Текст книги "The Thinking Machine Affair"

Автор книги: Joel Bernard

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Major Klima confirmed Napoleon's conclusion that the woman was a female THRUSH. In all probability, she was resident at the THRUSH European Center E, otherwise she would not be able to live anywhere in Prague without police registration. He kept the thought to himself and felt almost certain that all efforts to find her would be as futile as was the search for Professor Novak and his daughter.

"You hit your two would-be assailants mighty hard, Mr. Solo," Major Klima added. "They only came round an hour or so ago."

"Did interrogation bring anything to light?"

"Not a thing," the Czech frowned. "They've chosen to remain silent, but will probably change their minds when they've been in the cells long enough—not that this helps us at the moment."

"Any news of the body that walked out of the public mortuary?" Napoleon queried.

"No news," Major Klima grumbled. "We have thoroughly questioned all the mortuary staff, all of them conscientious and reliable people, but no one saw or heard a thing."

"Well, Major, there's not much point in my keeping you any longer," Napoleon said, seeing that with the present unsatisfactory state of affairs the Czech felt somewhat uneasy in his company. "I'll be in touch."

"Please do, and let's hope I have better news next time."

Napoleon checked various possible clues but none led him closer to THRUSH European Center E. His investigations led him all over Prague and he found walking on uneven cobblestones tiring. When he finally returned to his hotel room late evening, he felt the need of a hot bath before food or more work. He was about to step into the hot water when the call-sign of his radio receiver started to bleep. He extracted the gadget from his pocket and opened the receiving channel.

"Napoleon," Illya said.

"Yes, where are you, Illya?"

"In Prague. At the Hotel Paris near Powder Tower."

"Can you come to the Axa Hotel in Poric Street?"

"When?"

"In ten minutes."

Napoleon switched off the receiver and stepped into the bath. The hot water was soothing and he wished Illya wasn't coming so soon—he would have liked a long, long soak.

Illya arrived and looked with envy at his colleague now sitting in his room in a comfortable dressing gown. "Some people seem to have all the luck," he said with a grin.

"The THRUSH Center can't be too far away from where I lost contact with the direction finder," Illya explained after a while. "I'll double-check the whole area on both banks of the Moldau to find a lead to their Headquarters."

"Let's hope their detection devices haven't discovered and silenced the direction finder," Napoleon said.

"I don't think they have," Illya said confidently. "Their devices work on different frequencies to ours."

"I wouldn't rely on it too much."

"Perhaps I shouldn't; but then I'm an optimist." They parted later—and Illya returned to the river bank of the Moldau at the point where the road turned inland sharply, while Napoleon again crisscrossed Prague, hoping to hit on an accidental clue.

The first real break came early that evening.

As Napoleon turned from Prikopy Street into Wenceslas Square, his eyes detected the girl standing at a tram stop. Beside her was the man from the airport reception area. There was no possibility of a mistake—they were in full view and he could see them clearly.

Napoleon dived into the entrance of the corner shop to prevent his being spotted by them. He considered whether to communicate with Major Klima but dismissed the thought and decided to follow the pair himself. If need be, he could always call for the Major's assistance later.

A tram with a trailer carriage drew up at the stop and the two boarded the front vehicle. Napoleon mingled with the dense stream of pedestrians, crossed the street towards the island stop in the middle, and managed to board the trailer unnoticed. From his seat he could see them in the front carriage.

The tram journey dragged on and on until they were out of the inner city and well into the suburbs. The pair in the now almost empty front carriage appeared to be engrossed in their evening papers.

As the tram approached the second stop from the last, he saw them prepare to alight. He swiftly stood up and, about fifty yards from the stop, jumped off the fast-moving vehicle. He had to take the precaution– in this completely deserted suburban street they were almost certain to notice him if he left the trailer at the stop.

While the tram driver reduced speed and brought the vehicle to a halt, Napoleon stepped behind a thick tree on the pavement to conceal himself from view. He was only just in time, for seconds later he saw the man scan every direction, obviously checking.

Napoleon shadowed them from a safe distance as they walked along the empty streets without talking to each other. Not once did they look back to see if they were being followed.

