"For centuries the prayers of Mexico's peasants have been their only shield against the devastating furies that have wrecked their homes and destroyed their lives." "And so today, again, they kneel terrified and helpless as a new volcano is created by the mysterious and rebellious forces of nature." "The earth has split a thousand times." "Whole acres of rich farmland have cracked and dropped from sight and millions of tons of molten lava are roaring down the slopes in a quake recorded on the seismograph of the University of Mexico as the most violent of modern times." "To the benighted citizenry of this remote countryside the most alarming aspect of the phenomenon is the fact that its unabated hourly growth is without precedence having reached a towering height of 9000 feet within a few days and with each added foot, it spreads its evil onslaught into a wider circumference." "But what is now most feared is that rescue work will be severely hampered by the hazardous inaccessibility of the terrain." "Well, there she is." "Yeah." "How much further do you suppose, doc?" "Three days on this washboard and that volcano looks as far away as it ever did." "Nobody stuck a gun in your back to make you become a geologist." "Yeah, but you don't have to rub it in." ""San Lorenzo, 12 kilometers."" "If there was any other village within 50 miles a sign like this could confuse people." "It looks like somebody else has been here." "Yeah, army truck, maybe." "Police." "Don't get me wrong, doc." "I love this Mexico of yours but up around here, I think I could stand a little company." "For my information, Hank, how did you get permission so fast?" "From my group, I mean." "After all, red tape and that sort of thing." "Simple." "I just told them the truth:" "That you needed me along as an interpreter." "That may be true, but I think the language you really spoke best was with our secretary who secured all the documents for you." "I didn't use Spanish with her." "That was sign language." "Incredible." "Truly, isn't it?" "If these estimates are right, this quake may be as severe as Mount Pelée Vesuvius, San Francisco." "Lucky there are so few people up here." "Well, there were enough." " Hello." " Hi." " How far you come, fellas?" " Mexico City." " We left on Monday." " Where do you want to go?" "San Lorenzo." "How far is it?" "Do you know?" "Who knows how the bridges are." "Maybe a couple of hours." "A police car went by just before sundown." "They didn't come back, so maybe they got through okay." "Was San Lorenzo hurt badly?" "Who knows?" "The telephone lines are down since the earthquake." " Thanks a lot." "See you later." " Take it easy." " What the devil was that?" " I don't know." "Ordinarily, I've got nothing against moonlight nights but I'll be glad to get by this one." "It looks like a farmhouse up ahead." "Maybe we can get some water up there." "I hope so." "I'd like to save those last two bottles of beer." "Well, no gas station ever looked better." " Hello?" " Anybody home?" "I'll see if I can find a well." "Hey, hello in there." "I wonder if we can have some water for our jeep." " Hey, Hank!" " Yeah?" "Come here!" "Look at this." "Over here too." "What do you suppose...?" "Look at that!" "What do you make of it?" "It must be that patrol car those telephone men saw but I certainly have no idea what could have happened or why." "What could do this to a car out here?" "You don't suppose they're trying to walk to San Lorenzo?" "511." "Calling 511." "Do you read me?" "Sergeant Vega, do you read me?" "This is headquarters calling 511." "Hello." "Hello, do you read me?" "511, I read you, Sergeant Vega." "What's your location?" "Sergeant Vega?" "Here, you better take this." "You're head man down here." " Hello." " Go ahead, please." "This is Arturo Ramos, professor of geology from the university." "My associate and I came upon this patrol car." "There has been an accident." "I believe we're a few kilometers south of the village of San Lorenzo." " Where's Sergeant Vega?" " He's not here." "No one is here." "The car is badly damaged, but there's no blood." " Did the car run off the road?" " No." "Frankly it..." "Didn't the sergeant make a report after the accident?" " The radio's working." " We have heard nothing." "Thank you, professor." "Leave the patrol car as it is." "We shall order military intelligence to send a unit to San Lorenzo immediately." "We will." "Well, we're not doing any good here, pal." "Hank, some of my countrymen may like rattlesnakes in the house." " I can do without them." " Let's take a look." "That rattlesnake is the worst kind of them all." "Come on, fella." "There you go." "You've had practice, Mr. Scott?" "I guess so, with four brothers and two sisters." "What do you suppose caused this wreck?" "That police car out there?" "It could've been a bull." "If it was, it had to be the grandpappy of the biggest bull that ever was." "Hank?" "You did notice the beans were still hot on the stove?" " Yep." " So?" "When I've already got a dozen