"Philip E. High - Twin Planets" - читать интересную книгу автора (High Phillip E)

was ugly. "What sort of stunt is this? No more jokes, my friend. You have
exactly ten seconds to tell the whole story."

"The whole story has yet to be told," said a quiet male voice, and
Denning saw the policeman stiffen.

"Don't do anything rash, my friend. There are six burners pointed at
the middle of your back."

"So it was a joke after all." The policeman looked at Denning with
something akin to respect, then his face contorted. "What shall I do?"

"If you are wise," said the voice, "You will climb back into your prowl
and go away. Forget this. It is none of your business."

"I cannot do that. You know I cannot do it. At the first opportunity I
must call for assistance, outwit you, or fight it out."

"Then you are a fool."

"True, but I cannot help it. It is the conditioning, you understand. I
cannot help it."

"Then we are very sorry." There was a brief flash of violet light. The
policeman stiffened. For a few seconds he stood swaying, bubbling sounds
came from his throat, then abruptly he crumpled sideways.

Denning saw him clutch at the car, fall half over, his head striking the
hood, and then he disappeared from view.

A voice said, "Pick him up and toss him in his prowl He'll freeze to
death out here."

"We could do with a few less of these creeps."

"We have no fight with the Z.P. and, in any case, they cannot help it."

"This one can talk."

"So can his dead body to science. Do as I say and put him in his prowl.
Imagine the hornet's nest we'll stir up with a dead Z.P."

"Oh, very well, but one day—" The unseen speaker moved away and
Denning lost the rest of the sentence.

The car was suddenly surrounded by dark-clad, be-goggled figures
strangely resembling frogmen, and the door was wrenched open.

A begoggled head appeared, a shoulder and a hand. The hand held
something glinting and metallic which looked like a weapon.