The Time Traders Andre Norton (electric book reader .TXT) š
- Author: Andre Norton
Book online Ā«The Time Traders Andre Norton (electric book reader .TXT) šĀ». Author Andre Norton
For most of his short life Ross had been engaged in a private war against the restrictions imposed upon him by a set of legal rules to which something within him would not conform. And he had, during those same years filled with attacks, retreats, and strategic maneuvering, formulated a code of rules by which to play his dangerous game. He had not murdered, and he would never follow the path Kurt took. To one who was supremely impatient of restraint, the methods and aims of Kurtās employers were not only impossibly fantastic and illogicalā āthey were to be opposed to the last ounce of any manās energy.
āYour friends late?ā He tried to sound casual.
āNot yet, and if you now plan to play the hero, Murdock, think better of it!ā Kurtās tone held the crack of an orderā āthat note Ross had so much disliked in the majorās voice. āThis is an operation which has been most carefully planned and upon which a great deal depends. No one shall spoil it for us nowā āā
āThe Reds planted you on the project, eh?ā Ross wanted to keep the other talking to give himself a chance to think. And this was one time he had to think, clearly and with speed.
āThere is no need for me to tell you the sad tale of my life, Murdock. And you would doubtless find much of it boring. If you wish to continue to liveā āfor a while, at leastā āyou will remain quiet and do as you are told.ā
Kurt must be armed, for he would not be so confident unless he had a weapon he could now turn on Ross. On the other hand, if what Ross guessed were true, this was the time to play the heroā āwhen there was only Kurt to handle. Better to be a dead hero than a live captive in the hands of Kurtās dear friends across the pole.
Without warning, Ross threw his body to the left, striving to pin Kurt against the driverās side of the cabin, his hands clawing at the fur ruff bordering the otherās hood, trying for a throat hold. Perhaps it was Kurtās overconfidence which betrayed him and left him open to a surprise attack. He struggled hard to bring up his arm, but both his weight and Rossās held him tight. Ross caught at his wrist, noticing a gleam of metal.
They threshed about, the bulkiness of the fur clothing hampering them. Ross wondered fleetingly why the other had not made sure of him earlier. As it was he fought with all his vigor to keep Kurt immobile, to try and knock him out with a lucky blow.
In the end Kurt aided in his own defeat. When Ross relaxed somewhat, the other pushed against him, only to have Ross flinch to one side. Kurt could not stop himself, and his head cracked against the wheel of the cat. He went limp.
Ross made the most of the next few moments. He brought his belt from under his parka, twisting it around Kurtās wrists with no gentleness. Then he wriggled about, changing places with the unconscious man.
He had no idea of where to go, but he was sure he was going to get awayā āat the catās top speedā āfrom that point. And with that in mind and only a limited knowledge of how to manage the machine, Ross started up and turned in a wide circle until he was sure the cat was headed in the opposite direction.
The light which had guided them was still on. Would reversing its process take him back to the base? Lost in the immensity of the cold wilderness, he made the only choice possible and gunned the cat again.
IVOnce again Ross sat waiting for others to decide his future. He was as outwardly composed as he had been in Judge Rawleās chambers, but inwardly he was far more apprehensive. Out in the wilderness of the polar night he had had no chance for escape. Heading away from Kurtās rendezvous, Ross had run straight into the search party from the base, had seen in action that mechanical hound that Kurt had said they would put on the fugitivesā trailā āthe thing which would have gone on hunting them until its metal rusted into powder. Kurtās boasted immunity to that tracker had not been as good as he had believed, though it had won them a start.
Ross did not know just how much it might count in his favor that he had been on his way back, with Kurt a prisoner in the cat. As his waiting hours wore on he began to think it might mean very little indeed. This time there was no show on the wall of his cell, nothing but time to thinkā ātoo much of thatā āand no pleasant things to think about.
But he had learned one valuable lesson on that cold expedition. Kelgarries and the others at the base were the most formidable opponents he had ever met, and all the balance of luck and equipment lay on their side of the scales. Ross was now convinced that there could be no escape from this base. He had been impressed by Kurtās preparations, knowing that some of them were far beyond anything he himself could have devised. He did not doubt that Kurt had come here fully prepared with every ingenious device the Reds could supply.
At least Kurtās friends had had a rude welcome when they did arrive at the meeting place. Kelgarries had heard Ross out and then had sent ahead a team. Before Rossās party had reached the base there had been a blast which split the arctic night wide open. And Kurt, conscious by then, had shown his only sign of emotion when he realized what
Comments (0)