As the four silent followers moved forward, Jim saw that the leader was
watching them--he had taken his eyes off Jim himself.
Lawrence reached out and made a grab for the gun--but the dark man was
a move ahead of him. He moved away smoothly, whirled, and brought the
gun down stunningly on Jim's head.
Jim threw a wild, wobbly punch at the man, and then the other four
moved in on him. He fought back blindly for a few moments, but then a
fist raked across his jaw, another smashed into his stomach, and the
gun descended a second time. It caught him on the side of the head, and
he sagged to the floor.
The thick padding was the last thing he felt before he blacked out.
* * * * *
The pain of awakening was worse than the pain of the blow. Jim's head
throbbed as though there were a motorcycle engine inside it.
When he opened his eyes, the pain became worse. A brilliant light was
shining directly into his eyes. He winced and closed them again.
"Dim the light," said a softly slurred voice.
Jim opened his eyes again. This time, he saw what was standing over
him, and he recoiled in horror.
The being looked vaguely reptilian, but there was a touch of the insect
about it, too. It was green in color and covered with scales, like a
fish. It stood on two legs, towering above him and gazing at him with
bulging, faceted, insect-like eyes.
After the initial reaction of disgust came another thought: _I've got
to get out of here!_
He rose to a sitting position, swung out with a fist. But the creature
ducked lithely away from the blow. Cold hands on his shoulders pressed
him down again, and he knew it was futile to attempt to fight his way
out. He closed his eyes again--hard.
"You are afraid of us," said the soft voice. "You fear me because of my
appearance. Please do not. I--we--mean you no harm, Dr. Lawrence."
The thing was calling him by his own name. Lawrence shook his head to
get the cobwebs out of it. What was going on?
It had been an ordinary, peaceful day. Then, five hoodlums kidnapping
Bette Bauer, and that blow on the head--
And now this. Reptilian creatures with glittering eyes. Lawrence opened
his eyes again. The scene remained the same--but this time he could see
three similar creatures in the background.
"Who--what are you?"