questions I can't answer I try to ignore any new ones." "Do you think we ought to radio them about the kid?" "Nope, I think we ought to get to San Lorenzo as quick as we can." "Look at that kid." "Not a peep out of him." "If I ever have any of my own, I'll feed them beans and tortillas too." "Then I'll be able to get some sleep nights." "Hey, wait a minute." "Every cartridge has been fired." "Hello." "Hello?" "We only found Sergeant Vega and the baby." "I have that, professor." "Right." "You said Vega's revolver had all chambers fired." "Yes." "All." " At what?" " We wish we knew too." "Thank you again." "The emergency unit will be in San Lorenzo tomorrow." " Right." " That's all." "We're from Mexico City." "We're from Mexico City." "We're scientists." "Is the mayor here?" "Hernando, rest for a day or two." "Rosa, don't let him try to do too much." "Father!" "Father!" "They come." "Padre Delgado, the road is open." " Help is here." " From Mexico City." "At last, thank God." "Ask them in Spanish." "Welcome to San Lorenzo." "I am Father Delgado." "Arturo Ramos, of the university." "Dr. Henry Scott, from the United States." " I'm afraid I can't introduce this one." " Manuel Tiburcio!" "And the parents?" "They weren't there." "I think it might be better if we discuss this inside, Father." "Dead!" "They were dead!" "And now, Father, do you believe there is a demon bull killing us all one by one?" " Perla!" "I'll take Manuel." "I'll take him with me." "But I will not protect him from the devil just by lighting candles!" "Gentlemen, I know you are weary after your journey." "Can I offer you what hospitality the village may provide?" "Thank you, Father." "That car, Father, just pushed in as though it were paper." "And finding the sergeant with a look of death none of us had ever seen before." " Then this isn't the first time?" " The first Sunday after the eruption various of the congregation were not in church." "This is understandable, you realize, travel might have been impossible." "Then the Tiburcio family simply vanished." "The farm, as you have described, ravished as by some giant being." " But there were no bodies." " None until last Thursday." "Since then, a young girl." "She was crossing the field to spend that night with cousins, was found in the morning." "Horrible." "And the Dominguez brothers, ranchers were discovered in a gully with that look of horror on their faces and no blood." "It's small consolation, Father, I admit but as a scientist, I know where the effects are so similar there must be a simple, logical cause." "I wonder how simple, Dr. Ramos, or how logical." "Father, what about that story about the demon bull?" "That seems like a strange superstition." "Oh, the demon bull is a symbol of evil among many ancient civilizations." "About two days ago, all the workmen on the big Miraflores ranch that's a huge estate on the other side of the foothills decided to leave their work and come here to San Lorenzo." "Now, these men, usually frightened of nothing said they wouldn't work there a day longer." " They brought the tale of the demon bull." " Has Miraflores been attacked also?" "Cattle had been found dead in various areas of the ranch." "They hadn't been rounded up yet this year." "And for miles around, cowboys came upon one dead steer after another." "One of them had heard the tale of the demon bull of the Maricopa." "Now, gentlemen, I do not believe it, but it is as good an explanation as any other one." "Well, I'd like to think that our research up here might be of some help." "As do I, but this is no time to begin." "I know you're exhausted from your journey and listening to me." "Tonight you'll stay here, and maybe in the morning, things won't seem so mysterious." "Indeed, I hope so." "Here we are isolated, almost cut off from civilization having lost family or friends to something absolutely unknown." "We could be in another world." " Good night, Father." " Good night." "Thank you for everything, Father." " We really appreciate it." " That's all right." "See you later this afternoon." "Dr. Ramos, Dr. Scott I will ask you one more time not to begin this unnecessary expedition." "Major Cosio, we have answered all your questions." " I don't see how we can be of any service." " No, I don't require you for my work here." "I only know that if you start for that crater and find yourself in any difficulties men who are much more badly needed here will have to go find you." "I'm sorry." "So that's why you must come back safely, and before sundown with all the answers to your questions and mine." "Now you've got me." "What do you say, doc?" "Shall we try around over that side, or over here?" "Neither one of them looks exactly like a Pan-American highway." "Everyone's always said that the best fissures are on the eastern slope." "You can see the lava there." "Maybe we can get close enough to get some pictures and plan our best approach." "You see a trail up around those rocks?" "I don't know about that, but I've found something