CHAPTER VI
_The Deadline_
Friday greeted them with another wide grin, and would again havebludgeoned the Eurasian with his wit had not the Hawk motioned him tosilence. Looking at Dr. Ku, he said:
"I have Friday posted here because of the secret panel somewhere inthis wall. You escaped through it before--do you remember?"
"Of course I remember. And if I'd had merely a fraction of your luckthen, my present situation would be quite different."
"Perhaps," said the Hawk. "This panel is now the unknown quantity sofar as I'm concerned, and I don't like unknown quantities; so I amasking you to show me where it is and how it works. That's my favor.Of course you can refuse to reveal it, but that will not delay me verylong. The method of compulsion I mentioned...."
Dr. Ku-Sui appeared to reflect a moment, but his decision was nottardy in coming. He smiled.
"You terrify me, Captain, with your ominous hints about compulsion. Isuppose I'd better be reasonable and show it to you. Really, though,your concern over the panel is rather wasted, inasmuch as it concealsnothing more than a small escape passage leading out of this building.Nothing important at all."
But his words, Carse somehow felt, were a screen; something else laybeneath them. He watched the tall figure with its always present odorof tsin-tsin blossoms move forward in a few indecisive steps, thenback again, considering. The smile and the easy words were acamouflage, surely--but for what?
"Nothing important at all." Dr. Ku Sui repeated pleasantly. "Come. Iwill show you. Friday--if I may so address you--over on thatswitchboard you will find a small lever-control. It is the one with aChinese character above it. Will you be so kind as to throw it?"
The Negro glanced inquiringly at his master. Grimly Carse nodded.
An enigmatic light glimmered in the Eurasian's green eyes as theywatched the Negro go to the switchboard and put thumb and forefingeron the control.
"Only a small escape passage," he said deprecatingly as the Hawkcrouched, gun ready, his eyes on the suspected place in the wall.
Friday threw the switch.
Immediately there sounded a short, sharp explosion. And acrid smokebillowed out from under the case of coordinated brains!
* * * * *
Carse sprang to Ku Sui, gripped one arm and cried harshly:
"What have you done?"
"Not I, Captain--your obedient servant, the Black. Please, yourfingers--" He removed them from his arm; and then, smiling, he said:
"I am afraid that all your assurance, your threats, are now but somuch wasted breath."
"You mean--?"
"Surely, Captain," said Ku Sui, "you must have known I would providefor such an emergency, as this. I chose not to risk your darkly-hintedmethod of compulsion, and so had Friday remove the need for it. TheChinese character above the switch stands for 'Death.'"
Frigidly the Hawk asked: "You've destroyed the brains?"
"I have destroyed the brains." The Eurasian's voice was deep with astrange, unusual tone. "No matter: it was time. I am far, far ahead ofthat work, great though it was; it has destroyed itself with itsinherent, irremediable fault. Yes, far ahead. Next time...." Heappeared to lapse into profound and melancholy reflections; seemed toforget entirely the two men by him.
But the Hawk acted.
"We'll see," he said curtly. "Friday, watch the Doctor closely; thistrick may be only the first." An intent, grim figure, he strode to thecase of coordinated brains, pulled over the first of its twocontrolling switches, and stood silent while slowly the pulsings oflight grew through the inner liquid and very slowly irradiated thefive gray, naked mounds that were human brains. The light came tofull, and Carse threw over the second switch. He said into thegrille:
"I am Captain Carse. I wish to know if you are aware of what has justhappened. Do you hear me, and did you feel anything a minute ago?"
* * * * *
Silence. Friday, close to the Eurasian and watchful, hung breathless,hoping that words might come from the grille in answer. But the silkenfigure he watched was there only in body; Dr. Ku's mind was in a farspace of his own.
Cold, unhuman words spoke out.
"_Yes, Captain Carse, I hear you. I felt the vibrations of theexplosion that occurred a minute ago._"
"Hah!" grunted Friday, immediately relieved. "All bluff, suh! Nodamage to 'em at all!"
Carse asked quickly into the grille:
"You felt the explosion, but do you know what it meant?--what it did?"
Again a pause; and again the toneless voice:
"_A vital part of the machinery through which I live his beendestroyed. I have left only some three hours of life._"
The Hawk returned to Ku Sui. "Is that true?" he snapped.
"Yes, Captain." The words made a whisper, gentle and melancholy,coming from afar. A man was turning back from the scanning of the longyears of one phase of his life. "Three hours is all that is left tothem.... But there was a fault inherent in such coordinated brains; itis just as well that they are going.... Ah, Carse. I am so far aheadof you ... but I tell you it is a painful thing to destroy sowonderful a work of my hands...."
Silence filled the laboratory. It was broken by the awful voice of theliving dead.
"_I release you from your second promise, Captain Carse. No doubtwhat happened was beyond your control.... I will soon be dead.Although there is still nourishment in my liquid, I grow weakeralready. I am dying...._"
Harshly, the Hawk asked a final question into the grille:
"Within what time will you retain the vitality necessary to undergothe initial steps of the transplanting operations? Do you know?"
Dr. Ku raised his head at this, though he seemed only mildlyinterested in what the reply would be.
"_I think for two of the remaining three hours._"
"All right!" said Hawk Carse decisively. He threw off the case'sswitches. "Dr. Ku," he said, "you've only succeeded in acceleratingthings. Now for speed! Friday, we're taking this asteroid to EliotLeithgow's laboratory. Go see that the port-lock doors are closedtight, then you and Wilson hurry back here! Fast! Run!"