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diff --git a/30063-h/30063-h.htm b/30063-h/30063-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f1d6927 --- /dev/null +++ b/30063-h/30063-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,904 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Double Take, by Richard Wilson + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2,.hd1 {text-align: center; font-weight: normal;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .rgt {text-align: right; margin-top: 2em;} + .figl {float: left; clear: left; margin: 0 1em 1em 0; padding: 0; width: 354px;} + img {border: none;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 297px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .hd1 {margin-bottom: 2em;} + .sp1 {font-size: 125%;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30063 ***</div> + +<div class="figl"><img src="images/001.png" width="354" height="550" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<div class="hd1"><p><big><i>The barn turned out to be a spaceship in disguise, and +that was only the beginning. Before his strange adventure +ended, young Paul Asher found himself going around in +circles—very peculiar circles indeed!</i></big></p></div> + +<h1><span class="sp1">DOUBLE TAKE</span></h1> + +<h2>By Richard Wilson</h2> + +<p class="hd1">Illustrated by Paul Orban</p> + +<p class="cap"><i><span class="dcap">Paul Asher</span>, 27, men's furnishings +buyer, leaned back and +let the cloth band be fastened across +his chest, just under his armpits. He +adjusted his heavy spectacles, closed +his eyes for a moment, breathed +deeply, and was off.</i></p> + +<p>The semi-darkness was dispelled +as he shot out of a tunnel into dazzling +sunlight. The high-powered +vehicle he was driving purred +smoothly as it took the long, rising +curve. The road climbed steadily +toward the mountaintop city ahead. +He looked around to satisfy himself +that he was alone in the car.</p> + +<p>He wasn't.</p> + +<p>The girl was a pretty one. He'd +seen her somewhere before, he +thought. She was looking insolently +at him, her wide red mouth in a +half smile. Her dark hair stirred in +the breeze coming through the window, +next to her, which was open +just a slit.</p> + +<p>She said: "Just keep going, +Sweetheart, as fast as you can." +And she patted the oversized +pocketbook that lay in her lap.</p> + +<p>He pressed down on the accelerator +and the car responded with a +flow of power. The countryside fell +away from the road on either side. +Far below he could see a river, +winding broadly to the far-off sea. +The summer day sent its heat-shimmers +across the miniature landscape.</p> + +<p>The road curved again. Theirs +was the only car he had seen since +he'd come out of the tunnel. But +now, far ahead, he saw another. It +was standing at the side of the road, +next to a gate that came down in +the manner of one at a railroad +crossing. But he knew by its black +and white diagonals and by the little +sentry hut half hidden behind +the other car that it marked the +frontier. A man with a rifle on his +shoulder stood there. They drew +up to it fast, but his foot automatically +eased up on the floorboard +pedal until the girl spoke sharply.</p> + +<p>"Right through it, Sweetheart."</p> + +<p>In the rear-view mirror he saw +her leaning forward, her face tense.</p> + +<p>In a moment it would be time to +stop, if he were going to.</p> + +<p><i>Paul Asher hesitated a moment. +Then he too leaned forward, the +band pressing into his chest. He +was breathing heavily. There was +an almost inaudible click.</i></p> + +<p>He trod on the accelerator. He +had a glimpse of the guard unslinging +his rifle from his shoulder and +of another man running toward the +parked car as his vehicle smashed +into the flimsy gate and sent it, +cracked and splintered, to the side +of the road. He fought the slight +wrench of the wheel and sped on. +He thought he heard a shot.</p> + +<p>"Nice work," the girl said. She +seemed to be appraising him as she +looked at him. "My name, incidentally, +is Naomi."</p> + +<p>"Hello," he heard himself saying +as he whipped the car around a +curve that hid the frontier behind +a hill. "You seem to know who I +am."</p> + +<p>"That I do," she said.</p> + +<p>"Then why don't you call me by +my name, instead of 'Sweetheart'?"</p> + +<p>"That's because I like you, +Sweetheart." She was looking out +the rear window. "Now just step +on the gas, because we've got company."</p> + +<p>The car that had been parked +near the sentry hut was whipping +into view around the curve. It was +lighter than his, but it was fast, too. +He stepped on it.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Now the road</span> had become +narrow and twisting. The +grade was steep but the surface was +good. Abruptly, it entered a forest.</p> + +<p>The girl said: "Two more curves. +Then you'll see a field and a barn. +Off the road and into the barn, +fast."