a lot more interesting." " So?" " So?" "Sí, sí, señor." "Here, have a look." "It'll do you more good than that bottled water." "Ah, yes." "Now I see him." "Doc, you haven't got that thing in focus." "They're focused and it's a handsome horse, and I'd like to get started." "Horse?" "There was a girl on that horse!" "Come on, we've gotta get started and find her." "Now, don't move too much." "I said don't move." "We've got to find out if you're all right first." "Oh, I'm all right, really." "Except I could have been more graceful if I'd known spectators were around." " Don't worry about that." " Gently, now." "No broken bones, señorita?" "No sharp pains?" "No, really, I'm all right." "I've fallen off Lucero before." "Not for many years, but..." "I really can ride, gentlemen." "I'm Teresa Alvarez, of Miraflores." "Hank Scott." "Dr. Arturo Ramos." "The luck of the Alvarez." "Tumble off a horse and land right next to a doctor." "Doctors of geology." "We operate only with little hammers on rocks." "How about the horse?" "I saw him gallop off." "Oh, don't bother." "Lucero always goes back to Miraflores but, the saddle, I don't know..." " I'll get it." " You're very kind." " No bother at all." " Do you happen to have a canteen?" " Oh, sure." "Right on the jeep." "Come on." " There's a mirror you can use." " Great." "Well, we'll be here several weeks at least." "We're conducting a sort of preliminary survey and then the other boys will join us here next month." "You make it sound like a very intriguing occupation." "Oh, it is." "You meet such interesting volcanoes." "Hey, Hank!" "Thank you, doctor." "I ought to thank you." "I found this near the saddle." " Oh, is that good?" " I'll say it is." "It's obsidian." "That's lava that's cooled." "Well, I wouldn't know." "Cattle, yes, but rocks..." " Could I ask another favor of you?" " Well, sure." "Would you mind taking me back to San Lorenzo?" " Be glad to." " Thank you." "I must get there today." "The telephone isn't working, and I have to hire some riders to help with my cattle." "That old volcano is really causing a lot of trouble this time." "Yeah, we heard in the village about your cowboys." "Well, if I lose my cattle, I lose everything." " How are things in San Lorenzo?" " Oh, so-so." "I don't know what's gotten into my vaqueros at Miraflores." "So there was an earthquake and the cattle started eating some poisonous weed we haven't learned of yet." "Is that any reason to act like frightened children?" "I don't think it's just a poisonous plant, señorita." "You don't grow them that can push in the side of a building and wreck a car." "Oh, don't forget." "You've promised to use Miraflores as your headquarters." "It will be a great convenience, señorita." " Then we'll meet later?" " Right." "Chamoco, Felipe, Jose." "All of you." "Let me ask you this." "If your patron, my father, were alive today would you be frightened of sounds in the night and run like children to the village?" " Señorita Teresa, I understand you need us." " I say only this, muchachos." "I have known you all for all my life." "We have always worked together." " Many of you were born at Miraflores." " That's right." "If you don't wish to return just to help me save my cattle for me then return to save Miraflores." " We'll return." " Gracias." "Dr. Ramos." "Dr. Scott." " Major Cosio wants to see you." " Where is he?" " In the laboratory with Dr. Delacruz." " Laboratory?" "You'd be surprised at the experiments that go on there." " Where is it?" " This way." "Doctor, is that the patrolman?" "Yes, Sergeant Vega who lived doing his duty and who may perform a greater one now." "Please." "Well?" "Looked like subcutaneous cells that had just burst or run rampant." "My analysis also, Dr. Scott." "Not from any poison I can identify with this equipment." "Lopez, your help again, please." "In this, pure alcohol." "In this, distilled water." "In this, tequila." "In this, water with so much salt." " You think it is a poison, then?" " I do." "Not a chemical poison, doctor?" "No, but I believe for many reasons that this is an organic poison." "I have had a little experience with them:" "The venoms of the snakes, the wasps, the spiders." "But I will prepare the slides and the specimens and take them to a man in Mexico City who will be sure to know." " Velasco?" " You know Velasco?" "Who doesn't, doctor?" "Well, as you say, if it's an organic poison anything from nature, the great Velasco will identify it." "You said for many reasons." "What other reasons?" "Well, there was only one wound." "Here." "But no blood." "Then the situation of the tissues, the strange bacteria bacteria I think, found in the soil samples near the footprints." " Footprints?" " Footprints?" "You are amazed." "Where something knocks down dwellings, flattens corn fields it would be amazing if there were no footprints." "I never saw a moulage of a print this size." "Whatever it is, my friends I don't believe anyone has ever seen a foot, a claw this size except those poor unfortunates