Latest / Astounding Sci-Fi Story Collection / Lease To Doomsday

Transcript

Lease To Doomsday · Astounding Sci-Fi Story Collection

0:01
Speaker 1: Lease the Doomsday. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
0:06
Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
0:11
Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Tom Weiss,
0:19
Speaker 1: Lease the Doomsday by Lee Archer. The twins were a
0:25
Speaker 1: rare team. Indeed, they wanted to build a printing plant
0:29
Speaker 1: on a garbage dump. When Muldoon asked them why, their
0:33
Speaker 1: answer was entirely logical, because we live here. It was
0:39
Speaker 1: the lack of sense in the ad that made him
0:42
Speaker 1: go back to it again. He was having his breakfast
0:45
Speaker 1: coffee in the cafeteria next to the Midtown hotel where
0:48
Speaker 1: he lived. The Classified section of the New York Times
0:52
Speaker 1: was spread before him. Wanted Live Wire real estate Broker,
0:58
Speaker 1: No Selling thirty four, Room six fifty seven Silver's Building,
1:04
Speaker 1: nine to twelve Monday morning. The ad made no sense
1:08
Speaker 1: for several reasons. One, you just don't go around advertising
1:13
Speaker 1: for brokers with four pages of them in the classified
1:16
Speaker 1: phone book. Two, how can one be a live wire
1:20
Speaker 1: broker without having to sell? Kevin Muldoon shook his head.
1:25
Speaker 1: Just no damn sense. The Silver's Building, hmm, not too
1:31
Speaker 1: far off. He looked at his strap watch fifteen minutes
1:35
Speaker 1: of nine. He could walk it in about that time.
1:39
Speaker 1: Don't be a fool, he said to himself. It's obviously
1:42
Speaker 1: a come on of some kind. He got up, paid
1:46
Speaker 1: the check and went out. It wasn't till he was
1:49
Speaker 1: on third Avenue that he was conscious he had started
1:51
Speaker 1: to go cross town when his office was in the
1:54
Speaker 1: opposite direction. He smiled wrily. Might as well investigate, he thought,
2:00
Speaker 1: can't do any harm, and it won't take long. There
2:04
Speaker 1: were four others waiting in the small landing room. The
2:07
Speaker 1: outer door bore no legend other than the room number,
2:11
Speaker 1: and the inner door was blank altogether. Muldoon made a
2:15
Speaker 1: quick appraisal of those waiting. Three were obviously past middle age,
2:20
Speaker 1: the fourth about Muldoon's age. The inner door opened and
2:24
Speaker 1: Muldoon looked up. A tall man came out first, a
2:28
Speaker 1: man in his early sixties, perhaps Immediately behind him came
2:32
Speaker 1: a slightly shorter man, but very heavy and with a
2:36
Speaker 1: head that was as bald as a billiard ball. The
2:40
Speaker 1: older man marched straight to the door, opened it, and
2:44
Speaker 1: went out without a second look back. The fat man
2:48
Speaker 1: looked around, his face beaming in a wide smile, eyes
2:52
Speaker 1: almost closed behind fleshy lids. And now who's next, he asked.
2:58
Speaker 1: The one who was about mul doone's age stepped forward.
3:02
Speaker 1: The fat man motioned for the other to precede him.
3:05
Speaker 1: The door closed. Not more than a minute went by
3:10
Speaker 1: and the door opened again, and the same act as
3:13
Speaker 1: before with the older man was gone through. And now
3:17
Speaker 1: who's next, the fat man asked. Muldoon noted, even the
3:21
Speaker 1: inflection was the same. So it went with the three
3:26
Speaker 1: who were left until it was muldoonstern, And now there
3:30
Speaker 1: were six others beside himself, also waiting to be interviewed.
3:36
Speaker 1: It was a squarish room, simply furnished, with a couple
3:39
Speaker 1: of desks set side by side, with a narrow space
3:42
Speaker 1: between them. A chair was set up facing the desk,
3:45
Speaker 1: obviously meant for the one to be interviewed. Seated behind
3:49
Speaker 1: one of the desks was the twin of the man
3:51
Speaker 1: now coming to seat himself at the other desk. Their
3:55
Speaker 1: smiles were identical as they waited for Muldoon to make
3:59
Speaker 1: himself comfortable. For a moment, there was a blank silence.
4:05
Speaker 1: Muldoon studied them, and they, smiling still studied him. Muldoon
4:11
Speaker 1: broke the silence. You know, Muldoon said, your ad didn't
4:17
Speaker 1: make sense to me. The twins hunched forward slightly at
4:22
Speaker 1: their desks, their eyes brightened in antesipation. No, said the
4:28
Speaker 1: one who had been waiting for Muldoon. Why with some
4:33
Speaker 1: four pages of brokers in the classified directory, you don't
4:37
Speaker 1: have to advertise for one, and a live wire broker
4:40
Speaker 1: gets that reputation as a salesman without selling the wire
4:44
Speaker 1: is dead. The twins beamed at each other. Evan said
4:49
Speaker 1: the one to the left, I think we've found our man.
