September 25, 2025 • 19 mins
In Police Your Planet, Bruce Gordon finds himself at a crossroads as he stares at his ONE WAY ticket, a symbol of his life choices. With a heavy heart, he tears it into thirty pieces, each representing a year of his life filled with regrets and lost opportunities. From his two years as a cop to his struggles in the boxing ring, from fleeting attempts at professional gambling to his explosive rise as a journalist uncovering the Mercury scandals, Bruces journey has been anything but ordinary. But after a shocking revelation about his big scoop, he receives one last assignment that could change everything. Join Bruce as he navigates the complexities of ambition, truth, and the price of exposure. (Summary by Christian Alexander and Excerpt of Chapter 1)
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fourteen of Police or Planet by Lester del Rey.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter fourteen
Full Circle. Hendrix had been wounded lightly and was out
when Gordon and Izzie reported, but the next day they
(00:22):
were switched to a new beat where trouble had been thickest,
and given twelve hour duty without special overtime. Izzie considered
it slowly and shook his head. That does it, guv'na.
It ain't honest treating us this way. If the crackle
comes from the people, and these geese give everybody a
skull cracking, then their crooks. It ain't honest. And I'm
(00:45):
too sick to work. And if that bloody doctor won't agree,
he turned toward the dispensary. Gordon hesitated and then swung
off woodenly to take up his new beat. Apparently his
reputation had gone ahead of him, since most of the
hoodlums had decided pickings would be easier on some beat
where the cops had their own secret rackets to attend
(01:07):
to instead of head busting, But once they learned he
was alone. But the second day two of the citizens
fell into a step behind him, almost at once, armed
with heavy clubs. Periodically during the shift, replacements took their place,
making sure that he was never by himself. It surprised
(01:29):
him even more when he saw that a couple of
the men had come over from his old beat. Something
began to burn inside him, but he held himself in,
confining his talk to vague comments on the rumors going around.
There were enough of them, mostly based on truth. Part
of Jurgen's old crowd had broken away from him and
(01:51):
established a corner on most of the drugs available. They
had secretly traded a supply to Wayne, who had become
an addict, for a stock of weapons. Gordon remembered the
contraband shipment of guns and compared it to the increase
he'd noticed in weapons and to the impossible prices the
pushers were demanding. It made sense. All kinds of supplies
(02:16):
were low, and the outlands beyond Marsport had cut off
all shipments. Scrip was useless to them, and the legals
were raiding all cargoes destined for Wain's section, and the
municipals had imposed new taxes. Again. He came back to
find what should have been his day off, to find
Izzie in uniform, waiting grimly behind the screen. There was
(02:40):
a rustling of clothes, and a dress came sailing from
behind it. While he steered, Sheila came out, finishing the
zipping of her air suit. She moved to a small
bag and began drawing out the gun she had used
in a knife. He caught her shoulder and shoved her back,
pulling the weapons from her. Get out of my way,
(03:01):
you damned legal machine, she spat, Easy princesses. He said,
he hasn't seen it yet. I guess here, guv'nor. He
picked up a copy of Randolph's New Little Truth and
pointed to the headline. Security denounced his rape of Marsport.
The story was somewhat cooler than that, but not much.
(03:23):
Randolph simply quoted what was supposed to be an official
cable from Security on Earth, denouncing both governments and demanding
that both immediately surrender. It listed the crimes of Wain,
then tore into the legals as a bunch of dupes
sent by North America to formant trouble why they eluded
(03:45):
the city and to give the Earth government an excuse
for seizing military control of Marsport. Officially, citizens were instructed
not to co operate. All members of either government were
indicated for high treason to security. He crushed the paper, slowly,
tearing it to bits with his clenched hands. He'd swallowed
(04:07):
the implication that the legals were security. Then it hit
him slowly and he looked up. Where's Randolph at his plant?
At least he left for it, According to Sheila, Gordon
picked up Sheila's gun and buckled it on beside his own.
She grabbed at it, but he shoved her back again.
You're staying here, Cuddles. You're supposed to be a woman now.
(04:31):
Remember she was swearing hotly as they left, but made
no attempt to follow. Gordon broke into a slow trot
behind Izzie until they could spot one of the few
remaining cabs. He stopped it with his whistle and dumped
the passenger out unceremoniously. While Izzie gave the address, The
damned full opened up on the border. Figured he'd circulate
(04:54):
to both sections. Izzie said, we'd better get out a
block up and wait, and I hope we ain't too
bloody late. The building was a wreck outside Inside it
was worse. Men in the municipal uniform were working over
the small job press and dumping the hand set tight
from the boxes on the floor. Men in the municipal
(05:15):
uniform were working over the small job press and dumping
the hand set tight from the boxes on the floor.
