“Colonel Wendt?” “Who are you?” A man, middle-sized, middle-aged, middle-anything, as far as the moonlight revealed him, came from the trees. “Colonel Wendt?” he said again. “You’re on private property, mister.” “You are Colonel John Wendt?” “What’s it to you? I said you’re trespassing. Now--_get out_!” “Colonel Wendt, I am a duly sworn deputy of....” That was as much as he managed. Johnny dropped the bag and papers, and swung with the same motion. The middling man went down like a ripped sack of flour. Johnny grinned. He rubbed his fist, pleased. _First damn time I’ve felt half-alive_, he thought, _since_.... It was just as well not to think back that far. He picked up the papers, grabbed the suitcase again, and let himself into the house. He turned lights on, prowled through the rooms, looking for--what? He wasn’t sure. Whatever it was, it wasn’t there. Everything normal, just as they left it. Lee’s things still in the closet. _Well, what did you think? That she’d teleport them out?_ He switched on the field lights, went back outside. The man was gone. Johnny turned back sharply, went in and got the key, locked up behind him this time when he came out. Went five steps and turned back, unlocked the door, went into his den, and came out a few minutes later with a gun full of bird shot. He held it conspicuously in plain sight while he locked up again. Then he paced off the distance to the heli, watching the trees to the right and left of the path closely. “Don’t mind shooting anybody trespassing on my property,” he remarked aloud. He was out on the field when he heard the crackling twigs of the man’s retreat. He smiled. Maybe instead of putting the ship up, he ought to take off and.... A brawl wouldn’t solve anything. But it sure as Hell would _feel_ good. He flexed his shoulders, felt muscles tighten, and decided regretfully that he’d better get back in the house and stay there. He hangared the heli, locked the garage, and went back indoors. Then he took the stack of newspapers and spread them on the coffee table in the living room. They were full of it, all right. CHRISTY TOPS McLFTY. WENDT TO BE CALLED. McLAFFERTY WILL GO TO MOON DOME SCIENTIST LAYS BLAME FOR ‘LEAKS’ TO SAC He read with particular interest one headed, DR. C. SAYS WENDT SEDATION WAS S.O.P. SECURITY MEASURE, where he learned for the first time that sedation for the trip was ordinarily limited to the self-powered shuttle trips at each end: all other passengers on the shuttle that carried him and Lisa to the Moon had been awake in the _Messenger_, and all but himself, coming down. According to Chris, the precaution was taken in his case to avert possible efforts by “any agents of other powers” to get information they thought Col. Wendt might possess.