General Longcombe sighed. "Very well, Mr. Foote. Go on."
"You mentioned earlier, sir, that there was no way of herding the VEMs into an isolated area. However, I think there is a way. Suppose we were to remove all of the automobiles from the vicinity with the exception of one, and suppose we were to park that one in the middle of Tillson Valley as bait, with a remote-controlled A-bomb underneath it?"
"But how would they know that the bait was there?"
"Through association," Dexter said. "All of the automobiles they've consumed thus far were in operation shortly before they began to eat them, so by now they must have established an unconscious relationship between the sound of the motors and the taste of the metal. Therefore, if we keep the bait idling and set up a P.A. system to amplify the sound, eventually they'll hear it, their mouths will salivate and they'll come running."
General Longcombe offered no comment He appeared to be deep in thought.
"My car is in West Virginia," Colonel Mortby said.
"My car was eaten," Dexter said.
General Longcombe opened his mouth. "My car—" he began.
Sergeant Wilkins entered the room and saluted smartly. "The general's Cadillac has just arrived, sir," he said.