Captain Future 04 - The Triumph of Captain Future (Fall 1940) by Edmond Hamilton

Author:Edmond Hamilton [Hamilton, Edmond]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Published: 2012-09-05T07:00:00+00:00

CURT knew that was true. Zin Zibo’s reference, just before the tragedy, might have applied to any of these three men.

“Danged if this ain’t a puzzle,” muttered Ezra Gurney to Curt. “One of ‘em’s lyin’, but which?”

“Shall I knock their heads together till they all tell truth, Master?” asked Grag helpfully in his booming voice.

The men paled at the robot’s suggestion Martin Graeme cried out hastily.

“You have no right to threaten us, Captain Future! Someone outside this room might have flung in the darkness bomb and then entered and killed Zin Zibo.”

“Yes, that may be it,” supported young Renfrew Keene. “Someone might have wanted to throw the blame on one of us in the room.”

“Whoever did it, I know it wasn’t me,” said Sus Urgal, the Martian author, nervously. He added emphatically: “I wish I’d never heard of the Fountain of Life legend.”

Simon Wright, the Brain, broke his brooding silence. His voice rasped to Captain Future.

“I don’t think it was anyone from outside the room, lad. I heard no door open, and my ears are sharper than human ones.”

They were interrupted by the hasty entrance of a young Venusian. He stopped and stared in honor at Zin Zibo’s frozen body.

“You’re Zibo’s secretary?” Curt Newton demanded.

“Yes, I’m Educ Ex,” the young man stammered shakenly. “Who killed Doctor Zibo?”

“We don’t know yet,” Curt answered decisively. “But I think we will, before long.”

“”This is frightful!” Educ Ex cried. “Doctor Zibo left a big scientific practice on Venus to follow this search for a rejuvenation method. He was eager to add the discovery to scientific knowledge. And it’s brought him only a horrible death.”

“Did Zin Zibo ever mention to you the theft of certain records from the Museum archives?” Curt asked.

“Never.” the pale secretary answered dully. Then, he addressed Future in a broken voice: “Can I take his body now? There’s a liner leaving for Venus tomorrow.

He — he would want to be buried on his native world.”

Curt nodded sympathetically. “I understand. You can take him.”

Silently they watched as the grieving secretary had the corpse removed. In that interval, Curt came to a decision. He looked at the Brain.

“We may be able to find out just what records were stolen from the Museum archives, and by whom. That seems to be our practical line of investigation now.”

The Brain seemed astounded.

“Why, yes, lad. But —”

Captain Future spoke sharply to Graeme, Renfrew Keene and Sus Urgal.

“I’m letting you go for the time being. But none of you is to leave the city of Ops. Understand?”

Surprisedly the three men hastily agreed. Then, glad to be getting away, they departed.

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