who wish they never had." " One question, doctor." " I hope I can answer it." "Well, the alcohol, the distilled water, the salt solution, I can understand that but what's the tequila for?" "Well, in your country, I believe you call it a coffee break." " There's the hacienda." " Hey, that really looks like quite a place." "It looks like you were pretty lucky." "That thing really came close." "Yes." "We were blessed that it didn't go any further or our plantation would have been ruined like the rest of the land." "Señorita, thank heaven you're safe." "When Lucero came back to the stables without you, I began to search the hills." "Oh, Pio, I'd already been found by someone else." "This is Dr. Scott and Dr. Ramos." " This is my foreman, Pio." " Hi, Pio." "This way." "Not only comfortable, but cool too." "Yes, sometimes I think being cool is by far the most important on days like this." "Well, I know you'll want showers." "Florentina, show Dr. Ramos to the Blue Room." "Sí, señorita." "And Juanito, you show Dr. Scott to the left wing." "I'll take care of them." "Well, I'll see you later, and you can tell me all about your expedition." "Not bad, doc." "For half a day's work, Chamoco, not bad." " Tell the boys." " Yes, Pio, yes." "We get them all brought in by Thursday." "Why put on such a face?" "We will do it if I have to stay in the saddle without sleep myself." "Pio, don't you understand?" "Can't you see the cattle know that something evil is carried in the wind." " Let us wait, Pio." " Old women, Chamoco." "Now let us have a good supper and forget these superstitions." "Would you like some brandy, sir?" " Yes, thank you." " Just a minute." "Juanito, hurry with the brandy." " Would you like some too?" " Please." "I'll take care of them." "Muchas gracias." "May I make a complaint, Teresa?" "Oh, I'm sorry." "What was not done suitably?" "Well, that's just it." "Everything was done beautifully." "You know, you're making it very difficult to think about settling down to work." " Well, is that so bad?" " That all depends." "It might be very bad if I stopped thinking about work altogether and just started concentrating on pleasure." "Hank, those volcanoes have been there for hundreds of years." "I'm sure they wouldn't mind waiting just a little longer." "I didn't expect you two to be discussing volcanoes." "I've got something to show you." "I noticed it last night at the village." "See anything?" "Hold it up against the light." "That's fantastic, doc." "Why, there's a scorpion trapped in there." "I think so." "A few hundred years old, but there he is." "I wanted to show it to you before I broke it open." "Alive!" "Lmpossible!" "Juanito, bring a jar." " Life enduring for centuries like this." " And under all that heat!" "Velasco will certainly be interested in this." "Here, Juanito." "Pardon me, señores." "Do you like to keep scorpions?" "I know a place where there are millions." "Not like this one, Juanito." "Pancho." "Pancho, if you don't know how to behave, I have to send you out." "I want a magnifying glass to watch this little monster." "I could throw this scorpion out the window, and we'd really be alone." "It's simpler than that." "Why don't we go outside?" "Why don't we?" "Oh, excuse me, the line's been fixed." " Hello." "Hello." " Hacienda Miraflores?" "Just testing the line." " Oh, is the line all fixed?" " All clear, ma'am." "Miraflores was the last one, señora." " Gaetano!" " What?" "What's under the bridge?" "No, in the arroyo!" "Hank, come here." "Listen to this." "Hello." "Hello." " Hello, what's wrong?" " Look out!" "Run, Gaetano." "Get to the truck." " Where's the arroyo bridge?" " I'll show you." "Pancho, what's happening to you tonight?" "Keep quiet." "Doc, we have to go to the bridge." "There's some trouble." "And you be a good boy." "Come back here!" "Pancho!" "Pancho, come back here." "Pancho!" "Pancho!" "Pancho, come back here!" "Pancho, what's the matter with you tonight?" "Pancho, come back!" "I'll get you." "Señorita." " What's wrong with the cattle, Pio?" " I cannot say." " Help, Mr. Hank!" " That's Juanito." "Run, Juanito!" "Give me your gun." "Call for help." " It's a gigantic scorpion." " Where is Juanito?" "He's safe." "Operator." "Operator." "Operator!" "Please, hurry, operator!" " I shot at that thing a dozen times." " Must be after the cattle." " Mr. Hank." " Juanito, come on, quick." "Teresa, Florentina, come on into the jeep." "Quick." " Dr. Velasco." " Dr. Ramos, I hoped I'd find you here." "This is fantastic." " Dr. Velasco..." " Thank God, Father." "We thought you were all dead." "This is all that remains." "Even the animals." "I cannot speak of this night." "Eaten." "Devoured." "I have been sent here in charge of emergency arrangements." " All that are left will be moved to safety." " Certainly." "Tell everyone to be ready to leave San Lorenzo." "Father, they may only take what they can carry in their arms." " Very well." " Where is the laboratory?" "It's over there." "As soon as I received the samples, I