"Murdock, where are you going?" This came from one of the ambushers to the rear.
"I thought I saw something. I'm going ahead to check it out."
"I can't give you an escort till we clear some of these wrecks."
"That's all right."
"How many rockets have you got?"
He glanced again at the dash, where the only light that burned was orange and pulsing steadily.
"Enough."
"Why don't you wait?"
Murdock chuckled. "Do you really think any of those clunkers could touch something like the Angel? I won't be long."
They moved toward the bend and turned. The last of the sunlight was striking the highest points of the eastern rim overhead.
Nothing.
"Picking anything up?" he asked.
"No. Do you want a light?"
.. " No.
Farther to the east the sounds of firing were diminishing. The Angel slowed as they neared a wide slice of darkness to the left.
"This ravine may go through. Do we turn here or continue on?"
"Can you detect anything within it?"
"No."
"Then keep going."
His hand still upon the grip, Murdock moved the big gun slightly with each turn that they took, covering the most likely areas of opposition rather than the point directly ahead.
"This is no good," he finally announced. "I've got to have a light. Give me the overhead spot."
Instantly the prospect before him was brightly illuminated: dark rocks, orange stands of stone, striped walls almost a coral seascape through waves of settling dust.
"I think somebody's been by here more recently than those we burned."
"Don't tired people sometimes see things that are not really there?"
Murdock sighed.
"Yes, and I am tired. That may be it. Take the next bend anyway."
They continued on, making the turn.
Murdock swiveled the weapon and triggered it, blasting rock and clay at the corner of the next turning.
"There!" he cried. "You must have picked that up!"
"No. I detected nothing."
"I can't be cracking up at this point! I saw it! Check your sensors. Something must be off." ,
"Negative. All detection systems report in good order."
Murdock slammed his fist against the dash.
"Keep going. Something's there."
The ground was churned before them. There were too many tracks to tell a simple tale.
"Slowly now," he said as they approached the next bend. "Could one of them have some kind of equipment or something to block you. I wonder. Or am I really seeing ghosts? I don't see how-"
"Gully to the left. Another to the right."
"Slower! Run the spotlight up them as we pass."
They moved by the first one, and Murdock turned the weapon to follow the light. There were two side passages going off the ravine before it turned.
"Could be something up there," he mused. "No way of telling without going in. Let's take a look at the next one."
They rolled on. The light turned again, and so did the gun. The second opening appeared to be too narrow to accommodate a car. It ran straight back without branching, and there was nothing unusual in sight anywhere within it.
Murdock sighed again.
"I don't know," he said, "but the end is just around the next bend -a big box of a canyon. Go straight on in. And be ready for evasive action."
The radio crackled.
"You all right?" came a voice from the ambush squad.
"Still checking," he said. "Nothing so far. Just a little more to see."
He broke it off.
"You didn't mention-"
"I know. Be ready to move very fast."