4:53
Speaker 1: Will you go out and tell those waiting They waited
4:56
Speaker 1: for the twin to return. I am Robert, my brother,
5:01
Speaker 1: Evan said the first twin. Mauldoon introduced himself. There was
5:06
Speaker 1: no handshaking. You are right about the ad, Robert Rieger said,
5:12
Speaker 1: we worded it that way for a reason. We wanted
5:15
Speaker 1: a man of quick intelligence. Mind you, now we do
5:19
Speaker 1: want a broker, and the one who will do no
5:22
Speaker 1: selling the live wire part was my brother. Evans thought.
5:25
Speaker 1: He does sometimes have clever ideas Robert stopped to beam
5:31
Speaker 1: at his twin. Just now, Robert returned to Muldoon, I
5:35
Speaker 1: won't go into full discussion of our plans. Briefly. However,
5:39
Speaker 1: we are buyers, buyers we hope of a particular area.
5:44
Speaker 1: Because of what we have in mind to do, we
5:46
Speaker 1: would rather it was done quietly and without any publicity.
5:51
Speaker 1: Had we engaged the services of a large agency, this
5:54
Speaker 1: would not be possible. For if I make coin of phrase,
5:57
Speaker 1: the trumpet must blow strongly to announce the coming of genius.
6:01
Speaker 1: He smiled, stroked his chin, looked up the ceiling, and
6:05
Speaker 1: his lips moved silently, as if he enjoyed repeating the phrase,
6:10
Speaker 1: I like that, Robert having said yes, I thought it
6:14
Speaker 1: was good, Robert said. They both looked to Muldoon. Maldoon
6:19
Speaker 1: said nothing. The twins sighed audibly in unison. Robert's lips
6:26
Speaker 1: came forward in a pout, the look of a pouting cherum.
6:30
Speaker 1: Muldoon thought one, trying to look stern, and only succeeding
6:34
Speaker 1: in looking naughty, childish. Muldoon suddenly knew of whom the
6:39
Speaker 1: twins reminded him twin Charles Lawton's without hair. You are
6:46
Speaker 1: free to work for us, Robert asked, with you, Muldoon said,
6:52
Speaker 1: I have the license. He gave them a quick smile,
6:55
Speaker 1: as if to lessen the sharpness of the tone he
6:56
Speaker 1: had used a broker asked for a client in the
7:00
Speaker 1: purchase or sale of property. He can't be employed by them,
7:04
Speaker 1: of course, Robert said quickly. I did not mean to
7:08
Speaker 1: imply any other action. Now, suppose you tell us briefly
7:12
Speaker 1: about yourself. Muldoon gave them a thumbnail sketch of his career.
7:17
Speaker 1: He noted, there pleased look that he was a one
7:19
Speaker 1: man agency. At the conclusion, Robert stood up and came
7:23
Speaker 1: around the desk. He thrust a hand at Muldoon, like
7:27
Speaker 1: shaking hands with a piece of warm dough. Muldoon thought,
7:33
Speaker 1: I do believe, Robert said, as he placed a heavy
7:36
Speaker 1: arm around Muldoon's shoulder and walked into the door, that
7:39
Speaker 1: we shall have a mutually happy relationship. You will not
7:43
Speaker 1: be unrewarded money wise. He opened the door, paused still
7:48
Speaker 1: with his arm around Muldoon, and looked steadily into Muldoon's eyes. Yes,
7:53
Speaker 1: I think there will be mutual benefits in our relationship. Now,
7:58
Speaker 1: in conclusion, will you pick us up at this office
8:01
Speaker 1: tomorrow morning at nine. Muldoon nodded. Good. Then, by now,
8:06
Speaker 1: mister Muldoon, and thanks so much for coming by. In
8:09
Speaker 1: answer to our ad The answer to an irritating thought
8:14
Speaker 1: came to Muldoon while he was waiting for an elevator
8:17
Speaker 1: to take him to the ground floor. He knew where
8:20
Speaker 1: he had seen the same kind of look as was
8:23
Speaker 1: in Robert Reeger's eyes when they had parted, in the
8:26
Speaker 1: eyes of a cat Muldoon had once seen toying with
8:29
Speaker 1: the mouse the cat had caught. Dina Savory was a redhead,
8:34
Speaker 1: a green eyed redhead with a kind of patrician look
8:38
Speaker 1: about her face that came off very well in the
8:40
Speaker 1: photographs they took of her. Dina was a model and
8:44
Speaker 1: made three times the money Kevin Muldoon made. It had
8:48
Speaker 1: always been a sore point between them, and more than
8:51
Speaker 1: once the reason for their worst quarrels. She was also
8:55
Speaker 1: the worst cook in New York. Monday evenings were spent
9:00
Speaker 1: in Dina's small apartment on East fifty sixth Street, and
9:04
Speaker 1: she usually cooked dinner for Muldoon. Invariably it was state.
9:09
Speaker 1: Dina had no imagination when it came to food. Even
9:14
Speaker 1: in restaurants, she ordered one or another kind of steak.