identified the poison as that of a scorpion, but I had no concept of the creature's size until I saw this." "And this." "This specimen found by Dr. Ramos is of a species thought to be extinct since the Triassian era." "We have known it in a fossil state, but never alive." "Now from the bowels of the earth, it has come forth again to plague the earth." "What can we do?" "I emptied the machine gun at one of them." "I beg of you all, not to lose your head in any sense of the word." "But we have a few advantages against this enemy." "First, they come out to eat only at night." "Thus we have the daylight hours to try to find and destroy them." "Secondly, they are somewhat slow and lethargic until inflamed by the smell of blood." " I still ask one question, sir." " Yes?" " What weapon do you intend to use?" " Gas." "Poison gas." "It has been proved effective against normal species." "Let us pray it works against the Scorpionida rex." "If it does not may God help all of you." " Be ready at dawn." " Is that all of them, lieutenant?" "I want to do what I can too." "Señorita Alvarez, I understand your emotions." "Believe me, I'm not trying to be emotional." " I wouldn't ask if I couldn't help." " You don't know the hardships." "Dr. Velasco, Major Cosio, I know this area like the palm of my hand better than any man here." "I'm a good shot." "You said yourself, you needed all the help you could get." "Señorita Alvarez, I think you have found yourself a job." "Gentlemen Major Cosio and I are planning this." "Note where the various incidents have occurred." "I want to go with you." "I want to do a job." "Don't worry, Juanito." "We'll get together again." "That's a promise." "See if you can find my boots for me, will you?" "I know where they are." " Here they are." " Oh, good." "They are very, very fine boots." "You kind of like those, huh?" "Tell you what, Juanito when you get to be a big man, I'll get you a pair just like these." " I thank you, Mr. Hank." " You like that, huh?" "I know how to ride very good." "I know how to shoot very good." "I'm 7 and 1/2 years old." "That's almost a half a man." ""A half a man"?" "Oh, Juanito, you know sometimes even a half a man has a lot of different jobs to do." "The most important job for you to do is to take care of your grandmother." "She can take care of herself." "I know, but you've got plenty of time to do more exciting things." "And you." "You be very careful and don't get hurt, won't you?" "Don't worry, I promise." "And a full man never break his promise." "Okay." "Oh, I don't see a thing, Dr. Velasco." "Might as well go on." "All right." "Major." " Yes." " Tell your captain to hold all the heavy equipment until we call for it." "Okay, doctor." " Here it is, a great big opening." " I guess he found it, Dr. Velasco." "Yes." "Look, there's something wrong with his horse." "He's falling in!" "Let's hurry up there, Hank." "Come on, let's go." "We must get down to the lower level." "This crevice is new." "It must have opened during one of the earthquakes." " This looks like a job for us, doc." " Of course." "No chance for Mendoza?" "How deep do you say it is?" "Doc and I have been down many a cave but there's no way of really telling until you actually hit bottom." "The only way we can find out is to go down there ourselves." " What do you say, doc?" " Right." "Will that poisonous gas work in a crevice this big?" "I could not anticipate such a void as this." "It may dissipate." "Major, I think you better bring all your heavy equipment up here:" "Crane, tanks and all." "Captain, bring the crane and all the heavy equipment." "You want my men to go down there?" " It's suicide." " Don't worry about it." "Doc and I haven't had a decent elevator ride in a long time." "Hank, please, no." " What are you doing here?" " I'm a stowaway." "Juanito, do me a favor, will you, and just stay out of the way?" " Yes, Mr. Hank." " Good." "And just sit in the jeep like a big boy, okay?" " Put these in the cage." " Why the birds, professor?" "If the birds stop singing, that means there's poison gas in the cave." "Hank, you don't have to do it." "Neither of you." "It's not your responsibility." "Whose responsibility is it?" "The police, the army, the people who live here." "Now, look, doc and I know more about caves than anyone else here." " Why did you do that?" " Maybe I just wanted to see what you'd do." " What did I do?" " You did all right." "Señorita you can help keep the log of the descent." "How many meters down, the reports which are made..." "Sure, keep yourself busy." "That's my theory." "Oh, and don't forget to take care of little Juanito." "All right, take it down." "Doc, look down there." "Stop." "Stop the cage a minute." "Stop." "Hank, are you all right?" "It's the head of a scorpion in the wall." "Hold on a second." " Okay, I got a picture of it." "Lower on." " All right, lower them down." "We've just hit bottom." "We're in a huge cavern." "I've never seen a cave so big in my life." " Can you see any signs of Mendoza?" " No, not from here." "We'll take a look around." " Well, the birds seem all right." " Yeah." "Are you there, Hank?" "Hank, answer." "Are you there, Hank?" "Dr. Ramos." "Dr. Ramos." "Hello." "Hello." "Hello." " Hello." " Yes." "Mendoza's dead." " We just saw a worm 30 feet long." " Hank, please come up." " Hank." " No, we wanna look around a little more." "Hey, doc." "Over here." " There must be a nest full of them." " Yeah." " It doesn't even penetrate it." " Try another one." "No, wait." "That must be the granddaddy of them all." "That's how they kill each other, that spot in the throat." "That must be it." "Mr. Hank!