"He'd rather take it that way than the firing squad, I guess," Masters decided.
"Masters," Taylor said. "We overlooked something. Norden knows something we don't know. He was around Orkins most of the time after we left the plant. He listened to what Orkins said. Orkins was in the factory when the spheres first appeared. I overlooked Orkins as having an answer to the problem. I thought I knew it all, but I was wrong! Orkins knew more than I know about the spheres."
"Sure! I should have thought of it, too. How did Orkins get away when everyone else got killed? I never asked that. I just took it for granted that he got away by accident. Orkins might have known enough to help Norden get the spheres on his side!"
Taylor already was running toward the factory. At his heels came Masters and Pember.
CHAPTER VI
Inferno
They found no sign of Norden as they approached the factory. Several times they had to take cover in ditches and weeds as whispering spheres floated overhead in search of prey. But they escaped the electrical feelers which stirred the grass and brush around them.
Pember recovered his Garand rifle, which had been left near the sentry box during the retreat.
Taylor led the group into the tunnel, with Masters following and Pember bringing up the rear.