A single legal cop lay under the wreckage, apparently having
gotten there first and been taken care of by the
later municipals. Randolph had been sitting in a chair between
two of the cops, but now he leaped up and
(05:37):
tried to flee through the back door. Izzie started forward,
but Gordon pulled him back. As the cops reached for
their weapons, the gun in his hand picked them out
at quarters, too close for a miss, starting with the
cop who had jumped to catch Randolf. Izzie had ducked
around the side and now came back leading the little man.
(06:00):
Randolph paid no attention to the dead man, nor to
the bruises on his own body. He moved forward to
the press, staring at it, and there were tears in
his eyes as he ran his hands over the broken metal.
Then he looked up at them. A rest or rescue,
he asked. A rest of voice from the door said harshly,
(06:22):
and Bruce Gordon swung to sea. Six leagles filling in,
headed by Hendrix himself. The captain nodded at Gordon, good work,
Sergeant by Jinks. When I heard the municipals were coming,
I was scared they'd get him for sure. Crane wants
to watch this guy shot in person. He grabbed Randolf
by the arm. You're overlooking something, Hendrix. Gordon cut in.
(06:46):
He had moved back toward the wall to face the group.
If you ever look at my record, you'll find I'm
an ex newspaper. Me and myself. This is a rescue.
Tie them up, Iusie. Hendrix was faster than Gordon had thought.
He had his gun almost up. Before Gordon could fire,
a bluish hole appeared on the man's forehead. He dropped slowly.
(07:09):
The others made no trouble as Izzie bound them with
bailing wire. And I hope nobody finds them, he commented,
All right, Randy, I guess we're a bunch of refugees
heading for the outside, and bloody lucky at that proves
a man shouldn't have friends. Randolph's face was still greenish white,
(07:30):
but he straightened and managed a feeble smile. Not to me, Izzy,
right now, I can appreciate friends, But you two better
get going. I've got some unfinished business to tend to.
He moved to one corner and began dragging out an
old double cylinder mimeograph. Either of you know where I
can buy stencils and ink and find some kind of
(07:51):
a truck to haul this paper along. Izzie stopped and
stared at the rabity, pale little man. Then he let
out a sudden yell of laughter. Okay, Randy, we'll find them, guv'nor,
you'd better tell my mother. I'll be using the old sheets.
Go on, you've got the princess to worry about. We'll
(08:13):
be along later. He grabbed Randolph's hand and ducked out
the back before Gordon could protest. Izzie could only have
meant that they were going to hold up in Mother
Corey's old chicken coop. But Gordon had now managed to
make a full circle back to his beginnings on Mars.
He'd started at the coop with a deck of cards.
(08:33):
Now he was returning with a club. He had counted
on at least some regret from Mother Cory, however, but
the old man only nodded after hearing that Randolph was
safe fanatics, crusaders, and damned fools, he said. He shook
his head sadly and went shuffling back to his room,
where two of his part time henchmen were sitting. Sheila
(08:57):
had been sitting on the bunk, still in her ear.
Now she jerked upright, then sank back with a slow flush.
Her hands were trembling as she reached for a cup
of coffee and handed it to him, listening to his
quick report of Randolph's safety and the fact that he
was going back outside the dome. I'm all packed, she said,
(09:20):
and I packed your things too. He shot his eyes
around the room, realizing that it was practically bare except
for a few of her dresses. She'd followed his gaze
and shook her head. I won't need them out there,
she said, her voice caught on that they'll be safe here,
(09:40):
So will you. Now that you've made up with the mother,
he told her, your meal ticket's ruined, cuddles, and you
made it clear a little while ago. Just where you stand.
Remind me to tell you some time how much fun
it's been. Your mother was good with a soldering iron,
wasn't she You even look human? She bent to pick
(10:01):
up a shoulder pack in a bag, and her face
was normal when she stood up again. You might guess
that the cops would be happy to get a hold
of your wife now, though, come on, it's a long walk.
He left the car beyond the gate and they pushed
through the locker room towards the smaller exit, stopping to
fasten down their helmets. The guard halted them, but without
(10:25):
any suspicion. Going hunting for those deemed kids, eh, he said.
