Colonel Halsey sat at his desk, with a papers him and a bank of at his elbow. He pushed his and mirror-grid to one side.
"Sit down, please." He gave us each the of a smile, and his upon Anita.
"I came you sent for Venza," Anita said quickly.[11] "Please, Colonel Halsey, let me stay. I thought, you want her for, you might need me, too."
"Quite so, Miss Prince. Perhaps I shall." It that in his mind were many of the my own, for he added: "Haljan, I I sent for you like this once before. I this may be a more occasion."
"So do I, sir."
Snap said, "We've been to do more than a whisper. But you're here, and we're curious."
Halsey nodded. "I can talk to you, and yet I cannot." His to Venza. "It is you in I am most interested."
"Me? You me, Colonel Halsey." She sat in the metal chair his desk, small as a child its big, arms. Her long skirt had to her shapely, gray-satined legs. She had off the of her cloak. Her thick black was in a low at the of her neck; her an smile. It was all instinctive. To this girl from Venus it came as naturally as she breathed.
Halsey's twinkled. "Do not look at me like that, Miss Venza, or I shall what I have to say. You would the of me; I'm you're not a criminal."
"So am I," she declared. "What can I do for you, Colonel Halsey?"
His at once. His us all. "Just this. There is a man here in Greater New York, a Martian they call Set Molo. He has a sister, Setta Meka. Have any of you of them?"
We had not. Halsey on, slowly now, his with the care. "There are that I can tell you and there are that I cannot."
"Why not?" asked Venza.
"My dear, for one thing, if you are going to help me you can do it best by not too much. For another, I have my orders; this thing the very authorities, not only of the U.S.W., but in Ferrok-Shahn and Grebhar too."
He paused, but none of us spoke. Then Halsey said quietly, "Well, this Martian and his sister are here now in Greater New York. They have some secret. They are engaged[12] in some activity, and I want to out what it is. I have up only little parts of it."
He stopped; and out of the Snap said, "If you don't mind, Colonel Halsey, it to me you are mostly talking in code."
"I'm not, but I'm trying to tell you as little as possible. You, Miss Venza, need only this: the Martian, Molo, must be to give you some idea of what he is doing here."
"And I am to him?" Venza asked calmly.
"That is my idea." The of a Halsey's thin, face. "My dear, you are a girl of Venus. More than that, you have more than your normal of and brains."
It did not make Venza smile. She sat now, with her dark-eyed on Halsey's face. Anita, breathless, over and her hand.
Then Venza said slowly, "I realize, Colonel Halsey, that this is something vital."
"As vital, my child, as it be." He a long breath. "I want you to I am doing my duty. Doing, what the best thing, not for you, perhaps, but for the world."
I to see into his mind at that moment. He might have been a father, sending a into danger.
"I need not the danger. I have a dozen men." He a cigarette. "I don't to be able to you?"
"No," she said. And I Anita murmur, "Oh, Venza!"
"But you me," said Snap. "Colonel, look here; you know I'm going to this girl very soon."
"Yes, I know. You'll have to this a sacrifice, a into danger, for a great in a great crisis. You four have just come out of a very danger. We know of what you are made, all of you."
He again. "Perhaps that is for you, but let me settle it now. Is there any one of you who will not take my orders and trust my of what is best? And do it, if need be, blindly? Will you offer yourselves to me?"
We at each other. Both the girls murmured, "Yes."[13]
"Yes," I said at last. It was not too hard for me, for I I was him Venza, not Anita.
Snap was very pale. He from one to the other of us.
"Yes," he said finally. "But Colonel, surely you can tell us more."
Halsey his cigarette away. "I will tell you as much as I think best. These Martians, Molo and his sister, do not know of Venza; at least, I think that they do not. They have not been here very long. How they got here, we don't know. There was no or ship. In Ferrok-Shahn, they have a at best; but I won't go into that.
"Venza, I will you these Martians and the upon you. There is a mystery; you will out what it is."
He for his inter-office audiphone. "I want to the Martian Set Molo. Francis, Staff X2, has it in charge."
The came in a moment. "Francis?"
We the voice, "Yes Colonel."
"Is the in a public place by any chance?"
"In the Red Spark Cafe, Colonel. With his sister and a party."
"Good enough. The Red Spark has an image-finder. Have you connection?"
"Yes, the whole room; they have a dozen finders."
"Use a magnifier. Get me the view you can."
"It's done, Colonel. I did it just in case you called."
"Connect it."
In a moment our mirror-grid was with the two-foot square image of the of the Red Spark Cafe. I the place by reputation: a fashionable, more or less eating, and dancing restaurant, where money and freely. The were successful of the three worlds, with thrilled, who they would see something evil.
The Red Spark was not from Halsey's office; it was high in a of the city roof, almost directly over Park-Circle 29.
"There he is," said Halsey.[14]
We around his desk. The image the of a large room, and terraced; a dance-floor, high in the center with three professional there; and them the public dance-grid, slowly on its axis. A hundred or so were dancing. The was with tables; others were upon the little balconies, and still others in the and niches, half-enshrouded, half-revealed by draperies.
