Part 6 (1/2)
”Ever since I was a child, though only at an unconscious level. Just a week ago I realized that I have telepathic powers. But I don't know why.”
”When were you born?”
”Not too long after the Second World War. Why?” Various possibilities crossed Rhodan's mind, combinations whizzed by, relays clicked, and then be knew the solution. ”Atomic radiation, of course. Hiros.h.i.+ma, H bomb testing, fallout! There must be many more of you mutants running around in the world by now.”
”Mutants?”
”Change of the genetic heritage. The radiation influenced the structure of your brain when you were conceived.” In the tiny pause that Perry Rhodan let intervene, another mighty vision of the future rose in front of his eye. Mutants! An entirely new perspective opened up before him. If he could find all these mutants, at least the most capable among them, and engage them for his cause, then he could create an unbeatable troop. Perhaps he would need such a troop at some future datea He stopped his thought, for he noticed the expression of amazement on Marshall's face. Perry Rhodan had almost forgotten that the other man was capable of reading his thoughts. Automatically he screened off his thoughts behind a barrier that would not let his thought waves pa.s.s. This was one of the new abilities he had acquired during his hypnotraining with the indoctrinator.
”Why did you begin to talk to me?”
John Marshall smiled uncertainly. ”I had intended to make money with my talents,” he admitted frankly. ”Since yesterday I have been negotiating with various inst.i.tutions. They offered me huge sums of money. But I believe there are more important tasks for me. You just indicated this possibility in your thoughts.”
Perry Rhodan breathed a sigh of relief. ”You mean to say you would be willing to work for me?”
”Yes, indeed.”
”But I am not in a position so far to pay you for your services.”
”There are things that are more valuable than any amount of money-for instance, ideals.”
”Ideals? What do you mean by that?”
”Isn't that the reason you are fighting against the whole world? It is not power alone that motivates you!”
”Power plays some role, too, I confess. But even power can help to make ideals come true.”
”That's right! I am therefore ready and willing if you want me.”
Perry took a closer look at the man. He liked him, quite apart from his special gifts. He held out his hand toward him. John Marshall took the proffered hand and shook it sincerely and firmly. Suddenly he looked beyond Rhodan. His eyes narrowed behind his sungla.s.ses. A strained expression replaced the look of joy on his face.
He whispered, ”They are after you, Rhodan. That car across the street is an unmarked police car. It's just parking now behind your taxicab. Two men are getting out of it now-don't turn around! They are talking to the cabby. They are coming here, toward our table. What do suggest?”
Once again Rhodan's brain was working feverishly. One of the industrial managers must have given him away. Not intentionally, in all likelihood. Those guys from the International Intelligence Agency were not stupid at all. Once they picked up a scent, they did not let go of it until they tracked down their prey.
Rhodan was all ready when the two inconspicuously dressed gentlemen came to his table. He nodded imperceptibly to John, placed a five dollar bill under his plate, then got up. ”We'll meet at the airport, then. In one hour. Wait for me there. They won't bother you.”
John gave a sight nod. He got up and walked over to the next table as if the whole thing did not concern him in the least.
The two secret service agents hesitated for a fraction of a precious second before they approached Rhodan resolutely. One of them put his hand in his pocket; the other stepped up from behind and put his hand on Rhodan's shoulder.
”Perry Rhodan, in the name of all mankind-”
Rhodan turned around. His gray eyes pierced those the agent. ”What do you want?”
”You are Perry Rhodan.”
”I am Foster Douglas, if you don't mind. Don't both me!”
The agent hesitated. He had become unsure of himself. His colleague was unmoved. He withdrew his hand from his pocket. In it was a heavy gun.
”Don't make a wrong move now, Rhodan. Leave your hands just where they are. Come along with us!”
Perry Rhodan looked him straight in the eye. ”I am Foster Douglas. Stop annoying me!” Several of the guest in the restaurant had turned to watch the scene. In the meanttime John Marshall was walking leisurely toward the taxi stand near the next corner.