He stared at Sheila, lucky devil. All I got for
a guide was an old bumb o k luck sergeant.
It made no sense to Gordon, but he wasn't going
to argue. They went through and out into the waist
(10:45):
and slums beyond the domes, heading out until there were
only a few phosphor bulbs to guide their way. Gordon
was moving cautiously, using his helmet lay only occasionally, gun
ready in his hand, but it was Sheila who caught
the faint sound. Anne turned to see her crash into
(11:06):
the stomach of a man with a half raised stick.
He went down with almost no resistance. Sheila shot the
beam of her light on the thin drawn face, rusty
Hi princess. He got up, slowly, trying to grin. Didn't
know who it was. Sorry, ever, get that louse you
(11:28):
were out for? She nodded, Yeah, I got him. That's him,
my husband. What's wrong with you, Rusty? You've lost fifty
pounds and things are a quite tough out here, Princess,
no deliveries closed. My bar been living sort of hand
to mouth, but not much mouth. His eyes bawlged greedily
(11:49):
as she dug into a bag and began to drag
out the sandwiches she must have packed for the trip.
But he shook his head. I ain't so bad off.
I ain't something yet yesterday, but if you can spare
something for the kid, hey kid. A thin boy of
about sixteen crept out from behind some rubble, staring uncertainly. Then,
(12:11):
at the sight of the food, he made a lunch,
grabbed it and hardly waited to get it through the
slits of his suit before gulping it down. Rusty sat down,
his lined old face breaking into a faint grin. He hesitated,
but finally took some of the food. Shouldn't oughta you'll
(12:33):
need it, He swallowed, slowly, as if tasting the food
all the way down kid can't talk. Cop caught him
peddling one of the Randolph's pamphlets, cut out part of
his tongue, but he's all right. Now, come on, kid,
hurry it up. We got to convoy these people. They
(12:53):
were following a kind of road when headlights bore down
on them. Gordon's hand was on his gun as he
leaped for shelter, but there was no hostile move from
the big truck. He studied it, trying to decide what
a truck would be doing here. Then a marsh speaker
amplified voice shouted from it. Any muckrakers there one? Gordon
(13:15):
shouted back, and ran toward it, motioning the others to follow.
He'd always objected to the nickname, but it made a
good code. Randolph's frail hand came down to help them up,
but a bigger paw did the actual lifting. Why didn't
you too, wait, mother, Corey asked, his voice booming out
of his marsh speaker. I figured izzi'd stop by first
(13:39):
here sit over there. Not much room with my stuff
in Randolph's, but it beats walking. What in the hell
brings you back? Gordon asked. The huge man shrugged ponderously,
a man gets tired of being respectable cobber, and I'm
getting old and sentimental about the chicken coop, he chucked,
(14:00):
rubbing his hands together. But not so old that I
can't handle a couple of guards that are stubborn about trucks. Eh, Izzie,
messy but nice, Izzie agreed from the pile above them.
Tell those trained apes of years to cut the lights,
will you, mother? Somebody must be using the coop. They
stopped the truck before reaching the old wreck. In the
(14:22):
few dim lights, the old building still gave off an
air of mold and decay. Gordon shuddered faintly, then followed
Izzie and Mother into the semi secret entrance. Izzie went ahead,
almost silent, with a thin strand of wire between his hands,
his elbows weaving back and forth slowly to guide him.
(14:44):
He was apparently as familiar with the garret as the knife,
but they found no guard. Izzie pressed the seal release
and slid incautiously while the others followed. In the beam
of Gordon's torch, a single figure lay sprawled out on
the floor halfway to the rickety stairs to the main house.
(15:06):
Mother Corey grunted and moved quickly to the coughing, battered
old air machine. His fingers closed a valve equipped with
a combination lock. They're all dead, cobbers, he wheezed, dead
because a crook had to try his hand on a
lock years ago. I had a flask of poisoned gas
attached in case a gang should ever squeeze me out.
(15:28):
In the filthy rooms above, Gordon found the corpses, about
fifteen of them, and some former members of the Jurgen's organization.
He found the ape like bodyguards stretched out on a bunk,
a vacant smile on his face. A yell from the
basement called him back down to where Izzie was busily
(15:49):
going through piles of crates and boxes stacked along one wall.