</p> + +<p>He took the curves with rubber +screaming and almost without braking +sent the car bumping across the +field and into the barn. It was +bigger than it had seemed from the +outside. As he brought the car to +a lurching halt the barn door closed.</p> + +<p>Where he had expected to see +stalls and milking machines and hay +he saw an expanse of metal floor +and monstrous machinery. The +barn door which had been a rickety +wooden slab from the outside was +a gleaming sheet of metal from the +inside. It glided silently shut and +left no joint or seam to show where +there had been an opening.</p> + +<p>"Out," said Naomi.</p> + +<p>As they left the car, a flexible +metal arm snaked from one of the +smooth walls, attached itself to the +front bumper of the vehicle, and +whisked it into a cubicle which +opened to receive it and closed behind +it.</p> + +<p>A power-driven wheelchair sped +up to them. Sitting in it was a fat +man of middle age, with pendulous +jowls and a totally bald head. His +expression was a sardonic scowl.</p> + +<p>"You have the plans?" he asked +the girl.</p> + +<p>"Sweetheart here has them."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you're talking +about," the young man said.</p> + +<p>"He knows, all right," the girl +said. "He pretends to be innocent, +but that is merely his training. He +has them under a sticking plaster +on the small of his back."</p> + +<p>"Remove your coat and shirt," +commanded the man in the wheelchair.</p> + +<p>At that moment the floor shuddered +under their feet, a gong began +to clang insistently, and the +giant machinery, which had been +silent, throbbed into life.</p> + +<p>The man in the wheelchair +whirled and was off, shouting commands +to men who materialized +high on the walls in cylindrical turrets +which the visitor could only +think of as battle stations.</p> + +<p>"What <i>is</i> this place?" he asked.</p> + +<p>He got no answer. Instead the +girl grabbed his arm and pulled +him off to the edge of the gigantic +metal room. An opening appeared +in the wall and she pushed him +through it into a room beyond. The +entranceway snapped shut behind +them and when he looked he could +see no door. The room also was +windowless.</p> + +<p>Naomi went to a metal table and +as she looked down into its surface +it became a screen. Mirrored in it +was the mountainous countryside +they had driven through to get to +the barn—or what had seemed to +be a barn from the outside. He +looked over her shoulder.</p> + +<p>They saw as from a height. There +was the light car that had chased +them from the frontier. Standing +near it was a man in an officer's +uniform and another in civilian +clothes. They were talking and +gesturing. Beside the car was a +tank. As they watched, its gun fired +and the structure they were in +shuddered, but they heard no +sound.</p> + +<p>Lumbering up the mountain road +were more tanks and a self-propelled +gun. One of the tanks became +enveloped in smoke and flames as +they watched. After a moment the +smoke cleared. The tank was gone; +where it had been there was a deep +crater.</p> + +<p>Gradually, the figures in the +drama below grew smaller. At the +same time the vista widened, so +that they saw more and more +countryside. It twisted beneath +them and the horizon came giddily +into view. A few moments later +the curvature of the earth could be +plainly seen.</p> + +<p>Everything fitted together at +once. Some of the things, anyway.</p> + +<p>"We're in a ship," he said. "Some +kind of rocket-ship."</p> + +<p>"It's a planet plane," the girl +said. "We're safe now."</p> + +<p>"Safe from what?" he asked. +"What's this all about?"</p> + +<p>She smiled enigmatically. "Hafitz +could tell you, if he chose. He's +the boss."</p> + +<p>"The man in the wheelchair?"</p> + +<p>She nodded and took out a compact. +As she added lipstick to her +mouth, she looked him over, between +glances in her mirror.</p> + +<p>"You don't look like the spy type. +If there is a type."</p> + +<p>"I'm not a spy. I don't know +what you're talking about."</p> + +<p>"The innocent! Go on, take off +your coat and shirt. We'll save +Hafitz some time."</p> + +<p>"I'll be glad to, just to prove this +is all ridiculous. A case of mistaken +identity. You've made a mistake, +that's what you've done."</p> + +<p>He stood there, hesitating.</p> + +<p>The girl gave a burst of laughter. +Then she said: "All right, Sweetheart. +I'll turn my back."</p> + +<p>She did, and he pulled his shirt +out of his trousers. Then he froze. +Taped to the skin of his back was +a flat package.</p> + +<p><i>Paul Asher made the decision. He +bent forward, feeling perspiration +in the palms of his hands. There +was a faint click.</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Quickly</span> he ripped the adhesive +from his back. There +was an instant of pain as the plaster +came free. He wadded up the +sticky package, dropped it to the +floor and kicked it under the desk.</p> + +<p>Then he took off his coat, tie +and shirt.</p> + +<p>"You can turn around now," he +said.