by Various
* * * * *
Tom swallowed hard. "How long have you been here?"
"Some four generations have been born here. Our duty has been merely to await the arrival of our people. But in the last fifty years, we found ourselves faced with another obligation. It was that obligation which brought about the formation of Homelovers, Incorporated."
"I don't understand."
"We had underestimated the science of Earth. Our own necessity drove us towards the perfection of space flight. Earth had no such urgency. But now--" Livia looked mournful. "Now we were faced with the possibility that Mars would soon be a colony of your own planet, before our people had a chance to make it their rightful home. You can see the consequences of that. A conflict of interests, a question of territorial rights. Even the possibility of an interplanetary war--"
"War!"
"A possibility greatly to be abhorred," Andrusco said. "And one we were sure we could eliminate, if we could merely delay the colonization of Mars."
"Don't you see?" Livia said earnestly. "If we could make Mars our natural home, then the people of Earth would come to us as friendly visitors--or invaders, whichever they prefer. But if we arrived too late-- No, Tom. We feel that it is imperative--to the peace of both our worlds--that Antamunda reach Mars first."
"Then it's a race!" Tom was bewildered.
"You may call it that. But a race we are determined to win. And we will win!"
Tom thought of another question.
"The infant," he said. "The creature with scales ..."
"It was mine," the girl said sadly. "Born to John and me some ten years ago. Unfortunately, it did not live. And while your Earth eyes may consider it a creature--" She drew herself up proudly. "It was a perfectly formed Antamundan child."
Tom gaped at her.
"No," she said, answering the question in his gaze. "You are looking at us as we are. We lose our scales after our infancy, when our mouths are formed ..."
After a while, Tom asked:
"And what about Spencer?"
"Unfortunate," the man said. "His betrayal to the press would have done us incalculable harm. It was necessary to do what we did."
"Then you did kill them?"
Livia turned her head aside.
"And you think I'll stand for that?" Tom said.
"Perhaps not," Andrusco said. "But frankly--I don't really know what you can do about it. Except, of course, repeat this explanation to the authorities. You're free to do that, Tom. Any time at all." He smiled, slyly.
"You think they won't believe me?"
Livia came over to Tom's chair, and slithered one arm around his shoulder.
"Why, Tom, darling. Are you so sure that you believe it?"
* * * * *
He left the apartment some ten minutes later, and took a cab to 320 Fifth-Madison. It was almost five o'clock, and the steel-and-glass cylinder was emptying rapidly of its Homelovers employees. He watched the stream of ordinary people stepping off the elevators: the young secretaries with their fresh faces and slim figures, laughing at office anecdotes and sharing intimate confidences about office bachelors; the smooth-cheeked young executives, in their gray and blue suits, gripping well-stocked brief cases, and striding energetically down the lobby, heading for the commuter trains; the paunchy, dignified men with their gray temples and gleaming spectacles, walking slowly to the exits, quoting stock prices and planning golf dates.
The crowd eddied about him like a battling current as he made his way towards the elevators, and their images swam before his face in pink-and-white blurs. And for one terrible moment, in the thickest vortex of the crowd, he began to imagine that the faces were melting before his eyes, the mouths disappearing into the flesh, and below the white collars and black-knit ties and starched pink blouses appeared a shimmering collection of ugly scales.
He shuddered, and stepped into an empty car, punching the button that shot him to the executive floor of the Homelovers Building.
In his office, he switched on the visiphone and made contact with a square-faced man who frowned mightily when he recognized his caller.
"What do you want?" Stinson said.
"I have to see you," Tom told him. "I learned something this afternoon, about Walt Spencer. I don't know whether you'll believe it or not, but I have to take that chance. Will you talk to me?"
"All right. But we'll have to make it down here."
"I'll be there in an hour. I want to organize a few things first. Then we can talk."
Tom switched off, and began to empty his desk. He found nothing in the official communications of the Homelovers that would substantiate his story, but he continued to gather what information he could about the PR program.
