_In Custody_
Bram Forest regained consciousness upon a grassy slope across which
slanted the rays of a setting sun. The same sun that had warmed him
upon the planet Tarth--of this he was certain.
He arose and glanced about quickly, realizing--while he was sure he
had returned to Earth--that he could be many miles from the mysterious
mansion under which he had spent one hundred years.
[Illustration: Screaming, Ylia offered her own body in defense of her
loved one.]
At first his heart sank because the terrain was not at all familiar.
Then it rose again as he saw the tower of the gray mansion pushing
somberly above the line of the forest top. He stood for a moment,
orienting himself with the tower the center of his calculations. Then
he moved out of the glade toward his right.
But he had gone scarcely ten feet into the wooded area when his
sharpened instincts gave him quick warning and he dropped like a stone
and lay still.
The sound of footsteps greatened until their echo came loud in his
ears and a man passed not ten feet from his outstretched hands.
The man wore the blue uniform and smart cap of a state trooper and he
was on the alert but not so much so as to detect the silent Bram
Forest.
The latter, with the first moment he had had to give thought to
himself since he had awakened in the cavern on the Plains of Ofrid,
realized suddenly that he was no longer naked. He had of course been
vaguely aware of this before but now he gave it his attention and
realized what had happened. He focused on past events.
* * * * *
During his time of unconsciousness from the treacherous Abarian's
blade thrust, the beautiful Ylia had garbed him in the brilliant
uniform of the slain Nadian, Jlomec. This uniform was both colorful
and practical but it did nothing to either hide or encumber the great
muscles of his chest and arms, thighs.
The State Trooper passed on his way and Bram Forest wondered what he
was doing about the old mansion. But this did not occupy his thoughts
for long. As soon as the way was clear, he moved like a great cat
through the underbrush toward the spot from whence he had made his
exodus to the planet Tarth. As he skirted the last glade, he prayed
that the second article in the box containing the fabulous disc he had
now switched to his right wrist, still lay where he had carelessly
dropped it.
He came to the edge of the open field and warily surveyed the terrain.
No one was in sight. He strained his ears for the sound of any
approaching footsteps and heard nothing. He sprang swiftly into the
open and ran across the field.
It was there--the flat white package--exactly where he had dropped it
that first morning. He swept it up, intent upon returning to the
shelter of the forest.
But his interest in what lay beneath the white paper wrapping had
grown to such a point of intensity that his footsteps lagged, his
attention riveted upon the tantalizing thing, and he came to a full
stop mid-field while his strong fingers tore at the wrappings.
The white parchment came away and Bram Forest stared at what was
revealed. Then a strange and terrifying change came over him. His
handsome features contorted as every drop of blood was drained from
his face. His great frame shook as with an illness and such a
demoniacal rage came over him as few people in this or any other world
have seen.
Now a great and terrifying cry arose from his throat; a cry that make
even the beasts of this forest freeze in their tracks and crouch lower
in their places of concealment. A cry of such rage and agony that even
the trees of the forest seemed to pause and listen in mute wonder....
* * * * *
Mulcahey Davis, State Trooper, picked brambles from the legs of his
blue uniform and cursed his assignment in no uncertain terms.
Why in the name of law and decency had he and Mowbray been ordered to
patrol this tangled, deserted spook-hole? Sure--the body of some old
hobo had been found in a well with rocks thrown on it but what were he
and Mowbray going to prove by tramping around through these brambles?
Mulcahey Davis heard footsteps and looked up to see Mowbray laboring
across the last few yards of his beat. Mowbray broke from the last
clutching strands of thorn bush and began beating burrs from his legs.
"Find anything?" he asked.
"Not a blasted thing. It's downright crazy, our clambering around this
woods. What will we find? A couple of rabbits?"
"That body in the well has to be investigated," Mowbray said,
seriously. "Pretty odd deal."
"What progress have they made?"
"They've located the outfit that held this place in trust, but the guy
in charge had a stroke or something. He can't be questioned. They may
never be able to question him. An old guy named Pride. He's in pretty
bad shape."
"Chances are he wouldn't know anything about it even if they could ask
him. What would he have been doing out here?"
"There's that funny fire in the basement, too. Nothing routine about
that. Fire so hot it melted rock. A lot of unanswered questions
here."
"If they'd ask me, I'd tell them--"
Mulcahey Davis' throat froze as a terrible cry smote his ears. Mowbray
paled suddenly and the two men looked at each other in instinctive
fear.
But they were tried and tested law-enforcement officers and were not
held in the grip of terror for long. "Did you hear that?" Mulcahey
Davis said.
"Good lord, man! How could I help it!"
"Where'd it come from?"
"Over there."
"Let's go."
The two troopers plunged again into the undergrowth to emerge at the
edge of an open field. And regardless of their personal courage and
experience in their line of effort, what they saw froze them anew.
A giant of a man--a creature of godlike proportions stood in the open
field, washed by the rays of the setting sun. His great arms were held
aloft and he was looking up into the sky with a terrifying expression
that was a mixture of pain and rage.
He was speaking and his great voice echoed in what was remindful of a
thunderous prayer. "I know not the purpose for which I was created but
well do I now know my dedicated task. Vengeance! Vengeance such as
this world or any other has never seen!"
With this the giant--clad in a strange colorful uniform of some
sort--dropped to his knees and lowered his great head into his hands.
Mowbray's face was grim and alert. "Come on," he whispered. "We're
behind him so we get a break. Move in quietly. And let's get him
before he sees us. I've got a hunch he could lick ten of us and we
don't want to use our guns."
They crossed the field softly and moved in behind the kneeling man.
They acted in concert with an expertness telling of lengthy
experience.
Mowbray was thankful for the way it turned out. He knew not why the
giant put up no resistance. The man seemed stunned as from a great
blow and before he could recover, the troopers had him bound hand and
foot with their belts.
Mulcahey Davis got to his feet and wiped the sweat from his face.
"There's one for the psychos and a padded cell afterwards."
"You said it," Mowbray agreed heartily. "Let's take him in."