"Edmond Hamilton - Calling Captain Future" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Edmond)

minute to capture him. "Roj, you cannot kill this man," said the one who
Otho and the Legionary who had grabbed him were had stepped forward, in a slurred, husky voice. "Re-
struggling when the ship lurched wildly as more rocket- member the orders of Doctor Zarro."
tubes were cut in. Curt was struggling to get to the aid The dwarf swore, but put his pistol back into his
of the android but could not. belt.
Then Otho and his antagonist, dislodged by the sud- "I'll call the Doctor," he said. "I think he'd want me
den lurch, were hurled out of the open door and fell to get this devil Captain Future out of the way."
downward together into the darkness. And the Legion The televisor apparatus of the ship was in a cubby
cruiser roared on up into the starry sky. off this corridor. Curt saw the dwarf approach it and
switch on the set, then push the call-button.
He heard Joan and Kansu Kane, pinioned like him-
self by rope-snakes, twisting futilely near him on the
CHAPTER IV
floor.
Flight into Peril
"Take it easy, Joan," he whispered. "We'll get out of
this somehow." His mind had settled into a calm, stern
C APTAIN FUTURE struggled to break free of his resolve.
living bonds. The girl's voice was choked.
It was impossible. A half-dozen of the pink rope- "It's all my fault you got into it, Captain Future! If
snakes had wound around his arms and legs by now. you hadn't tried to rescue me тАУ"
These Saturnian serpents had incredible strength in Roj had got his call through. In the screen of the
their supple bodies. The criminals of the System had televisor appeared the head and shoulders of a man.
long made use of them, taming and training the crea- It was Doctor Zarro. And Curt, lying helpless, stared
tures. up at the image of the supreme plotter he had vowed to
The Legion dwarf came over and looked down bale- smash.
fully at Curt. He was an Earthman of past middle age,

D
with a seamed, repulsive face and malevolent black OCTOR ZARRO'S gaunt, black-clothed figure
eyes. was rigid, his enormous, bulging skull poised
Beside him stood the hulking Earthman giant he had stiffly as he heard the dwarf's report. Then his burning,
called Kallak, an incredibly huge man with enormous hypnotic black eyes looked down from the screen at the
shoulders, a small head, and a rather stupid face. prisoners.
The dwarf kicked Curt's bound body viciously. "So тАУ Captain Future, the supreme meddler of the
"So the famous Captain Future decided to set a trap System, tries to meddle with me," rasped Doctor Zarro
for the Legion of Doom?" he snarled. "And then fell in a harsh, deep voice. His superhuman eyes flamed at
into his own trap!" Curt. "You fool! I am the only one who can save the
Curt, recognizing the futility of struggle, looked up System from the peril rushing toward it!"
calmly. "Don't try to tell me that," Curt retorted, his gray
"I know you," Captain Future said levelly. "Your eyes and tanned face contemptuous. "If there really was
name is Roj тАУ you were a biologist with criminal ten- any peril and you could do anything, you'd put your
dencies. You made that man Kallak a giant by glandu- abilities at the service of the Government. You're sim-
lar injection, and used him to help you in your crimes. ply scheming for power.
You were caught five years ago, and you and Kallak "I've met others like you," Curt continued stingingly.
were given life sentences on Cerberus, the prison "The Lords of Power, who had half the System in their
moon." grip. The Space Emperor, who loosed an evil blight on
"Your memory is good," said the dwarf venomously. Jupiter. I broke their devilish schemes. And I'll break
"But you forget to mention that it was the evidence you yours. That's a warning."
obtained against me that sent me to Cerberus." "You warn me?" echoed Doctor Zarro violently.