Long after midnight John woke up suddenly because he heard a loud noise outside his room. Then he heard some footsteps and a whisper. He knew his life was in danger and he was afraid.

With a sudden movement he pressed the button near his bed and the next moment he was sitting in the bath in the next room.

He jumped out wet and cold, and ran for the door. He stood near the big staircase and everything was silent and beautiful. Then two things happened at once. The door of his own sitting room opened and three slaves entered the hall.

Then Braddock Washington appeared in the elevator, wearing a fur coat and riding boots. He realized at once that these men wanted to kill him. They looked at Braddock Washington, who shouted, "Get in here! All three of you! Quick!"

The three slaves ran into the elevator. Something very serious was happening, something much more serious than his murder. But what could it be? Were the pilots trying to escape? Or had the people of Fish discovered the valley? John did not know.

He heard the elevator go up and down again. Percy was probably going to help his father, he thought. This was his opportunity to join Kismine and plan their immediate escape. He waited until the elevator was silent for several minutes and then he returned to his room and dressed quickly.

The door of Kismine's sitting room was open and the lamps were on. Kismine was standing near the window, listening to something. As John entered she turned towards him.

"Oh, it's you," she whispered, walking towards him. "Did you hear them?"

"I heard your father's slaves in my..."

"No," she interrupted. "Did you hear the airplanes?"

"Airplanes? Perhaps that was the sound that woke me."

"There are at least a dozen. I saw one a few moments ago against the moon. One of the guards fired his gun and my father woke up. We're going to start shooting at them immediately."

"Are they here on purpose?"

"Yes - it's that Italian who escaped - but let's go up to the roof garden and watch from there."

She took his hand and they went up to the roof garden in the elevator, where John kissed her. From the roof garden they could see a dozen bombers flying in a circle and soon the anti-aircraft guns were attacking them. Kismine clapped her hands happily, but a moment later the bombers began dropping their bombs and the valley was in flames.