"Yes. They're through with us at the Conclave. Where is Anita?"
"We heard from her twice. I'm expecting...."
We could hear someone interrupting him. Then he came back. "Gregg? Molo took them somewhere. I didn't dare fling after them. He had his detector going, and Anita warned me not to try it. She had to stop connection herself. God knows how she was able to whisper to me at all."
His voice, like Brayley's, had the ring of a man strained to the breaking point. I could appreciate how Halsey must feel, forced to remain at his desk with its encircling banks of instruments; holding all the network of his farflung activities centralized; his decisions, his commands in a hundred places almost simultaneously, while his body sat there inactive.
"Gregg, the girls must have arrived at Molo's place by now. If only they know where they are! I have lookouts throughout the city with intricate and complete connecting equipment. Gregg, I must disconnect."
"Colonel, give me Anita's frequency. Maybe Snap or I can pick up the message."
He named the oscillating frequency, then disconnected.
"Try that frequency," Snap suggested. "We've got to do something."
The door-slide opened suddenly and an orderly appeared. "Haljan?"
"Get the hell away," roared Snap. "We've had our orders; we don't want any from you."