The city lay like a great carnival ground in the wilderness, illuminating the dark night. Dan and Professor Corbett lay on the ground, hidden behind the scrubby growth of bushes a few hundred yards from the wall of the city.
Dan looked at his watch and the luminous dial told him it was ten o'clock. The raid was scheduled for 10:20.
"I think we got all the patrols, Alan," Dan whispered, "but I warned the men to be careful anyway. We didn't have enough guns for everybody, but once we're in the city we can get them from the Watchers and from their arsenal."
Professor Corbett leaned toward Dan. "Let's go over the plan once more," he said.
Dan shifted his position. "We have thirty people down at the West End gate. They're coming in three minutes after we start. Bill and Ed will open this gate and at the same time Joe will dynamite the drug warehouses."
"Three of our men," the Professor said, "will head for the South gate as soon as we're in, and three others will open the East gate. If the surprise is great enough, they shouldn't have too hard a time overcoming the Watchers at the gates. They'll be too confused to know what hit them."
"Mike," Dan said, "will barricade the Watcher's barracks at 10:18, and then wait until he is joined by the group from the West. That will only take a few minutes and, once there, the group will split. Part will keep the Watcher's under control and the rest will invade the Detention Plant."
"Mike can pass out guns from the Watcher's arsenal to our people in the Plant and direct them to the Playground. I'll head for the Playground as soon as we're in," the Professor continued, "and we'll take over there."
"You'll have the most men, Alan," Dan said. "I'm taking eight men and heading for the Council Building. We'll grab the Council and bring them to the Playground. Check, Alan?"
"Check!"