“Oh, when we left you, Arnold and his mob snuck up on us, while we were watching Illya enter the Space House. I’m not surprised at them catching these two poor fish”-she indicated Charlie and Andy, who struck Peter Pan poses of offended pride-“but me! They actually snuck up on me and jumped me, when I’ve been living for a year on this beach with a clean record. Tonight I’m just angry, trying to get out of here; but starting tomorrow I don’t think I’ll be able to live with myself.”
Illya said, “Then we really ought to get down to business. Napoleon, I hope you brought some extra weapons for me, since you must have known my tracer ended here.”
“I have a small knife, a communicator, a pistol, and lots of miscellany for you, but especially I have an extra pair of infrared goggles, because at exactly fifteen minutes before the hour I’m going to start an attack on Porpoise by turning off the power and seeing how our pudgy friend likes his hothouse pool at winter temperatures.”
“But what will we do with our friends? I’m sure they would be handy to have along for fighting, but …”
“We can take a hint,” said Mai. “You just turn off the power. We’ve spent hours and hours in every funhouse maze at Coney, and once this one stops dumping people in the ocean and exploding at them we should be out the front door in one minute.”
“When I turn off their power, they’ll be attacked from the land as well. When you reach that front door, I recommend you go out with your hands up, just like you were surrendering, and let the men there sort you out from Porpoise’s agents later. Once you get to Matt, stick with him and you’ll be all right.” Looking at his watch, he twisted to remove
a device something like a lightbulb from a packet on the back of his belt. With a boost from Illya, he removed the ceiling bulb and replaced it with U.N.C.L.E.Y device.
“When I tap that bulb,” he said, “it will do more than just bum out some single power source. It’s a timed charge, to bum out three power sources as they come into play, just in case Porpoise has more than one auxiliary dynamo to switch in on these lines. Can you kids be certain of getting through in the dark?”
The three looked at each other in mock pain, and Charlie stepped forward. “Sir, we have snuck into this maze individually and collectively at least once a week all summer. We used it to sack out, odd times last winter until they took to guarding it now and then. We are perhaps the world’s greatest living authorities on this funhouse, and it is an attack on our professional pride for you to doubt that we could get through it blindfold, backward, on one leg, and singing Gregorian chants.” He did an about face, two stiff goose-steps away, and then did a half-twist back flip that landed him nose-to-nose with Napoleon. “Do I get the job, chief?” he asked brightly.
“You could replace Russ Tamblyn, Marlon Brando and Lassie,” replied Napoleon. “But we’ll have to take your word for your abilities in the maze. In thirty seconds I tap that bulb, and you wait for the lights to go out, flash on, and go out twice more. The bulb fires three times and you can’t risk the maze before the third power source has been given the kibosh. If there are that many.”
“One thing more,” said Charlie. “I think I ought to jump up and hit that gizmo for you. You’ve been through a lot for a guy your age, and remember what lousy condition you were in when we found you on the beach. You couldn’t even take on two little kids like Andy and me; we wouldn’t want you tiring yourself, considering how much more you’re gonna go through.”
Before Napoleon could protest or Charlie could turn, Andy leaped without saying anything, slapped the bulb, and landed in total darkness.
Before Andy was back on his feet and standing erect, the lights blinked, and stayed off. “If he’s got a third power
supply for this kind of emergency,” said Charlie, “I bet he can’t find it in the dark. Let’s hit that maze and see if we can’t get out there before all of Fatty’s goons come out crying because they’re afraid with the lights out.”
As six healthy young feet slapped through the trapdoor room, Napoleon called after them, “Remember, the men out there are only expecting Thrushes or us-go out with your hands up, let them arrest you with no shooting, and we’ll get you sorted out later.”
He hoped they heard him. In seconds, the turns of the Space Maze cut off their laughing and calling to each other in the dark.
“Now that our scout troop has fled, I’d better give you your gun and we can get this show on the road,” Napoleon said. From one pocket came the remaining U.N.C.L.E. Special, and from another he drew a packet of ferral paste.
With two quick motions, he spread the super-thermite around the edges of the spacelock door, and he and Illya stepped back to press against the wall on either side. As the paste became exposed to oxygen it flickered quickly into clinging white fire which they allowed to bum until, instead of solid steel, the door was held in place only by a few remaining half-liquid threads of metal. Napoleon stepped back from the door and put one foot into it, opening the way into Porpoise’s inner sanctum to the accompaniment of a titanic bass gong as the spacelock fell.
Chapter 14
“Why should I lie?”
TOTAL DARKNESS filled the Space House. Walls, built to keep unwanted trespassers from glimpsing any Thrush activity, acted just as well to keep what little night light there was along the deserted beachfront from illuminating any of Porpoise’s lair. Arnold, his fingers acting as his eyes, quickly laid out his master’s rubber suit, while Apis, freed from the dead control console, trod silently toward the Spaceship
Room. He flexed the long rippling muscles of his back and shoulders and grinned expectantly.
A small explosion told Apis of the opening of the spacelock, and he sped towards the entrance to the maze. His eyes began to adjust to the translucent glow of the glassite ceiling. Dim shadows took on various shades of black and gray where only black had been before.
A blow across his kidneys and a two-handed chop to his neck stopped him. He reached out blindly with both hands as his unseen attacker delivered a karate kick that would have disabled a lesser man.
Illya, having delivered the three blows, traveled on, leaving Apis for Napoleon to finish off. His own target was Porpoise, and accordingly he wasn’t wasting time with underlings, much as he would have liked to even up the score a bit for Apis’s water games.
Apis stretched his arms out wide, groping for anything or anybody. Napoleon watched the progress of the blind giant and met him with a running leap that placed both of his feet in Apis’s face.
The big man stumbled back, regained his balance and bellowed, “Where are you? I’m gonna kill you when I find out”
Napoleon braced himself and answered, “Here I am, Apis, right in front of you. Come and get me.”
Apis charged and Napoleon swung to one side, kicking the running giant just above the ankle. Both of his feet knocked from under him, Apis spun and flew, hitting the deck face first. He rolled over himself, snapping his head full around; Napoleon was mentally counting him out when the giant struggled back to his feet.
“That’s funny, it’s supposed to be the bigger they are the harder they fall,” Napoleon muttered.
“Solo, is that you?” Apis asked, not really believing he was going to get the chance to repay Napoleon for the dunking he had received earlier.
“It’s me, all right. What’s keeping you up?” Napoleon delivered another kick, this time to the solar plexus. Apis batted aside the foot and sent Napoleon sprawling. Following the sound of the U.N.C.L.E. agent, Apis walked right into a