had to use everything." The tired man standing at the door wasCorporal Forester. "We used even trainees from the Academy, and thosetwo must have gotten out of here as soon as the riot started.
"There was only one checkpoint between here and Harrisburg and thetruck looked legitimate, full of clothes picked up around thecountryside. There seemed to be only one man in it and he was a sortof everyday-looking fellow."
Bennington remembered his own impression of Dalton.
"I can't blame the trainees. Dalton's gotten by better men than theyare yet," the corporal continued. "And they were looking for desperatecriminals, not for someone in a cleaning company's uniform who asked,when they stopped him, if they wanted some work done."
"Anybody been killed yet?" Thornberry asked.
Forester was a long time answering. "Not yet, doctor. But a mananswering Clarens' description bought six steak knives near therailroad station tonight."
"Six steak knifes?" Mosby asked.
"Yes," Forester answered. "Clarens and Dalton split the money thecleaning man was carrying."
"How do you know this?" Bennington asked.
"Dalton gave himself up," Forester answered. "He wanted nothing to dowith Clarens when the boy started eying the knives."
"We've got to get to Harrisburg," Bennington said, "and the firstthing we've got to do is to find Judkins."
"If only our files had not been shot up when the cons took overMessage Center," Thornberry worried, "we could have gotten in touchwith his sister-in-law."
"No," said Bennington and Forester together.
"No," agreed General Mosby.
The two generals looked at each other, then at the corporal.
Forester took the cue. "I think it's a planned job. The riot, that is.Someone wanted to disgrace you the first day you took over, general.Or, listen! This may be it: they wanted to be sure that someone herein prison didn't talk. I mean--" The trooper rubbed his hand acrosshis forehead. "Thought I had something there."
"I think you do," Bennington said, "but first things first. Let's findJudkins. Then Clarens."
"We'll fly down," Mosby decided. "And let's do something I alwayswanted to do. We'll land on the Capitol grounds. Give me your phone,Jim. We will need more than the battalion I brought with me."
"And it's upstairs, ready and waiting."
* * * * *
Considering Harrisburg from above, Bennington decided the town, as atactical problem in setting up patrols, offered unique difficulties.The way those railroad yards stretched up and down each side of theriver....
The riot-control copter had moved ahead of them and was their guide toa relatively clear spot among the trees dotting the Capitol grounds.
Three dignitaries awaited their arrival, Governor Willoughby, MayorJordan and Chief of Police Scott.
"This way, sir," said Scott, elbowing aside the other two."Formalities can wait, we've got work to do."
Introductions were performed on the way to another grove lanced withsearchlights. A photographer was busy over the body of a middle-agedman.
"Some folks you can't tell anything," Scott said, "and especially whenthey're in heat. We never had any complaints about this guy, but weknew what he was. I myself told him that someday he would pick up thewrong man.
"And he sure did this time," he added unnecessarily.
Corporal Forester squatted beside the body. "He was kneeling, grabbedby his long hair, head pulled back, one good slash did the rest."
"Real nice slash," General Mosby agreed professionally. "I'd like toshow that to some of my men." He pushed the head back so that the cutacross the throat was more clearly visible. "Just one swipe."
"Clarens was a pre-med student," Thornberry stated.
Bennington noticed that his psych-expert had kept his gaze fixed onthe trees after a glance at the body.
"No idea where he went from here, of course?" Mosby asked.
"None," Scott admitted, "but I've got patrols out."
"I've got another battalion upstairs," Mosby remarked, jabbing towardthe stars with his thumb, "and the rest of the regiment on the way.
"You know this town. Tell me how you want them distributed."
"I'd like to." Scott meditated a moment. "But, I can't. I can't evenswear them in. They're Federal troops."
"I've just declared martial law," Governor Willoughby emerged from theshadows.
"Thanks, sir." Scott looked like a man with a weight taken from hisshoulders. "We'll need cars, of course."
"But we can stop them on the streets. Then have our men drive themhome. With your help, General Mosby, we can cover this town like ablanket."
But the blanket was too late to stop the second murder.
* * * * *
The report came in after they had talked to Dalton.
"That's why I gave myself up," the convict said. "I wanted no part ofthat guy, so I figured my best alibi was a nice, quiet cell."
"How is Clarens dressed?" Scott demanded.
"He picked a double-breasted blue suit from the racks in the truck.Fitted him good, too."
Scott strode into the next room and through the open door Benningtonsaw the Chief of Police pick up a mike.
"This is important." Thornberry, intent, looking like a lean hound ona hot trail. "_What were you told when you were conditioned?_"
"I don't remember." Dalton was plainly baffled. "I just don'tremember. Something about when a guy threw his tray.... You got me, Idon't know."
"All right." The psychologist tried another tack. "What made you leavethe others and take Clarens with you?"
"I didn't take him with me." Dalton's voice was weary, edged withanger. "I remember sitting down under the hypno-hood in The Cage.From there on, things are mixed up. I think there was running andyelling and that I ran and yelled, too.
"Then I came to and I was in a building with a lot of guys grabbingguns."
"I should have predicted it," the psychologist said, "that he would becommanded to forget what he had been told while under the hood."
"Can't you remove the block?" Chief Scott had returned in time to hearthe last words.
Thornberry pursed his lips, then said, "It would take a very longtime. Remember, I know Judkins, I interviewed him and watched him workbefore we hired him. He is a very, very good hypno-tech. And there'sno machine anywhere near except at the prison.
"Let's hear the rest of his story. Go on, Dalton."
"You know my record, guns aren't for me. So I looked around and saw abusted window. This Clarens and another guy--a big fat one--had sortof stuck with me. I guess they didn't like guns either. When I wentout the window, they were right behind. Clarens and I ran real fast.The fat guy behind us tried to run as fast, but he wheezed too much.
"Somebody lying on the edge of the moat cut loose with a subgun andBig Belly went down. Then Clarens and I were in the water. The othercons back in the building started shooting at the guy with the subgun.I guess he got too busy ducking to give us any more attention. Anyhow,he didn't swing any tracers after us.
"We ran across a couple of fields, toward Duncannon, and spotted a guypulling a delivery truck into a farm lane. We sneaked in, found awrench. When the driver came back, I gave him a gentle tap. Clarensand I stripped the fellow, tied him up and shoved him in one of thebig baskets in the truck.
"In the uniform, it was a cinch to fool the troopers. They stopped usonly once on the way into town. When we got there, I switched againfrom the driver's uniform into one of the suits from the racks. We hadit made, hands down."
"Why didn't you turn Clarens in when you gave yourself up?" Scottdemanded angrily.
"I tried to. Remember, I didn't know who the guy was until after wehad looked in the railroad station and seen it full of cops. But whenhe started admiring the steak knives in the window, his name clickedwith me. I said to him, 'I've got to go to the little boy's room--I'llbe back in a minute'. I found the nearest cop and turned myself in,but I couldn'
t make that thickhead believe there was a worse one thanme down the street. At least, not until Clarens had got the knives andtaken off."
Bennington wondered if he had ever heard anyone speak with such deepdisgust.
The call which took them to the Camp Hill area justified Dalton'scondemnation.
* * * * *
The hysterical mother had been led away by a couple of