9:19
Speaker 1: They were together on the couch, she stretched full length
9:22
Speaker 1: her head in Muldoon's lap. He was telling her about
9:25
Speaker 1: the Reager twins and what had happened that morning. His
9:28
Speaker 1: hands crissed her lightly as she spoke, now across her cheeks.
9:33
Speaker 1: Now more intimately, I don't dig them, honey, he said,
9:37
Speaker 1: as if in recapitulation the Robert twin, for instance, you
9:42
Speaker 1: will not be unrewarded money wise, Madison Avenue and nineteenth
9:48
Speaker 1: century English. She gently took his hand from where he
9:51
Speaker 1: seemed to find most comfort and put it to her cheek.
9:54
Speaker 1: What's the difference, she asked, So long as there's money
9:57
Speaker 1: in it, broker's commission, He said, no more or less.
10:02
Speaker 1: You've been getting so much of that lately. No, okay,
10:07
Speaker 1: then stop fighting it. What do you care what kind
10:11
Speaker 1: of English they use or whether they use sign language?
10:14
Speaker 1: The buck kid, the buck, Dina Muldoon said gravely, you
10:20
Speaker 1: have the grubbing soul of a pawn broker or real
10:23
Speaker 1: estate broker, he added, He bent his head and kissed
10:27
Speaker 1: her lips. Her lips opened to his with that familiar warmth,
10:32
Speaker 1: a hunger for him, which never failed to thrill. This time.
10:36
Speaker 1: She did not remove his hand when it returned heavy. Baby, darling,
10:42
Speaker 1: Oh my darling, she whispered strange. He thought that at
10:47
Speaker 1: a moment like this, I should be thinking of those
10:50
Speaker 1: fat twins. Muldoon hated the pirate prices of midtown parking lots,
10:58
Speaker 1: and so was late. It had taken him ten minutes
11:02
Speaker 1: to find parking space for the Plymouth. As he started
11:05
Speaker 1: to open the door of room six fifty seven, he
11:08
Speaker 1: heard the voice of one of the twins. The words
11:10
Speaker 1: or sounds were in a language completely foreign to him.
11:14
Speaker 1: He thought to knock, but changed his mind. To knock
11:17
Speaker 1: would have made it obvious he had been listening, He barged,
11:20
Speaker 1: dried in. The twins were in the ante room. Muldoon
11:24
Speaker 1: got the impression that they knew he had heard them,
11:27
Speaker 1: and an even stronger impression that the fact was of
11:30
Speaker 1: no importance. That bothered him for some reason. Ah, there
11:35
Speaker 1: you are, the twin of the left, said Evan was
11:37
Speaker 1: wondering whether you would show up, But I told him
11:40
Speaker 1: he was putting himself to useless aggravation. That damn mixed
11:44
Speaker 1: up phrasing again, Muldoon thought, took a little time to
11:48
Speaker 1: find parking space. He said, shall we be off? Then
11:51
Speaker 1: Robert asked, all right with me? Muldoon replied, there was
11:56
Speaker 1: another odd thing. Evan Rigger seemed to have so very
11:59
Speaker 1: little this say. Their destination was a place half way
12:04
Speaker 1: down the island. Muldoon's brow had lifted when they gave
12:08
Speaker 1: him the area. So far as he knew, there hadn't
12:10
Speaker 1: been any development in the area. It was just a
12:14
Speaker 1: bit too far off the highways and rail lines for
12:16
Speaker 1: housing developments, and even more badly located for industrial requirements.
12:21
Speaker 1: He wondered what the devil they had in mind out there.
12:25
Speaker 1: Traffic was light and the drive took little more than
12:28
Speaker 1: an hour and a half on the main highway, at
12:31
Speaker 1: another fifteen minutes of black top side road before Evan
12:34
Speaker 1: told him to turn leftier onto a rutted path off
12:37
Speaker 1: the black top. The path led through some scrub growth
12:41
Speaker 1: that ended on the edge of an acre or so
12:43
Speaker 1: of dump heap. Rusted heaps of broken cars were scattered about.
12:48
Speaker 1: A foul odor came from the left, as though garbage
12:51
Speaker 1: too had been dumped and left the rut It was
12:54
Speaker 1: a flat, one storied wooden shack close by, to which
12:57
Speaker 1: Evan directed him to drive up to. Evan produced a
13:01
Speaker 1: key and opened the door to the shack. There was
13:04
Speaker 1: a petition separating the place neatly into two sections. There
13:09
Speaker 1: were a couple of straight backed wooden chairs and a
13:12
Speaker 1: leather sofa in the near room. The door to the
13:15
Speaker 1: other room was closed. Sit down, Muldoon, Robert Reager said.
13:19
Speaker 1: He waited for Muldoon to make himself comfortable on the sofa,
13:22
Speaker 1: then continued, first time we've ever been out here during
13:26
Speaker 1: the day. But Evin's sense of direction is unfailing. He
13:29
Speaker 1: shook his head, smiled brightly. Ah, well, we must each
13:33
Speaker 1: have some factor to make for validity of existence. Eh
13:38
Speaker 1: I don't follow, Muldoon said, no, madam, Now to the
13:42
Speaker 1: business at hand. I wanted you to see the area involved.