They reached the last house of the built-up area, then continued along a dusty path into the country side. It was now almost pitch dark and there were heavy rain clouds. Napoleon was pleased for this gave him added cover. The darkness was actually an ally.

The pair headed for the Moldau, and climbed down the grass-covered embankment to the river shore. A sudden break in the clouds bathed the scene in silvery light. Napoleon slid behind a dense bush and watched them walk along the riverbank. It occurred to him that the spot could not be too far from the area where Illya had lost contact with the direction finder on the previous night.

Almost as they reached the bend where the Moldau turned in a northerly direction, they stopped. Napoleon's view was obscured by some high foliage, but he heard the sound of a boat being dragged over stony ground, and soon afterwards there came the unmistakable noise of rowing oars. He saw a small boat moving across the river towards the far shore.

Napoleon watched it through his binoculars and was surprised when it stopped alongside an almost vertical rock formation covered with moss and small vegetation. He was even more surprised when he saw a section of the rock slide to one side to enable the boat to enter what was obviously a secret water passage. Immediately the boat had entered, the ingenious stone door shut and the massive rock looked as impenetrable as before.

This must be the way into the THRUSH European Center, he thought. He activated his ultra-shortwave radio transmitter-receiver to give Alexander Waverly this new information, and when Channel D was closed again, walked along the riverbank searching for a boat in which to cross the river.

About half a mile from the spot where the two THRUSH agents had boarded their rowing boat, he found a kayak lying on the grass verge some twenty feet from the river. He lifted the light boat, carried it to the water, boarded it, and steered towards the rock formation on the far bank.

As he reached the rock the clouds began to close in again on the moonlight, but before darkness engulfed him he located a small lever in a crevice beneath a layer of artificial moss. He tried to turn it, without success. Perhaps it was locked by a safety device from the inside? He extracted a small electronic gadget from one of his pockets. It was constructed to open any lock silently.

He was in the process of fastening the opener to the lever when the river currents moved the kayak from the rock. To keep the boat in position, he grabbed the lever with his left hand and unintentionally pulled it. The rock slid aside. The door had been constructed from steel and made to look like a genuine continuation of the moss-covered rock formation.

He steered the kayak into the inky black manmade underground tunnel and reflected that it was similar to the underwater channel entrance to U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters. As soon as the kayak passed the door, it automatically shut.

He was alarmed that this entrance door was operated by electronic eyes, knowing this could have set off an alarm. To bypass concealed alarm devices along the underground channel, he switched on his electronic diversion device, which temporarily put out of action any alarm network.

His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and he was able to see the straight walls and roof of the tunnel, his nostrils conscious of a musty smell.

Some five hundred yards or so on, the channel ended in some steps rising to a platform.

Napoleon fastened the kayak to the rowing boat left by the two THRUSH agents, and noted a powerful small motorboat moored alongside it. He climbed the stone steps to the platform; this opened into a long corridor that veered to the right. He moved silently along the dark passage and noted that it descended slightly. He kept his electronic diversion device working continuously to ensure that no alarm system betrayed him, but wondered as he went on how long it would be before concealed steel arms, or something or someone, emerged from the walls to hold him in an iron grip. As if responding to his thoughts, a tubular steel net dropped from the ceiling, pressing his arms against his body, thus making any movement impossible.

"Welcome to THRUSH Headquarters, Mr. Solo," a voice said as blazing lights flooded the passage.

It took a few moments for his temporarily blinded eyes to adjust before he could see what was obviously a THRUSH officer and guards.

"Had you advised us that you wanted to visit us, we would have told you where to find our main entrance, which is much more respectable," the Chief Organizing Officer smiled.

"I didn't want to trespass on your kindness," Napoleon said wryly.

"We'll take these uncomfortable things off you and show you the way to our more civilized quarters," the THRUSH executive said.

Two guards removed the steel net from Solo; at the same time they removed his gun and emptied his pockets. When Napoleon held out his arms for handcuffing, the officer said:

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Solo. We don't copy U.N.C.L.E. methods."

