Klaus turned from the charred form, gradually sinking down the wall
onto the floor. "The Second Variety, Tasso. Now we know. We have all
three types identified. The danger is less. I--"
Tasso stared past him at the remains of Rudi, at the blackened,
smouldering fragments and bits of cloth. "You killed him."
"Him? _It_, you mean. I was watching. I had a feeling, but I wasn't
sure. At least, I wasn't sure before. But this evening I was certain."
Klaus rubbed his pistol butt nervously. "We're lucky. Don't you
understand? Another hour and it might--"
"You were _certain_?" Tasso pushed past him and bent down, over the
steaming remains on the floor. Her face became hard. "Major, see for
yourself. Bones. Flesh."
Hendricks bent down beside her. The remains were human remains. Seared
flesh, charred bone fragments, part of a skull. Ligaments, viscera,
blood. Blood forming a pool against the wall.
"No wheels," Tasso said calmly. She straightened up. "No wheels, no
parts, no relays. Not a claw. Not the Second Variety." She folded her
arms. "You're going to have to be able to explain this."
Klaus sat down at the table, all the color drained suddenly from his
face. He put his head in his hands and rocked back and forth.
"Snap out of it." Tasso's fingers closed over his shoulder. "Why did
you do it? Why did you kill him?"
"He was frightened," Hendricks said. "All this, the whole thing,
building up around us."
"Maybe."
"What, then? What do you think?"
"I think he may have had a reason for killing Rudi. A good reason."
"What reason?"
"Maybe Rudi learned something."
Hendricks studied her bleak face. "About what?" he asked.
"About him. About Klaus."
* * * * *
Klaus looked up quickly. "You can see what she's trying to say. She
thinks I'm the Second Variety. Don't you see, Major? Now she wants you
to believe I killed him on purpose. That I'm--"
"Why did you kill him, then?" Tasso said.
"I told you." Klaus shook his head wearily. "I thought he was a claw.
I thought I knew."
"Why?"
"I had been watching him. I was suspicious."
"Why?"
"I thought I had seen something. Heard something. I thought I--" He
stopped.
"Go on."
"We were sitting at the table. Playing cards. You two were in the
other room. It was silent. I thought I heard him--_whirr_."
There was silence.
"Do you believe that?" Tasso said to Hendricks.
"Yes. I believe what he says."
"I don't. I think he killed Rudi for a good purpose." Tasso touched
the rifle, resting in the corner of the room. "Major--"
"No." Hendricks shook his head. "Let's stop it right now. One is
enough. We're afraid, the way he was. If we kill him we'll be doing
what he did to Rudi."
Klaus looked gratefully up at him. "Thanks. I was afraid. You
understand, don't you? Now she's afraid, the way I was. She wants to
kill me."
"No more killing." Hendricks moved toward the end of the ladder. "I'm
going above and try the transmitter once more. If I can't get them
we're moving back toward my lines tomorrow morning."