He was pointing to a lead foil covered box dope
and all that other stuffy immunion. He shivered, staring at
the fortune in his hands. Then he grimaced and shoved
the open can back in its case. He threw it
(16:09):
back and began stacking ammunition cases in front of the dope.
Gordon went out to the others and started moving in
the supplies and transferring the corpses to the truck for disposal.
Randolph scurried off to start setting up his makeshift plant
in the basement. Mother Corey was staring about when they
(16:30):
returned filthy. He wheeled a pigeon. They've ruined the coop.
Cobber smell that air, Even I can smell it, He
sniffed dolefully. Mother Corey sighed again. Well, it'll give the
boy something to do, he decided. When a man gets old,
he likes a little comfort. Cobber nice things around him.
(16:55):
Gordon found what had been his old room and dumped
his few things into it. Sheila watched him uncertainly, and
then took possession of the next room. She came back
a few minutes later, staring at the ages old filth.
I'll be cleaning for a week, she said, What are
you going to do now, Bruce? He shook his head
(17:17):
and started back down the stairs. He hurried down into
the basement, where Randolph was arranging his mimeograph. The printer
listened only to the first sentence and shook his head impatiently.
I was afraid you'd think of that, Gordon. Look, you
never were a reporter. You ran a column. I've read
the stuff you wrote. You killed and maimed with words.
(17:41):
But you never dug up news. It would help people
or tell them what they didn't suspect all along. And
that's what I've got to have. Thanks, Gordon said curtly.
Too bad security didn't think I was as lousy a
reporter as you do, O K. I'll give you a
job for one week. See what outer marsport is like.
(18:03):
Find what can be done, if anything, and do it
if you can, and come back and give me six
columns on it. I'll pay Mother Corey for your food
and for your wife's and if I can find one
columns worth of news in it, maybe I'll give you
a second week. I can't see a man's wife's starve
(18:23):
because he doesn't know how to make an honest a living.
Rusty and one of Mother Corey's men were on guard
and the others had turned in. Gordon went up the
stairs and threw himself on to the bed in disgust.
Bruce Sheila stood outlined in the doorway against the dim
glow of a phosphor bulb. Her robe was partly open,
(18:46):
and hunger burned in him. Then before he could lift himself,
she bent over and began unfastening his boots. You all right, Bruce,
I heard you tossing around. I'm fine, he told her, mechanically,
just making plans for tomorrow. He watched her turn back slowly,
(19:06):
then lay quietly, trying not to disturb her again. Tomorrow,
he thought, Tomorrow, he'd finish some kind of an answer,
and it wouldn't be Randolph's charity. End of chapter fourteen
Chapter fourteen of Police or Planet by Lester del Rey.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter fourteen
Full Circle. Hendrix had been wounded lightly and was out
when Gordon and Izzie reported, but the next day they
(00:22):
were switched to a new beat where trouble had been thickest,
and given twelve hour duty without special overtime. Izzie considered
it slowly and shook his head. That does it, guv'na.
It ain't honest treating us this way. If the crackle
comes from the people, and these geese give everybody a
skull cracking, then their crooks. It ain't honest. And I'm
(00:45):
too sick to work. And if that bloody doctor won't agree,
he turned toward the dispensary. Gordon hesitated and then swung
off woodenly to take up his new beat. Apparently his
reputation had gone ahead of him, since most of the
hoodlums had decided pickings would be easier on some beat
where the cops had their own secret rackets to attend
(01:07):
to instead of head busting, But once they learned he
was alone. But the second day two of the citizens
fell into a step behind him, almost at once, armed
with heavy clubs. Periodically during the shift, replacements took their place,
making sure that he was never by himself. It surprised
(01:29):
him even more when he saw that a couple of
the men had come over from his old beat. Something
began to burn inside him, but he held himself in,
confining his talk to vague comments on the rumors going around.
There were enough of them, mostly based on truth. Part
of Jurgen's old crowd had broken away from him and
(01:51):
established a corner on most of the drugs available. They
had secretly traded a supply to Wayne, who had become
an addict, for a stock of weapons. Gordon remembered the
contraband shipment of guns and compared it to the increase
he'd noticed in weapons and to the impossible prices the
pushers were demanding. It made sense. All kinds of supplies
(02:16):
were low, and the outlands beyond Marsport had cut off
all shipments. Scrip was useless to them, and the legals
were raiding all cargoes destined for Wain's section, and the
municipals had imposed new taxes. Again. He came back to
find what should have been his day off, to find
Izzie in uniform, waiting grimly behind the screen. There was
(02:40):
a rustling of clothes, and a dress came sailing from
behind it. While he steered, Sheila came out, finishing the
zipping of her air suit. She moved to a small
bag and began drawing out the gun she had used
in a knife. He caught her shoulder and shoved her back,
pulling the weapons from her. Get out of my way,
(03:01):
you damned legal machine, she spat, Easy princesses. He said,
he hasn't seen it yet. I guess here, guv'nor. He
picked up a copy of Randolph's New Little Truth and
pointed to the headline. Security denounced his rape of Marsport.