Beside the THRUSH executive, and flanked by guards at the front and rear, Napoleon continued along the brightly-lit concrete passageway until they reached the end. A wall moved automatically aside to let them enter a square room where an elevator was ready for the next stage.

"We'll have a little chat, Mr. Solo, which, I trust, will be fruitful," the Chief Organizing Officer said as they stepped into the elevator. "I have long wanted an opportunity to meet you."

"So have I." Napoleon forced another smile.

He realized that he could do no more at present than play cat and mouse, but the knowledge that the guards had not, as yet, discovered some of the emergency tools concealed in his tie, suit lining, shoes and cufflinks, gave him hope that he was not as yet altogether helpless.

As they stepped from the elevator and turned left, the head of the Special Tasks Department emerged from one of the doors along the corridor. Seeing Napoleon, he drew his gun.

"Put it away," the Chief Organizing Officer said coolly. "We don't want Mr. Solo dead. We have better plans for him." And, as he led Napoleon into his office, he explained: "It would be foolish to kill you, Mr. Solo. Murder is such a messy business. I prefer everything to be nice and smooth."

"Oh, I do so agree with you," concurred Napoleon heartily.

They entered the THRUSH executive's office and as the officer seated himself at the desk, he invited Solo to make himself comfortable.

"Now, don't let's mince words," he said. "We are preparing to dispose of U.N.C.L.E. and I intend to let you play a considerable part in its destruction."

"That sounds most interesting," Napoleon said.

"It is much more than interesting, Mr. Solo; it is at long last the beginning of a new world—a THRUSH world. The actual execution of our 'Operation U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters' is now almost only a mere formality."

"Do go on—I find this fascinating."

"Cynicism won't get you far, Mr. Solo," the THRUSH executive snarled abruptly. "Nothing can save U.N.C.L.E. from being wiped out. And, to make extra sure, we now have Professor Novak's apparatus. He is already working on the extension of its operating radius."

"It could take ages before he finds the solution," Napoleon cut in.

"We are ready for such an eventuality. Our own scientists and technicians have solved some of the shortcomings of Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus, and if he and his daughter, supported by our own experts, cannot achieve unlimited distance within the next twenty-four hours, we shall nevertheless use Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus for the successful conditioning of the brains of all U.N.C.L.E. personnel to surrender unconditionally."

"How are you so certain you can do it?" Napoleon enquired.

"Our agent has installed specially constructed electronic beam receivers onto the entire internal communications systems at U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters. These receivers can pick up the beam from our transmitter, which will be linked with Professor Novak's apparatus, and then our thought orders can be beamed over the internal communications systems to every U.N.C.L.E. officer, beginning with Alexander Waverly and Illya Kuryakin down to the least important clerk and messenger. Brilliant, isn't it?"

"How do you know your agent has, in fact, carried out your plan?" Napoleon asked.

"That's no secret, either," the THRUSH executive boasted. "When our agent fixed the last electronic beam receiver on the internal communications systems at U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters, he was, unfortunately, detected and caught. In accordance with his instructions for such an eventuality, he took a special drug which killed him temporarily. Your Mr. Waverly, or someone at U.N Headquarters, had the body removed to some funeral directors in New York. One of our agents claimed the body, flew it here, and it arrived safely last night. The dead agent was revived and reported that he had successfully carried out his task. So you see, Mr. Solo, we know for sure that everything is set for action."

"Why tell me all this?"

"Because I want you to be in the picture. You see, Mr. Solo, you are going to play an important part in our operation."

"Oh?"

"You are going to tell your Alexander Waverly that you are with us, that we hold all the trumps, and that the time for unconditional surrender has come. You are to tell him that all U.N.C.L.E. files and secret gadgets, including weapons, must be destroyed forthwith and that he and the entire U.N.C.L.E. staff are to surrender to us. You will convince him that we are always ready to recruit personnel with ability and brains and that Waverly, Kuryakin and the rest of the U.N.C.L.E. team will find excellent opportunities with THRUSH."

"And if I refuse?"

"But, my dear Mr. Solo, are you in a position to refuse? Do you think I would have taken the trouble to get you here if I thought I couldn't use you? You have no alternative but to do as I say."

"And if I refuse, you'll kill me..."

