“Don’t you want to rest for a while?” Rick asked. “No time for that,” Deva said. “We’ve got to put as much distance as possible between ourselves and that station before daylight. We can find a place to rest and hide all day tomorrow.” As dawn approached, Deva could no longer conceal her fatigue. They had not slowed during the night, but now they began searching for adequate shelter to protect them from observation during the day. They found it at last in a thick cluster of foliage by the river bank. So dense was its canopy of leaves that even the sky was hidden from their sight when they were at rest in its center. They ate a small quantity of the food concentrate which they had smuggled out, and almost immediately afterwards Deva fell into a deep sleep. Rick remained awake until the sun was high overhead, keeping an alert lookout for possible pursuit. There was no sign of a hue and cry from any direction. He began to let himself think that they were no longer in any immediate danger. Possibly the Machine and the Watch Police were not even very much concerned about an escape such as theirs. Citizens who wanted to run away were probably considered of very little value to society. He allowed drowsiness to creep upon him as he contemplated his future plans. His first and major obligation was to see Deva to the nearest settlement of the Outlanders at which she wished to stay. Then he’d drift on. No place in particular. Eventually, he supposed, he’d have to throw in with the Outlanders somewhere. But until that day arrived--well, he’d always wanted to see as much of the land as possible. He thought, too, of Deva. She had remarkable courage and an amazing spirit of independence, he admitted in admiration. He might even find himself missing that fiery mop of hair and equally burning temper. In any event, he owed her a debt of gratitude he could never repay. He was aware next of darkness and of hands tugging at him in ungentle persistence. Deva’s voice whispered impatiently in his ear. “Come on, it’s time we were on our way!” He struggled awake, and snatched up a food concentrate. He munched on it as they made their way cautiously out of the shelter. “How much farther must we go before we start hitting Outlander settlements?” he asked. “It’s hard to tell,” she replied. “They move around. But we should be on the edge of their country by morning.” They moved rapidly through the wilderness again, following the course of the river, but Deva tired more quickly now. She was willing to stop for rest occasionally but not for long. It was approaching dawn when they heard the first faint thread of unfamiliar sound in the air. Deva paused in alarm and glanced up to the sky, listening. “What is it?” Rick asked. “I don’t know. Wait--yes, I do. They’re after us! That’s a helicopter, and it’s heading straight this way.”