The story was somewhat cooler than that, but not much.
(03:23):
Randolph simply quoted what was supposed to be an official
cable from Security on Earth, denouncing both governments and demanding
that both immediately surrender. It listed the crimes of Wain,
then tore into the legals as a bunch of dupes
sent by North America to formant trouble why they eluded
(03:45):
the city and to give the Earth government an excuse
for seizing military control of Marsport. Officially, citizens were instructed
not to co operate. All members of either government were
indicated for high treason to security. He crushed the paper, slowly,
tearing it to bits with his clenched hands. He'd swallowed
(04:07):
the implication that the legals were security. Then it hit
him slowly and he looked up. Where's Randolph at his plant?
At least he left for it, According to Sheila, Gordon
picked up Sheila's gun and buckled it on beside his own.
She grabbed at it, but he shoved her back again.
You're staying here, Cuddles. You're supposed to be a woman now.
(04:31):
Remember she was swearing hotly as they left, but made
no attempt to follow. Gordon broke into a slow trot
behind Izzie until they could spot one of the few
remaining cabs. He stopped it with his whistle and dumped
the passenger out unceremoniously. While Izzie gave the address, The
damned full opened up on the border. Figured he'd circulate
(04:54):
to both sections. Izzie said, we'd better get out a
block up and wait, and I hope we ain't too
bloody late. The building was a wreck outside Inside it
was worse. Men in the municipal uniform were working over
the small job press and dumping the hand set tight
from the boxes on the floor. Men in the municipal
(05:15):
uniform were working over the small job press and dumping
the hand set tight from the boxes on the floor.
A single legal cop lay under the wreckage, apparently having
gotten there first and been taken care of by the
later municipals. Randolph had been sitting in a chair between
two of the cops, but now he leaped up and
(05:37):
tried to flee through the back door. Izzie started forward,
but Gordon pulled him back. As the cops reached for
their weapons, the gun in his hand picked them out
at quarters, too close for a miss, starting with the
cop who had jumped to catch Randolf. Izzie had ducked
around the side and now came back leading the little man.
(06:00):
Randolph paid no attention to the dead man, nor to
the bruises on his own body. He moved forward to
the press, staring at it, and there were tears in
his eyes as he ran his hands over the broken metal.
Then he looked up at them. A rest or rescue,
he asked. A rest of voice from the door said harshly,
(06:22):
and Bruce Gordon swung to sea. Six leagles filling in,
headed by Hendrix himself. The captain nodded at Gordon, good work,
Sergeant by Jinks. When I heard the municipals were coming,
I was scared they'd get him for sure. Crane wants
to watch this guy shot in person. He grabbed Randolf
by the arm. You're overlooking something, Hendrix. Gordon cut in.
(06:46):
He had moved back toward the wall to face the group.
If you ever look at my record, you'll find I'm
an ex newspaper. Me and myself. This is a rescue.
Tie them up, Iusie. Hendrix was faster than Gordon had thought.
He had his gun almost up. Before Gordon could fire,
a bluish hole appeared on the man's forehead. He dropped slowly.
(07:09):
The others made no trouble as Izzie bound them with
bailing wire. And I hope nobody finds them, he commented,
All right, Randy, I guess we're a bunch of refugees
heading for the outside, and bloody lucky at that proves
a man shouldn't have friends. Randolph's face was still greenish white,
(07:30):
but he straightened and managed a feeble smile. Not to me, Izzy,
right now, I can appreciate friends, But you two better
get going. I've got some unfinished business to tend to.
He moved to one corner and began dragging out an
old double cylinder mimeograph. Either of you know where I
can buy stencils and ink and find some kind of
(07:51):
a truck to haul this paper along. Izzie stopped and
stared at the rabity, pale little man. Then he let
out a sudden yell of laughter. Okay, Randy, we'll find them, guv'nor,
you'd better tell my mother. I'll be using the old sheets.
