Both Joe and Augustino were quiet. It was a strange pause on the edge of the platform, Joe thought, like two murderers hushing themselves for midwives in the next room.

“There’s another jeep here,” Jaworski said.

“Everyone’s accounted for,” Harvey answered.

“Joe?” Jaworski asked.

“Augustino called in ten minutes ago and said he took him out,” Harvey said.

“Then why is there a jeep here?” Jaworski demanded.

“There’s no one there,” a new voice said on the receiver. Oppy spoke in a wheeze. “If the firing switch is closed, leave as fast as you can. If you have a breakdown, you’re going to have to run.”

“Then we’ll take the other jeep, too,” Jaworski said.

“No.” Oppy took a moment to decide. “Leave the jeep. Lock up and leave.”

A door swung shut. A hasp snapped closed. An engine revved as the jeep reversed and spun in the dirt back to the blacktop, then strained and gained speed toward South-10,000.

Alone, alone, now all alone, Joe thought, the two of us.

“Give me the card,” Augustino said.

“The gun.” Joe reached with his other hand.

Augustino swung himself in to the steps, but as he fired, Joe knocked the barrel up. Both shots went high and into the night. Augustino forced the barrel down to Joe’s head again, but the gun clicked when he tried to fire. It was a small automatic and carried only five rounds. It was like ending a long dialogue with a stutter.

Augustino dropped the gun and clawed at Joe’s hand, breaking free and twisting himself not toward but away from the tower. He stared at Joe with eyes like lamps. He hung in the air so long without support that Joe thought he might fly. Then he fell, turning over once, twice, before he hit the ground.

While Joe climbed down with one numb arm the Voice of America played The Nutcracker Suite. The jeep was where Jaworski had left it. As soon as anyone saw new headlights at the tower, the test would stop. If it didn’t, he still had time to drive clear. More searchlights burned from West-10,000. He worked on what he’d say to General Groves. Excuse me, sir, for the setback of the war effort, the loss of millions of dollars, the death of the captain. It was hard to believe that no one saw him descending the tower, and as if in answer the pilot of a B-29 observer plane broke into the Tchaikovsky to say he couldn’t find Trinity at all. Amplified conversations about gauges and counters went back and forth in the dark across the valley. Anna must be safely in Juarez, though safety in Juarez was a relative matter.