Amazing Stories Volume 3 by Joseph E. Kelleam

Author:Joseph E. Kelleam [Joseph E. Kelleam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783968650388
Publisher: Otbebookpublishing
Published: 2020-04-23T00:00:00+00:00

"Brian ... Brian—" Crystal sobbed hopelessly.

The burning streak of fire traced steadily across the sky—then abruptly it ended in a bursting nova of flaming incandescence. The light faded slowly into the twilight darkness.

"He's gone," McHague whimpered.

Serono laughed softly.

"Oh, don't sound so disappointed, McHague. You'll soon be with him." The dry click of Serono's artificial hand crisped in McHague's ears.

"No... no... Serono... wait... wait a minute—" McHague babbled. Half paralyzed with terror, he sidled desperately away from the hideous weapon in Serono's hand. "He held a gun on me.... I had to—" McHague's stumbling words trailed off as he read "Death" in Serono's eyes. His terrified scream ripped out as he turned blindly and plunged down the yawning blackness of the shaft.

Serono's dry chuckle stirred like the rustling wings of a bat.

"And now, Crystal James—" He turned. There was nothing but the impassive stillness of the jungle; the girl was not in sight.

"—and that, gentlemen, completes my report on the present status of Venus. This folder contains the vital statistics for the period since your last inspection. You will find there the reason for me presenting this report instead of Governor McHague. He was killed, together with Mr. Hanson, Chief of Research for Venus Consolidated, in an explosion during an experiment in rocketry which Mr. Hanson was conducting."

"Ah, thank you, Zeburzac." Chief Inspector Nathan accepted the final folio of the voluminous annual report on Venus. He sat with the other members of the Board of Inspection in the governor's offices as they carefully sorted through the stacks of report form and record sheets. "Hm-m-m—I see you have a Crystal James listed here as killed in an aircraft accident. Was she one of the old Venusian family of James?"

Serono nodded regretfully. "Yes, I believe she was the last of them. I knew them well."

"That is too bad," Inspector Nathan said softly. "They were a fine, old family. Well, that cleans up the report, Zeburzac; everything seems to be perfectly in order."

"Thank you, inspector." Of course, it was. He had spent three months on those reports and everything had run smoothly on schedule. In a few more hours this inquisitive crew of inspectors would be gone and Venus would be his.

The mild gentleness of Serono's face revealed nothing of his dictatorial intentions as he listened to Inspector Nathan's closing remarks. In a moment they would be offering him the governorship, legalizing the power he already possessed. With Venus in his hands to be forged into a weapon, the easy-going democracy of Earth would be no serious obstacle. What one clever man could do—Nathan was speaking.

"There is one item here, however, that seriously affects several of these reports. This Mr. Hanson—"

"Hanson? Yes, I think I mentioned, he died. A very violent explosion."

Chief Inspector Nathan's formal politeness melted abruptly in the sudden fire of his rage.

"Explosion? I know all about that explosion, you blundering murderer. Come in here, Hanson!"

"Hanson!" Serono stared in shocked unbelief at the grim figure of a man who should have died, but only for a moment.

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