The image now was silent, for Halsey was not with connection. But it was a of color, the dancers in tints; and there were of tube-lights on all the tables. I saw, too, the blank of against the which marked the private rooms, against and sound. Here one might go for indiscretion, or for conspiracy, perhaps, and be as secure from as we were, here in Halsey's office.
Venza asked eagerly, "Which is he?"
"Over there on the third to the left. That table. There to be six of them in the party."
We Francis' voice; he was in Halsey's Manhattan office, with this same image him. "We'll a closer view."
The table in question was no more than a square on our image. We see an party of men and women. One of the was gigantic, a Martian man and woman, obviously. The others to be Earth or Venus people.
Francis' voice added: "I've got an on them. Foley's been for an hour. Nice, clear English. Much good it us; this is as as a of the air-lane. Here's your near-look."
Our image to another view. The lens-eye with which we were now gave us a view directly over the Martian's table. We were looking upon the table, at a of no more than ten feet.
There were three Earthwomen in the party. There was nothing about them. They were handsome, in appearance, all of them by alcholite. There was a man who have been Anglo-Saxon.[15] A wastrel, probably, with more money than wit; he a black dinner with white.
Our attention upon the other two. They were tall, as are all Martians. The woman, Setta Meka, twenty or twenty-five years of age, by Earth reckoning, in very nearly my own height, which is six two. It is difficult to tell a Martian's age, but she was very handsome, by Earth standards; and in Ferrok-Shahn she would be a beauty. Her gray-black was and at the with a metal rope. Her dark cloak, so a that it and the of all the restaurant lights, was parted, its ends over her shoulders. Beneath it she the Martian leather jacket, and short, wide leather with metal and tassels. Most Martian have an aspect, but I saw now that Setta Meka was an exception.
Her brother, who sat her, was a full seven or more. A of fellow, less than most of his race, he might have come from the the Martian Union. He was bare-headed, his gray-black close upon a head, with the familiar Martian eyes.
I into the of Molo, as he his head. It was a rough-hewn, with a hawk-like nose, black above eyes. The of a scoundrel, I not doubt, though the smooth-plucked skin was now with alcholite, and the wide, thin-lipped mouth was at the woman across the table from him.
Like his sister, he had his cloak, a brawny, powerful figure, leather clad, with a wide of ornaments, some of which were weapons.
How long we at this image of the restaurant table I do not know. I was aware of Halsey's voice: "Look him over, Miss Venza. It on you."
Another passed. It seemed, as we watched, that Molo's in his party was very slight. I got the impression, too, that though at he had to be intoxicated, actually he was not. Nor was his sister. Anxiety upon her; the she had for forced; and at[16] she would a swift, across the restaurant scene.
More drinks arrived. The Earthpeople at the table here upon the of stupor; and it appeared that Molo had in them. With a to his sister, he rose from his seat. She joined him. They left the table, and a red-clad manager of the restaurant came at their call. Then in a moment they were moving across the room.
Halsey called into his audiphone: "Francis! Hold us to them if you can."
They were now by the opened door of one of the Red Spark's private rooms. We a of its interior, a set table with a bank of lights over it.
The of a man was in there. He was on his feet, as though he had just to meet the Martians here, and a long him. It may have been a magnetic "invisible" cloak, with the now off.
We only the of the door closed and our vision. The was an accident. Molo, taken by at this of his visitor, have against it. The waiting was very tall, some ten feet, and very thin. The his and head. In his hand he a large box of black leather, of the in which wide-brimmed hats. As Molo joined him he put the box on the floor. He it as though it were heavy; and as he took a step or two, he down. Just as the room door was closing, Meka it from the inside, we a of horror.
The of the box had up. Inside was a great thing of gray-white, a thing; a of membrane, with a network of and blood-vessels the skin.
For the we gazed, stricken. The was palpitating, breathing! I saw of under the skin of membrane; a little tentacle, like an arm with a flat-webbed hand, was up the of the box.[17] The rose a higher; the lights overhead gave us a but clear view of it.
The thing in the box was a brain. I saw goggling, eyes; an that have been a nose, and a for a mouth. It was a face. And the little arm up the box-lid was joined to where the ear should have been.
Was this something human? A brain, with the to that arm?
The thing in the box and the dropped. And upon our the door of the room too.
"By the gods!" Halsey. "One of them come to the Red Spark. Here, almost in public."
So Halsey what this meant. His were now; his was white, with an of that it.
"Francis, tell Foley I'll be in the manager's office in five minutes."
He off; our image with the Red Spark dead.
"We're going to the Red Spark," he announced. "This everything, yet I don't know. Venza, I may need you more than ever, now."
Halsey us to the office door. From his he had up a portable instruments, and he on a cloak.
It was a to the Red Spark, on through the sub-cellar to where, under Park Circle 29, we up in a to the roof. We were in the entrance of the restaurant in five minutes.
In the metal room of Orentino, the Red Spark's manager, a was up and Foley was waiting for us. We it humming. Now we talk.
