Jason Charless blinked foolishly. At the far end of the vast cave, the
sealed door opened swiftly.
"Who--?" he called angrily, then turned to look at his control panel;
it was inert.
Then at the far end of the floor, Guided Missile Number One lifted on
its launching rack and roared into life. It zoomed through the open
door with the thunder of hell and was gone into the sky.
Charless swore viciously. He grabbed the telephone to give someone
particular and official hell for not telling him--_but he controlled
them_.
Not an indicator was showing on his panel.
Did he really control them?
Missile Number Two raised and zoomed out, its rocket exhaust thundering
in the vast cave. He saw Number Three follow Number Two, then Number
Four followed Number Three. Number Five left with split-second timing,
and Number Six followed. Number Seven left as Charless sounded the
general alert, and Number Eight zoomed into the sky before the sirens
began to sound.
Number Thirty-seven had passed the open door by the time Charless
managed to get his call through to his commanding officer. Number
Eighty-one went out on its trail of flame by the time that General
Lloyd's official command came into the cave on feet driven by fear.
Number Two Hundred arrowed into the upper air while Lloyd's men were
searching the known spectra of electromagnetic radiations in an effort
to discover who or what was capable of directing radio-controlled
missiles that should have been inert until Jason Charless awakened them
by pressing the proper button.
Number Seven Hundred Sixty-three roared skywards as General Lloyd's
men turned from their instruments in despair. Number Eight Hundred
Fifty-seven left at the instant that General Lloyd asked for a
volunteer to--die.