He was just clicking the locks on his brief case, when a gray-haired woman with a pencil thrust into her curls popped her head in the doorway.
"Mr. Blacker?" she smiled. "I'm Dora, Mr. Wright's secretary. Mr. Wright wants to know if you'll stop in to see him."
"Wright?" Tom said blankly.
"The treasurer. His office is just down the hall. He's very anxious to see you, something about the expense sheets you turned in last week."
Tom frowned. "Why don't I see him in the morning?"
"It won't take but a minute."
"All right."
He sighed, picked up the brief case, and followed Dora outside. She showed him the door of an office some thirty paces from his own, and he entered without knocking.
A frail man, with a bald head and a squiggly moustache, stood up behind his desk.
"Oh, dear," he said nervously. "I'm terribly sorry to do this, Mr. Blacker. But I have my instructions."
"Do what?"
"Oh, dear," Mr. Wright said again.
* * * * *
He took the gun that was lying in his out-box, and fired it. His trembling hand sent the bullet spanging into the wooden frame of the door. Tom dropped to the thick carpet, and then scrambled to the tall credenza set against the right wall of the office. He shoved it aside with his left hand and ducked behind it. The treasurer came out from behind his desk, still muttering to himself.
"Please," he said in anguish, "this is very painful for me!"
He fired the gun again, and the bullet tore a white hole in the wall above Tom's head.
"Don't be so difficult," the little man pleaded. "Sooner or later--"
But Tom insisted upon being difficult. His fingers closed around a loose volume of New York State Tax Laws, and jiggled it in readiness. When the little treasurer came closer, he sprung from hiding and hurled the book. It slammed against Wright's side, and surprised him enough to send the arm holding the weapon into the air. That was the advantage Tom wanted. He leaped in a low-flying tackle, and brought Wright to the carpet. Then he was on top of the little man, grappling for the gun. Tom fought hard to get the gun.
He got it, but not before it was fired again.
Tom looked down at the widening stain that was marring the smooth texture of the carpet and was horrified. He bent down over the frail figure, lifting the bald head in his hands.
"Mr. Wright!"
The treasurer groaned. "Sorry," he said. "Instructions, Mr. Blacker ..."
"From whom? Andrusco?"
"Yes ... Your message reported from switchboard ... had orders ..."
"Is it true?" Tom said frantically. "About Antamunda? Is the story true?"
The little man nodded. Then he lifted one hand feebly towards the desk. "Gary," he said. "Tell Gary ..."
Tom looked in the direction of the gesture, and saw the back of a framed photograph.
When he turned to the treasurer again, the thin lips had stopped moving.
He lowered the body to the floor and went to the desk. The photo was that of a young man with stiff-bristled blond hair and a rugged smile. The inscription read:
"To Pop, with deep affection, Gary."
Tom shook his head, wonderingly. Were these creatures so very different?
* * * * *
When Tom stepped out on Fifth-Madison some ten minutes later, it was just in time to watch a police vehicle draw up to the entrance of 320. Sensing danger, he stepped into the shade of the Tuscany Bar awning, and watched the uniformed men pound their way down the marbled lobby floor towards the elevators. He thought fast, and decided that the arrival of the police was connected with the shooting in Wright's office.
The question was--who were they after?
He walked into the Tuscany, and headed for the bank of visiphone booths. He dialed the police commissioner, but ducked out of the path of the visiphone eye.
Stinson growled at the blank screen. "Who is it?"
"Never mind," Tom said, muffling his voice. "But if you want the killers of Walt Spencer and his wife, pick up John Andrusco and a gal named Livia Cord."
"Okay, Blacker," Stinson thundered. "I knew you'd be calling in."
Tom swore, and showed himself. "Listen, I'm telling you the truth. They told me the whole story. Then they tried to have me killed."
"Is that so? And I suppose the assassin was a guy named Wright?"
"Yes!"
"Okay, wise guy. We're on to you. You've been pocketing some of that Homelovers dough, and the treasurer found you out. Isn't that the story?"
"No! Wright's one of them."
