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〃Great security measures；〃 Hall said。
〃We try not to arouse suspicion。 The security is better than it looks。〃
They proceeded another mile； bouncing along the dirt rut； and then came over a hill。 Suddenly Hall saw a large； fenced circle perhaps a hundred yards in diameter。 The fence； he noticed； was ten feet high and sturdy； at intervals it was laced with barbed wire。 Inside was a utilitarian wooden building； and a field of corn。
〃？〃 Hall said。
〃Rather clever； I think。〃
They came to the entrance gate。 A man in dungarees and a T…shirt came out and opened it for them； he held a sandwich in one hand and was chewing vigorously as he unlocked the gate。 He winked and smiled and waved them through； still chewing。 The sign by the gate said：
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
U。S。 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DESERT RECLAMATION TEST STATION
Leavitt drove through the gates and parked by the wooden building。 He left the keys on the dashboard and got out。 Hall followed him。
〃Now what？〃
〃Inside；〃 Leavitt said。 They entered the building； ing directly into a small room。 A man in a Stetson hat； checked sport shirt； and string tie sat at a rickety desk。 He was reading a newspaper and； like the man at the gate； eating his lunch。 He looked up and smiled pleasantly。
〃Howdy；〃 he said。
〃Hello；〃 Leavitt said。
〃Help you folks？〃
〃Just passing through；〃 Leavitt said。 〃On the way to Rome。〃
The man nodded。 〃Have you got the time？〃
〃My watch stopped yesterday；〃 Leavitt said。
〃Durn shame；〃 the man said。
〃It's because of the heat。〃
The ritual pleted； the man nodded again。 And they walked past him； out of the anteroom and down a corridor。 The doors had hand…printed labels： 〃Seedling Incubation〃； 〃Moisture Control〃； 〃Soil Analysis。〃 A half…dozen people were at work in the building； all of them dressed casually； but all of them apparently busy。
〃This is a real agricultural station；〃 Leavitt said。 〃If necessary； that man at the desk could give you a guided tour； explaining the purpose of the station and the experiments that are going on。 Mostly they are attempting to develop a strain of corn that can grow in low…moisture； high…alkalinity soil。
〃And the Wildfire installation？〃
〃Here；〃 Leavitt said。 He opened a door marked 〃Storage〃 and they found themselves staring at a narrow cubicle lined with rakes and hoes and watering hoses。
〃Step in；〃 Leavitt said。
Hall did。 Leavitt followed and closed the door behind him。 Hall felt the floor sink and they began to descend； rakes and hoses and all。
In a moment； he found himself in a modern； bare room； lighted by banks of cold overhead fluorescent lights。 The walls were painted red。 The only object in the room was a rectangular； waist…high box that reminded Hall of a podium。 It had a glowing green glass top。
〃Step up to the analyzer；〃 Leavitt said。 〃Place your hands flat on the glass； palms down。〃
Hall did。 He felt a faint tingling in his fingers； and then the machine gave a buzz。
〃All right。 Step back。〃 Leavitt placed his hands on the box； waited for the buzz； and then said； 〃Now we go over here。 You mentioned the security arrangements； I'll show them to you before we enter Wildfire。〃
He nodded to a door across the room。
〃What was that thing？〃
〃Finger and palm…print analyzer；〃 Leavitt said。 〃It is fully automatic。 Reads a posite of ten thousand dermatographic lines so it can't make a mistake； in its storage banks it has a record of the prints of everyone cleared to enter Wildfire。〃
Leavitt pushed through the door。
They were faced with another door； marked SECURITY； which slid back noiselessly。 They entered a darkened room in which a single man sat before banks of green dials。
〃Hello； John；〃 Leavitt said to the man。 〃How are you？〃
〃Good； Dr。 Leavitt。 Saw you e in。〃
Leavitt introduced Hall to the security man； who then demonstrated the equipment to Hall。 There were； the man explained； two radar scanners located in the hills overlooking the installation； they were well concealed but quite effective。 Then closer in； impedance sensors were buried in the ground； they signaled the approach of any animal life weighing more than one hundred pounds。 The sensors ringed the base。
〃We've never missed anything yet；〃 the man said。 〃And if we do 。 。 。 〃 He shrugged。 To Leavitt： 〃Going to show him the dogs？〃
〃Yes；〃 Leavitt said。
They walked through into an adjoining room。 There were nine large cages there； and the room smelled strongly of animals。 Hall found himself looking at nine of the largest German shepherds he had ever seen。
They barked at him as he entered； but there was no sound in the room。 He watched in astonishment as they opened their mouths and threw their heads forward in a barking motion。
No sound。
〃These are Army…trained sentry dogs；〃 the security man said。 〃Bred for viciousness。 You wear leather clothes and heavy gloves when you walk them。 They've undergone laryngectomies； which is why you can't hear them。 Silent and vicious。〃
Hall said； 〃Have you ever； uh； used them？〃
〃No；〃 the security man said。 〃Fortunately not。〃
***
They were in a small room with lockers。 Hall found one with his name on it。
〃We change in here；〃 Leavitt said。 He nodded to a stack of pink uniforms in one corner。 〃Put those on； after you have removed everything you are wearing。〃
Hall changed quickly。 The uniforms were loose…fitting one…piece suits that zipped up the side。 When they had changed they proceeded down a passageway。
Suddenly an alarm sounded and a gate in front of them slid closed abruptly。 Overhead； a white light began to flash。 Hall was confused； and it was only much later that he remembered Leavitt looked away from the flashing light。
〃Something's wrong；〃 Leavitt said。 〃Did you remove everything？〃
〃Yes；〃 Hall said。
〃Rings； watch； everything？〃
Hall looked at his hands。 He still had his watch on。
〃Go back；〃 Leavitt said。 〃Put it in your locker。〃
Hall did。 When he came back； they started down the corridor a second time。 The gate remained open； and there was no alarm。
〃Automatic as well？〃 Hall said。
〃Yes；〃 Leavitt said。 〃It picks up any foreign object。 When we installed it； we were worried because we knew it would pick up glass eyes； cardiac pacemakers； false teeth anything at all。 But fortunately nobody on the project has these things。〃
〃Fillings？〃
〃It is programmed to ignore fillings。〃
〃How does it work？〃
〃Some kind of capacitance phenomenon。 I don't really understand it；〃 Leavitt said。
They passed a sign that said：
YOU ARE NOW ENTERING LEVEL I PROCEED DIRECTLY TO IMMUNIZATION CONTROL
Hall noticed that all the walls were red。 He mentioned this to Leavitt。
〃Yes；〃 Leavitt said。 〃All levels are painted a different color。 Level I is red； II； yellow； III； white； IV； green； and V； blue。〃
〃Any particular reason for the choice？〃
〃It seems；〃 Leavitt said； 〃th