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Mr. Hank!" " It's Juanito." " Help!" "Help." "Mr. Hank, help!" "Help!" "Mr. Hank!" "Stay back in the cave, Juanito." "All right." "Come on, Juanito." "I told you to stay in the jeep." "What are you doing down here?" " I came to help you." " To help us." "Oh, come on." "Mr. Hank." "Mr. Hank, look." " What's causing that?" " Dr. Ramos, are you there?" "Are you there?" "Are you there, Dr. Ramos?" "Hank, answer me." " Block the crane, or it'll be pulled in." " Throw some blocks under that crane." "There goes our cage, gas tanks, everything." "There's no weight on the cable." "Oh, no." "Take the cable, and send it back down as fast as you can." "Bring it in slow." " Maybe they are on it." " Oh, pull it up." "Please." "Keep bringing it in." " Keep going, doc." " Hang on, doc." "You can make it." " Keep going." " Come on, hold on." " What happened to Hank?" " Hank and Juanito are down there." " Get a loop on the cable." "Send it, quick." " Make a loop on the cable." "Oh, Juanito." "Oh, Juanito, why did you do it?" "I tried to help them." "It'll be dark in an hour, and those scorpions'll come out again." " You couldn't use the gas?" " No, we lost it in the molten lava." "There must be 50 of those things down there." "Can't we close and seal that opening with dynamite?" "You have no idea as to the size of that place." "Wait till you see these pictures." "I want those pictures." "I even hoped to get a specimen." "Why, you couldn't get one of those things out even with this crane." "Major, we must try to seal it shut with an explosion." "We must try before nightfall." "I thought you said scorpions could go for months without food." "The giants don't last long." "They eat their own weight every three or four days." "But suppose they find another way?" "Those passages down there." "This is the only place they have appeared." "This probably is their only exit from the cavern." " Major." " Yes, doctor." "Let's close it." "Ready?" "Let her go." "I guess that does it." "Midnight, and everyone goes back to what he was before." "This isn't the end of anything, not for us." "It's the beginning." "Hank, all of us have done our work now and thank heaven it can be done without any more tragedy." "You have your survey of the volcanoes to make." "Well, that's fine." "I'll be home every night for dinner." "I have to leave at once." "I should have left for the States two months ago to buy cattle for the herd." " You'll be in Mexico City for a week first?" " Yes." "Then I'll finish up my work here with doc." "I'll meet you there, and you can show me the town." "Oh, but even if we do have, what, a day, two days...?" "I don't want to settle for just two days, Hank." "I don't want just two days either." "I don't fool people." "I don't want them to fool me either." "I'm not, darling." "I like you very much indeed." "And I want you very much." " Dr. Scott." " Hello, I can hardly hear you." "This is Dr. Velasco." "Oh, Dr. Velasco." "How are you, sir?" "Well, we're just getting started, finally." "Yeah, right now." "I regret to have to complicate the plans you and Dr. Ramos have made for so long but some of my colleagues here in Mexico are very anxious to talk to you both at once." "I don't really think there's anything we can add to what you already know, Dr. Velasco." "I'm with the director of civilian defense and high army officers right now, Hank." "It is imperative you both return here at once to complete your report." "I don't like to say that you can be ordered." "What's the trouble?" "Everything is under control, isn't it?" "There's no cause for alarm, not at all." "But a request for cooperation has been made by..." "By a good neighbor of the South, and we feel that..." "Well, if you put it like that..." "Look, we've already postponed the trip five times." "I guess once more won't matter." "What?" "Oh, a plane?" "Yeah, sure, that would help a lot." "Oh, Dr. Velasco, do you suppose there'd be room for three on that plane?" "Of course there will." "All right, sir." "Yes, sir, I understand." "Right, see you then." " Did he suspect?" " No, I don't think so." " He assumes that the danger is over." " That's fine." "You seemed willing to postpone our trip once you learned Teresa could ride on the plane." "Well, at least it was some sort of an inducement." "My friend, remember, this is not the balcony