, and pushed through the inner door. Hesitantly, the guards followed. * * * * * Down in the basin, Chandler saw the yellow glow of a work light. Figures were silhouetted against it. He took the spiral stairs two at a time. The soldiers clambered down behind him. "Stay where you are, Chandler," said the voice of Kotenko, his stocky figure back-lighted at the base of the drill. "What're you doing, Kotenko?" Chandler demanded, "Removing the X-factor capsule." "You're tampering with government property," Chandler said, primarily to orientate the confused guards. "I am not going to permit the drill to go down there with the X-factor," Kotenko said firmly. "It'll never get beyond the thousand-mile level," Chandler warned, moving toward the shadowy figure. "I am armed," Kotenko warned. * * * * * Chandler stopped. Marta, clad in an overcoat, came down the stairs. Several others followed. "Those techs will never do it now that they know the situation," Chandler said, moving still closer. "My dear Dr. Chandler, they are citizens of the Soviet. They will do as I say." "Put down your gun," the soldier at Chandler's side ordered. "I have already set up the drill for descent," Kotenko said. His shadow hand touched a black lever on a portable field control unit. "As soon as the X-factor capsule is withdrawn, down it goes." "But you can never maintain control without a full crew," Marta said.