"I told you earlier that I don't favor that sort of thing. I prefer smoother methods."

"How can you force me to do something I am determined not to do?"

"I have Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus. I can make you do anything I want."

"Rubbish!"

The THRUSH executive switched on the closed circuit television system. Instantly the workroom in which Professor Novak and his daughter were busy with a box that looked like a portable radio set appeared on the screen. "Bring the Professor and his apparatus to my office," he ordered.

"Very well," the supervisor acknowledged.

"You will now have the opportunity to learn the efficiency of the thought-transference apparatus," Napoleon was informed.

He stayed silent. He considered the position—"even if the Professor's machine turns me into their tool, Waverly still won't take notice of what I tell him," he thought.

Professor Novak entered the office, the supervisor carrying his apparatus.

"I am happy to see you looking so well, Professor," the Chief Organizing Officer greeted him.

"I'm afraid, sir, the radius is still not unlimited," the scientist said, thinking he had been brought for a progress report.

"This is not my concern at the moment," the THRUSH executive assured him. "I want you to demonstrate your apparatus in my office and to transfer my thoughts to this gentleman to illustrate the effectiveness of your apparatus."

"Very well," the scientist said; "at such short range it will work to full satisfaction."

He positioned the apparatus so that one of the knobs was aimed at Napoleon, then turned some dials, checked an indicator, and finally told the Chief Organizing Office that everything was ready for his experiment.

The THRUSH executive started to condition Napoleon's mind.

"Do you remember what I told you earlier about the message I want you to send to Waverly?" he said as soon as the Professor had departed.

"Yes, sir," Napoleon said. "Can I have the transmitter, please?"

Napoleon asked for Channel D to be opened. When Waverly replied, Napoleon repeated what he had been persuaded to say.

"This is not the time for practical jokes, Mr. Solo," Waverly said dryly.

"It's no joke, sir," Napoleon insisted. "Everything's as I told you and I can only repeat, you must heed my advice."

"Are you out of your mind, Mr. Solo?"

"No, sir. I am at THRUSH European Center E and I have ascertained that everything is as I told you. If you want to survive and save all the others, do as I tell you. There is no alternative."

Waverly closed Channel D. The Chief Organizing Officer was pleased with Napoleon and told him so.

"What do you wish me to do now, sir?" Napoleon asked.

"You can rest now. When you're needed again I'll call you."

Napoleon was led out of the office by a guard and taken to a room similar to the one allocated to Professor Novak. Only the dividing wall separated him from the Czech scientist, but Napoleon did not know this fact.

He looked around the room. It was comfortable, although there were no windows and the door had been locked from the outside. He settled into an armchair and tried to figure out whether Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus had actually conditioned his mind to think completely on THRUSH lines or whether it had confined itself to his sending the crucial surrender message to Waverly. He decided that the conditioning had only partly influenced him, because he still felt loyal to U.N.C.L.E., determined to play his part in destroying THRUSH. He decided he would utilize the fact that his mind had been conditioned to pretend a devotion to THRUSH.

He was anxious to tell Illya the location of THRUSH European Center E and warn him that the U.N.C.L.E. diversion devices were ineffective on THRUSH'S alarm system. With his ultra-shortwave transmitter out of his possession he hadn't the means of calling Illya, although he still had the emergency short-distance transmitter-receiver safely concealed in his cuff-links. But unless Illya happened to be really near, he still would not be able to make contact.

Napoleon sat in the armchair and repeated patiently into the transmitter:

"Illya, I'm calling you."

Napoleon tried the radio call again and again over a period of hours without result. Illya was probably miles away from the area, he thought.

Before giving up for the night he tried once more. "Illya, I'm calling you."

"I can hear you," Kuryakin's voice replied suddenly.

"Good," Napoleon said. "I've been trying to locate you for hours."

"Where are you?" Illya enquired.

"At THRUSH European Center E. That's why I can't use the normal transmitter. They've got it."

"Are you all right, Napoleon?"

"Yes."

"Waverly told me about your curious radio message."

"Oh that... They conditioned my mind to do it. But that's irrelevant now—I'll explain another time. THRUSH European Center E is close to where you lost contact with the direction finder..."