13:45
Speaker 1: Avn the plot plan please. To Muldoon's surprise, Evan Reager
13:51
Speaker 1: went into the next room and returned after a moment
13:54
Speaker 1: with a plot plant of the lower third of the island.
13:57
Speaker 1: He gave it to Muldoon, who spread it at his feet.
14:00
Speaker 1: That red pencil area I've marked off, Robert Rieger said,
14:03
Speaker 1: is what will be concerned with. As you notice the
14:07
Speaker 1: dump and this shack are at the approximate center. What
14:11
Speaker 1: I have in mind to do is buy all the
14:14
Speaker 1: land in this marked off area. Buy it you seem surprised.
14:20
Speaker 1: Shocked would be the better word. Have you any idea
14:23
Speaker 1: what this could cost? You've marked off an area of
14:26
Speaker 1: approximately a square mile even out here, that would run
14:30
Speaker 1: into millions. And once news got around that someone was
14:33
Speaker 1: buying parcels this size, well you'd have more publicity than
14:37
Speaker 1: you might want about the costs. We won't worry. There
14:41
Speaker 1: will be enough money, But the attendant publicity could mean
14:45
Speaker 1: not being able to get the land we want. Is
14:47
Speaker 1: that correct? Could be? Suppose we get options or leases
14:52
Speaker 1: on these pieces. That was a good phrase. Evan broke
14:56
Speaker 1: in unexpectedly. Don't you think so, Robert? Yes, Robert said sharply.
15:02
Speaker 1: He seemed to have suddenly lost his smile. He gave
15:04
Speaker 1: Evan a hard look from under down drawn brows. He
15:08
Speaker 1: turned to Muldoon. We are renting this, this tumble down structure,
15:12
Speaker 1: a to year lease. M I see your point. Spending
15:17
Speaker 1: millions in a sudden buying move would make unneeded difficulties.
15:20
Speaker 1: Now options to buy, but least for the present, Evan,
15:25
Speaker 1: the list of names please. Evan didn't have to go
15:28
Speaker 1: anywhere for the list, He had it with him. Muldoon
15:31
Speaker 1: looked it over. There were thirty three names, including the
15:35
Speaker 1: county and state. Well, Robert said, I'll have to know
15:40
Speaker 1: what you want to lease it for the name or
15:42
Speaker 1: names of corporations and so forth. Will my own name
15:46
Speaker 1: do it well? But you can go into county court
15:50
Speaker 1: and register a business name under your own what they
15:52
Speaker 1: call a d B A name doing business as name.
15:57
Speaker 1: Register as many as you wish. Doesn't cost a great
16:00
Speaker 1: or form a corporation you and your brother. Now let
16:05
Speaker 1: the leases come under my own name. As for what
16:08
Speaker 1: I intend doing well, I intend to concrete surface the
16:12
Speaker 1: entire area a square mile of concrete. Yes, there's a
16:18
Speaker 1: government plan to use this and of the island for
16:20
Speaker 1: a huge missile depot. They will have to come to me,
16:26
Speaker 1: rit Te shrewd. Muldoon thought, that is if it's true.
16:31
Speaker 1: All right, Muldoon said, when do you want me to start?
16:35
Speaker 1: Right now? That was one reason for bringing you out here. Avan,
16:39
Speaker 1: will you get the briefcase please? Once more? Avan Reeger
16:44
Speaker 1: went into the other room and closed the door carefully
16:47
Speaker 1: behind him. When he came out, he handed the briefcase
16:50
Speaker 1: to Muldoon. You may open it, Robert said. Muldoon's fingers
16:55
Speaker 1: became suddenly nerveless and he dropped the briefcase. It was
16:59
Speaker 1: crammed with money packets of one hundred dollars bills. There
17:03
Speaker 1: are fifty packets of one hundred dollar bills totaling a
17:06
Speaker 1: million dollars. Robert said, what the hell did you want
17:10
Speaker 1: me to do? Carry the case around with me? Muldoon asked, no,
17:14
Speaker 1: it will remain here. I merely wanted to show you
17:17
Speaker 1: I will be able to stand behind any price you
17:19
Speaker 1: may have to meet from now on. Report here, no
17:23
Speaker 1: matter what time, and since time has a definite value
17:26
Speaker 1: in this matter, do not stand upon it. I like that.
17:30
Speaker 1: Heaven said suddenly. That was good. Robert Muldoon nodded. Heaven
17:35
Speaker 1: had a value too, the same value any yes man has.
