Part 21 (1/2)

”You don't need a sedative; you need a walk in the fresh air Come, take one with arette that isn't lighted!”

”Me? Why, so I am! We both need that walk Come”

Harper arrived less than ten minutes after they had left the office

Steinke was not in the outer office He walked on through and pounded on the door of King's private office, then waited with thechap with an easy confidence to his bearing Steinke let them in

Harper brushed on past hi, then checked himself when he saw that there was no one else inside

”Where's the chief?” he demanded

”Gone out Should be back soon”

”I'll wait Oh - Steinke, this is Greene Greene - Steinke”

The two shook hands ”What brings you back, Cal?” Steinke asked, turning back to Harper

”WellI guess it's all right to tell you - ”

The communicator screen flashed into sudden activity, and cut him short A face filled most of the frame It was apparently too close to the pickup, as it was badly out of focus ”Superintendent!” it yelled in an agonized voice ”The bomb - ”

A shadow flashed across the screen, they heard a dull smack, and the face slid out of the screen As it fell it revealed the control room behind it

Someone was down on the floor plates, a naure ran across the field of pickup and disappeared

Harper snapped into action first ”That was Silard!” he shouted, ”in the control room! Come on, Steinke! He was already in motion himself

Steinke went dead-white, but hesitated only an unmeasurable instant He pounded sharp on Harper's heels Greene folloithout invitation, in a steady run that kept easy pace with them

They had to wait for a capsule to unload at the tube station Then all three of theer capsule It refused to start, and moments were lost before Greene piled out and claimed another car

The four-minute trip at heavy acceleration seemed an interminable crawl

Harper was convinced that the systeh announced their arrival at the station under the boet out at the same time

The lift was up; they did not wait for it That was unwise; they gained no time by it, and arrived at the control level out of breath Nevertheless, they speeded up when they reached the top, zigzagged frantically around the outer shi+eld, and burst into the control rooure was still on the floor, and another, also inert, was near it The second's hel over the trigger He looked up as they caether, and all three went down It o to one, but they got in each other's way The man's heavy arht with senseless, savage violence

Harper felt a bright, sharp pain; his right ar free of them

There was a shout from somewhere behind them, ”Hold still!”

Harper saw a flash with the corner of one eye, a deafening crack hurried on top of it, and re-echoed painfully in the restricted space