"006 The Mutant Corps" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

"What is all this nonsense about 40,000 pounds?" shouted the indignant Homer G. Adams. "I donТt have that kind of money. That is a wild pipe dream of yours, and even if I had that sum, I would hardly-"

"I know that you donТt have that kind of money," Marshall tried to calm him. "But you donТt have to tell that to those gangsters. All that matters now is to keep stalling the boss until help from the outside arrives. We must pretend that you possess that amount, and in particular, you must act as if you were ready, willing and able to pay that sum in exchange for your life."

"Until help from the outside arrives?" inquired Adams. "Do you really have that kind of relations that, you can speak of such a hope in all seriousness?"

John Marshall grinned mysteriously. "You can think about that for a while. We have exactly three minutes left before we touch down, and then most probably the boss of the gangsters will call you to let him know what you have decided."

Adams looked at his watch and then over to the small screen above the entrance to the shipТs galley."ItТs more than 1,200 miles to Rangoon. I think you calculated wrong, Marshall."

"Not at all. WeТre going to land not far from Madura."There was no time for further questions; the boss had started the landing manoeuvres. The jet descended rapidly, almost like a stone, and all passengers struggled to hold on tight wherever they could. Suddenly there was a hard bump, and the ship came to rest on the ground.

On the screen they could discern a wildly overgrown savannah and in the background the wall of a thick jungle.

Marshall phoned again. When he returned, he declared, "You are to come

along with me, Mr. Adams, All the others must wait until we have concluded our

final negotiations. Please, gentlemen keep calm and as disciplined as you have

until now. There is no reason to doubt the favourable outcome of this discussion

with, the gangsters."

Adams had to use the elevator to reach the front of the jet. The ship now stood vertically, while all the passenger quarters of the plane had turned ninety degrees in theft gimbals.

"I want to point out to you," Marshall protested as he entered the command center, "that you have not stood by our agreement so far. Or do you know so little about geography that you canТt distinguish between west India and east India?"

"We have changed our minds, Marshall but this does not change anything regarding our agreement. Madura is not any worse than Rangoon."

"But Madura is at least a hundred miles away from here. How do you expect to get our passengers there within a short time?"

"Just let me worry about that. I am much more interested in what Mr. AdamsТ attitude is to my proposals."

"Your propositions are, mildly stated, outright blackmail," stated Homer G. Adams angrily. "I have been Informed by our friend here what you are demanding from me, and I admit that my life is more valuable to me than any money that I might possess, but I will not pay the ransom until I have obtained valid guarantees for my personal safety from you. Let me know how you plan to proceed."

"ItТs all very simple. You make out a check for me. I will send it with a messenger to Madura where I have good connections to a Calicut bank, and then IТll watt to see if the check will clear and if everything is in order. As soon as I have obtained the sum we have agreed upon, IТll let you go, as well, as the rest of the passengers."

"That doesnТt sound very tempting to me. First of all it will take much too long, since we will probably lose two, full days when you send a messenger to Madura. Second, the mutual guarantees are too one sided, as far as I am concerned. I have no proof whatever that you will release me as soon as you have the money in your possession. Therefore, please think of a better solution and try to be objective about it."

"You obviously misjudge your situation, Mr. Adams," declared the boss cynically. "The advantage is on my side, and I have no intention of giving up my advantage just because you insist on objectivity."

Marshall, whose expression suddenly increased in optimism, interjected, "If anyone is discussing advantageous positions now, it should be we and not you who can do so. Boss, I suggest that you look at the screen. It might show you a few lovely views of the countryside around us and maybe a few additional surprises."

All the people in the room looked simultaneously at video screen and saw the two, odd looking figures that came tumbling down from the sky toward the ground.

"These people are not dressed in diversТ suits." added Marshall with satisfaction. "But they are wearing a rather neat technical gadget of a far superior civilization. It is your bad luck, boss, that the men out there are my allies, coming to my assistance. What do you say we give up this fruitless hide and seek game and discuss the real situation? I suggest that you put down your weapons on this table, raise your arms, and then tell us where you have been hiding the regular crew of is plane, so that this jet can still arrive in Tokyo today."The answer was a burst of insane laughter. On the face of the leader of the bandits, surprise, disbelief, fear and rage played at the same time.