“You go to bed, Gregg––we don’t need you.”
I was glad enough to get away. I would lie down for an hour, and then go to Anita’s stateroom. I’d demand that Dr. Frank let me see her, if only for a moment.
I went to the stern deck-space where my cubby was located. My mind was confused, but some instinct within me made me verify the seals of my door and window. They were intact. I entered cautiously, switched on the dimmer of the tube-lights, and searched the room. It had only a bunk, my tiny desk, a chair and clothes robe.
There was no evidence of any intruder here. I set my door and window alarm. Then I audiphoned to the helio-room.
“Snap?”
“Yes.”
I told him about Anita. Carter cut in on us from the chart-room. “Stop that, you fools!”
We cut off. Fully dressed, I flung myself on my bed. Anita might die....
I must have fallen into a tortured sleep. I was awakened by the sound of my alarm buzzer. Someone was tampering with my door! Then the buzzer ceased; the marauder outside must have found a way of silencing it. But it had done its work––awakened me.