17:39
Speaker 1: But it bothered Muldoon. This just wasn't the way of twins,
17:44
Speaker 1: at least none he knew. Well. One thing was certain,
17:48
Speaker 1: the riggers had the ready cash. This may take some time,
17:52
Speaker 1: Muldoon said, weeks, certainly, maybe months. The county and state alone,
17:58
Speaker 1: we don't have that much time. Robert broke in, avan
18:01
Speaker 1: must return in ten days. Return where Muldoon asked. It
18:08
Speaker 1: was as if Robert hadn't heard. The state and county
18:11
Speaker 1: properties are small areas and on the very edge. Suppose
18:14
Speaker 1: we forget about them for the time being. Work on
18:17
Speaker 1: the private parties. Anything you say, but it may still
18:21
Speaker 1: take weeks. Then don't quibble. Lease at any price. If
18:26
Speaker 1: a show of cash is necessary, let me know now.
18:29
Speaker 1: I think you'd better start. Good luck, Muldoon. It was
18:33
Speaker 1: Wednesday night before Muldoon saw Dina Savory again, nor had
18:37
Speaker 1: he seen the Rigger twins since leaving them Monday morning.
18:41
Speaker 1: Dina and Muldoon's seldom saw each other during the middle
18:44
Speaker 1: of the week. They were her busy days and she
18:47
Speaker 1: needed the nights for complete rest. But he had called
18:50
Speaker 1: her and asked to see her. They were at dinner
18:52
Speaker 1: in a small Italian place close to her apartment. He
18:56
Speaker 1: had briefly brought her up to date on what had
18:58
Speaker 1: happened since she had seen him last, and was at
19:01
Speaker 1: the moment finishing the last of the lasagna. He had
19:04
Speaker 1: ordered their phonies, Honey, real phonies. He said, I'll bet
19:09
Speaker 1: my last buck on that. She was looking at the
19:12
Speaker 1: last piece of steak on her plate with an almost
19:15
Speaker 1: defiant gesture. She speared it and put it in her mouth.
19:18
Speaker 1: At a girl, he said, I your own business. She said,
19:22
Speaker 1: how do you mean their phonies? I spent all Monday
19:25
Speaker 1: investigating him. A fine way to make a dollar. She said,
19:29
Speaker 1: what do you care who they are? He gave her
19:32
Speaker 1: a knowing smile. That's my fat headed girl. Liked to
19:36
Speaker 1: visit me in a nice jail, wouldn't you one with
19:39
Speaker 1: a prestige address? Of course? Let me tell you. They'd
19:42
Speaker 1: rented that shack and the dump heap next to it
19:45
Speaker 1: for a pretty fancy figure. Robert Rieger said, they were
19:49
Speaker 1: going to do printing in that shack. They paid in
19:52
Speaker 1: full for the two years rental in nice crisp one
19:56
Speaker 1: hundred dollars bills. I get it, phony, she exulted, How
20:02
Speaker 1: can you be so stupid? I know for you it's easy.
20:07
Speaker 1: Of course the bills were genuine. But the printing business,
20:10
Speaker 1: what were they going to print with typewriters? Another thing?
20:14
Speaker 1: There's no business record I could find in them. They're
20:17
Speaker 1: not listed. So how did they get a million dollars?
20:21
Speaker 1: And Robert said, more report here, no matter what the time,
20:25
Speaker 1: I don't get it. I drove them out. There was
20:28
Speaker 1: no garage, no car I could see, and the place
20:31
Speaker 1: is miles from food. How do they live out there?
20:35
Speaker 1: Maybe they have friends who picked them up. Dinas said maybe.
20:40
Speaker 1: Robert said there was a rumor or something about the
20:42
Speaker 1: government going to use the area for a missile depot.
20:45
Speaker 1: I tried to run it down nothing, which proves nothing,
20:49
Speaker 1: she said, true, but I couldn't even smell smoke. Now
20:53
Speaker 1: the whole thing just smells bad. So I think I'm
20:56
Speaker 1: going back there and tell them to forget it. Oh,
20:59
Speaker 1: don't be an idiot, she said. This is your big
21:03
Speaker 1: chance to make some real money, get a reputation, and
21:06
Speaker 1: because your chicken, you're going to throw it up. I
21:10
Speaker 1: won't get into anything. Crook it his voice rose. The
21:14
Speaker 1: way you're thinking you couldn't follow a straight line. They
21:17
Speaker 1: can't draw a straight line. Well, you'd do what you want.
21:22
Speaker 1: Only the next time I have to pay for a dinner,
21:25
Speaker 1: don't give me that murdered look. Okay, okay, what do
21:28
Speaker 1: you want for Dessertspomoni? After this by carbon it very funny,
21:34
Speaker 1: and for the first time in several years, she did
21:37
Speaker 1: not kiss him good night. When they parted, he turned
21:42
Speaker 1: off the blacktop and started down the rutted path. He
21:45
Speaker 1: switched the headlights off about halfway to the shack and
21:48
Speaker 1: parked it one hundred or so yards away from it,
21:50
Speaker 1: and walked the rest the shack was dark. Instead of knocking,
21:55
Speaker 1: Muldoon walked around to the back and peered through the
21:57
Speaker 1: single window at the rear. Could nothing now. Isn't this
22:02
Speaker 1: just dandy, he thought, Drive all the way out here
22:05
Speaker 1: and nobody's at home. Damn. He went around to the
22:09
Speaker 1: front and started back to the car. His attention was
22:13
Speaker 1: caught by a greenish glow of light from the far
22:15
Speaker 1: end of the dump peep. His curiosity aroused, Muldoon warily
22:20
Speaker 1: made his way through the metal litter until he was
22:23
Speaker 1: close enough to make out the source of the light.