Halsey the door down. He said swiftly, "My men one of these this morning. They have it now and I think Molo not yet know we it. A brain; we're it English and can talk, but no one has been able to make it talk yet. Foley, order that Orentino to de-insulate the room Molo is in. Now, by the gods, we may see and something."[18]
The manager of the Red Spark was in the room. Halsey killed our to let the through to us. We all around the mirror-grid which on Orentino's desk. Foley gave us with the room. We saw Orentino's face, his nearly with fright. "Colonel Halsey, I will do you tell me."
"What room is that Martian occupying?"
"Insulated 39."
"Break off the insulation. Do it slowly and he may not notice. Then give us connection, and vision."
"But I have no image-finders in the rooms."
"Cut off the barrage. I'll there."
Foley was already setting up his on the desk. The a little; then it clarified. We had the of the room, and voices were out of Foley's receiver.
The image the box on the floor, with its down. The tall shape of the with Molo and his sister by the table. They were talking in swift, undertones. The language was Martian, a used in Ferrok-Shahn. Our it in and I it.
Molo was saying: "But you are the to have to come here!"
"The master that there is danger. Something is wrong." The spoke like a foreigner, but not a Martian, an Earthman, and not like any person of Venus I had heard. It was a strange, intonation, a flat, voice.
"I say the master is concerned."
"Let him be."
"And he I him here to you. He is that you are here."
What thing was this? Their to go to the box on the at their feet, as though the master were in there. But the of the box did not rise.
"Well, you have me," Molo impatiently. "When you know me better, always you will I have my wits. The thing is for tomorrow night, not tonight."
"But that, my master is not sure." The voice was[19] but insistent. "He danger; something has gone wrong. He is on it now, to the message! There is a message. He that much. Perhaps from our world, Wandl, itself."
For a moment Molo had no answer. His sister had not spoken. I noticed that her the room.
"What is it I should do?" Molo asked at last.
"Come with us to your home-room."
"But I have there. The is for tomorrow night. Your world will Earth."
"But if it be tonight?"
Again Molo was silent. My stopped. On our I saw the stranger's part just a little. There to be no face; just the of something brownish.
"But if it be tonight?" the voice insisted.
"I will go," Molo said abruptly, "but your here was dangerous. Suppose we cannot out undetected? You know I will go to where all our are set up and have some me. Is all going well on Venus and Mars?"
"Yes. My master so. He to messages. The will be simultaneously." A chuckle. "The of these three worlds. We shall have all three at once. Helpless."
The of the black box again about to when there came a from Meka. "This room is not insulated!"
Our was discovered. Beside me, I Halsey give a low curse. On our we saw action. The ten-foot, the black box, and with it toward the of the room. I saw now with what a dragging, that shape moved, as though it weighed, here on Earth, more than the normal weight to which it was accustomed.
"Over there!" Molo gasped. "The escape-port; this room has one. Meka, go with him. I will join you. You know where."
Foley cried, "Colonel, I may be able to stop them!"
But Halsey saw on our image that Molo was staying. "Wait. Let them go. If we have the Martian here, that's better."
I saw the room's escape-port open as Meka and the shape the box moved for it. The moonlit[20] of the the figures.
Molo was left alone. He closed the port swiftly. His now was in his hand, but Halsey him by a second or two. Our dead; our darkened. Doubtless Molo was sure he had been on or not.
Halsey was on his feet. "Foley, out into the main room. Stay with him."
But there was no need to Molo. He had sent his visitor and sister out by the escape-port, which was enough; now he was in the main room as though nothing of had happened, with an of about him. He across the room, his way through the diners, and the table where his party still sat carousing.
Again Halsey us off.
"He's got a in the city; you what they said about it. We've got to him into going there, unsuspecting."
Halsey the audiphone. "Your chance, Venza. It's the only way. Foley, keep away from that Martian. Shut off all contacts. I'll meet you out there in a moment. I'm sending a girl; she'll go after him."
"Now?" Venza asked.
"Yes. It's the only way. Perhaps you can him drinking. Venza, use all the you now."
"No!" Snap. "It's too dangerous!"
Anita was to Venza. "Colonel Halsey, I'm going too."
Halsey stared, then a decision. "Right. That is still better."
I jumped to my feet. "Colonel, I should that one of us men...."
He me by the shoulders. "Gregg Haljan, I take no from you!" His into me. "There isn't a second to lose. Don't you this means of our three planets? I'll myself, you, or these girls! Venza, take Anita outside. I'll join you immediately, give you last instructions. Take a portable with you."[21]
He to Snap. "This is the only way. These can't be forced. You know that."
The girls were moving toward the door. I met Snap's gaze.
"Gregg, don't let them go!"
"No! No, I won't!"
I a past Halsey, with Snap after me. Halsey did not move, but one of his us. With all numbed, I myself falling.
"Gregg—don't—let them...."
Snap had upon me. My did not fade. I was aware of Anita's and Venza's cries, but Halsey pushed them toward the door. It up. I saw the two girls going out with Halsey after them; and the door down.