The second agent let his weapon hand drop. He was undecided what to do. Something deep inside him told him that he had made a mistake, that this man was not Perry Rhodan at all. And yet the old previous command was still working in him.
”You will not interfere now when I leave this place,” said Rhodan, looking sharply at the two men. ”You did not find Perry Rhodan. Inform your superiors accordingly. Is that clear?”
One of the men nodded, but the other was hesitant.
Rhodan turned around and walked off. He was ill at ease, for he could not protect himself from a bullet fired into his back. He wanted to switch on the energy screen only in case of the greatest emergency. And to fly off with his gravity neutralizer was impossible in broad daylight. They would send light airplanes after him at once.
The two agents were still standing there undecided when Rhodan stepped into his waiting taxi. Close behind it the police car was waiting. The driver held a microphone in his hand. He kept speaking into the mike. Obviously he could not figure out his colleagues' strange behavior.
”To the airport” ordered Rhodan.
The taxi started moving and soon picked up speed.
The two agents seemed to rally from their shock. It was as if they were awakening from a bad dream. The table in front of them was unoccupied. Perry Rhodan had disappeared. Their bird had flown the coop. The diners in the restaurant were staring at them. The police car was waiting for them outside, but Rhodan's taxicab was no longer where it had been. It had disappeared too.
”What a dirty trick!” snorted the man with the gun, and ran out to their car, where he barked at the driver. ”What's the matter with you? Why did you let him get away, you idiot?”
The driver put his microphone down. ”Don't snap your thermostat, buddy. What are you blaming me for? It was you who let him get away. Wasn't that Rhodan?”
The other agent had joined them in the meantime. The pressure in his brain had eased. His mind was functioning normally again.
”Hypnosis! We've fallen for that Rhodan's tricks. Which way did he go?”
The driver pointed down to the next corner to the right. ”Over that way. Toward the airport.”
”Let's get after him! Notify headquarters.”
The police car tore around the corner at breakneck speed.
In the meantime John Marshall had found a taxi. Almost simultaneously with the police car he got onto the freeway. He leaned back in his seat, trying to catch the brain waves of the excited agents. But he could not separate the confusion of the various ”senders” in the police car. He could do nothing but urge his taxi driver not to lose sight of the big black car with the two agents and their driver.
The traffic observer in the helicopter hovering above the freeway observed three cars streaking along, weaving in and out of traffic. But the first car kept a constant distance, well ahead of the two others which closely followed each other. Although the freeway traffic was fairly heavy, the first car took but a few minutes to reach the parking lot near Global Airlines. Quickly Perry Rhodan paid the cab driver and ran toward the entrance. Soon he had disappeared among the crowd of arriving and departing travelers.
From somewhere came the sound of whining sirens. Policemen appeared suddenly at all the entrance and exit doors of the building. They were joined by men in civilian clothing. Their hands were in their baggy, bulging trouser pockets. The pa.s.sengers in the air terminal became restless. A loudspeaker blared above the busy din, ”Keep calm, everybody! Police had to surround the building. This is an emergency measure. Just stay wherever you are. Don't move around!”
Rhodan knew that this was a civilian airport, but he had found out earlier in the day that at the end of one of the farther runways a fighter bomber of the IIA was waiting, ready to depart at a moment's notice. The crew consisted of the pilot and three other men.
Rhodan was standing in the midst of a group of noisily arguing businessmen. They were furious at the prospect of missing their planes. About fifty yards from there John Marshall tried to push toward Rhodan in an inconspicuous manner. Both the agents from the restaurant were going from group to group, searching for their man.
Rhodan made a decision. He pushed down on a b.u.t.ton at the belt of his Arkonide suit. At once the lightwave deflector began work, and Rhodan became invisible.
Cautiously, trying not to b.u.mping into anybody Rhodan moved toward John Marshall. The former bank employee was startled when he felt a disembodied touch from nowhere. Then Rhodan's thought waves penetrated his brain.
Stop here Marshall, don't move on! I am invisible for the time being. they can't find me now. As soon as they don't see me any more they'll give up their search. They can't interrupt the traffic here in the airport any length of time.