22:26
Speaker 1: It came from the center of a shallow area that
22:28
Speaker 1: had been cleared of rubble. A rusted, misshapen mass of
22:31
Speaker 1: metal lay in the center of the cleared space. The
22:35
Speaker 1: greenish glow was coming from an opening in the mass.
22:39
Speaker 1: Muldoon crept closer until he was able to make out details,
22:44
Speaker 1: not too many, but enough to give him an idea
22:47
Speaker 1: of the size and general shape of the thing. But
22:51
Speaker 1: what really help him were the figures of Robert and
22:54
Speaker 1: Evan Rieger. He saw them quite distinctly. One of the
23:00
Speaker 1: twins was bent over a machine of some sort. There
23:04
Speaker 1: were levers, gears, and rollers mounted on a web platform
23:08
Speaker 1: no larger than a rather oversized typewriter. Muldoon's eyes went
23:13
Speaker 1: wide at the sight of the green backs coming in
23:15
Speaker 1: a steady stream from the interior of the machine and
23:19
Speaker 1: falling into a box at the side. He could see
23:22
Speaker 1: very little else that was in the room other than
23:25
Speaker 1: the brother of the twin at the machine. He was
23:28
Speaker 1: on the far side of it, fiddling with something hidden.
23:32
Speaker 1: Muldoon stared in fascination for another minute, then carefully made
23:37
Speaker 1: his way back to the car. He had parked it
23:39
Speaker 1: within the growth of scrub trees and bushes. He started it,
23:43
Speaker 1: turned the headlights on, and drove slowly out into the
23:47
Speaker 1: open and up to the shack. He hunked his horn
23:49
Speaker 1: loudly a couple of times and got out of the
23:52
Speaker 1: car and walked up to the shack and tried the door.
23:55
Speaker 1: It was closed. Presently, the figures of Evan and Robert
24:00
Speaker 1: Rieger came into view from the direction of the dump peep.
24:03
Speaker 1: Muldoon's figure was outlined in the glow of the headlights.
24:07
Speaker 1: Muldoon noticed the briefcase one of them was carrying. Ah,
24:12
Speaker 1: They're Muldoon. Muldoon had recognized Robert's voice. Hello, mister Rigor.
24:17
Speaker 1: Thought i'd come by and let you know how I've
24:19
Speaker 1: been doing. Evan, who was carrying the briefcase, unlocked the
24:23
Speaker 1: door and switched on the light. The other two followed
24:26
Speaker 1: him into the room. Robert riger motioned for Muldoon to
24:30
Speaker 1: take the sofa. Evan went into the other room. Well,
24:33
Speaker 1: my boy, Robert said heartily. How is it going slowly?
24:38
Speaker 1: Muldoon said casually, But the first of this sort of
24:41
Speaker 1: operation has to go that way. Kind of feel things out,
24:45
Speaker 1: if you know what I mean. Of course, how does
24:48
Speaker 1: it look? I think it's going to go all right.
24:51
Speaker 1: I've got plans splendid. Do you need money? Yes, about
24:56
Speaker 1: ten thousand, Evan, do bring the case out, Robert called loudly.
25:02
Speaker 1: In a couple of seconds, Avn Riager appeared. He brought
25:05
Speaker 1: the briefcase to his brother, turned and went back into
25:09
Speaker 1: the other room without saying anything. He walked slowly and stiffly,
25:12
Speaker 1: his feet slapping heavily on the bare floors. What's wrong
25:16
Speaker 1: with him, Muldoon asked. Robert. Reager was pulling money from
25:20
Speaker 1: the briefcase. He looked up with an expressionless face. Nothing,
25:26
Speaker 1: you said ten thousand. Yes. Rieger passed two of the
25:30
Speaker 1: packets to Muldoon. Sure you won't need more. Muldoon put
25:34
Speaker 1: the money away, got up from the sofa and started
25:37
Speaker 1: to the door. No, just what I need. I'll see
25:41
Speaker 1: you Friday night. Fine, and don't forget. We must get
25:44
Speaker 1: all this done quickly. I won't forget. Robert Reager waited
25:50
Speaker 1: till the sound of the plymouth was no longer heard.
25:53
Speaker 1: Then he went into the other room. Other than for
25:56
Speaker 1: two army cots, the room was empty. Avan was stretched
26:00
Speaker 1: full length on one of the cuts. You are certain
26:03
Speaker 1: he knows Heaven asked, yes, I saw him on the visio,
26:07
Speaker 1: but he could see all the interior. Now just a
26:11
Speaker 1: duplicating machine. We must get rid of it tonight. What
26:15
Speaker 1: do you think he will do? What can he do?