of the neighborhood movie theater." "This is Mexico." "When a man shows as much attention to a girl as you have suddenly, he's in a cathedral and wondering how he got there." "So?" "What have you got against marriage?" "I try to remember what my father told me one time." "He said, "Arturo, every child in the world is born single." "Please try to profit more than I did by the experience."" " Dr. Ramos, Dr. Scott." " Yes?" "I am Victor Esteban." "Dr. Velasco has asked me to take you to him at once." "Right away?" "But what about Señorita Alvarez?" "I have orders to take her wherever she wishes." "But you gentlemen must then accompany me to the university." "All right." "Follow me, please." "Gentlemen, we are grateful that you have given up your own plans to help us." "And we must apologize for bringing you here under false pretenses." "It is not a neighboring country which needs your help." "It is our government." "Señor Moreno, of course there's always a possible danger again." "Twenty years from now, another earthquake." "It is not a potential danger, gentlemen." "We feel it is all too real, and not 20 years from now." "Perhaps in less than a month." " You better fill us in from the beginning." " Yes, of course." "I'm in charge of an aerial mapping project for our government." "Recently our planes were photographing the area near San Lorenzo." "Gentlemen, perhaps if you would sit down and take a look." "Turn off the lights." "No." "Not near the city." "It is one of them." "Now you're convinced our fears are justified?" "I don't like to disagree but merely because a dead scorpion was found coming to the surface doesn't mean we didn't destroy them all when we dynamited." "This scorpion may be one that..." "Excuse me, sir." "Naturally, the same thought had occurred to us." "We rechecked our photographs." "On the 21 st, two days after the earthquake, the scorpion was not there." "He was not there until the day after you exploded the dynamite." "And you thought you destroyed the scorpions." "It is obvious at least one survived that explosion and almost succeeded in reaching the surface." "Switch the lights on." "And gentlemen, we must proceed as if there are more of them left." "Exactly where is this area where it was photographed?" "Southwest of the volcano." "Almost directly across from the fissure where you and Dr. Scott descended." "You will see, here, is the fissure." "This is San Lorenzo." "It was here, exactly here, that the photograph was taken." "I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill." "Dr. Velasco knows how that mountain went when we blew it up." "Nothing could live under those tons of rock." " Not if they were under the rocks." " I don't follow you." "From your description, what Dr. Velasco told us it is obvious that the cavern into which you two men descended is part of Chamilpa Caves huge tunnels that run under the earth at depths up to five miles many of which have been mapped in the region around Mexico City." "Some are flooded, parts of the underground lakes." "Yes, I've heard of them." "Here they are." "Notice how this large fissure here is directly above this arm of the system." "This large pocket, here, is exactly the place where you took your photographs." "Now, also note that here where the scorpion was photographed from the air is also part of the connecting system." "The scorpions could have fled underground to one of many underground shelters." "As you thought at the time could happen, Hank." "What is that long arm there?" "That is a cavern which extends southward to within 20 miles of Mexico City there, where it lies under the railroad." "This is what we wonder." "How many of the scorpions might have decided to rush here?" "And when will they decide to come to the surface after blood?" "So that is why we brought you here." "The day after tomorrow, we want you to address a group of scientific and military experts so that we may plan for any emergency." "What kind of rifles were you using?" "How powerful?" "The cartridges I was using are supposed to penetrate two inches of steel." "But they didn't stop the scorpions!" "How do they kill each other?" "The throat." "There's a small spot right here that has no armor." "That's its weak point." "When they attack each other, they have poison to inject into their enemy's throat." " Can you duplicate the poison?" " Nope." "Not without a giant scorpion." "What we need is something that'll penetrate that small area exactly and then send some sort of poison into the circulatory systems." "What it could be, I have no idea." "We're all in the same dilemma." "With the meeting on Friday, I'm sure we'll reach a solution." "Gentlemen, I do not have to tell you that everything we have discussed here is absolutely secret." "This is a city of four million people." "If word of this leaks out the panic of the population would be worse than the scorpions." "Nice dress, nice girl." "Well, thank you." "I'm glad you could see me in something besides the clothes I wear at the