FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95  
96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   >>   >|  
nt to the hotel and to bed. What could be done, had been done. As soon as he had breakfasted the next morning, Hanlon checked out of his hotel, then went out and purchased the special clothing and other items on his list. With everything packed in traveling cases, he presented himself at the Bacchus just before thirteen o'clock. As he got out of the cab, and gave orders to the doorman about keeping his luggage until he was ready to leave, Hanlon was heartened to see Hooper, apparently reading a newsheet, leaning against the terrace-facade nearby. In the back room the leader and three others, including the ubiquitous Panek, were waiting for him. He was handed an envelope. "When you arrive, give these credentials to Peter Philander, the superintendent. He will be your boss there. Just do as he says, don't get nosey about what is going on, and you will do all right." "Don't worry about my keeping my nose clean. I'm taking along a dozen extra hankies." His last doubts about leaving Simonides to go to the unknown planet were now at rest. He was sure that there he would find the leads he so desperately needed--and probably only there could he get them. They picked up his luggage, then all got into a large, black ground-car, and as it started the men lowered curtains over the windows. And while Hanlon was wondering about that, one of them pinned his arms suddenly to his side while another slapped a piece of adhesive across his eyes, smoothing it tightly into place. Hanlon gasped, but did not struggle. "That's right, don't fight it," the leader's voice was almost kind. "We just don't want you knowing where we are going ... yet." * * * * * The car travelled some miles, then stopped and they all got out. The men helped Hanlon down, led him a few dozen steps, then helped him climb into another machine. In a moment he realized they were now in an aircar that had taken off, and he frowned. Assuming that Hooper had followed, he'd be out of it now. He was on his own. For several moments Hanlon tried in vain to read from the others' minds where they were going. He had almost given up hope when he heard the unmistakable panting of a small dog, and realized that one of the air crew must have brought a pet. Quickly his mind contacted that of the dog, and instantly was inside it, looking out through the dog's eyes. He controlled its mind so that it climbed up in the man's lap and,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95  
96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Hanlon
 

Hooper

 

luggage

 

realized

 

keeping

 
leader
 
helped
 

pinned

 
wondering
 

suddenly


windows

 

started

 
lowered
 

curtains

 
slapped
 

struggle

 
gasped
 
adhesive
 

smoothing

 

tightly


panting

 

unmistakable

 

brought

 

controlled

 

climbed

 

Quickly

 

contacted

 

instantly

 

inside

 

ground


stopped

 
travelled
 

machine

 

moment

 

moments

 
aircar
 

frowned

 
Assuming
 

knowing

 
hankies

doorman
 

heartened

 
orders
 
thirteen
 

apparently

 

nearby

 
including
 

facade

 
terrace
 

reading