The Robot Brains [with w_cat] - страница 9

Below the poster gave the address of the place where the Fair was located.

Christian looked around. There was a long, partly broken fence along one side of the street. Behind the fence he saw a garden and an old shed. The garden was grown with weeds, and it was clear that it was not used. Christian looked around again to make sure that nobody saw him, then took his bicycle and got into the garden through a crack in the fence.

There was a lock on the door of the shed, but Christian easily broke it and got inside. He sat down on the floor and ate some food, which still remained, in his bag.

During the day he slept. In the evening, when it was dark, he left the shed and rode to the place where the Burkholder Fair was located.

229 Jo came out of the kitchen after a late supper and walked towards her trailer. There was no moon, and the stars were covered with clouds. There was nobody around.

230 Then she heard a soft voice: "Jo."

231 She recognized Christian's voice and stopped.

232 "It is not safe for you here," she said in a whisper. "The whole area is watched by plain-clothes men."

Christian smiled.

233 "I know." He looked down at the dwarf-woman. "Jo, I didn't kill Miller."

234 "Of course, you didn't," she said quickly. "I never believed that for a moment. Tell me how I can help. Doctor Fox was here this morning I know where he is now. But the police are watching him."

235 Christian pointed to a light, which was coming from one of the trailers.

236 "Are the Brains at home?"

237 "I think they are," she answered. "What are you going to do?"

238 "I am going to speak to them," he said. "I am sure that they murdered Miller"

239 "Be careful, Sailor!"

240 Christian pressed her hand.

241 "Don't go near the Brains," he said. He turned and walked to the Brains' trailer.

242 He noiselessly approached the door of the trailer, put his piece of wire into the lock and opened the door.

243 And again - he saw nobody!

244 Christian stepped inside and locked the door after himself. He sat down, looking at the door and holding his automatic gun ready. This time he was going to wait till the Brains returned.

245 Minutes passed. Christian thought about Fox and Jo: they both believed in him and were ready to help. It was good indeed to have such good friends. Then he thought about the Brains. Maybe now, just at this moment, they were murdering another man, and soon they would return with their murder weapon..

246 He didn't notice how his eyes closed. He heard some movement and opened his eyes. The Brains were standing before him - but he was sure that the door had not opened. For a long moment the Brains and Christian looked at each other.

Christian pointed his gun at them.

247 "You know why I am here," he said. "Speak - and remember that I can shoot you."

Suddenly Victor, the leader of the Brains, raised his hand. He was holding his murder weapon in it..

248 Christian jumped to his feet, quick as lightning, caught Victor by his hand and pressed it hard. The weapon fell to the floor, and Christian kicked it under the bed. He pointed his automatic at the Brains again.

"All right-speak!"

249 The Brains were standing and looking at him. Then Victor said quietly: "We must leave."

250 "You are not going to leave..." Christian did not finish.

251 Each Brain touched the black crystal at his waist - and disappeared. The captain was alone in the trailer, not believing his eyes. It was impossible...

252 Fox was right. They could not be human.

253 He put his hand under the bed and took out the weapon of the Brains. It was made of some hard metal.

254 It was very important to send the weapon to Miller's chief as quickly as possible. Military Intelligence must understand who their enemies were: beings who could disappear into nothing. But he did not know if the people in Military Intelligence would believe him...

255 Christian walked up and down the trailer, thinking. Then he sat down at the table and wrote an account of what had happened at the Cross Keys, how he had got the Brains' weapon, and how the three Brains had disappeared before his eyes.