I'm here, Klon Darra!
You're a crazy fool, but I'm glad you did it, came the reply. Go down the left-hand corridor about a hundred paces and turn right. There's an alcove there and a half-stairway that descends about eight feet. I'm in a room at the bottom of that stairway. Got all that?
You bet. I'm going to come in shooting—and we'll be on our way out of here in no time.
Following the Venusian's instructions he tiptoed along the strangely silent corridor, looking for the alcove and the half-stairway.
He found it.
The door was unguarded. Palming the tiny blaster, he went quietly down the stairs, groped for the handle of the door.
In the instant he threw the door open the Venusian's mental voice wailed, Look out, it's a trap!