26:18
Speaker 1: He knows nothing. The money is genuine, and with the
26:21
Speaker 1: destruction of the machine, he can't prove anything. Nevertheless, it
26:26
Speaker 1: might be the wisest course to get rid of him.
26:29
Speaker 1: We might have been too clever with that advertisement. Possibly,
26:34
Speaker 1: but we must move quickly. Then. I must leave this
26:37
Speaker 1: planet in seven days now, and we must have this
26:40
Speaker 1: area under lease by them three musts, Robert smiled thinly.
26:46
Speaker 1: We will, If not through Muldoon, then through another. Means,
26:51
Speaker 1: when you return in a year with the space fleet,
26:53
Speaker 1: you will find the landing area we need. And after that,
26:59
Speaker 1: they smiled at each other. We said we would not fail.
27:03
Speaker 1: This planet will fall to our weapons like ripe fruit
27:06
Speaker 1: from a tree. But first I must return to tell them,
27:10
Speaker 1: Evan said. And if I do not return, they will
27:13
Speaker 1: know we have failed and will seek another planet. We
27:16
Speaker 1: won't fail, Robert reiterated. Right now, let's get back to
27:21
Speaker 1: the spaceship and the duplicating machine. Muldoon spent a busy Thursday.
27:28
Speaker 1: A news breath in the Times Financial section, which told
27:31
Speaker 1: of a public utility wanting island property, gave him an
27:35
Speaker 1: idea for one thing. He spent all morning bringing the
27:38
Speaker 1: idea to a head after he had verified the truth
27:41
Speaker 1: of the item. Then, after a late lunch, he went
27:45
Speaker 1: to the Treasury Department's headquarters and spent a couple of
27:48
Speaker 1: hours with the head of the local investigation department. He
27:53
Speaker 1: was quite pleased with himself by nightfall as he headed
27:56
Speaker 1: out to the island. This time he parked the car
27:59
Speaker 1: at a considerable distance from the shack. There were lights
28:03
Speaker 1: on this night. He walked boldly up and knocked at
28:07
Speaker 1: the door. It opened wide, and the thick figure of
28:10
Speaker 1: one of the twins darkened the opening. Well, mister Muldoon,
28:14
Speaker 1: I did not think to see you till Friday. I
28:17
Speaker 1: thought i'd come and see you tonight, Muldoon said, as
28:19
Speaker 1: he stepped into the room. I didn't hear the car.
28:22
Speaker 1: Oh parked it back a bit, Muldoon said. He turned
28:26
Speaker 1: toward the other twin as the inner door opened. Hello, Hello,
28:31
Speaker 1: you know, Evan, Robert said, I'm rather glad Muldoon stopped
28:34
Speaker 1: by tonight. We might as well conclude our business with
28:38
Speaker 1: him now. An excellent idea, Robert, excellent. What do you mean,
28:44
Speaker 1: Muldoon asked, I no longer am acting for you, not
28:48
Speaker 1: for us, for yourself. I'm afraid your services in any
28:52
Speaker 1: capacity will no longer be needed. Muldoon caught the undercurrent
28:58
Speaker 1: of menace in Robert's voice. It told them they were
29:01
Speaker 1: not only suspicious, but ready to act on it. He
29:04
Speaker 1: started to edge toward the door, but Robert suddenly reached
29:07
Speaker 1: out and took his arm. There was power in the
29:10
Speaker 1: fat man's grip. Evan moved swiftly for his size, and
29:14
Speaker 1: took up a position before the door, which he kicked shut.
29:18
Speaker 1: Muldoon twisted sharply and was free of the other's grip.
29:21
Speaker 1: He stepped back a couple of faces. What the hell's
29:24
Speaker 1: this all about? Come now, Muldoon, Robert said softly. You
29:29
Speaker 1: didn't think you're prying when unobserved last night, so I
29:33
Speaker 1: was nosy. But what's this rough stuff you're trying to pull?
29:37
Speaker 1: Merely making sure your curiosity will end tonight? Muldoon took
29:44
Speaker 1: a couple of more, retreating faces. You mean you're going
29:47
Speaker 1: to get rid of me? Well, maybe you will and
29:50
Speaker 1: maybe you won't. But even if you do, smile broke
29:54
Speaker 1: through the grim lips of the twin, threatening Muldoon. You
29:58
Speaker 1: mean the duplicating machine, just another piece of rusted scrap
30:03
Speaker 1: among the rest of the junk. Muldoon paled the evidence
30:07
Speaker 1: he was going to need gone. And of course the
30:11
Speaker 1: money is genuine. We made sure of it, ink paper,
30:15
Speaker 1: everything We made sure of it long ago. It will
30:19
Speaker 1: be a pity you won't be here to see how
30:21
Speaker 1: he fished. We can really be, but the rest of
30:24
Speaker 1: the planet will know as soon as Evan returns Muldoon's
30:29
Speaker 1: mind was working swiftly. You've got rid of the machine,
30:33
Speaker 1: but what about the junk shop that was in. I'll
30:35
Speaker 1: bet there are more important things there. Indeed there are.
