The Robot Brains [with w_cat] - страница 13

"Chris? Fox here. The crystal has disappeared. I kept looking at the box all the way here, and when I unlocked the box just now, it was empty. There was nobody near me. But the belt with the crystal has disappeared!"

335 Somewhere in the south of England a conference was taking place. A group of scientists were sitting and standing round the laboratory table. On the table there were parts of the weapon, which Christian had seized from the Brains and sent to Military Intelligence.

336 The Minister of War was looking at the parts of the weapon attentively.

337 "The weapon worked on quite a new principle," said the leader of the research group. "By some method - we don't understand it - power is taken directly from the atmosphere and changed into heat energy. This heat energy is emitted in a concentrated ray, which annihilates any material form."

The Minister of War thought.

338 "Can we make such a weapon?" he asked.

339 Outside the laboratory there was a strong guard of soldiers. They were ready for a possible attack of the Brains.

340 Suddenly the guard commander saw a great cloud of flame and smoke rising over the laboratory. A few minutes later nothing remained of the laboratory and the people who were inside it.

341 The guard commander sent a telephone message to Downing Street.

342 The Prime Minister looked tired. There were dark circles round his eyes, and his face was pale.

343 "It's a bad business," he said, "and I can't see the end of it."

The Old Man was sitting at the table opposite the Prime Minister.

344 "Our only hope is Captain Christian, sir," he said. "If his plan works, we may get useful information."

345 "True," sighed the Prime Minister. "And meanwhile the decapitations continue. We are losing the best men every day, and it's the same all over the world."

346 The Old Man said nothing, because he did not know what to say.

347 "And now the Minister of War," continued the Prime Minister. "It seems impossible! Only yesterday I spoke to him -"

348 "I am sorry," said the Old Man. "I know he was a personal friend of yours."

There was a short silence.

349 "I am waiting for news from New York," said the Prime Minister. "As you know, the United Nations are holding an emergency meeting now..."

350 The Secretary-General called again for order. "Gentlemen, please, the delegate from Great Britain has the floor."

351 It was noisy in the great hall. Delegates jumped from their seats and cried. Everybody accused everybody. The Asian Federacy accused Britain. The United States accused Russia. It seemed that the delegates would begin fighting any moment.

352 At last the British delegate was able to speak.

353 "This is no time for quarrelling among ourselves," he said. "An invasion from space is threatening us-"

There was a great noise again.

354 "- an invasion from space," continued the British delegate. "Our civilization is in danger. We must co-operate-"

355 It was useless. All the delegates were shouting again, and the Secretary-General declared the meeting closed.

356 A man was decapitated in New South Wales, three in Yucatan, four in Quebec. The murders continued in Africa, Pakistan and Denmark. Scientists who did original research were murdered all over the world.

357 And only one man had a contact with the enemy.

358 Christian put down the receiver, walked up to the Brain, stopped in front of him and raised the decapitator.

"Wait," said Waldo.

359 "No, I won't wait," said the captain. "Speak, or I'll shoot."

360 "Don't shoot! I'll answer your questions. We come from-"

361 Suddenly they were not alone. About ten Brains were standing around Christian, grey, dwarf-like figures, each armed with a decapitator.

Waldo laughed.

362 "That's the end, Captain..." He gave a command: "Take him alive - I want him alive!"

363 The next moment Christian was seized by a lot of hands, something heavy struck him on the head, and he fell on the floor.

364 "You interfered and spoiled our plans," said Waldo. "And for this you must die. But it will not be a pleasant death - I've something special for you. I am taking you back with me."