</p> + +<p>"A more modest spy I've never +seen. Okay," she said, "now <i>you</i> +turn around."</p> + +<p>"As you see," he said, "there are +no plans—no papers."</p> + +<p>"No—not now. But there is a +red mark on your back. What is +it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh," he said. "Oh—that's a +birthmark."</p> + +<p>She spun him around to face her. +Her face was harsh. She slapped +his cheek. "Where is the sticking +plaster? Don't trifle with me."</p> + +<p>Her eyes bored into his. He returned +the gaze, then shrugged.</p> + +<p>"Under the desk," he said. "I +tore it off and kicked it under the +desk."</p> + +<p>"You are sensible to confess," she +said.</p> + +<p>She bent down, unwisely.</p> + +<p><i>Paul Asher felt the familiar +tightening in his chest as he leaned +forward. The click was barely +heard.</i></p> + +<p>He raised his hand and brought +the edge of it down hard on the +back of her neck.</p> + +<p>She crumpled and fell to the +metal floor. He noticed that a smear +of her freshly-applied lipstick came +off on it.</p> + +<p>He pushed the unconscious body +aside and fished the packet out +from under the desk. He searched +the room for another hiding place.</p> + +<p>But it was too late. A section of +wall opened and Hafitz, the fat man +in the wheelchair, sped in.</p> + +<p>He wheeled past the young man, +looked briefly at the unconscious +girl, then whisked himself around.</p> + +<p>"You will pay for this, my +friend," he said. "But first we will +have the plans for the way-station. +Where are they?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know anything about +any plans and I don't know anything +about a way-station. I tried +to tell the girl: it's all a crazy mistake."</p> + +<p>"We will see," said Hafitz. He +pressed a button on the arm of his +wheelchair and two bruisers appeared +through the walls, in the +abrupt way people had of materializing +here. Bruisers was the only +way they could be described. They +were human brutes, all muscle and +malevolence.</p> + +<p>"Take them," said Hafitz, indicating +the unconscious girl and the +young man. "Take them and search +them for a small packet. If you do +not find it, search this room. If you +do not find it still, hurt the male +animal. They persuade well with +pain here, I understand. But do +not kill him. I will be in the communications +room."</p> + +<p>He sped off, through a wall opening.</p> + +<p>One of the bruisers picked up the +girl, roughly, and disappeared with +her. The other grabbed the young +man and hauled him off in a third +direction. The young man hastily +snatched up his coat, shirt and tie +en route.</p> + +<p>They ended up in a cell of a +room, about seven feet in all directions, +in which the bruiser +stripped him, methodically went +through each piece of clothing, +and then satisfied himself that +he didn't have the packet anywhere +on his body.</p> + +<p>The muscle-man then raised a +fist.</p> + +<p>"Wait," his prospective victim +said. He thought back quickly. +"Hafitz didn't say you could bat me +around till you searched the room, +too."</p> + +<p>The other spoke for the first time. +"You say the truth." He put his +arm down.</p> + +<p>The young man watched intently +as the bruiser went through the wall +of the cell-like room.</p> + +<p>He dressed fast. By placing his +fingers in exactly the same position +as the other had done, was able to +make the wall open for him.</p> + +<p>The silver-metal corridor had +two directions. He went to the right. +After many turnings, at each of +which he reconnoitered carefully, +he came to a passageway that was +damp. Why it was damp he couldn't +tell, but there in the wetness +were tracks which could have been +made by a wheelchair.</p> + +<p>He followed them, feeling the +throb of giant engines underfoot.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The wheelchair</span> tracks +abruptly made a ninety-degree +turn and ended at a blank wall. +Somewhere beyond it must be the +communications room.</p> + +<p>He retreated and waited.</p> + +<p>In time the wall snapped open +and Hafitz sped out. The young +man retreated into the maze of corridors +and hoped chance would be +on his side. It was. Hafitz went another +way.</p> + +<p>The young man ran back to the +wall and used his fingers on it in +the combination he had learned. It +opened for him.</p> + +<p>He closed it behind him and +blinked at the huge instrument +panel which filled almost the entire +room.</p> + +<p>One of the instruments was a +color vision screen, tuned in to a +room in which there was a mahogany +desk, at which was seated a +man in uniform. Behind him was +a map of the United States.</p> + +<p>The man in uniform was a major +general in the Air Force. An aide, +a lieutenant colonel, was leaning +over the desk. He had a sheaf of +papers in his hand. The men's conversation +was audible.