[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Red looked at her curiously. So this was the dream girl. For this, presumably, Maynard had run the
gauntlet through the enemy. He was not impressed, the eyes were fine and dark, the mouth sensitive and
beautiful but she was no tri-di star. She was rounded but inclined to be dumpy.
He said:  What do you intend to do with me?"
 Nothing, save hold you for a short while."
 You hope to get away? You'd never make it in a city. Maynard shrugged.
 Perhaps by then it will not be necessary."
Reed frowned, suddenly uneasy.  I found you. The Enemy can put two and two together."
 We know but we are together now. Maynard took the woman's hand and something happened.
It seemed to Reed that a light came on but it was not a light, it was mental words failed him. He had
seen women's faces lit from within by love before but not virtually transformed. In that brief instant she
was no longer dumpy, she was slender and incredibly beautiful and something almost palpable seemed to
link them.
The impression vanished almost as soon as it occurred but it left Reed shaken and uncertain. Here was
something not quite human and, in some odd way, it had changed him.
It was as if something dormant had been awakened inside him and he was not altogether pleased by it.
There was fear as well as an elation which for inexplicable reasons he was trying to suppress.
He said, hoarsely,  I don't suppose you'll answer but are our assumptions true? Did you make a deal
with an alien or are you yourself an outworlder?"
Maynard looked at him gravely.  I made no deals and I am human."
 You seem to have more than your share of supernormal powers."
 No, mine and, for your information, Lia's, have just developed a little sooner."
 I wish I knew what you were talking about. Reed was disturbed and, at the same time, in danger of
losing his temper.
 I'm sorry, I can't tell you more but this is something which, in due course, you must find out for yourself.
I'm sorry but it's necessary, when your turn comes, you will be just as reticent with those less advanced
than yourself."
 Most informative. Reed extracted a cigarette from his pocket with his free hand and hung it on his
lower lip.  I suppose it's asking too much for a clue."
Maynard thought about it.  Yes, but rather a remote one. You accept without question metamorphosis in
lower life-forms. The wonderful transition from caterpillar to butterfly is a glaring example. Do you
imagine that the race of man a far more complex and advanced creature than a caterpillar goes on
just growing like a plant indefinitely? Soon or later comes a change."
 Evolution, began Reed, dimly aware that his voice was hectoring,  is a process well known to science
and "
 Sorry to interrupt but this is something more than purely physical change."
 Then it had better be damn quick, for, believe me, it will not be long before the enemy finds us all and
digs us out..."
In another city, the digging process was being put into operation. The heads of the organization had met
and arrived at a decision.
They called Brinker.  You may have all the men you want, all the equipment and arms. You will have,
within reason, an open cheque but you will find and get Maynard, is that understood? If you get him
within a week, you will get half a million and a control chair in the Syndicate clear? We give you
fourteen days, no more."
Contact was cut abruptly and Brinker leaned slowly back in his padded chair. He was fat, oddly
pear-shaped, with sparse hair, a jutting lower lip and little eyes almost lost in the fat face.
He did not ask what would happen at the end of fourteen days he knew.
Brinker had the advantage of looking obtuse but was frighteningly astute and single minded.
The Organization were almost certain that Maynard was in Granton, therefore they would go through
Granton with a fine-tooth comb. Door to door, apartment by apartment, sewer by sewer if necessary.
He touched a switch.  Computer information, subject census. He waited briefly.  Ah, population of city
of Granton."
 Seven million, eight hundred and sixty-three thousand nine hundred and ten permanent residents."
 How many men would I require to visit every residential building and every apartment therein within
forty-eight hours?"
 Insufficient data. The term  visit implies a time period. Further, for the purposes of the query, the time
involved in passing from one apartment to another must be taken into consideration "
 Hold it, I'll get my programmer. Walsh, link with main computer. It will tell you what I wanted."
 Parkins!"
 Sir? One of his body-guard/butlers appeared almost immediately.
 Ah, call all the bosses, Parkins, within a thousand miles; tell the lot I want half their men on their way
here within an hour."
SIX
BRINKER waited until the task was complete, then looked about him.
 You trying to make some extra on the side? Look at these roses, all the damn petals on the
desk well?"
 They were delivered less than an hour ago, sir here's the timed receipt. They were flown in from "
 Never mind where they came from, have a go at that florist, you've been taken, boy, taken."
It was typical of Brinker that his rose bowl was filigreed in genuine gold leaf and was big enough to sit in.
He was confident that size and expense were cornerstones of good taste. Expensive etiquette tapes told
him otherwise but he remained unconvinced.
Fat lot of good that bowl was now, chock full of thorns. Funny that roses never seemed to last now. He
scowled. They'd better last in future, no one was going to take him for four hundred a day for a bowl of
thorns.
His thoughts were interrupted by a call.  A hundred thousand, eh? More than double that number are on
their way. Use them, I want that town sewn up so tight that he won't be able to approach a window
without us spotting him. Don't wait, start working with the boys you have. Seal off a postal area and start
combing." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]