He described the exact location and then warned Illya not to enter the underground channel.

"Look for a more suitable entrance, and remember that our standard alarm diversion instrument is useless. Use the alternative device, and good luck, Illya."

Napoleon's luck was in. No one at THRUSH European Center E had monitored his broadcast.

CHAPTER EIGHT

ACTION STATIONS!

ILLYA systematically worked his way along the river bank of the Moldau. According to Napoleon's information, he should be in the immediate vicinity of the concealed water entrance to THRUSH European Center E, but he was still unable to re-establish contact with the bugging devices on the coffin and in the agent's belt, or the direction finder concealed in the tooth of the "dead" THRUSH officer.

When he reached the massive rock formation, he examined every inch of it and eventually found the ingenious entrance. He pulled the lever in the crevice and the steel door silently slid aside. But he did not enter the underground passage; instead he fixed a gadget inside the tunnel. This should deceive the electronic eyes and make them shut the door again when he issued the appropriate beam from his transmitter anywhere.

He climbed back along the edge of the rock formation and made his way back inland. He reached a building that looked like a porter's lodge of the mansion house on the hill. There was no sign of life in the building, but he was careful as he approached it silently. It could be a well-camouflaged warning post for THRUSH Headquarters.

As he approached the solid oak door of the building, he suddenly heard a faint signal from the direction finder and knew he was on the right track.

He switched on the multi-beam device to put out of action any alarms, and then opened the door, which he relocked as soon as he was inside. He found himself in a small hall with several doors. As he stood there, considering which door to open first, the signal from the direction finder increased in strength as he leaned towards a door on the right.

He unlocked it and stepped cautiously into the almost dark room. He could see that the windows were shuttered with heavy steel plates. The room was bare and appeared to be deserted, yet the direction finder signal became stronger still as he moved to the middle of the room, otherwise he would have thought he was in the wrong place.

His detector instrument helped him locate a door concealed in a wall. Before attempting to open it, he tested the room thoroughly for alarm traps.

On the wall between the two steel-shuttered windows he found another hidden door, on which he used his unlocking device. It housed a small box that obviously contained alarm controls. He stood his directional torch on the floor and used it to spotlight the control box. Examination indicated that it was a key control box of the alarm system. He disconnected the wiring without sparking the alarm circuit—at least, he felt sure he had managed to do this effectively.

He felt more confident now of being able to penetrate undetected THRUSH European Center E, but was still careful when it came to opening the concealed door in the wall. He entered an adequately lit passage which was ahead of him. Before he entered he transmitted an electronic beam onto the steel door in the rock formation on the riverbank of the Moldau. The control signal on his device told him that the electronic eyes responded to his beam transmission and the door was being shut automatically. THRUSH would now think someone had just entered the water tunnel.

He closed the door behind him and walked along the passage. Meanwhile alarm lights activated by the riverbank door had alerted the Duty Officer in the Internal Security Center. "There's an intruder in the underground water channel," he informed both the Chief of the Special Tasks Department and the Chief Organizing Officer over the internal communications system.

"I'll have the guards seal off the whole southern area," the Chief of the Special Tasks Department said, and immediately arranged this. "We'll soon have him, or them."

"I want that Solo fellow removed from his room and taken to a safer place," the Chief Organizing Officer ordered. "This renewed penetration into our area indicates that they know of the water approach and might perhaps land considerable forces to free him."

"Even a battalion of heavily armed intruders wouldn't get far," the Chief of the Special Tasks Department said confidently. "How could anyone penetrate the death ray screen?"

"They might be equipped against such things. One never knows."

"You're over-careful," the Chief of the Special Tasks Department retorted. "But I'll increase the number of guards to the southern area anyway and concentrate the majority of our security forces there. Does that make you happier?"

"It does. But I still want Solo in a safer place."

"I'll shift him to the dungeon immediately. He won't walk out from there…"

The Special Tasks Department Chief and four guards headed for Napoleon, who was in his bed, asleep. They roused him roughly and ordered him to dress.

"Surely it's not breakfast time already?" Napoleon said, as he complied with their request.

