"Only general ones," Moriarty said, "and they're about the same as yours. The leech is probably extraterrestrial in origin. It seems to have been in a spore-stage until it landed on Earth." He paused to light a pipe. "Incidentally, we should be damned glad it didn't drop in an ocean. We'd have had the Earth eaten out from under us before we knew what we were looking for." They walked in silence for a few minutes. "As you mentioned, it's a perfect converter--it can transform mass into energy, and any energy into mass." Moriarty grinned. "Naturally that's impossible and I have figures to prove it." "I'm going to get a drink," Allenson said. "Anyone coming?" "Best idea of the week," Micheals said. "I wonder how long it'll take O'Donnell to get permission to use the bomb." "If I know politics," Moriarty said, "too long." * * * * * The findings of the government scientists were checked by other government scientists. That took a few days. Then Washington wanted to know if there wasn't some alternative to exploding an atomic bomb in the middle of New York State. It took a little time to convince them of the necessity. After that, people had to be evacuated, which took more time. Then orders were made out, and five atomic bombs were checked out of a cache. A patrol rocket was assigned, given orders, and put under General O'Donnell's command. This took a day more. Finally, the stubby scout rocket was winging its way over New York. From the air, the grayish-black spot was easy to find. Like a festered wound, it stretched between Lake Placid and Elizabethtown, covering Keene and Keene Valley, and lapping at the edges of Jay. The first bomb was released. * * * * * It had been a long wait after the first rich food. The greater radiation of day was followed by the lesser energy of night many times, as the leech ate away the earth beneath it, absorbed the air around it, and grew. Then one day-- An amazing burst of energy! Everything was food for the leech, but there was always the possibility of choking. The energy poured over it, drenched it, battered it, and the leech grew frantically, trying to contain the titanic dose. Still small, it quickly reached its overload limit. The strained cells, filled to satiation, were given more and more food. The strangling body built new cells at lightning speed. And-- It held. The energy was controlled, stimulating further growth. More cells took over the load, sucking in the food. The next doses were wonderfully palatable, easily handled. The leech overflowed its bounds, growing, eating, and growing. That was a taste of real food! The leech was as near ecstasy as it had ever been. It waited hopefully for more, but no more came. It went back to feeding on the Earth. The energy, used to produce more cells, was soon dissipated. Soon it was hungry again. It would always be hungry. * * * * *