</p> + +<p>"Messages have been coming in +from all over Europe," the colonel +was saying. "Here's the way it reconstructs:</p> + +<p>"Our agent was en route to the +rendezvous when he was intercepted +by Naomi. That's the only name +we have for her. She's a spy. She's +worked for half a dozen countries +and her present employer could be +any one of them. They were spotted +as they crossed the frontier between +Italy and France. Their car +went into a barn and we thought +we had them. But the barn turned +out to be a spaceship in disguise. It +took off."</p> + +<p><i>So I'm their agent, Paul Asher +thought. So that's what it's all +about. I'm a secret agent for the +United States, but they didn't tell +me anything about it. This is real +George, this is ... He expected to +hear a faint click and leaned forward +experimentally, but nothing +happened. He leaned backward. +Still nothing.</i></p> + +<p>The colonel was answering a +question from the general. "We +don't know who they are, Sir. They're +not from Earth, obviously. And +the best scientific minds go still +further—they're not even from our +solar system. Whoever they are, it's +clear that they don't want us to +build a way-station in space."</p> + +<p>"Those spaceships started buzzing +around right after our first +Moon trip," the general said. "This +is the first time they've become +really troublesome—now that we've +got the Moon under control and are +ready to build the way-station so +we can get to Mars."</p> + +<p>"That's right, Sir," said the +colonel.</p> + +<p>"Progress is a wonderful thing," +said the general. "Things certainly +have changed since those early days +of strategic atomic bombing and +guided missile experiments."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Sir," said the colonel.</p> + +<p>The young man in the communications +room of the spaceship let +his attention wander away from the +scene back on Earth and experimented +with some of the switches +and controls. Trial and error led +him to one which lit up a signal on +the desk of the general.</p> + +<p>The general flicked it on.</p> + +<p>"Yes?" he said. He looked puzzled +when he got no picture, just a +voice saying, "Hello, hello."</p> + +<p>"Yes?" he said. "Hello. Speak +up, man."</p> + +<p>"This is your agent aboard the +enemy spaceship," said the young +man. "Do you read me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the general. "We +read you. Go ahead."</p> + +<p>"I may not have much time. Get +a fix on me if you can. And send +help."</p> + +<p>"What's your position?" the general +was reacting well. He was alert +and all business.</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I've been taken +prisoner, but I'm temporarily free. +There isn't much time. Hafitz is +bound to be back soon. He seems +to be the brains of this outfit—this +part of the outfit, anyway. Naomi +is here, too, but I don't know +whether she's with them or against +them."</p> + +<p>"Where are the plans, son?" +asked the general.</p> + +<p>"They're safe, for the moment. I +can't guarantee for how long."</p> + +<p>"I'm getting the fix," the colonel +said. He was beyond the range of +the young man's vision screen. "I've +got him. He's still within range, +but accelerating fast. We can intercept +if we get up a rocket soon +enough."</p> + +<p>"Get it up," ordered the general. +"Get up a squadron. Scramble the +Moon patrol and send out reserves +from Earth at once."</p> + +<p>"Right!" said the colonel.</p> + +<p>The young man was so engrossed +in the makings of his rescue party +that he didn't see the wall open up +behind him.</p> + +<p>There was a squeak of rubber +tires and he whirled to see Hafitz, +in his wheelchair, slamming toward +him. The fat man's hand held a +weird-looking gun.</p> + +<p>The young man recoiled. His +back pushed against a row of control +buttons.</p> + +<p><i>Then everything went white.</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Paul Asher</span> blinked his eyes, +like a man awakening from a +vivid dream.</p> + +<p>The house lights went on and the +manager of the theater came on the +stage. He stood in front of the +blank master screen with its checkerboard +pattern of smaller screens, +on which the several lines of action +had taken place simultaneously. +Paul took off his selectorscope spectacles +with the earphone attachments.</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen," the +manager said. "I regret very much +having to announce that this vicarion +of the production <i>Spies from +Space</i> was defective. The multifilm +has broken and, because of the +complexity of the vikie process, it +will be impossible to splice it without +returning it to the laboratory.</p> + +<p>"Ushers are at the exits with +passes good for any future performance. +Those of you who prefer can +exchange them at the box office +for a full refund of your admission +price."</p> + +<p>Paul Asher unstrapped the wired +canvas band from across his +chest. He put the selectorscope +spectacles into the pouch on the +arm of the seat and walked out of +the R.K.O. Vicarion into High +Street and around the corner to +where his car was parked.