them as Dr. Mathieson, the headof the project, conducted them on a tour of the project, to thelaunching site, and then back to the central building.
The launching site itself had been an impressive sight. The hugerockets, much in appearance like the famed V2 of World War II, but on amuch larger scale, were cradled in their launching platforms like somehuge monsters about to be unleashed into the unsuspecting heavens.
They had listened as Mathieson explained the various number ofinstruments that were being included in the first rocket, to record itshurtling trip through the atmosphere to the outermost layers of theEarth's surface.
And they had been told of the other, and to the gathered newspapermen,the most interesting part, the inclusion of a cat in the rocket, in alarge oxygen-fed chamber, to study the effects of the cosmic rays on aliving creature.
Then back to the central building. Back to wait. And the tension beganto mount. For the shadows were lengthening, the sun sinking behind thehorizon to the west. The moment was now close at hand.
* * * * *
A stocky figure detached itself from the shadows beside the huge bulk ofthe laboratory building and slowly edged out into the dusk.
It paused momentarily, to survey the scene. Sharp eyes scanned thelooming rockets and their launching platforms, watchful, alert. Theyfinally settled upon the armed guard who walked a measured distance backand forth in front of the rockets. Then the figure moved forward again,cautiously, purposefully.
The distance from the giant rockets shortened gradually, and then theguard, turning to retrace his steps, saw the approaching figure.
There was a snapping sound as a rifle was brought into position, and arapping command barked out.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
The shadowy figure halted abruptly a short distance away from the guard.And a voice answered.
"Dr. Blair Gaddon."
The guard's rifle snapped into present arms and then back to thesoldier's right shoulder.
"Oh, it's you, sir. Is there anything wrong? The launching is set forfifteen minutes from now, isn't it?"
Gaddon walked slowly up to the soldier and the guard could then see hisface in the thickening shadows.
"That's right," Gaddon replied. "I'm making a last minute inspection."
The guard nodded. "Dr. Mathieson and the newspapermen will be along anyminute, sir?"
Gaddon moved closer to the soldier, and then suddenly his hand came outof his coat pocket and there was a gun in it.
"Drop your rifle, soldier. Quick!"
The guard stared at the scientist in shocked astonishment.
"What is this, sir? A gag?"
Gaddon motioned with his gun.
"It is no gag! Do as I say--or must I shoot?"
* * * * *
There was an ominous note in Gaddon's voice. And a strained quality toit that told the guard the man meant what he said. Very slowly thesoldier removed the rifle from his shoulder and dropped it to theground.
Gaddon motioned with his gun.
"Now step back! Move!"
The guard moved slowly back a pace, and then the Englishman steppedforward and kicked the rifle away from the man. Then he motioned aroundthe rocket.
"Now move over around the side of the number one rocket to the far sideof number two."
He watched as the guard turned and began to walk slowly around the hugebase of the waiting rocket. He followed the soldier.
"I don't know what this is all about, Dr. Gaddon," the guard protested."But I can tell you one thing, you're playing with the United StatesGovernment right now. When Dr. Mathieson hears about this--"
"When Dr. Mathieson hears about this, soldier, I'll be a long way fromhere--out at the edge of space itself!"
Gaddon could hear the guard draw in his breath sharply, but the man keptwalking around to the far side of the second rocket cradle.
"You can't mean that you're going to go up--"
The soldier's voice broke off uncertainly and Gaddon laughed shortly.
"You are a discerning man, soldier. That is exactly what I intend to do.And I warn you, don't make a false move or I'll shoot. My plans are madeand I intend to carry them out!"
They had reached the far side of the second rocket now, away from viewof the rest of the buildings, out of sight. Away in the distance thefaint outlines of the great wire fence circling the testing groundscould be seen, and beyond that, the twinkling lights of Tucson, alreadyvisible in the dusk.
"This is far enough," Gaddon said suddenly.
He watched as the soldier halted. Then Gaddon moved up quickly behindthe man. Before the soldier sensed what was about to occur, Gaddon'shand raised over his head and the butt of the weapon in his hand crashedagainst the back of the man's head.
There was a soft groan in the shadows as the soldier crumpled limply tothe ground. In the silence that followed, Gaddon's tense breathing wasthe only sound. He looked down at the still body of the unconscious man,then he quickly turned and retraced his footsteps back the way he hadcome.
When he had reached the far side of the first rocket, he stopped beforethe metal steps of the cradle leading up to the closed door of therocket. He looked quickly about him, making sure that nobody was inclose proximity, then he threw his gun under the rocket beside the rifleof the soldier, and ran up the steps.
A cool breeze sprang up in the western night and whispered softly aroundGaddon as he fumbled for a moment with a switch set in the smooth sideof the rocket beside the sealed door.
There was a click, finally, and the door slid open.
Gaddon took a last look about him and then quietly slipped through theopening. A moment later there was the sound of the door sliding shut.
Inside the rocket, Gaddon lit a small pocket flash and looked aroundhim. A soft sound struck his ears. The mewing sound of a cat. He turnedthe flash on the startled animal and a low laughter crept from histhroat.
He moved through the large instrument chamber then and sat on the floorbeside the cat.
Then the flash went out and his laughter came again ...
* * * * *
"All right, gentlemen, the time has come. In a few minutes an automaticcontrol, synchronized with controls in the rocket will be set off in themain laboratory building. If we want to watch the launching we'll haveto hurry."
Fred Trent listened to the voice of Mathieson, and saw the famedAmerican scientist start out of the central lobby toward the launchingsite. The gathered newspapermen followed, their voices filled withexcitement now that the moment had come.
Trent followed along with them, but felt a peculiar tenseness withinhim. He had been watching for Gaddon to make his appearance. But as yetthe Englishman had not showed up. Was it possible that he wasn't goingto watch the rocket launching? As Trent followed the others out into thegathering night, he frowned to himself. It was certainly strange. Andentirely unlike the blustering manner Gaddon had displayed on the driveback from Tucson. Or had the man suddenly realized that he had made afool of himself and was taking this easy way out?
But that too didn't seem natural. And Trent found himself edgingforward through the ranks of the newsmen, until he had reached the sideof Mathieson.
The scientist was talking to one of the journalists as they rounded thecorner of the Administration building. Now the rockets were in sight,standing tall and immense in the shadows.
Mathieson held his hand up in a gesture of halt, and the men behind himdrew into a compact circle.
Fred turned to Mathieson.
"Dr. Mathieson, isn't Dr. Gaddon going to be here for the launching?"
The head of the rocket project turned to Trent. Fred could see asuddenly puzzled look in his eyes.
"Yes, that is strange ..." Then he laughed. "I suppose Gaddon is in thelaboratory supervising the firing controls. Well, if he wants to missthe show, that's his fault. He knows the schedule."
Trent accepted the scienti
st's words without replying. But he stillwasn't satisfied. What was it that Gaddon had said in the car about thebiggest story of the year? What had the man meant? Question afterquestion arose in Trent's mind as he stood there, and always the queerfeeling inside him grew in intensity. He could not place his finger onit, but somehow, he knew that something was wrong.
But then his suspicions were put aside for the moment as he heardMathieson say:
"All right, gentlemen, the time is nearly here. In precisely one minutethe rocket will be fired."
The statement was made with a quiet eagerness, and then suddenly thegathered witnesses grew silent.
Trent's eyes, along with the others, fastened on the looming bulk of thewaiting rocket.
And the seconds ticked off in Fred's mind.
As he counted them, he thought that it seemed impossible that within avery few moments that gigantic hulk of smooth, tapered metal