Go on, you've got the princess to worry about. We'll
(08:13):
be along later. He grabbed Randolph's hand and ducked out
the back before Gordon could protest. Izzie could only have
meant that they were going to hold up in Mother
Corey's old chicken coop. But Gordon had now managed to
make a full circle back to his beginnings on Mars.
He'd started at the coop with a deck of cards.
(08:33):
Now he was returning with a club. He had counted
on at least some regret from Mother Cory, however, but
the old man only nodded after hearing that Randolph was
safe fanatics, crusaders, and damned fools, he said. He shook
his head sadly and went shuffling back to his room,
where two of his part time henchmen were sitting. Sheila
(08:57):
had been sitting on the bunk, still in her ear.
Now she jerked upright, then sank back with a slow flush.
Her hands were trembling as she reached for a cup
of coffee and handed it to him, listening to his
quick report of Randolph's safety and the fact that he
was going back outside the dome. I'm all packed, she said,
(09:20):
and I packed your things too. He shot his eyes
around the room, realizing that it was practically bare except
for a few of her dresses. She'd followed his gaze
and shook her head. I won't need them out there,
she said, her voice caught on that they'll be safe here,
(09:40):
So will you. Now that you've made up with the mother,
he told her, your meal ticket's ruined, cuddles, and you
made it clear a little while ago. Just where you stand.
Remind me to tell you some time how much fun
it's been. Your mother was good with a soldering iron,
wasn't she You even look human? She bent to pick
(10:01):
up a shoulder pack in a bag, and her face
was normal when she stood up again. You might guess
that the cops would be happy to get a hold
of your wife now, though, come on, it's a long walk.
He left the car beyond the gate and they pushed
through the locker room towards the smaller exit, stopping to
fasten down their helmets. The guard halted them, but without
(10:25):
any suspicion. Going hunting for those deemed kids, eh, he said.
He stared at Sheila, lucky devil. All I got for
a guide was an old bumb o k luck sergeant.
It made no sense to Gordon, but he wasn't going
to argue. They went through and out into the waist
(10:45):
and slums beyond the domes, heading out until there were
only a few phosphor bulbs to guide their way. Gordon
was moving cautiously, using his helmet lay only occasionally, gun
ready in his hand, but it was Sheila who caught
the faint sound. Anne turned to see her crash into
(11:06):
the stomach of a man with a half raised stick.
He went down with almost no resistance. Sheila shot the
beam of her light on the thin drawn face, rusty
Hi princess. He got up, slowly, trying to grin. Didn't
know who it was. Sorry, ever, get that louse you
(11:28):
were out for? She nodded, Yeah, I got him. That's him,
my husband. What's wrong with you, Rusty? You've lost fifty
pounds and things are a quite tough out here, Princess,
no deliveries closed. My bar been living sort of hand
to mouth, but not much mouth. His eyes bawlged greedily
(11:49):
as she dug into a bag and began to drag
out the sandwiches she must have packed for the trip.
But he shook his head. I ain't so bad off.
I ain't something yet yesterday, but if you can spare
something for the kid, hey kid. A thin boy of
about sixteen crept out from behind some rubble, staring uncertainly. Then,
(12:11):
at the sight of the food, he made a lunch,
grabbed it and hardly waited to get it through the
slits of his suit before gulping it down. Rusty sat down,
his lined old face breaking into a faint grin. He hesitated,
but finally took some of the food. Shouldn't oughta you'll
(12:33):
need it, He swallowed, slowly, as if tasting the food
all the way down kid can't talk. Cop caught him
peddling one of the Randolph's pamphlets, cut out part of
his tongue, but he's all right. Now, come on, kid,
hurry it up. We got to convoy these people. They
(12:53):
were following a kind of road when headlights bore down
on them. Gordon's hand was on his gun as he
leaped for shelter, but there was no hostile move from
the big truck. He studied it, trying to decide what
a truck would be doing here. Then a marsh speaker
amplified voice shouted from it. Any muckrakers there one? Gordon
(13:15):
shouted back, and ran toward it, motioning the others to follow.
