II29-1967-TOM-SWIFT and the Captive Planetoid by Victor Appleton II

Author:Victor Appleton II [pseud.] [Appleton, Victor II]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Published: 1967-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

11. A DEADLY WHIRLIGIG

"LET'S go!" Ames cried as the alarm buzzed three times.

The security chief, Tom, and Detective Sergeant Doane leaped from the car and ran toward the restaurant. Chow was just coming out the door. He was clutching a wrapped package.

"Where's Kolp?" the sergeant asked.

"He didn't show up," Chow replied. "Jest left a message fer me with the feller who runs the restaurant. Reckon I'm purty easy t' spot."

"What was the message?" Tom asked.

"Jest that Kolp couldn't keep his date tonight but he left this package fer me. Said what's inside would explain everything. Brand my pick an' shovel, I'll bet it's some more sapphire samples!"

Chow eagerly began to undo the package. But Tom grabbed his hand.

"Hold it, Chow! Don't open that!"

"Huh? Why not, boss?"

"Let's just say we don't know yet if Kolp's on the up and up. Until we do, I'd rather not take any chances."

Chow's eyes bulged nervously. "Y'mean this here thingamajig might be booby-trapped?"

"Tom's right!" Ames declared. "We don't know what's in that package!"

Chow looked as if he had suddenly found himself holding a red-hot cannon ball. Tom grabbed the package just in time to keep Chow from dropping it on the pavement. The contents felt heavy enough to be a bomb assembly, but Tom could hear no sound of ticking that might indicate a clockwork-detonating device.

"Come on!" Doane urged. "We'd better get that thing to headquarters! I'll put in a call to our bomb squad!"

"My lab's closer!" Tom said. He realized that if the package did contain an explosive device, it might be set to go off soon. "I'll take it to Enterprises and disarm it myself!"

All four ran to the unmarked police car and piled in. Doane gunned the engine and took off with the siren wide-open. They reached the plant in less than ten minutes. Still holding the package, the young inventor dashed into his lab with the other three at his heels.

Tom placed the package gingerly on a workbench, then whipped out an electronic key and beamed open a storage locker. Inside stood an odd-looking helmeted suit, made of some glistening white material. Tom yanked it out as lightly as if it were a papier-mâché dummy.

"What the dickens is that?" Ames asked.

"A new type of armor I've been working on. It's made of Durastress—the same stuff I used in my atomic dynamo capsule." As he spoke, Tom was hastily encasing himself in the suit.

"I planned it for fire fighting and disaster rescue work—or bomb disposal," he added with a tense grin. "I'm hoping to use it in space, too. But that's another project, if I ever find time to work on it."

Just before donning the helmet, Tom said, "You three scram out of the building! No sense taking any more risks than necessary!"

"We're sticking right with you!" Ames declared.

"All right, but stay out of the room where I do the opening!"

Carrying the package, Tom strode from the lab, looking like some futuristic knight in armor. He switched on a floor conveyor belt and stepped aboard with the others.

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