The Robot Brains [with w_cat] | страница 10

175 "So you see," said Miller, "that we haven't ignored the theories of your friend Fox. Now we have something important to discuss. I know that you have been watching the Brains. Well, did you see them yesterday between midnight and two a.m.? Did they leave their trailer?"

176 "Another murder?" asked Christian.

177 "Yes, the seventh - a man named Kurt Lawrence. He worked with rockets. He was murdered, and some important papers disappeared at the same time."

178 "I can't help you," Christian said slowly. "I watched their trailer again, but I didn't see the Brains at all. A lamp was burning in the trailer - I think they were inside."

179 "H-m." Miller sat down on a chair and waved a large hand. "Make yourself comfortable - nobody will disturb us."

180 The captain sat down and put a cigar between his lips.

181 "The trouble is," said Miller, "that now I have declared my position. So I can't remain here." He looked thoughtfully at Christian. "Will you stay on here? They don't suspect you - and I shall be glad if you help."

182 "I'll do anything I can," said the captain.

183 "I'd like to see the murder weapon," said Miller. "Do you know the strangest thing about the Brains? They have no past!"

184 "What do you mean?"

185 "I mean that the Brains appeared suddenly, out of nowhere. Before that, no one had seen or heard of them. They have no past. Maybe they just dropped from the sky..."

Christian thought of Fox's theory.

186 It was a few days later, in the evening, when the show was over and the public had gone. It was late, the stars were shining brightly in a frosty sky. Christian was alone. He was doing some work on the territory, when he heard a loud scream from the direction of the Brains' trailer. He ran.

187 He came to where the Brains' trailer stood, and in the light of the moon saw the Brains and Jo. They had the dwarf-woman between them. The Brain with the flat ears held her by her dark long hair; the second Brain held a piece of cloth to her mouth; and the third cruelly twisted her arms.

188 Still running, Christian shouted: "Stop that, you devils - leave her alone!"

189 The Brains were too busy to hear him. He seized one of them - the one with the scar on the nose - and threw him aside.

190 The other two Brains turned to him, releasing Jo, who fell to the ground. The Brain with the scar stood up and ran up to Christian. He was shaking with rage.

191 "I'll teach you to interfere!" he shouted.