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〃In a minute。 Doctor？〃
〃Melinda's left shoulder is bad； Tve extracted the bullet but she needs immediate surgery。 I'm a surgeon； but I'm not an orthopedic surgeon； and that's what she must have。 Roomer hasn't been quite so lucky。 He got hit twice。 The one through the neck missed his carotid artery by a whisker； but the bullet passed straight through and there's no worry there。 The chest wound is serious。 Not fatal but very serious。 The bullet struck the left lung； no doubt about that； but the internal bleeding isn't that much； so I think it's a nick； no more。 The trouble is； I think the bullet is lodged against the spine。〃
〃Can he wiggle his toes？〃
Roomer moaned。 〃My God； what sympathy。〃
〃He can。 But the bullet should be removed as soon as possible。 I could do it but I have no X…ray equipment here。 I'll give them both blood transfusions in a moment。〃
〃Shouldn't they be flown to a hospital as soon as possible？〃
〃Of course。〃
Mitchell looked at Durand。 〃Well？〃
〃No。〃
〃But it wasn't their fault They didn't hear the warning。'*
〃Tough。 There's no way I'll fly them ashore。 Think I want a battalion of U。 S。 Marines out here in a few hours？〃
〃If they die it'll be your fault。〃
〃Everybody's got to die sometime。〃 Durand left； slamming the door behind him。
〃Dear； dear。〃 Roomer tried to shake his head； then winced at the pain in his neck。 〃He shouldn't have said that。〃
Mitchell turned to Lord Worth。 〃You can be
Seawitch
of great help； sir。 Your suite is in direct contact with the radio room； can you hear what is being said in the radio room？〃
〃That's no problem。 Two switches and I can hear both sides of any conversation； either on the telephone； earphones or wall receivers。〃
〃All right…go； and don't stop listening for a second。'* He looked at the two patients on the cots。 〃We'll have them airborne for the hospital within a half hour。〃
〃How can that be possible？〃
〃I don't know。〃 Mitchell sounded vague。 〃But we'll think of something。〃
Lord Worth left。 Mitchell pulled out a slender pencil flashlight and started to flick it on and off in apparent aimlessness。 His plexion had gone pale and the hands that held the pencil light trembled slightly。 Marina looked at him first unprehendingly； then in dismay； finally in something approaching contempt。 Incredulously； she said： 〃You're frightened。〃
〃Your gun？〃 Mitchell said to Roomer。
〃When they went off for help I managed to drag myself a bit nearer the edge。 I unclipped the belt and threw the whole thing over the side。〃
〃Good。 We're still in the clear。〃 He seemed to bee aware of the tremor in his hands； put away his flash and thrust his hands into his pockets。 He said to Melinda： 〃Who shot you？〃
〃A pair of very unpleasant characters named Kowenski and Rindler。 We had trouble with them before。〃
〃Kowenski and Rindler；〃 Mitchell repeated。 He left the sick bay。
Marina said； half in sadness； hah* in bitterness： 〃My idol with the feet of clay。〃
Roomer said huskily： 〃Put out the light and then put out the light。〃
〃What did you say？〃
〃I didn't say it。 Man named Othello。 That's the trouble with you millionaires* daughters。 Illiterate。 First Mitchell puts out the lights。 He's got cat's eyes。 He can see in almost total darkness where an ordinary man is blind。 Did you know that？〃
〃No。〃
〃Gives him a tremendous advantage。 And then he puts out other lights。〃
〃I know what you mean and I don't believe you。 I saw him shaking。〃
〃Ahh 。。。 you don't deserve him。〃
She stared at him hi disbelief。 〃What did you say？〃
〃You heard me。〃 Roomer sounded tired and the doctor was looking at him in disapproval。 He went on in a somber voice： 〃Kowenski and Rindler are dead men。 They have just minutes to live。 He loves Melinda almost as much as he does you； and I've been his closest friend and partner since we were kids。 Mitchell looks after his own。〃 He smiled faintly。 〃I'm afraid he takes care of things in a sort of final way。〃
〃But he was shaking 。 。 。〃 Her voice was now lacking in conviction。
