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down in the world of the towers. As slaves, what could we do? Well, we
showed him. We instigated a great revolt the first hi history and
came close to pulling it off.
Again, we were jerked out of time, and poor Coulton was brought along, too. At
last we came here. To the present, if you will, his present, where we
couldn't change history because none yet existed. He was aware of the
fact he was taking a great personal risk bringing us to his own doorstep, but
he felt we had left him no other choice. I imagine, once he found a way, he
would have disposed of us probably would have set the klaptu against
us.
The way we came here separated hi space and time makes me a bit suspicious;
his aim was always perfect before. In any event, we acted too quick, never
gave him a chance to move. I suppose we should be proud of that. Except he was
right all along. We're beaten. Now that he's done what he first set out to do,
there's no way we can change it."
"There isn't?" asked Sondra, a meager trace of hope remaining in her
voice. "You're sure?"
"I'm afraid I am," Ahmad said bleakly.
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"But I'm not," Waller said.
In unison, the others turned and stared at him wide-eyed.
"What do you mean?" said Sondra. "You don't mean there's ?"
"This machine," Waller said. "Hasn't anyone else noticed something
rather odd? It happens to be working. Why? If Barone has done what he set
out to do, then why doesn't he shut the whole thing down? Why not
simply destroy it? As long as it's here, there's always a chance
one of us may figure out how it works and then leave. The man can't be
stupid. There has to be a reason."
"Then," Ahmad said, "if you know, please tell us." He smiled thinly. "No more
secrets, please."
"Because," said Waller, "the machine not only brought us
here, it's also keeping us here. We're creatures out of time. Some natural
power a sort of gravity of the time-stream is trying to draw us back to
where and when we belong. The machine neutralizes that force and
keeps us here. Destroy the machine and we will automatically return
home."
"You don't know that for sure," Ahmad said.
"No, I don't, but there ought to be an easy way of finding out."
"What?"
"Bring him here. Bring Barone and I'll ask him."
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Calvin Waller stood face-to-face with Barone and said, as calmly as
he could, "We've decided to destroy your time machine."
Despite his age and frailty, Barone, hearing these words, did not hesitate an
instant.
With the fury of an enraged beast, he sprang straight for
Waller's throat.
Coulton and Ahmad gripped him firmly from behind and held him back.
"So I was right," said Waller. "Then there is a way out of here and that's it.
Ahmad, where's the gun we took away from him the day we broke in?"
"Right here, Waller." Ahmad stepped away, allowing Coulton to hold Barone,
and reached into the folds of his gown. He produced the black
revolver and threw it across the room to
Waller.
"I'm going to start shooting," Waller announced. "I'll aim at the
computer first, then work my way around the room. When none of us is here
any longer, then we'll know it worked."
"So soon?" asked Ahmad.
"I can't see why we should delay. Waiting can only work to his advantage. I
think we ought to go now this instant."
Ahmad shrugged, unable to disagree. No one else protested, either.
So Waller cocked the gun and pointed it.
Barone, leaping and straining, struggled against Coulton's far superior
strength. Suddenly, he called out: "You won't remember. Not any of it.
Shoot now and you'll be killing her too."
In spite of himself, Waller lowered the gun. "What do you mean?"
"Destroy the machine and you will be returned through time to the exact
point at which you left. Surely, you have not forgotten the
circumstances of that moment. Nothing that has happened to you since
will have made any impression upon you.
Your memories will be gone. When you see the woman across from you,
you will kill her. She has already wounded you now she will die."
Barone's words forced Waller's memory back to that particular instant.
He saw himself holding a gun. The barrel was aimed at a woman's forehead. His
finger hugged the trigger. The woman was Sondra.
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She, too, seemed to be remembering. "Calvin, do it. You won't kill me. I know
that."
He hesitated, staring at his hand. "But I don't," he said softly.
"No." She waved an anxious hand. "You've got to do it. Which is more
important, Calvin? The whole human race, or just me? If you stop now, he'll
win. You have to shoot now please."
"But I can't kill you."
"Calvin, do it!" She was screaming. "Shoot!"
He raised the gun. It seemed to move exclusive of his own wishes.
He pointed it. In fear, Barone screamed and struggled with Coulton.
Norgo cried out, "Good-by, everybody!"
"Shoot," Sondra said.
Waller squeezed the trigger. The first bullet cracked the body of the
computer. He saw a flash of fire but didn't wait. Spinning, he swung the
gun wildly, firing at anything that clicked or clattered or hummed.
Barone kept screaming. Waller stared at the empty television screen. He
fired there. He turned to face the control panel. He fired. He
Darkness.
He was falling.
Dizzy for an instant, Calvin Waller blinked, recovering at once.
He stared at a young white girl crouched across the room. Her gun was
pointed at his chest. His gun was pointed at hers. She had wounded him; his
arm ached and burned. He tightened his finger around the trigger.
Then she dropped her gun. "Calvin," she said softly, very softly,
"don't."
He looked down at the gun.
Don't
? But why? Wasn't she an enemy? One of them?
He threw the gun far away into a distant corner of the room.
She sprang up, rushing forward to grab his good arm.
"Come let's go."
He nodded. "Yes." And he went with her.
They darted out of the room, dashed into the next. On their way, they
passed Ahmad, who stared incredulously after them.
Waller recognized him and waved happily.
Outside in the air thick with dust and smoke and the rapid patter of
gunfire, the two of them ran and ran.
They ran from nothing; instead, they ran toward it.
END
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