ranch for two days at least." " So am I." "Hank, what's the meeting on Friday about?" "Oh, some geophysical conference Dr. Velasco roped us in on." "Cigarette?" "Not right now." "After you finish that, where am I taking you for dinner?" "Hank, it's only 9:00." "That's what I mean." "Do you realize this is Mexico City?" "And no one has dinner before 11:00 at night." "Sometimes midnight." "Why, it's practically afternoon right now." "Lots of men are just leaving their offices." "Am I going to have trouble with you." "Well, you work on it, teacher." "I think you can solve me." "Nice work." "Caviar." "Aren't you overdoing it a bit, Hank?" "Well, I've gotta make an impression on you in 48 hours that'll last for two months." "Don't you like caviar?" "Oh, I love it, but I must say I could never understand why it's so expensive." "Well, it's a whole year's work for a sturgeon." "It's been wonderful these past two days." "I wish they'd never end." "They don't have to." "For a while, they do." "I wish you'd change your mind." "You don't have to go away." "That volcano can wait." "No, you'll get through with your speech tomorrow and your silly expedition and I'll do everything I have to do." "When we come back we won't have a worry in the world." "We interrupt this program to bring you a news bulletin." "The train from Monterrey was derailed outside of Mexico City." "Early reports indicate an appalling loss of life." "Eyewitness accounts state that monstrous scorpions have swarmed around the wreckage." "One moment, please, we're trying to get through to the emergency area." "Reports to this moment from available hospital and emergency field units indicate many of the victims are so badly injured there is little hope of their survival." "All ambulances, cars, trucks and other vehicles have been commandeered by the authorities in this emergency." "We've received a report from the scene confirming that 129 persons are killed and hundreds missing." "Survivors report a giant black scorpion killed the smaller scorpions and is headed for Mexico City." "We were trying to find you." " What can we do?" " You can help us soon enough." "We're not sure how many of them are left, but the largest may be the only one." "With the lust for blood after the wreck, the scorpions went mad." "The largest killed four of them, and may have killed the rest of them." " Where is the scorpion?" " We lost it in the hills 10 miles out of town." "But it's approaching the northwest area of the capital." "Yes." "Yes." "It has been seen." "Let's go." "Attention." "Attention." "The city is under martial law." "All inhabitants living north of Tacubaya and west of Guadalupe must leave their homes." "Follow the orders of the police." "Listen, darling, you get in that building and stay there!" "The scorpion has not reached the city." "It has been verified that only one giant black scorpion is alive." "The public is warned that the city will have a blackout." "A defense ring is being set up surrounding the area where it was seen." "Authorities are taking all protective measures." "Observe safety precautions." "Protect your homes from fire hazards." "Sections of the community are in a state of panic adding to the burden of the authorities and threatening to disrupt communications vital to the defense of the city." "If rifles and cannon won't stop it..." " Major Cosio here." " Yes." "We have narrowed the ring one mile along Insurgentes." "Operation is proceeding." "That's fine." "Have Major Ortega meet us in front of the stadium with the weapon." "Major Ortega, Major Ortega." "Meet us in front of the stadium with the weapon and generator." "With what kind of weapon?" "I hope it is a weapon." "Just now it is only a prayer." " Dr. Velasco?" " Yes?" "Tell Col. Sanchez to move the heavy equipment into the stadium." "Col. Sanchez, Col. Sanchez." "Dr. Velasco here." "Move all the heavy equipment into the stadium right away." "The projectile enters the throat." "If I'm lucky, Dr. Velasco, but I have never used a weapon like this before." "Attached to the projectile is the copper wire then the insulated wire which leads to the cable and the generator." "It should give 600,000 volts." " This meat should bring him in here." " I hope so." "It's about the only way we can corner it." "You might need more than one shot, major." " Señor Moreno." " Yes, yes." "The scorpion is following the meat wagon." "There it is." "The throat, major." "Remember, the white area on the throat." "The head comes back just before it strikes." "Right." "You missed!" "I won't miss this time!" "Turn it off!" "Turn it off!" "Turn the switch on!" "Turn it off!" "Now we can secure some of the actual poison from the Scorpionida rex analyze it and create a simple protection against them if ever again..." " Hank, Velasco wants to..." " Gentlemen, we must not waste any time." "If we could all meet tomorrow at my laboratory for a recapitulation." "Hank, Señorita Alvarez!" "We have not yet finished." "Neither have we." "[Rip by Talorg]"