The Robot Brains [with w_cat] - [3]

76 "It won't be hard to find out," said Christian.

77 "Maybe harder than you think," said Fox. "Professor Leach was a friend of mine. He was number one. He did research work in hydroponics.

78 "I was interested in other victims. Gruller, the second victim, was an astronomer. He had just made some new discovery about the stars and was ready to publish - the secret died with him.

79 "The third was Robert James, a chemist. He studied the effect of radiation on insect life. The fourth man was Bond, a psychologist. He worked out a new theory of brain structure. The latest, of course, is Margaret Greenways."

"Potatoes," said Christian.

Fox leaned forward.

80 "Don't you see, Christian? All the murdered people were scientists... and all were working on something new!"

Christian looked at Fox.

81 "Have you any ideas about the weapon?"

82 "Only that it is something new - some great discharge of energy with much heat: that's why the necks are cauterized."

83 "The murderers must be very sure of themselves," said Fox. "You will see it when you meet the Brains. I think they are the murderers."

84 But why a fair? At the fair so many people see and know them."

85 "What can be a better way of travelling about the country?" said Fox. "Remember, they are physically different from the rest of us, and it is easy to notice them. The Fair makes a sort of cover for them."

86 "But why must they kill scientists?" said Christian. "Maybe they are a group of people who are against any form of progress."

Fox shook his head.

87 "It's a big thing, Chris - we're only at the beginning. There'll be more murders. Where did they get their weapon? Modern science does not know such an energy gun..."

88 "So," smiled the captain, "they landed in a flying saucer! You and your theories."

Fox thought.

89 "I imagine an interplanetary organization. They know what is happening on the earth. They see the success of our science and they don't want us to get into space. They want to stop us."

90 He became more excited.

91 "Think of our progress. In twenty years we'll be ready to cross space - and who knows what we may find out there? Maybe they don't want us to leave the earth"

92 "So they kill a young woman who grows potatoes," said Christian.

93 "You don't understand. Margaret Greenways discovered something new. Something new - that's what they are trying to stop. Stop all progress - and you keep man on this planet forever!"

94 Christian looked at his friend with open admiration. It was not everyone who could create such a theory from so few facts.

95 "Well, Christian," said Fox looking at the captain, "you are the man of action. What shall we do about it?"

96 "Investigate the Burkholder Fair," said Christian. "In the morning I'll go to the Fair and see if I can get a job there."

- 6 -

97 Gilbert Thurston worked late in his house on the outskirts of Reading. He was sitting at his desk. On the desk there were pages of manuscript and many notebooks.

98 He was alone, except for his cat. His housekeeper had gone to stay with her relatives and would not be back until morning.

99 Thurston was pleased with his progress. The work of years was nearly over.

He felt tired, but not sleepy. He looked again at the title of his work:

A SOCIAL REVOLUTION

100 He was sure that the publication of his theories would bring great changes. It was an idea of which he was proud.

101 A sound was heard. The cat raised her head, looking at the window.

102 "It's nothing," said Thurston. "Go back to sleep."

103 He crossed the room to the little table and took a sandwich. When his paper was published, it would cause a sensation. He was certain of that.

104 The sound came again, this time from the back of the house. Thurston decided to pay no attention. He drank his milk and looked at the manuscript again.

105 The cat rose, arched her back and hissed. She was looking at the door.

106 Thurston took a poker from the fireplace and opened the door.

107 "Stay where you are," he said loudly. "I can see you."

108 The figure was in shadow, but Thurston noticed the gleam of metal. He raised the poker and said:

"Throw it down!"

109 The figure moved forward. The strange weapon pointed at him...

110 There was a brilliant flash of light in his face, one terrible moment of great heat, then nothing...

111 The murderer stepped past the headless body of Gilbert Thurston and went to the study. There he destroyed the manuscript.

- 7 -

112 Next morning Christian came to the Burkholder Fair with a bag over his shoulder. He was wearing a pair of trousers and a dark blue jersey. He looked like an ordinary sailor looking for work. He was walking about the place, looking around with interest. He saw men feeding animals, workers cleaning the territory, some children playing and a man shaving in the open.

Someone shouted at him:

113 "You there! Are you looking for a job?"

114 A tall man with a long moustache, well-dressed, came up to him. Christian understood that he was Burkholder.

115 "Yes, sir," he said. "I have missed my ship. I could work for a few weeks."