"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0026 - (19) Mutants Vs Mutants" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

"Mutant master, that's all I hear!" grumbled Bell. "If we only knew who's behind that name? A supermutant? A monster?"
"Regardless what-he's a very clever person who's determined to become the next New Power on Earth. It won't be easy to prevent him from doing so. So far we've been unable to find out the identity of our opponent, we only know that we are dealing with an extraordinarily intelligent, unscrupulous foe who shies away from nothing, not even murder."
"We'll interrogate the prisoner and get all the information we need about the great unknown enemy. We'll get him yet!"
"Provided our prisoner will cooperate with us," warned Rhodan.
"Don't worry about that, he'll cooperate. And besides, we have Andrй Noir to assist us."
"I wasn't thinking so much of his own resistance," Rhodan said. "I was more concerned that the mutant master might have made sure our prisoner can't provide us with any information, not even if we try to force him under hypnosis."
"That remains to be seen," replied Bell, always ready shoo away his own doubts.

* * *

It was a great moment for Tiff when he first stood before Perry Rhodan. He was overawed to be in the presence of the saviour of mankind, the idol of modern youth, the legendary Perry Rhodan who had repelled the invasion of the Mind Snatchers and the Topides and who had saved mankind from destruction.
Perry Rhodan greeted him with a smile.
This was probably the greatest surprise in Tiff's whole life and later on he admitted to himself that he was somewhat disappointed by it at first.
Next to Rhodan stood another man whom the cadet recognized from many photos and television broadcasts: Reginald Bell, The Minister of Security of the New Power and also Rhodan's best friend. Bell also smiled but it was an impatient and demanding smile.
Tiff stood at attention. "Cadet Tifflor and Cadet Eberhardt back from a training flight. Special incidents to report: attack by a destroyer, Captain Hawk killed in action, enemy craft destroyed, one prisoner taken."
Rhodan's smile vanished now as he stepped closer to Tiff and shook his hand. "Thank you for your determination and presence of mind, Cadet Tifflor. You have avenged Captain Hawk and rendered us a great service besides. If it hadn't been for you we would still be in the dark on who is responsible for making space unsafe with our stolen destroyers. Is that your prisoner?"
Eberhardt and the mulatto stood half a step behind Tiff. Apart from their different coloured complexion there was no difference between the two for both were still wearing the light-pressurized spacesuit without their helmets. And in the Academy for the training of space pilots there is no racial discrimination.
Therefore it was nothing unusual when Rhodan pointed at Eberhardt, who was standing, with a deeply embarrassed smile, next to his prisoner. Tiff tried to suppress an overwhelming desire to laugh out loud. He grinned broadly as he corrected Rhodan. "Pardon me, sir, but this is Cadet Eberhardt, who overwhelmed the survivor of the wrecked enemy ship and took him prisoner."
Rhodan shook Eberhardt's hand. "Then this must be the man," he remarked and carefully examined the mulatto. He advanced toward him. "Who are you? On whose behalf are you acting?"
No answer.
Bell, who had also welcomed and shaken hands with the two cadets frowned darkly. "Let's skip the formalities; he isn't going to cooperate. Let's get our mutants! It won't take long for John Marshall to find out what's going on in this man's mind."
Rhodan nodded in agreement. "Take charge of the confrontation with our telepaths. I'll have a talk meanwhile with our guests here. As soon as the prisoner starts talking, let me know."
Bell approached the mulatto and stared in the man's expressionless eyes, shook his head in despair and took him by the elbow. Arm in arm both left the room like two good friends. Pensively, Rhodan followed them with his eyes. Then he turned to Tiff.
"And now I'd like to hear a detailed account of what has taken place. I'd like to know all the details even if they seem insignificant to you. There must be some clue in all of this to what we're looking for."

