Part 10 (1/2)

Red's hand blurred suddenly, going for his own weapon. Pell squeezed the trigger, the violet sparks danced for an instant, and then Red stood frozen with his hand almost to his chest.

”I'd advise n.o.body else to try that,” said Pell, and then in an ironical tone to Larkin: ”C.I.B. agents are trained to be pretty quick with a freezer, right, Chief?”

Larkin seemed to find his voice now. ”But--how--what happened? You were injected. How can you....”

”I just took a little precaution, that's all,” said Pell. ”There'll be plenty of time to explain it all later. You'll probably hear the whole thing in court, Larkin, when I testify at your trial for treason.

Meanwhile, all of you just stay nice and calm while I use the viewer.”

He stepped to the viewer and dialed with his free hand. The plate glowed, s.h.i.+mmered and a moment later the pale, grave face of Theodor Rysland came into view. His eyebrows rose as he saw the weapon in Pell's hand and glimpsed the people beyond Pell. ”h.e.l.lo--what's this all about?”

”Haven't time to explain fully now,” said Pell, ”but I want you to get to Larkin's country house as soon as you can. I'll call agent Kronski in a moment and have him bring some others, and together we'll take Larkin and Nebel into custody. They're behind the Supremist movement--a deliberate attempt to take over the government. They did it with a drug; that's how Supremist's are made.”

”What's this? A drug?”

”Think about it later,” said Pell. ”Just grab the facts right now. The drug makes a person subject to post-hypnotic commands--that's why your Supremists are blindly, unthinkingly loyal. However, the command can be erased by a second treatment. That'll be tough and take a lot of ferreting out, but it won't be impossible.” He glanced at Ciel, and saw that she was staring at him with horror--with enmity. It sickened him, but he steadied himself with the realization that Ciel would be one of the first to be re-treated.

Several minutes later he had completed his calls. Rysland, Kronski and the others were on the way. He kept the freezer pointed, and watched his captives carefully. Ciel had gone over to the couch and was sitting there, her face in her hands, weeping softly.

”I don't know how you did it,” said Larkin. ”I don't understand it. The injection should have worked. It always did before.”