“It would to the more intelligent members of the Council, because the Master himself put forward the theory that any descendants of Lucy might be affected. The Council will couple together the disappearance of the Master with the other cases of senility sweeping the world and that will clear things up. Finally, the Master’s acceptance of Lucy as a woman of a thousand years ago will be taken as correct for it has always been said that the Master was never wrong in a scientific verdict.”
“It’s a chance, of course,” Buck admitted, “but I’d much prefer some kind of tangible action, instead of just pinning our hopes on a possibility like that. Seems too flimsy a thing to hope for, and if Sixty-Seven has destroyed that spoken record, what then? He had obviously been examining the Master’s papers and—”
“He wouldn’t,” Clem interrupted. “Damn it, man, Sixty Seven is only an officer guard: he wouldn’t dare probe that much. It would be the officiating members of the Council who’d do that, and I’m hoping that they didn’t think of starting up the recording machine. Or on the other hand, if they did — or do — our problem may be solved for us.”
Buck, clearly, was still not completely convinced, but before he could pursue the argument any further there came the gathering sound of voices in the underworld and the noise of advancing feet. Down below, the grimy, set-faced engineering crew maneuvered the powerful blast-guns into prearranged positions and crouched before the sights watching for the first appearance of the invaders.
Suddenly the first hastily armed civilians appeared and at the same moment Buck let out a mighty yell.
“Hold your fire, boys! Hold it!”
Men and women, in twos and threes and then in groups, followed by armed members of the police, came drifting down, into the workings. There seemed to be no end to them as they congregated, filling up the tunnels that led into the great space.
Then, from amongst them, Sixty-Seven became visible. He had his gun in his hand and appeared almost disappointed that he had no occasion to use it.
“Better come down from there, Bradley!” he called. “You too, Cardew; and that woman you’ve got with you. Glad you know when you’re beaten.”
“Don’t think you’re standing there untouched because I want it!” Buck shouted. “If I’d have had my way you’d be blasted to powder by now — but my partner here is more sentimental, or crazy. I haven’t decided which.”
“Come down!” Sixty-Seven ordered. “And hurry it up.”
There was nothing else for it. Buck led the way down the rocky slope from the high niche, and Clem came after him, holding on to Lucy’s arm. Sixty-Seven eyed her fixedly as she came forward.
“Chief spy for the Easterners, eh?” he asked dryly. “I’ve been quite a while catching up on you, young woman, but I’ll make up for lost time now I’ve started. I don’t suppose there can be a lower form of life than a dirty female spy who sells herself to the East—” Sixty-Seven did not get any further. Buck lashed out with all the power of his massive right arm. The iron knuckles struck the guard clean in the mouth, splitting his lip and spinning him back against the rocks.
“Good,” Buck grinned, palming his throbbing knuckles. Now I feel better! Shoot me down if you like and I’ll die happy.”
Probably his suggestion would have been adopted had Sixty-Seven been alone — but he was not, and even he realized that ruthless shooting amongst so many witnesses would not stand him in very good stead as an officer of the law.
“All right,” he said thickly, straightening up and dabbing at his bleeding- mouth. “I’ll not forget that, Cardew! That’s the second time you’ve hit me in the course of my duty and I’ll see the Council hears of it— Now get on your way, all three of you. You’ve a lot to explain.”
In a close-knit trio the three started walking, followed and partly surrounded by the mob. The engineers were left behind since there was no legal claim against them. So at length the journey through the tunnels was ended and the march to the city center began. There was no other way of covering the distance since so many people made vehicular transportation impossible.
Then gradually it dawned on Clem at least that the route was not leading towards the great building where stood the headquarters of the Council and, at its summit, the office of the late Master. Instead the mob was moving in the direction of one of the biggest public lecture halls.
“What’s the idea?” Clem asked Sixty-Seven sharply, as he paced along, smothering his bleeding mouth. “Where are we going?”
“The City Hall, where proper justice can be meted out,” came the muffled response. “This isn’t a matter for the Council to decide, Bradley: it’s up to the people. They are the ones who have been betrayed, not the Council.”
“As a citizen I demand the Council chamber!” Clem cried in fury. “You can’t take the law into your own hands like this!”
“I’m not doing it. I’m obeying the orders of the people because I’m a public servant. If you don’t like it complain to the people who now have you in their midst.”
Clem looked about him but he said nothing. It was possible that Sixty-Seven was correct, and that he dare not cross the will of the incensed multitude. Whatever the answer the journey ended within the mighty City Hall, which was already packed to capacity. And the capture of the trio had evidently been considered a foregone conclusion for on the rostrum usually reserved for lecturers there now sat three men. Clem and Buck both recognized them as they were bundled along with Lucy in their midst. They were the three whose finances helped to build the city’s prosperity — not members of the Governing Council as such, but certainly capable of wielding a tremendous influence in public affairs.
Chairs had been roughly placed to form a ‘dock’ for the three prisoners and here they were directed and then left. For a long time there was the shuffle of feet and scraping of chairs as guards and public alike took their seats, the overflow of men and women straining at the doors.
“Doesn’t look too damned healthy for the recorder in the Master’s office,” Buck murmured bitterly, as Clem stood beside him. “You’d have done better to let me have my way. At least we’d have blasted about three-hundred out of existence and that would have been something.”
“It would only have condemned us all the more,” Clem muttered. “Don’t be so infernally violent in your aims!”
“In this court,” declared the centermost man suddenly, “there will be no attempt to follow the pedantry of the law because we are not a legally constituted body. We are a court of the people, convened by the people, and the decision we reach shall be that of the people.”
“If this is not a legally constituted court you have no legal right to try us,” Clem retorted. “As a citizen I therefore demand liberty — or, failing that, a proper hearing before the Council.”
“The Council is not concerned with this matter,” the impromptu ‘judge’ answered. “It is so long since a crime of any importance happened that normal courts do not exist anymore — as you should know. Hence this hastily-devised one to try you three on the serious charge of international sabotage and abduction of the Master of the West!”
“And if you arrive at the decision that we are guilty, who is going to pronounce sentence?” Clem asked. “None of you has the right to do it.”
“It is not a question of having the right, Mister Bradley. The issue is up to the people. To the most vital point first: where is the Master?”
“Dead — of old age,” Clem snapped.
A murmur went through the people and the three men on the rostrum looked at each other questioningly; then the centermost turned to face Clem again.