He'd always objected to the nickname, but it made a
good code. Randolph's frail hand came down to help them up,
but a bigger paw did the actual lifting. Why didn't
you too, wait, mother, Corey asked, his voice booming out
of his marsh speaker. I figured izzi'd stop by first
(13:39):
here sit over there. Not much room with my stuff
in Randolph's, but it beats walking. What in the hell
brings you back? Gordon asked. The huge man shrugged ponderously,
a man gets tired of being respectable cobber, and I'm
getting old and sentimental about the chicken coop, he chucked,
(14:00):
rubbing his hands together. But not so old that I
can't handle a couple of guards that are stubborn about trucks. Eh, Izzie,
messy but nice, Izzie agreed from the pile above them.
Tell those trained apes of years to cut the lights,
will you, mother? Somebody must be using the coop. They
stopped the truck before reaching the old wreck. In the
(14:22):
few dim lights, the old building still gave off an
air of mold and decay. Gordon shuddered faintly, then followed
Izzie and Mother into the semi secret entrance. Izzie went ahead,
almost silent, with a thin strand of wire between his hands,
his elbows weaving back and forth slowly to guide him.
(14:44):
He was apparently as familiar with the garret as the knife,
but they found no guard. Izzie pressed the seal release
and slid incautiously while the others followed. In the beam
of Gordon's torch, a single figure lay sprawled out on
the floor halfway to the rickety stairs to the main house.
(15:06):
Mother Corey grunted and moved quickly to the coughing, battered
old air machine. His fingers closed a valve equipped with
a combination lock. They're all dead, cobbers, he wheezed, dead
because a crook had to try his hand on a
lock years ago. I had a flask of poisoned gas
attached in case a gang should ever squeeze me out.
(15:28):
In the filthy rooms above, Gordon found the corpses, about
fifteen of them, and some former members of the Jurgen's organization.
He found the ape like bodyguards stretched out on a bunk,
a vacant smile on his face. A yell from the
basement called him back down to where Izzie was busily
(15:49):
going through piles of crates and boxes stacked along one wall.
He was pointing to a lead foil covered box dope
and all that other stuffy immunion. He shivered, staring at
the fortune in his hands. Then he grimaced and shoved
the open can back in its case. He threw it
(16:09):
back and began stacking ammunition cases in front of the dope.
Gordon went out to the others and started moving in
the supplies and transferring the corpses to the truck for disposal.
Randolph scurried off to start setting up his makeshift plant
in the basement. Mother Corey was staring about when they
(16:30):
returned filthy. He wheeled a pigeon. They've ruined the coop.
Cobber smell that air, Even I can smell it, He
sniffed dolefully. Mother Corey sighed again. Well, it'll give the
boy something to do, he decided. When a man gets old,
he likes a little comfort. Cobber nice things around him.
(16:55):
Gordon found what had been his old room and dumped
his few things into it. Sheila watched him uncertainly, and
then took possession of the next room. She came back
a few minutes later, staring at the ages old filth.
I'll be cleaning for a week, she said, What are
you going to do now, Bruce? He shook his head
(17:17):
and started back down the stairs. He hurried down into
the basement, where Randolph was arranging his mimeograph. The printer
listened only to the first sentence and shook his head impatiently.
I was afraid you'd think of that, Gordon. Look, you
never were a reporter. You ran a column. I've read
the stuff you wrote. You killed and maimed with words.
(17:41):
But you never dug up news. It would help people
or tell them what they didn't suspect all along. And
that's what I've got to have. Thanks, Gordon said curtly.
Too bad security didn't think I was as lousy a
reporter as you do, O K. I'll give you a
job for one week. See what outer marsport is like.
(18:03):
Find what can be done, if anything, and do it
if you can, and come back and give me six
columns on it. I'll pay Mother Corey for your food
and for your wife's and if I can find one
columns worth of news in it, maybe I'll give you
a second week. I can't see a man's wife's starve
(18:23):
because he doesn't know how to make an honest a living.
Rusty and one of Mother Corey's men were on guard
and the others had turned in. Gordon went up the
stairs and threw himself on to the bed in disgust.
Bruce Sheila stood outlined in the doorway against the dim
glow of a phosphor bulb. Her robe was partly open,
(18:46):
and hunger burned in him. Then before he could lift himself,
she bent over and began unfastening his boots. You all right, Bruce,
I heard you tossing around. I'm fine, he told her, mechanically,
just making plans for tomorrow. He watched her turn back slowly,
(19:06):
then lay quietly, trying not to disturb her again. Tomorrow,
he thought, Tomorrow, he'd finish some kind of an answer,
and it wouldn't be Randolph's charity. End of chapter fourteen
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