"Not much I suppose, when they pull the curtain in front of you."
Jerry was breathing hard inside his radiation suit. "Peterman, I've got a notion to make a break!"
"That decision you've got to make yourself, Conlon. Only remember, that leaving your post gives the Lieutenant the right to shoot you in the back!"
"I'll take that chance. I've got to see Mildred and Billy. You think you'd do the same thing, Peterman, if you had legs? Would you?"
"I might. I don't know. I'm in no position to give it much thought."
"But don't you think this is stupid to wait for certain death when there's no hope—when I've got the chance to see the ones I love, maybe for the last time?"
"It's stupid all right I guess."
"You've got loved ones, haven't you, Peterman? You know how much it means?" Peterman clammed and refused to talk.
Jerry went to the storage which was built into the side of the concrete wall, opened the door, and brought out his rifle. He examined the automatic weapon and found it undamaged. He looked around. Lieutenant Blake was out of sight inside the dugout where he was still trying to pick up messages. The replacement was mechanically heaving debris away from the traverse frame of the big gun.