The gun centered on his belly. "I'll give you till I count ten," his counterpart clipped tightly.
Horning bit down hard. Pivoting, he hoisted the transdimensional registration unit from the floor and strapped it into position.
"In case you have any foolish ideas of coming back, let me warn you that I intend to set up a force barrier around this place," the man with his face observed with grim malice. "If you try to breach it, I'll kill you on sight."
Wordless, still seething, Horning switched the projector drive to reverse.
The room grew shadowy about him. His counterpart faded.
Horning pressed the disintegrator button.
Of a sudden, room and counterpart were gone. Once more Horning stood alone in the vastness of the shining silver plain. His head throbbed dully; he felt incredibly tired and drained.
For a moment he almost considered going back to his own world ... back to Myrtle.
But nightmare memories of the empty, bitter life they'd led rose up to steel him, all hatred, conflict, tension ... so different from the happiness of the other days, the days with Margaret.