Page:Amazing Stories Volume 15 Number 12.djvu/121

Rh "We've gone as far as we can right now. It's farther than we hoped to get. Our next stop is Skarack. When I'm through with him I don't care what happens to me"." [sic]

"Or anyone?" she asked.

He was silent. Then:

"How did you come here?"

"My father owned this property at one time," she answered. "Skarack was his foreman. I was in school on Earth and my checks always came from here promptly. What I didn't know was that father had died years ago and that Skarack had taken over, even to the extent of seeing that my checks were mailed to keep me from becoming suspicious. Finally I got lonely, jumped in a one seater and started off for here without letting anyone know where I was going. When I found out the truth Skarack refused to allow me to leave. He's made me offers, but I've told him I'd rather kill myself."

Dirk couldn't think of anything to say.

Vyers stuck his head in the door.

"Hurry up," he whispered, "we haven't got much time left."

"If there was any way at all of licking Skarack and his mob," Dirk said, "I'd take it. But there isn't. That's why we're concentrating on him."

"Just a minute," Dirk heard the girl slip from her bunk, cross to him. "There is a chance if you want to take it. All you need is more alive, alert men. Well, Skarack has a solution that will break the electric hypnosis. He perfected it in case he ever had to move the men or put them to work after they'd been drugged. He told me this one night when he was drunk. That same night I stole a bottle of the drug, hoping I'd get a chance to slip it to someone who could get it to you, or maybe some other prisoner."

"I don't get what you’re driving at." Dirk frowned.

"Just this," the girl said breathlessly. "If I gave you the drug and you could slip back and awaken a dozen more men you'd have a chance to overthrow Skarack's entire horrible system here. If you just get him, someone will take his place and these hundreds of helpless men will be no better off. You can take your private revenge if you wish, but you won't be satisfying anyone but yourself."

"It's an awfully long gamble," he said grimly.

"Maybe I haven't the right to ask you to take such a chance," the girl said softly.

"You can ask me anything," he snapped, "anytime, anywhere. Anybody with your guts doesn't need to apologize for asking someone else to take a risk. Give me that bottle of dope."

The girl uttered a happy, choked cry and slipped away from him. She returned in an instant and thrust a slim vial into his hands. A hypodermic needle was strapped to the bottle.

"Good luck," she whispered.

He kissed her then.

"I'll be right back for you," he said, "and remember—I always keep a promise."

Wheeling he slipped out the door, pulled Vyers into the shadow of the hut and hurriedly explained the new situation to him.

"It's a chance," he said grimly, "for everybody."

"What're we waiting for?" Vyers snapped.

N HOUR later Dirk opened the huge eating room door cautiously and peered out. The stretch approaching the stockade fence was clear. Turning he motioned with his hand, then stepped through the open door.