"Come on!" the officer bellowed impatiently. Napoleon was led along corridors to an elevator that took them several floors down to a tunnel with massive steel doors. A guard unlocked one door and pushed Napoleon in. "I hope you'll find it comfortable," the officer said cynically as the door was banged shut.

The dimly lit, windowless cell looked as if it had been hewn from solid rock. It also looked escape-proof. But Solo still had his tried and trusty allies—his emergency tools, although it was too soon even to try anything, for they were sure to be extra alert for the first few hours.

He sat on the rough wooden bunk, held his cuff links near his mouth and repeated softly:

"Illya! Are you around, Illya?"

There was no response.

He decided to try again later.

Illya heard Napoleon's whispered voice coming from his cuff-link but did not dare to answer, afraid that detectors might pick up the conversation and transmit it to THRUSH Headquarters monitoring room. He could not afford to take chances. He did not like leaving Napoleon in suspense but it was too dangerous to risk possibly centering attention on himself. Napoleon would have to wait until it was safe for him to contact him.

He continued along the passage, his eyes examining every inch of the tunnel for danger points.

At a spot where the underground corridor turned sharply, he discovered an almost unnoticeable interruption in the smooth concrete floor. The area was about a yard wide and stretched from wall to wall. He stepped over it, being careful not to touch it. A foot or so on he discovered steel objects on both walls of the narrow passage-way. He suspected these to be steel arms that would have been set in motion if some one stepped on the yard-wide area in the floor. Those arms could hold an intruder firmly until guards were automatically summoned. He had come across such devices on other assignments. He then detected the steel net in the roof of the passage, which fell down on a victim when the steel arms went into action. He was not to know it was an identical net that had put Napoleon temporarily out of business.

He stopped when he heard a voice just ahead saying:

"There's a full-scale emergency at the southern area water entrance. If there's any warning of intrusion on your monitoring screen raise the alarm immediately."

"Message understood, sir," a voice replied. "There hasn't been any sign of danger in my sector as yet. The system is in perfect working order. I'm checking the control indicator every minute."

Illya was delighted with this unexpected duty routine communication call. It had usefully warned him of what was going on. From where he stood, the passage looked as though he was approaching another turn and he had not expected a guard to be waiting there.

He neared the spot with added care, ready for anything.

As he reached the bend in the corridor, he eased, looked round, and was in luck. The uniformed guard had turned his back towards him, busy checking an instrument board. Illya jumped and aimed a short hard blow at the neck of the unsuspecting THRUSH guard. He caught the unconscious body to prevent it from falling on the desk and possibly setting off some emergency alarm signal.

He dealt with the alarms which guarded the approach to the heart of the THRUSH stronghold, then deprived the guard of his uniform and slipped into it. He wanted to be able to move freely inside THRUSH European Center E. He gagged the unconscious guard and tied his hands and feet securely to the heavy steel tubes which supported the instrument desk.

Now ready for new emergencies, he stepped into a small hall which had an elevator on the left. He pressed a button and a red arrow pointing downwards was illuminated. The elevator descended. A few seconds later the door opened automatically and he stepped into it. The door closed behind him and the elevator immediately ascended at considerable speed. As there were no buttons to be pressed inside, he realized he was being taken directly to the main area.

It stopped and the door opened. He expected someone to be waiting for him, but there was no one in the well-lit corridor that faced him.

As he moved along it, he wondered where he would find Professor Novak and his daughter, as his first duty was to seize the thought-transference apparatus before THRUSH could make disastrous use of it. As he reached a T junction, two uniformed THRUSH officers emerged from the room by the junction. He heard one of them say: "I'll take care of the Professor and his apparatus and you see to his daughter." They hadn't even glanced at Illya, and didn't seem to suspect him when he followed.

They paused at a door and the guard inside the workroom let them enter. Before he was able to shut the door again, Illya silenced him with a blow and dragged him behind a work bench. The two THRUSH officers walked towards the Professor and his daughter, completely unaware of what had happened behind them. Illya assumed the role of the unconscious guard and closed the door.

"Professor Novak," said one of the THRUSH men, "we want you to see the Chief Organizing Officer."