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nd fixed its position； recording the strength and direction of the radio beam from the satellite。 Once this was done； it would be driven in the most likely direction of the satellite for a distance of twenty miles。 Then it would stop and take new coordinates。 In this way； a series of triangulation points could be mapped； and the van could proceed to the satellite by a zigzag path； stopping every twenty miles to correct any error。 The method was slower than using two vans； but it was safer the Army felt that two vans in an area might arouse suspicion。
For six hours； the van had been closing on the Scoop satellite。 Now they were almost there。
Crane tapped the map with a pencil in a nervous way and announced the name of the town at the foot of the hill： Piedmont； Arizona。 Population forty…eight； both men laughed over that； though they were both inwardly concerned。 The Vandenberg ESA； or Estimated Site of Arrival； had been twelve miles north of Piedmont。 Vandenberg puted this site on the basis of radar observations and 1410 puter trajectory projections。 The estimates were not usually wrong by more than a few hundred yards。
Yet there was no denying the radio…directional equipment； which located the satellite beeper directly in the center of town。 Shawn suggested that someone from the town might have seen it ing down it would be glowing with the heat and might have retrieved it； bringing it into Piedmont。
This was reasonable； except that a native of Piedmont who happened upon an American satellite fresh from space would have told someone reporters； police； NASA； the Army； someone。
But they had heard nothing。
Shawn climbed back down from the van； with Crane scrambling after him； shivering as the cold air struck him。 Together； the two men looked out over the town。
It was peaceful； but pletely dark。 Shawn noticed that the gas station and the motel both had their lights doused。 Yet they represented the only gas station and motel for miles。
And then Shawn noticed the birds。
In the light of the full moon he could see them； big birds； gliding in slow circles over the buildings； passing like black shadows across the face of the moon。 He wondered why he hadn't noticed them before； and asked Crane what he made of them。
Crane said he didn't make anything of them。 As a joke； he added； 〃Maybe they're buzzards。〃
〃That's what they look like； all right；〃 Shawn said。
Crane laughed nervously； his breath hissing out into the night。〃 But why should there be buzzards here？ They only e when something is dead。〃
Shawn lit a cigarette； cupping his hands around the lighter； protecting the flame from the wind。 He said nothing； but looked down at the buildings； the outline of the little town。 Then he scanned the town once more with binoculars； but saw no signs of life or movement。
At length； he lowered the binoculars and dropped his cigarette onto the crisp snow； where it sputtered and died。
He turned to Crane and said； 〃We'd better go down and have a look。〃
2。 Vandenberg
THREE HUNDRED MILES AWAY； IN THE LARGE； square； windowless room that served as Mission Control for Project Scoop； Lieutenant Edgar roe sat with his feet on his desk and a stack of scientific…journal articles before him。 roe was serving as control officer for the night； it was a duty he filled once a month； directing the evening operations of the skeleton crew of twelve。 Tonight； the crew was monitoring the progress and reports of the van coded Caper One； now making its way across the Arizona desert。
roe disliked this job。 The room was gray and lighted with fluorescent lights； the tone was sparsely utilitarian and roe found it unpleasant。 He never came to Mission Control except during a launch； when the atmosphere was different。 Then the room was filled with busy technicians； each at work on a single plex task； each tense with the peculiar cold anticipation that precedes any spacecraft launch。
But nights were dull。 Nothing ever happened at night。 roe took advantage of the time and used it to catch up on reading。 By profession he was a cardiovascular physiologist； with special interest in stresses induced at high…G accelerations。
Tonight； roe was reviewing a journal article titled 〃Stoichiometrics of Oxygen…Carrying Capacity and Diffusion Gradients with Increased Arterial Gas Tensions。〃 He found it slow reading； and only moderately interesting。 Thus he was willing to be interrupted when the overhead loudspeaker； which carried the voice transmission from the van of Shawn and Crane； clicked on。
Shawn said； 〃This is Caper One to Vandal Deca。 Caper One to Vandal Deca。 Are you reading。 Over。〃
roe； feeling amused； replied that he was indeed reading。
〃We are about to enter the town of Piedmont and recover the satellite。〃
〃Very good； Caper One。 Leave your radio open。
〃Roger。〃
This was a regulation of the recovery technique； as outlined in the Systems Rules Manual of Project Scoop。 The SRM was a thick gray paperback that sat at one corner of roe's desk； where he could refer to it easily。 roe knew that conversation between van and base was taped； and later became part of the permanent project file； but he had never understood any good reason for this。 In fact； it had always seemed to him a straightforward proposition： the van went out； got the capsule； and came back。
He shrugged and returned to his paper on gas tensions； only half listening to Shawn's voice as it said； 〃We are now inside the town。 We have just passed a gas station and a motel。 All quiet here。 There is no sign of life。 The signals from the satellite are stronger。 There is a church half a block ahead。 There are no lights or activity of any kind。〃
roe put his journal down。 The strained quality of Shawn's voice was unmistakable。 Normally roe would have been amused at the thought of two grown men made jittery by entering a small； sleepy desert town。 But he knew Shawn personally； and he knew that Shawn； whatever other virtues he might have； utterly lacked an imagination。 Shawn could fall asleep in a horror movie。 He was that kind of man。
roe began to listen。
Over the crackling static； he heard the rumbling of the van engine。 And he heard the two men in the van talking quietly。
Shawn： 〃Pretty quiet around here。〃
Crane： 〃Yes sir。〃
There was a pause。
Crane：。 〃Sir？〃
Shawn： 〃Yes？〃
Crane： 〃Did you see that？〃
Shawn： 〃See what？〃
Crane： 〃Back there； on the sidewalk。 It looked like a body。〃
Shawn： 〃You're imagining things。〃
Another pause； and then roe heard the van e to a halt； brakes squealing。
Shawn： 〃Judas。〃
Crane： 〃It's another one； sir。
Shawn： 〃Looks dead。〃
Crane： 〃Shall I〃
Shawn： 〃No。 Stay in the van。〃
His voice became louder； more formal； as he ran through the call。 〃This is Caper One to Vandal Deca。 Over。〃
roe picked up the microphone。 〃Reading you。 What's happened？〃
Shawn； his voice tight； said； 〃Sir； we see bodies。 Lots of them。 They appear to be dead。〃
〃Are you certain； Caper One？〃