</p> + +<p>His roommate at the communapt, +MacCloy, was still up when he got +there, going over some projectos. +Mac snapped off the screen and +quickly swept the slides together +and into a case.</p> + +<p>"You're back early," MacCloy +said.</p> + +<p>"The multifilm broke," Paul +told him.</p> + +<p>"Oh." Mac seemed abstracted, as +he often did, and again Paul wondered +about this man he knew so +casually and who had never confided +in him about anything—especially +about his government job.</p> + +<p>"So I missed the ending," Paul +said. "I guess it was near the end, +anyhow. The space patrol was on +the way, but the villain, that Hafitz, +was just about to blast me with his +gun and I don't know how I would +have got out of that."</p> + +<p>"I remember that," Mac said. He +laughed. "You must have been +Positive all the way through. Like +I was when I saw it. If you'd had +any negative reactions—if you'd +leaned back against the strap instead +of forward—you'd have been +at some other point in the multiplot +and I wouldn't have recognized +that part. Want me to tell you +how it ends?"</p> + +<p>"Go ahead. Then if I do see it +again I'll change the ending somewhere +along the line with a lean-back."</p> + +<p>"Okay. There really wasn't +much more. It takes so much film +to provide all the plot choices that +they can't make them very long.</p> + +<p>"Well, Hafitz blasts me and +misses," Mac went on, "—or blasts +<i>you</i> and misses, to keep it in your +viewpoint. When you jump back, +you set off a bunch of controls. +That was the control room, too, +not just the communications room. +Well, those controls you lean back +against take the ship out of automatic +pilot and send it into some +wild acrobatics and that's why Hafitz +misses. Also it knocks him out +of the wheelchair so he's helpless +and you get his gun. Also you see +that the plans are still there—right +where you put them, stuck to the +bottom of his wheelchair."</p> + +<p>"So that was it," said Paul.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mac. "And then you +cover Hafitz while he straightens +out the ship and you rendezvous +with the space control and they take +you all into custody. You get a citation +from the government. That's +about it. Corny, huh?"</p> + +<p>"But what about the girl?" Paul +asked. "Is she really a spy?"</p> + +<p>"Girl? What girl?"</p> + +<p>"Naomi, her name was," Paul +said. "You couldn't miss her. She +was in the vikie right at the beginning—that +brunette in the fast +car."</p> + +<p>"But there wasn't any girl, Paul," +Mac insisted. "Not when I saw it."</p> + +<p>"Of course there was. There had +to be—the vikies all start out the +same way, no matter who sees +them."</p> + +<p>"It beats me, pal. I know I didn't +see her. Maybe you dreamed up +the dame."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," Paul said. +"But of course it's possible." He +yawned. "I wouldn't mind dreaming +of her tonight, at that. Think +I'll turn in now, Mac. I've got that +long trip tomorrow, you know. Up +to Canada to look over a new line +of Marswool sport jackets at the +All-Planets Showroom."</p> + +<p>"Driving or flying?"</p> + +<p>"The weather prognosis is zero-zero. +I'll drive."</p> + +<p>"Good," said Mac.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Paul Asher</span> woke up late. He +had a confused recollection of +a dream. Something about a beautiful +brunette giving him a backrub.</p> + +<p>A look at the chrono sent the +dream out of his head and he hurried +through shaving and dressing.</p> + +<p>His car was waiting for him, engine +idling, at the curb. He got in, +tossing his briefcase and topcoat +ahead of him to the far side of the +front seat. His back began to itch, +insistently, and he rubbed it against +the leather upholstery.</p> + +<p>Paul adjusted the safety belt +around him, and fastened it. Might +as well do it now, instead of having +to fool around with it later. +Damn that itch, anyway! It was as +if something were stuck to his skin—like +a sticking plaster....</p> + +<p>The high-powered vehicle purred +smoothly as it took a long, rising +curve. The road climbed steadily +toward the mountaintop city ahead.</p> + +<p>The scene was familiar.</p> + +<p>The itching of his back spread +and became a prickly feeling in the +small hairs at the nape of his neck.</p> + +<p>He knew now that he was not +alone in the car. He looked in the +rear-view mirror.</p> + +<p>Naomi.</p> + +<p>She was looking at him insolently, +her wide red mouth in a half smile.</p> + +<p>She said: "Just keep going, +Sweetheart, as fast as you can."</p> + +<p class="rgt"><b>... THE END</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="297" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><big><b>Transcriber's Note:</b></big></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>If Worlds of Science Fiction</i> January 1954. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30063 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |