by André Caroff
“However,” Madame Atomos resumed, “this teleportation by disintegration breaks no known laws of physics. After decomposing a traveler, the trip can take place through electromagnetic signals. All you need is a computer at the point of departure and another at arrival. You can feed the genetic code of the potential traveler into the first and the code will be transmitted to the second to reconstruct the traveler in flesh and blood. The traveler will be whisked away at the speed of electromagnetic signals, that is at the speed of light9.”
“Science fiction!” Beffort barked.
“For you maybe, but not for me!”
Beffort stood up, turning pale. “What do you mean?”
Madame Atomos pushed up her sleeve and showed the oversized face of her wristwatch. “This is a departure computer. The other is on Atomia Island. Don’t shoot! It won’t do any good because the process of disintegration has already begun. See you later, Mr. Beffort.”
Madame Atomos suddenly disappeared and her clothes fell to the ground at the same time as the handcuffs. In the small office, everyone stood frozen in amazement.
Beffort’s legs gave way and he flopped into his chair. He was thinking that at this very second, Madame Atomos was being reconstructed on Atomia Island, that she would soon launch a new attack against the United States and everything would start over again from scratch.
“She can disintegrate herself,” Soblen’s voice was flat, “but I’m convinced that no power in the world will be able to reconstruct her. Smith, I believe that Madame Atomos has just committed suicide.”
Beffort stared at him, then stood up and left the room. He knew exactly what he had to do to be sure of closing Madame Atomos’ FBI file for good: he had to destroy Atomia Island, whose location he and Akamatsu had a rough idea of. But this would be for later. For now Beffort went to his car and drove to the airport. Mie and Bob would have to change their address again.
As he drove, Soblen’s words came back to him and he gradually started to have hope. After all, this Dr. John Lyman was certainly just a visionary.
Notes
1 See Bibliography at the end of this book.
2 See The Monsters of Madame Atomos.
3 Japanese secret police.
4 See The Return of Madame Atomos.
5 See Miss Atomos vs. the KKK in The Return of Madame Atomos.
6 See Miss Atomos.
7 See Madame Atomos Prolongs Life in The Mistake of Madame Atomos.
8 See Madame Atomos Strikes at the Head in Miss Atomos.
9 Lyman really did make this statement on November 17, 1966 in Los Angeles.
Bibliography
Black Coat Press Volume 1: The Terror of Madame Atomos
- 1. The Sinister Mrs. Atomos (1964)
- 2. The Terror of Madame Atomos (1965)
Short story:
J.-M. Lofficier: Madame Atomos' Xmas (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 2: Miss Atomos
- 3. Madame Atomos Strikes Back (1965)
- 4. Miss Atomos (1965)
Short story:
J. Altairac & J.-L. Rivera: The Butterfly Files (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 3: The Return of Madame Atomos
- 5. Miss Atomos vs. The K.K.K. (1966)
- 6. The Return of Madame Atomos (1966)
Short story:
Win Scott Eckert: The Atomos Affair (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 4: The Mistake of Madame Atomos
- 7 - The Mistake of Madame Atomos (1966)
- 8. Madame Atomos Prolongs Life] (1967)
Short stories:
Matthew Baugh: The Way of the Crane (not included in the ebook series)
J.-M. Lofficier: The End of the Brotherhood of the Sword (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 5: The Monsters of Madame Atomos
- 9. The Monsters of Madame Atomos (1967)
- 10. Madame Atomos Spits Fire (1967)
Short story:
G.L. Gick: Who Made Me Such A Woman? (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 6: The Revenge of Madame Atomos
- 11. The Revenge of Atomos (1967)
- 12. The Evil of Madame Atomos (1968)
Short stories:
Michel Stéphan: The Red Silk Scarf (not included in the ebook series)
Matthew Dennion: The Most Dreadful Monster (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 7: The Resurrection of Madame Atomos
- 13. The Resurrection of Madame Atomos (1968)
- 14. The Seduction of Madame Atomos (1969)
Short story:
François Darnaudet & J.-M. Lofficier: On an Ill Wind… (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 8: The Mark of Madame Atomos
- 15. The Mark of Madame Atomos (1969)
- 16. The Cold War of Madame Atomos (1969)
Short stories:
Michel Stéphan: The Woman in the High Castle (not included in the ebook series)
Peter Rawlik: Before the War, Five Dragons Roar (not included in the ebook series)
Black Coat Press Volume 9: The Spheres of Madame Atomos
- 17. The Slaves of Madame Atomos (1970)
- 18. The Spheres of Madame Atomos (1979)
Short stories:
Michel Stéphan: With the Compliments of Nestor Burma (not included in the ebook series)
Jean-Marc Lofficier: Madame Atomos’ Holidays (not included in the ebook series)
Xavier Mauméjean: A Day in the Life of Madame Atomos (not included in the ebook series)
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Françoise Carpouzis & Catherine Losserand.
Madame Atomos Crache des Flammes Copyright 1967 by The Estate of André Caroff.
English adaptation Copyright 2012 by Michael Shreve.
Introduction, Copyright 2012 by Jean-Marc Lofficier and The Estate of André Caroff.
Cover illustration Copyright 2012 by Jean-Michel Ponzio.
Visit our website at www.blackcoatpress.com
ISBN 978-1-61227-087-6. First Printing. June 2012. Published by Black Coat Press, an imprint of Hollywood Comics.com, LLC, P.O. Box 17270, Encino, CA 91416. All rights reserved. Except for review purposes, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The stories and characters depicted in this novel are entirely fictional. Printed in the United States of America.
