"The Robot Brains." - читать интересную книгу автора (Bounds Sidney J.)

- 11 -

Three cars stopped at the entrance to the Burkholder Fair. Four men in plain clothes got out of each car. They found Burkholder and explained what they wanted. The owner of the Fair did not like the idea, but he had no choice.

In ten minutes, everyone who worked at the Fair, was inside the large tent. The men in plain clothes were questioning them. Meanwhile, other men were searching the tents and trailers.

Christian was questioned, too. Miller, to his surprise, was with the people who asked the questions.

Afterwards, Miller took Christian aside and said "I must now introduce myself."

He showed Christian his card; very simply it said that he was an operative of Military Intelligence.

"So you see," said Miller, "that we haven't ignored the theories of your friend Fox. Now we have something important to discuss. I know that you have been watching the Brains. Well, did you see them yesterday between midnight and two a.m.? Did they leave their trailer?"

"Another murder?" asked Christian.

"Yes, the seventh - a man named Kurt Lawrence. He worked with rockets. He was murdered, and some important papers disappeared at the same time."

"I can't help you," Christian said slowly. "I watched their trailer again, but I didn't see the Brains at all. A lamp was burning in the trailer - I think they were inside."

"H-m." Miller sat down on a chair and waved a large hand. "Make yourself comfortable - nobody will disturb us."

The captain sat down and put a cigar between his lips.

"The trouble is," said Miller, "that now I have declared my position. So I can't remain here." He looked thoughtfully at Christian. "Will you stay on here? They don't suspect you - and I shall be glad if you help."

"I'll do anything I can," said the captain.

"I'd like to see the murder weapon," said Miller. "Do you know the strangest thing about the Brains? They have no past!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the Brains appeared suddenly, out of nowhere. Before that, no one had seen or heard of them. They have no past. Maybe they just dropped from the sky…"

Christian thought of Fox's theory.