〃He isn't afraid of anything that lives。 As for the shaking…he's a throwback to the old Scandinavian berserkers： he's just trying to hold in his rage。 He usually smiles。〃 He smiled。 〃You're shaking now。〃
She said nothing。
Roomer said： 〃There's a cupboard in the vestibule。 If there's anything in it； bring it to me。〃
She looked at him uncertainly； left and returned in a few minutes； carrying a pair of shoes。 She held them at arm's length and from the look of horror on her face might have been holding a cobra。
Roomer said： 〃Mitchell's？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Okay。 Better return them。 He'll be needing them pretty soon。〃
When she came back； Melinda said to her： 〃Do you really think you could marry a man who kills people？〃
Marina shivered and said nothing。 Roomer said sardonically： 〃Better than marrying a coward； I'd say。〃
In the generator room； Mitchell found what he wanted right away…a circuit breaker marked 〃Deck Lights。〃 He pulled the lever and stepped out onto the now darkened platform。 He waited a。 half minute until his eyes adjusted themselves to the darkness； then moved in the direction of the derrick crane where he could hear two men cursing in far from muted voices。 He approached on soundless stockinged feet until he was less than two yards away。 Still soundlessly； he held his pencil flash on top of the barrel of the Smith & Wesson and slid forward the flash switch。
The two men swung round in remarkably swift unison； hands reaching for their guns。
Mitchell said： 〃You know what this is； don't you？〃
They knew。 The deep…bluish sheen of a silencer…equipped 。38 is not readily mistakable for a popgun。 Their hands stopped reaching for their guns。 It was； to say the least； rather unnerving to see an illuminated silenced gun and nothing but blackness beyond it。
〃Clasp your hands behind your necks； turn round and start walking。〃
They walked until they could walk no more； for the good reason that they had reached the end of the platform。 Beyond that lay nothing but the 200…foot drop to the Gulf of Mexico。
Mitchell said： 〃Keep your hands clasped and turn round。〃
They did so。 〃You're Kowenski and Rindler？〃
There was no reply。
〃You're the two who gunned down Melinda and Mr。 Roomer？〃
Again there was no reply。 Vocal cords can bee paralyzed when the mind is possessed of the irrevocable certainty that one is but one step； one second； removed from eternity。 Mitchell squeezed the trigger twice and was walking away before the dead men had hit the waters of the Gulf。 He had taken only four steps when a flashlight beam struck him in the face。
〃Well； well； if it isn't smart…ass Mitchell； the scared scientist。〃 Mitchell couldn't see the man… and the gun undoubtedly behind the flashlight… but he had no difficulty in recognizing the voice of Heifer； the one with the sharp nose and ratlike teeth。 〃And carrying a silenced gun。 Whatcha up to； Mr。 Mitchell？〃
Heffer had made the classic blunder of all inpetent would…be assassins。 He should have shot Mitchell on sight and then asked the questions。 Mitchell flicked on his pencil torch and spun it upward； where it spiraled around like a demented firefly。 Heifer would have been less than human not to have had the instinctive reaction of glancing upward as his subconscious mind speculated as to what the hell Mitchell was up to： a speculation of very brief duration indeed； because Heifer was dead before the flash fell back onto the platform。
Mitchell picked up the flash； still surprisingly working； pocketed it； then dragged Heffer by the heels and rolled him off to join his friends at the bottom of the Gulf。 He returned to the sick…bay vestibule； donned his shoes and entered the sick bay itself。 Dr。 Greenshaw had both his patients on blood transfusion。
Roomer looked at his watch。 〃Six minutes。 What took you so long？〃
A plainly unnerved Marina looked at Roomer； half in disbelief； half in stupefaction。
〃Well； I'm sorry。〃 Mitchell actually managed to sound apologetic。 〃I had the misfortune to run into Heifer on the way back。〃
〃You mean he had the misfortune to run into you。 And where are our friends？'*
〃I'm not rightly sure；〃
〃I understand。〃 Roomer sounded sympathetic。 〃It's hard to estimate the depth of the water out here。〃
〃I could find out。 But it hardly seems to matter。 Dr。 Greenshaw； you have stretchers？ plete with straps and so forth？〃 Greenshaw nodded。 〃Get them ready。 Let them stay where they are meantime。 Can you carry on the blood transfusions in flight？〃
〃That's no problem。 I assume you want me to acpany them？〃
〃Yes； please。 I know it's asking an awful lot； but after you've handed them over to the petent medical authorities； Fd like you to return。〃
〃It will be a pleasure。 I am now in my seventieth year and I thought there was nothing fresh left in life for me to experience。 I was wrong。〃 Marina stared at them in disbelief。 All three men seemed calm and relaxed。 Melinda appeared to have dropped off into a a…like stupor； but she was merely； in fact； under heavy sedation。 Marina said with conviction： 〃You're all mad。〃
Mitchell said： 〃That's what a lunatic asylum inmate says about the outside world…and he may well be right。 However； that's hardly the point at issue。 You； Marina； will be acpanying the others on the trip back to Florida。 You will be perfectly safe there…your father will see that the most massive security guard ever mounted will be there。〃
〃How splendid。 I love being made a fuss over； being the center of attraction。 However； mastermind； there's just one small flaw in your reasoning。 I'm not going。 I'm staying with my father。〃
〃That's exactly the point I'm going to discuss with him now。〃
〃You mean you're going out to kill someone else？〃
Mitchell held out his hands； fingers splayed。 They could have been carved from marble。
〃Later；〃 Roomer said。 〃He appears to have some other things on his mind at the moment。〃
Mitchell left。 Marina turned furiously on Roomer。 〃You're just as bad as he is。〃
〃I'm a sick man。 You mustn't upset me。〃
〃You and his berserker moods。 He's just a killer。〃
Roomer's face went very still。 〃You know； I don't look forward to the prospect of having a mentally retarded person as a sister…in…law。〃
She was shocked and the shock showed。 Her voice was a whisper。 〃I don't really know you； do I？〃
〃No。 We're the men who walk down the dark side of the streets。 Somebody has to look after the people on the dark side。 We do it。 Do you know how much your father offered us to take you home？〃 Roomer smiled。 'Tm afraid I'm not much good in that department at the moment； but Mike will take care of it。〃
〃How much did he offer you？〃
〃Whatever we wanted in the world。 A million dollars to take you home？ A hundred million if we'd asked for it？ Sure。〃
〃How much did you ask for？'* Her face wasn't registering much in the way of expression。
Roomer sighed； 〃Poor Mike。 To think that he regards you as the pot of gold at the foot of the rainbow。 Poor me； too。 Fm going to have to live with you too； even at second hand。 Let's be corny。 Your father loves you。 We love you。 To pile cliche on cliche； there are some things that can't be bought。 Pearls beyond price。 Don't make yourself an artificial pearl； Marina。 And don't ever insult us again that way。 But we have to live on something； so we'll send him a bill。〃
〃For what？〃
〃Ammunition expended。〃
She crossed to his cotside； knelt and kissed him。 Roomer seemed too weak to resist。 Dr。
Greenshaw was severe。 〃Marina； he's not only having a blood transfusion； there's also the factor of blood pressure。〃
Roomer said： 〃My blood pressure is registering no plaints。〃
She kissed him again。 〃Is that apology enough？〃 Roomer smiled and said nothing。 〃 'Berserker* you said。 Can anyone stop him when he's like that？ Can I？〃
〃No。 Someday； yes。〃
〃The one person is you。 Yes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You didn't。〃
〃No。〃
〃Why？〃
〃They carried guns。〃
〃You carry guns。〃
〃Yes。 But we're not evil people who carry evil guns to do evil things。〃
〃That's all？〃
〃No。〃 He looked across at Melinda。 〃You see？〃
〃Please。〃
〃If Kowenski and Rindler hadn't been such damned lousy shots； she'd be dead。〃
〃So you let Michael loose？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You're going to