30:39
Speaker 1: No one will find them. It will be just another
30:42
Speaker 1: rusted piece of large junk to them. It was then
30:46
Speaker 1: that Muldoon made his move. He lashed out with a fist.
30:50
Speaker 1: The blow staggered Robert, and Muldoon was crashing his shoulder
30:54
Speaker 1: against the inner door. It burst inward, but before he
30:57
Speaker 1: could get through, Robert grabbed him the whole side, and
31:00
Speaker 1: Muldoon's face went numb. As Robert crashed his fist against
31:04
Speaker 1: his jaw. Muldoon knew he didn't stand a chance in
31:07
Speaker 1: a straight up fight, not with these two. Robert's hands
31:11
Speaker 1: were reaching for him now. Muldoon grabbed one of his hands,
31:15
Speaker 1: with both of his twisted outward as he grasped two
31:18
Speaker 1: fingers in each hand. Robert's face went putty gray as
31:22
Speaker 1: the bones snapped. Muldoon no longer cared about fair play.
31:26
Speaker 1: His knee came up where it could do the most damage,
31:29
Speaker 1: and Robert sank, groveling to the floor. Muldoon whirled too late.
31:35
Speaker 1: The world exploded in a thousand flashes of pain filled lights,
31:39
Speaker 1: he went, crashing backward into the wall. Avan hit him
31:42
Speaker 1: again before he stumbled blindly away from the terrible fist.
31:46
Speaker 1: Let me sell him, Robert groaned. Muldoon pulled himself up
31:51
Speaker 1: from the pain filled world he had been sent into.
31:54
Speaker 1: There seemed to be two Evans facing him, then there
31:57
Speaker 1: was only one. A twisted grin came to Muldoon's lips.
32:01
Speaker 1: Come ahead, you rat, he mumbled. Evan came forward and
32:06
Speaker 1: swift as an adder. Muldoon kicked him just below the kneecap.
32:10
Speaker 1: Evan screamed and collapsed. Muldoon staggered out of the way
32:13
Speaker 1: of the falling body, only to fall into the clutches
32:16
Speaker 1: of Robert's sudden reaching fingers. He fell to the floor.
32:20
Speaker 1: Robert tried to get his good hand up to Muldoon's throat.
32:23
Speaker 1: Muldoon beat at the thick face with both hands, but
32:26
Speaker 1: the other seemed not to feel the pounding fists. Slowly
32:30
Speaker 1: the fingers managed to reach their goal. Muldoon felt the
32:33
Speaker 1: darkness of death closing over him as his breath became
32:36
Speaker 1: a tortured, dying gasp. His hand found Robert's face came
32:40
Speaker 1: gently over it until his thumb pressed on one eyeball,
32:44
Speaker 1: and Robert screamed as the thumb became a hooked instrument
32:47
Speaker 1: to blind him. Muldoon rolled away from the other, staggered
32:51
Speaker 1: somehow erect, but he knew his strength was gone. He
32:53
Speaker 1: couldn't make it to the door, and now Evan had him,
32:58
Speaker 1: and the door burst open and poured into the room.
33:01
Speaker 1: Muldoon recognized only one the head of the Treasury's investigation department,
33:06
Speaker 1: before he blacked out. Dina Savory stroked his forehead gently.
33:13
Speaker 1: Does it hurt much? Baby? The nurse had left them
33:16
Speaker 1: alone when Dina came into the hospital room, not now,
33:20
Speaker 1: Muldoon said, what are they going to do to those men?
33:23
Speaker 1: She asked, oh, twenty years. According to Phillips, counterfeiting, you know,
33:29
Speaker 1: carries heavy penalties. But I thought the money was good.
33:33
Speaker 1: After all, they had paid rent with C notes, a
33:37
Speaker 1: slip up on the bank's part. You see, they made
33:40
Speaker 1: one mistake the machine. They had turned out perfect bills,
33:44
Speaker 1: everyone with the same serial number. Dina's eyes widened, and
33:50
Speaker 1: the junk shop or whatever it was, she said, I
33:54
Speaker 1: thought I'd let well enough alone. You see, I took
33:56
Speaker 1: care of that during the day. The twins, being criminal,
34:00
Speaker 1: had automatically broken their lease. They also made it possible
34:04
Speaker 1: for me to change clients, well as going to be
34:07
Speaker 1: a huge tank covering that dump and shack, a tank
34:11
Speaker 1: holding an awful lot of natural gas. I got together
34:15
Speaker 1: with the owner of the property and the utility people
34:18
Speaker 1: yesterday afternoon and worked out a deal. They're going to
34:21
Speaker 1: dump all that junk into the ocean. I'm sorry about
34:26
Speaker 1: the other night, she said, suddenly. Is that how you
34:30
Speaker 1: say you're sorry? He asked, Uh huh, she said, as
34:33
Speaker 1: he reached for her. There's a time and place for
34:36
Speaker 1: that promise. Her lips agreed. This is the end of lease.
34:42
Speaker 1: The Doomsday by Lee Archer recording by Tom Wis