"Sure, pal. Whatever you say. Only stay right where you are so you can do your explaining proper."
Tom tightened his lips. "Uh-huh. I don't like the sound of things. I'll see you later, Mr. Stinson."
"Blacker!"
Tom switched off.
By the time he was settled behind the red neck of a cab-driver, Tom was wiping a dripping film of sweat from his forehead. He couldn't return to his apartment; there was bound to be a stake-out. He couldn't go to Livia's; that would be walking right into danger. And he couldn't go to Stinson, without risking a murder charge.
He leaned forward.
"Driver--make that the LaGuardia Heliport."
However efficient Stinson's operations might have been, their tentacles hadn't reached the 'copter-rental station at the heliport. Tom signed out a speedy vessel under an assumed name, and taxied it down the runway. Then he pointed the nose west, and radioed ahead to his destination at Washington, D. C.
* * * * *
Colonel Grady Mordigan had the thoughtful air of a scholar and the body of a college wrestler. When Tom Blacker's name was announced to him, his mouth turned down grimly. He was commanding officer of the Space Flight Commission of the UN Air Force, and he had good reason to frown at the sound of the PR man's name.
But he invited him into his office.
"So you're Tom Blacker," he said, pinching his jaw. "I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Blacker."
"I'm sure," Tom said. "Only I want to tell you this, Colonel. I've broken my connection with Homelovers. I'm on your side now."
"Side? There are no sides in this issue, Mr. Blacker. As far as I'm concerned, Homelovers is nothing but a flea on the lip of a lion. A damned annoying flea, maybe--but nothing more than that. Now what do you want?"
"I have to talk to you about something. Something I just found out. Will you listen to me?"
The colonel leaned back, looking at his watch.
"Five minutes," he snapped.
* * * * *
Tom talked for fifteen. Mordigan didn't call a halt until he was finished, listening without a change of expression. When Tom ran out of words, he merely tapped his fingers on the desk.
"And that's your whole story?" he said gently.
"Yes, sir. I know it's a wild one. That's one of the things they're counting on. It's just wild enough to get me put into a laughing academy, where I can't do them any mischief. But I had to take that chance, Colonel."
"I see. And this--man you killed. What's happening about that?"
"I don't know," Tom said. "The way I figure it, Andrusco and the girl have told the police that I was embezzling money from the firm--that I killed the treasurer for my own protection. But it's not true! He's one of them--one of those creatures--"
"But you have no real proof?"
Tom's back stiffened. "No," he said grimly. "If I had proof, I'd have gone to the police. But I came here instead. Now you can tell me if I did the right thing."
Mordigan grimaced. "I don't know, damn it! I don't have any love for the Homelovers. To me, they've always been a bunch of greedy businessmen, intent on salvaging their franchises at any expense. But it's not easy to think of them as a bunch of--" His mouth twisted. "Loathsome aliens ..."
"Maybe not so loathsome," Tom said miserably. "I just don't know. Maybe their cause is as just to them as ours is to us. But they're determined to reach Mars before we do--before you do! And they'll do anything to make sure--"
The colonel stood up. "But I'm afraid that question is academic, Mr. Blacker. Because if our calculations are right, an Earth vessel will be on the planet Mars within the next thirty-six hours."
"What?"
"No announcement has been made. But a Mars-bound ship was launched almost a month ago, containing seven members of the space commission. Our last radio contact with Captain Wright leads us to expect--"
"Who?" Tom was on his feet.
"Captain Gary Wright, the commander of the ship." His brow knitted. "Why? Do you know him?"
"I'm not sure," Tom said weakly. "But if he's the same man--then that flight's in danger."
"What are you talking about?"
* * * * *
Tom concluded his story about the death of the Homelovers treasurer, down to the last detail of the framed photograph on Wright's desk. The tale brought Colonel Mordigan into immediate action. He buzzed for his orderly, and in another minute, was fumbling through a folder marked Classified.