* * *

The presence of radioactivity in the Earth's atmosphere since the first atom bomb in 1945 had produced side effects much faster than scientists first had suspected. New mutants were constantly born without anybody beware of this gradual change in man's former limitations. Then it was suddenly discovered that a number of apparently normal human beings possessed extraordinary abilities. There were telepaths and telekineticists. A man disappeared in Africa and reappeared the same second 1800 miles away: he had teleported himself across this distance. Another man could receive radio messages without the intermediary of a radio set The human brain all of a sudden displayed abilities that had never before been known to exist. Everywhere on Earth mutants began to pop up. Only a few of them possessed positive changes. As long as they remained isolated from each other, they represented no danger to mankind but united in a well-organized force they could become a remarkably effective army.
Rhodan had realized this soon enough. He sent out a special search commando to all parts of the world, especially to Japan where the first atom bomb had been detonated. It took only a few months till the mutant corps of the New Power organized. This corps formed the backbone of Rhodan's pacifistic forces.
John Marshall was one of these mutants. Thanks to his telepathic gift he made unnecessary any further reliance on even the best lie detector. No thought remained hidden from his probing mind and he had found out that he could communicate even with extraterrestrial beings.
The prisoner, however, was just a normal human being-at least this was the impression he gave. When John Marshall tried to penetrate his thoughts he met no obstacle. But all he encountered were merely superficial thoughts.
"Who gave you the order to attack the training ship Z-82?" asked John Marshall and gazed into the mulatto's eyes. Bell was standing next to Marshall, trying to put on especially grim airs. But the prisoner seemed not to notice. He started to give an answer but something prevented him from uttering a single word. Evidently he wanted to reply but was unable to do so.
Ishy Matsu, the Japanese girl telepath, had concentrated more intensely because she was expecting some difficulties. "He has a hypno-block," she whispered. "His memories seem to be imbedded in a kind of a hypnotic energy field. We cannot pierce it."
"How about applying a counter-block?" suggested Bell. Ishy shook her head. "I doubt it'll work but we can always try. Andrй Noir would be the right person for this task."
Noir, a Frenchman, born in Japan, entered the room a few minutes later. He stopped near the door. He regarded the prisoner in an inconspicuous manner. Noir was the so called 'hypno' of the mutant corps. He was capable of penetrating effortlessly into the consciousness of every living creature and to bring it under his will. No one would have suspected that this man, who looked so easy-going, was the most powerful hypnotist in the world. So far he had proven to be infallible.
Andrй Noir approached slowly. His eyes were fixed on the prisoner's face. Without looking at Marshall or Bell he said: "You may tell us your name without fear for you are here among friends. Also give us the name of the person who charged you with this mission. I know you are being forced to act via hypnotic compulsion but you must help me to remove this force, otherwise you'll never be a free man again."
"I'd rather live and be subjected to this force than not live at all," said the prisoner, hesitating. Everybody present felt clearly that these words were put in his mouth by someone else.
"It's better to live as a free man," said Noir with emphasis.
The prisoner did not react in response to his command.
Noir applied his tremendous mind powers to crack and shatter the ring an unknown person had placed around the conscious mind of the mulatto. John Marshall and Bell waited, silently. The tiny, delicate Japanese girl's face looked like a mask: she was capable of following the procedure in all details.
Almost unnoticed someone else had entered the half-darkened room. He remained near the door.
Perry Rhodan.
And then the block was broken. The prisoner suddenly opened his eyes wide, stared at the man across the room from him, seemed totally bewildered and began to utter sounds.
At first incomprehensible, the sounds tumbled over his lips, hastily, as if uttered in terrible fear. And then suddenly he spoke English: "...attack everything and destroy it... hatred, horrible hatred... to rule the world... mutants... me too... the mutant master..."
"Who is the mutant master?" shouted Rhodan from the door. He stepped closer and peered into the prisoner's eyes. Noir desperately shook his head and raised his arm imploringly as if he were trying to hold back Perry Rhodan.
"The mutant master..." stammered the prisoner. "The supermutant is..."
His face changed with frightening speed. The prisoner seemed to perceive something horrifying and inconceivable A pain visibly raced through his body. His legs gave slowly under him Rhodan leapt to his side, trying to catch him. Marshall, too, attempted to help. Andrй Noir, however did nothing of the sort; he merely retreated a few steps.
"It's too late," Noir murmured. "The hypno-block was far too powerful. But he wasn't killed by the hypno-block. He simply was obeying an overpowering hypnotic command."
They laid the stilled figure of the mulatto on a couch. John Marshall bent over in order to examine him.
"A hypnotic command?" asked Rhodan and looked at Noir. "Who gave him that command?"