He ducked behind a building when he heard footsteps.
Two women passed him, speaking in low tones, their skirts rustling in the silence of the night.
He held his breath until they were gone, and darted out from concealment, walking more rapidly towards his destination.
The mess hall wasn't a hundred yards away from the wire fence that marked the safety limit. Even from where he was, he could see the red-lettered sign that warned conqueror and vanquished alike away from the radiation-contaminated zone.
Bolgar suddenly remembered that he had forgotten his ion gun. The thought troubled him only slightly. He had more vital things on his mind.
It was an odd revenge he was after.
The mess hall was a looming black shadow, facing the rows of sagging-roofed shacks that stretched out for a third of a mile. It was their quarters; seedier, uglier, far less equipped to withstand the brutal weather than the barracks; yet somehow, warmer, friendlier, happier-looking. He hated the sight of them.
He dived into the enveloping darkness behind the mess hall, stealing a look at the illuminated dial of his watch. He began his vigil.
In a few minutes, she would appear.