"Yes," he said numbly. "It's the same man. Father's named Benjamin Wright, and he's vice-president and treasurer of Homelovers, Incorporated. I never connected the two ..." He looked up, his eyes heavy. "If your story is true, Mr. Blacker, then Captain Wright is one of these so-called Antamundans. And if their mission is what you say it is--"
Tom clenched his fists on the blotter. "Please, sir! Let me stay here until the flight is concluded. After that, you can do what you like."
"All right," Mordigan said wearily. "I'll fix you up with something in the officer's quarters. But I'm sure you're wrong, Mr. Blacker. You have to be."
Twenty-four hours later, radio contact with the Mars expeditionary ship ceased abruptly.
From Mt. Wilson observatory, a hurried message arrived, reporting a small, brief nova in the orbital vicinity of the planet Mars.
Tom Blacker, dozing fitfully on a cot in the quarters of a grumpy Lieutenant-Colonel, was awakened suddenly, and summoned to the office of Colonel Grady Mordigan.
"Very well, Mr. Blacker," the colonel said stiffly. "I'm willing to help. Just tell me what you want me to do."
* * * * *
The receptionist smiled icily at Tom, and then the smile vanished like a Martian polar cap.
"Why--Mr. Blacker!"
"Hi, Stella," he grinned. "Mr. Andrusco in his office?"
"Why, I don't know. Suppose I give him a ring--"
He stopped the hand that was reaching for the telephone. "No need of that. I think I'll just surprise him. After all, it's been some time."
He turned the knob of John Andrusco's door slowly.
Livia was with him. When he entered, they both stood up hastily, their eyes wide and their mouths unhinged.
Livia reacted first. She cried out his name, and then sat down heavily, as if the words had been a physical force.
"Hi, Livia," Tom said casually. "Good to see you again, Mr. Andrusco. Sorry that I haven't been around--but things have been pretty hectic for me lately."
"How did you get here?" Andrusco's voice was choked.
"I've been here all weekend, if you want to know." Tom seated himself blithely. "As a matter of fact, the Homelovers Building has had quite a lot of visitors this weekend."
"You know the staff of cleaning personnel that invades this place every Saturday? Well, there were some changes made this particular weekend. I'm sure you'll be interested in hearing about them."
Livia said: "Shall I call the police, John?"
"The police were represented," Tom said. "Don't worry about that. In fact, the top technicians from three government agencies were doing the housework around here this weekend, Mr. Andrusco. They probably didn't get the building much cleaner--but they swept up a lot of other things. Yes, they certainly uncovered other things."
* * * * *
Andrusco walked over to Livia, and touched her shoulder in a comforting gesture. The sight of them made Tom scowl.
"All right!" he said roughly. "I'm not blaming you for what you're doing. But things were getting out of hand, Mr. Andrusco. That's why we had to put a stop to it."
"And have you?" Andrusco asked politely.
"I'm afraid so. It was quite a shock, let me tell you. We didn't know what to expect when we dissected this building of yours. But the last thing we expected to find was--a spaceship."
Andrusco smiled. "It was cleverly done. You'll have to admit that."
"I do," Tom said fervently. "You've got those space flight experts absolutely insane with curiosity. They'll want to hear the whole story. Will you give it to them?"
The man shrugged. "It doesn't matter, I suppose. I presume the engines have been dismantled?"
"Made inoperable, yes. It would have been a great trick, if you could have done it."
Livia spoke sadly. "It was the only thing we could have done. There's no place on this Earth where we could have erected a spaceship without being observed. So we created this building. In time, we would have perfected the mechanism and left this silly planet of yours."
"That's what I don't understand," Tom said. "What about Antamunda--and the survivors--"
"There's no longer an Antamunda," John Andrusco said hollowly. "The story we told you was true in its essence, but not, I'm afraid complete. You see, the exodus that took place five hundred years ago was a total exodus. The entire population of our world--a handful, a pitiful ragged thousand--left Antamunda for this planet. We thought to make it our new home, for all eternity. But in time, we learned that we had emigrated to an extinction just as certain."
