"Not in the way you mean. But I know the Black Forest. I might be able
to give you some ideas, if I'm not left too much in the dark. Still, I
can guess a little. I know you expect to run into the Zarno."
"Yeah?"
Garth made an impatient gesture. "Hell, why did you want me as a guide?
It wasn't only because I knew the Forest. I can speak the Ancient
Tongue--the same language the Zarno are supposed to use. You'll want me
to palaver with them."
"Maybe." Brown went to the back of the truck and found a fresh pack of
cigarets. "We can talk about that later."
"We ought to talk now. I know what sort of equipment you'll need in the
Forest. If you run out on Benson half-equipped, it'll be just too bad."
The door swung open, admitting a blast of frigid air. Commander Benson
stepped in, his lips tight and hard, his eyes blazing. Brown, at the
end of the chamber, swung around, a sudden, surprised tenseness in his
attitude.
"I don't think you'll do any running out on me, Captain," Benson said.
Brown flashed Garth a glance. "Damn you," he half-whispered. He took a
step forward, tigerishly menacing.
* * * * *
Benson pulled a gun from his pocket. "Don't move," he said. "Hold
it--right there. I thought you'd given up that crazy idea you and Paula
had, but apparently--" He shrugged. "Well, I'll have to put you and the
girl under guard. No one in this outfit's heading for the Black Forest
if I can help it."
Brown's hand hovered in midair.
"Don't try it," Benson said. "Keep your gun where it belongs. The sound
of a shot wouldn't help you any." He stepped back, his mouth opening in
a shout that would summon others.
Brown, at the other end of the truck, could not have reached him in
time, but the Commander had forgotten or ignored Garth. That was a
mistake. Garth was only a few feet from Benson, and he galvanized into
unexpected action. He sprang, one hand clamping over the gun, the
other, clenched, driving in a hard, short jab at Benson's chin.
There was strength in that punch, and it connected at the right point.
Had Garth not been gripping the Commander's hand, the latter would have
gone backward, out of the truck.
"Knockout!" Brown said tonelessly. He was suddenly beside Garth,
yanking Benson forward. "Shut the door. Quick."
Garth obeyed. Turning, he saw the Captain kneeling beside Benson's
motionless form. After a moment Brown looked up.
"He'll come out of it soon. Maybe too soon. Get me those straps from
the corner."
Garth did that, and then had another drink. He felt lousy. He watched
Brown bind the Commander and thrust the lax figure out of sight, under
a bunk.
"That does it," Brown said, rising. "We're in the soup now. But--it was
lucky you hit him when you did."
"What now?"
"We start for the Black Forest before Benson wakes up. I'm second in
command. I'll get my own men, and we'll jump the gun." Brown's eyes
were excited.
"Equipment?"
"We'll take what we can. Weapons, mostly. Stay with me."
They went out of the truck into the soft light of four moons, two
large, two tiny. Fourfold shadows paced them over the icy slick. Garth
hurried off to find his medical kit. By the time he returned, Brown had
mustered his men and was waiting. He gave Garth a brief glance.
"Okay. Morgan--" He turned to a giant in uniform. "I'll be back in a
couple of hours. As soon as we find Miss Trent. 'Bye."
"'Bye, sir."
Garth led the way into one of the kiosks. Lamps were flashed on. A
spiral ramp led steeply down.
In an undertone Brown said, "I told Morgan Commander Benson sent me to
find Paula Trent--that she was lost in the city. So we're safe till--"
"We're safe till we leave the underground passage," Garth said. "After
that, twenty miles across open ground. Has Benson got planes?"
"Portable ones, yeah."
"Then we'd better do that twenty miles at night."
The ramp ended. Before them was a gigantic room where their tiny lamps
were lost. Here and there enigmatic shadows loomed, the dead, fantastic
machines of the Ancients that had once made Chahnn alive and powerful.
* * * * *
Garth went directly to an opening in the wall, Brown and his ten men
following, and entered a short tunnel. At one spot he paused, ran his
finger over a panel of smooth metal, and pressed. A black oval opened
silently.
"Here's the way. They won't follow us beyond this point."
Brown nodded. "Sampson, get the men inside. Wait here for me. I'll be
back as soon as I can."
A burly, beak-nosed fellow with a cast in one eye and flaming red hair
saluted casually. "Right. Come on, boys. Hop through. Mind your packs."