"The atomic screen must meet just halfway around the Earth. If you turn on your power too soon, your energy screen will smash mine back and destroy this Tower completely. We must be completely accurate."
Court glanced at an instrument panel near him.
"I will. Wait a minute. Someone's coming up in the elevator."
The warning bell was ringing. Presently the lift rose into view. An overalled figure, half hidden under the weight of a wooden box, stepped out of the cage.
Scipio turned from where he had been leaning on the rail and staring down into the black gulf. He peered at the workman. Marion's brows drew together in puzzlement.
"What's this?" she asked. "We didn't—"
The box fell crashing to the floor. The face of the man behind it was revealed. It was no longer bearded; clean-shaven now, and with the hair bleached yellow. Yet the arrogant mouth, hawk nose and the tawny amber eyes could belong to only one man.
Thordred!
His hand swept up, a lens blinking bluely in it. The mouth gaped in a snarl.
"Don't move!" His voice shook with mad fury. "Don't move a muscle. I've come back!"
Court still stood before the televisor. On the screen he saw Ardath's face watching, immobile and intent. He glimpsed a heavy wrench that was lying forgotten on the ledge of the televisor. It was hidden from Thordred's view by the instrument's bulk. Court let his hand gently close over it.
"Don't be a fool," he said. "You can't possibly escape."
Thordred laughed harshly. "No, you saw to that. Your police have come after me. If I hadn't stolen your memories, I'd never have escaped them. I disguised myself as a workman and rode up here. Nobody stopped me. And I have a weapon now! I made it, with the knowledge and memories I took from Ardath."
Marion's face was paper-white. Scipio stood motionless, his gigantic hands gripping the rail behind him.
"What do you intend to do?" Court asked.
"Kill you," Thordred rasped. "Then I'll turn on the power —I know how to do that—and the energy will destroy Ardath in his Tower. With you two out of the way, I can rule the Earth. My brain, with the combined knowledge of yours and his, is wiser than any other in the world."
"You may do that," Court admitted, warily watching for an opening. "But what about the Plague?"
"I haven't forgotten that. The Towers can be repaired. The Earth Shield can be created, even without you and Ardath. But then I shall rule this planet!"
Softly, without moving his" lips, Court whispered into the televisor.
"Turn on your power, Ardath. It'll destroy Thordred. We'll go with it, but that's the only way."
The Kyrian did not speak, but he shook his head slightly. Thordred moved forward. The blue lens in his hand rifted.
"Now," he said. "Now you die!"
Court's muscles tensed for a hopeless leap. He knew he could not reach the other in time. His fingers tightened over the wrench. Scipio had not moved. His eyes were aglow.
Murder-lust sprang into Thordred's dark face. He aimed the crystal—
"Thordred!"
Ardath's voice rang out from the televisor. Startled, Thordred involuntarily glanced toward the instrument. Simultaneously on the screen a beam of blinding white light flashed from Ardath's hand. It flamed into Thordred's eyes, blinding him.
Roaring, the giant shook his head, a ray of blue radiance spearing wildly from the lens he held. Court snatched up the wrench and hurled it with all his strength. It struck Thordred's hand. The lens was hurled away, to shatter on the metallic floor.
Ready to hurl himself at Thordred, Court was halted by Scipio's bull voice. The Carthaginian roared:
"Back, Court! He is mine—mine to slay!"
No longer blinded by the ray, Thordred turned to face this new menace. With the snarl of a cornered beast, he closed with his attacker. The mighty, hair-covered hands closed about Scipio's throat. The Carthaginian tore them away, and the two men gripped each other about the waist.
They reeled back and forth, each striving to throw the other. To and fro on the platform they wrestled, hundreds of feet above the ground. Staggering to the railed brink and back, Thordred bellowed with insane rage. His mouth gaped open as he sought to sink his teeth in Scipio's throat.
The Carthaginian swung his fist in a short arc. The power of the blow brought blood gushing from Thordred's cheek.
Court and Marion—and, on the screen, Ardath and Li Yang—watched the two titans battle. The men were well matched. Thordred was the taller, but Scipio seemed to weigh a trifle more. Yet the raging, murderous frenzy that filled them both was exactly equal.
Abruptly Thordred drove a foul blow at Scipio's middle. The Carthaginian grunted, and his guard dropped for a moment. Instantly Thordred hurled himself upon his opponent. The two went down, Thordred on. top. The hairy hands again sank in Scipio's corded throat.
Court sprang forward, the wrench in his hand. Scipio turned his head slightly. His deep voice roared a warning.
"Back, Court! He is mine to slay!"
Then the iron hands of the gladiator from Carthage found their mark—the throat of the savage from the Earth's youth.
And they sank deep, deep! All the tremendous strength in Scipio's muscles seemed to flow into his arms. Cords and knots stood out under his bronzed skin.
Thordred's face was suddenly gorged with purple. Blood stained his shaved chin, began trickling down. Desperately he strove to throttle his opponent. Abandoning the effort, he released his grip and stabbed his fingers down at Scipio's eyes.
The Carthaginian expertly rolled his head, and the foul missed its mark.
Thordred was suddenly clawing at the terrible hands that shut off his breath. His body jerked and writhed like a hooked fish. His eyes were distended and protruding. Frantically he tried to tear himself free, and could not…
"You left her to die," Scipio whispered.
Court knew that he spoke of Jansaiya, the Atlantean priestess.
One last frightful effort Thordred made. Something snapped with a brittle, crackling report. Simultaneously the giant flung himself up with one uncoiling motion. He stood upright, amber eyes glaring, breath hissing and rattling into his starved lungs.
Suddenly the huge head lolled forward slackly on its broken neck. For a heart-beat, Thordred stood silhouetted against the dark sky. Then he crashed lifeless to the floor.
Scipio sprang up. He heaved up the heavy body of Thordred and went staggering toward the railing. He flung the body out into the abyss, and stared after it with brooding eyes.
"Your vengeance, Jansaiya," he whispered. "And mine!"
Then Scipio Agricola Africanus, the man from Carthage, put his head down on his arms. He began to weep great choking sobs that ripped harshly from his throat.
Court looked away in sympathy and walked toward the televisor screen. Against it Marion leaned, faint with reaction. Both Ardath and Li Yang were watching. Though the Oriental's gross yellow face was immobile, his lacquer eyes were suddenly aglow with pity.
"Ohe," Li Yang sighed softly. "Alas for such men as Scipio, who find neither thrones nor love."
Ardath turned when a man appeared behind him on the screen. After a few words, he faced Court.
"The work has been done sooner than I expected. We can turn on the power now. Compare your chronometer with mine."
The two delicate time-pieces checked precisely.
"At exactly eleven, throw your switch," Ardath instructed. "I shall do the same."-
There were ten seconds to go—five—three—
Court's hand trembled on the switch.
Two. One…
Now!
Deafening thunder bellowed out from the summit of the Tower. For miles around, the roaring blast shattered windows and awakened sleepers to panicky fright. White light made the country bright as day. For a second, the maelstrom of raving light and sound continued. Then it swiftly died. There was silence, save for a low humming.