heard the sound at the same time. A faint rumble,increasing swiftly into high thunder. They moved as one to the windowand saw four jet planes, in formation, moving across the sky from thesouth.
"There they come," Frank said. "The fight's started. Up to now the armyhas been trying to get set, I suppose."
Nora said, "Is there any way we can hail them? Let them know--"
Her words were cut off by the horror of what happened. As they watched,the plane skimmed low across the Loop. At a point, approximately overLake Street, Frank estimated, the planes were annihilated. There was aflash of blue fire coming in like jagged lightning to form four balls offire around the planes. The fire balls turned, almost instantly, intoglobes of white smoke that drifted lazily away.
And that was all. But the planes vanished completely.
"What happened?" Wilson muttered. "Where'd they go?"
"It was as if they hit a wall," Nora said, her voice hushed with awe.
"I think that _was_ what happened," Frank said. "The invaders have somekind of a weapon that holds us helpless. Otherwise the army wouldn'thave established this no-man's-land and pulled out. The reports said wehave them surrounded on all sides with the help of the lake. We'retrying to keep them isolated."
Jim Wilson snorted. "It looks like we've got them right where they wantus."
"Anyhow, we're damn fools to stick around here. We'd better head south."
Wilson looked wistfully about the room. "I guess so, but it's ashame--walking away from all this."
Nora was staring out the window, a small frown on her face. "I wonderwho they are and where they came from?"
"The teletype releases were pretty vague on that."
She turned quickly. "There's something peculiar about them. Somethingreally strange."
"What do you mean?"
"Last night when we were walking up the street. It must have been theseinvaders we heard. They must have been across the street. But theydidn't act like invaders. They seemed--well, scared. I got the feelingthey ran from us in panic. And they haven't been back."
Wilson said, "They may not have been there at all. Probably ourimaginations."
"I don't think so," Frank cut in. "They were there and then they weregone. I'm sure of it."
"Those wailing noises. They were certainly signalling to each other. Doyou suppose that's the only language they have?" Nora walked over andoffered the silent Minna a cigarette. Minna refused with a shake of herhead.
"I wish we knew what they looked like," Frank said. "But let's not sithere talking. Let's get going."
Jim Wilson was scowling. There was a marked sullenness in his manner."Not Minna and me. I've changed my mind. I'm sticking here."
Frank blinked in surprise. "Are you crazy? We've run our luck outalready. Did you see what happened to those planes?"
"The hell with the planes. We've got it good here. This I like. I likeit a lot. We'll stay."
"Okay," Frank replied hotly, "but talk for yourself. You're not makingMinna stay!"
Wilson's eyes narrowed. "I'm not? Look, buster--how about minding yourown goddam business?"
The vague feelings of disgust Frank had had now crystallized into words."I won't let you get away with it! You think I'm blind? Hauling her intothe back room every ten minutes! Don't you think I know why? You'renothing but a damn sex maniac! You've got her terrorized until she'safraid to open her mouth. She goes with us!"
Jim Wilson was on his feet. His face blazed with rage. The urge to killwas written in the crouch of his body and the twist of his mouth. "Yougoddam nosey little squirt. I'll--"
Wilson charged across the short, intervening distance. His arms went outin a clutching motion.
But Frank Brooks wasn't full of knockout drops this time, and with aclear head he was no pushover. Blinded with rage, Jim Wilson _was_ apushover. Frank stepped in between his outstretched arms and slugged himsquarely on top of the head with the telephone. Wilson went down like afelled steer.
The scream came from Minna as she sprang across the room. She had turnedfrom a colorless rag doll into a tigress. She hit Frank square in thebelly with small fists at the end of stiff, outstretched arms. The fullforce of her charge was behind the fists, and Frank went backward overthe bed.
Minna did not follow up her attack. She dropped to the floor beside JimWilson and took his huge head in her lap. "You killed him," she sobbed."You--you murderer! You killed him! You had no right!"
Frank sat wide-eyed. "Minna! For God's sake! I was helping you. I did itfor you!"
"Why don't you mind your business? I didn't ask you to protect me? Idon't need any protection--not from Jim."
"You mean you didn't mind the way he's treated you--"
"You've killed him--killed him--" Minna raised her head slowly. Shelooked at Frank as though she saw him for the first time. "You're afool" she said dully. "A big fool. What right have you got to meddlewith other people's affairs? Are you God or something, to run people'slives?"
"Minna--I--"
It was as though he hadn't spoken. "Do you know what it's like to havenobody? All your life to go on and grow older without anybody? I didn'thave no one and then Jim came along and wanted me."
Frank walked close to her and bent down. She reacted like a tiger."Leave him alone! Leave him alone! You've done enough!"
Nonplused, Frank backed away.
"People with big noses--always sticking them in. That's you. Was thatany of your business what he wanted of me? Did I complain?"
"I'm sorry, Minna. I didn't know."
"I'd rather go into back rooms with him than stay in front rooms withoutnobody."
She began to cry now. Wordlessly--soundlessly, rocking back and forthwith the huge man's bloody head in her lap. "Anytime," she crooned."Anytime I would--"
The body in her arms stirred. She looked down through her tears and sawthe small black eyes open. They were slightly crossed, unfocused as theywere by the force of the blow. They straightened and Jim mumbled, "Whatthe hell--what the hell--"
Minna's time for talking seemed over. She smiled--a smile hardlyperceptible, as though it was for herself alone. "You're all right," shesaid. "That's good. You're all right."
Jim pushed her roughly away and staggered to his feet. He stood swayingfor a moment, his head turning; for all the world like a bull blindedand tormented. Then his eyes focused on Frank.
"You hit me with the goddam phone."
"Yeah--I hit you."
"I'm gonna kill you."
"Look--I made a mistake." Frank picked up the phone and backed againstthe wall. "I hit you, but you were coming at me. I made a mistake andI'm sorry."
"I'll smash your goddam skull."
"Maybe you will," Frank said grimly. "But you'll work for it. It won'tcome easy."
A new voice bit across the room. "Cut it out. I'll do the killing.That's what I like best. Everybody quiet down."
They turned and saw a slim, pale-skinned young man in the open doorway.The door had opened quietly and no one had heard it. Now the pale youngman was standing in the room with a small, nickle-plated revolver in hisright hand.
The left hand was close down at his side. It was swathed generously inwhite bandage.
The young man chuckled. "The last four people in the world were in aroom," he said, "and there was a knock on the door."
His chuckle deepened to one of pure merriment. "Only there wasn't aknock. A man just walked in with a gun that made him boss."
No one moved. No one spoke. The man waited, then went on: "My name isLeroy Davis. I lived out west and I always had a keeper because theysaid I wasn't quite right. They wanted me to pull out with the rest ofthem, but I slugged my keeper and here I am."
"Put down the gun and we'll talk it over," Frank said. "We're all inthis together."
"No, we aren't. I've got a gun, so that makes me top man. You're all init together, but I'm not. I'm the boss, and which one of you tried tocut my hand off last night."
"You tried to break in here yelling and
screaming like a madman. I heldthe door. What else could I do?"
"It's all right. I'm not mad. My type--we may be nuts, but we never holda grudge. I can't remember much about last night. I found some whisky ina place down the street and whisky drives me nuts. I don't know what I'mdoing when I