For a moment, everything before my eyes was outlined in crimson. As
from afar I heard my own voice gritting, "Get your men together! Follow
me--"
Then Dr. Mallory's sharp command, "No, Brian! Don't move hastily. He
has the upper hand. He can do just what he threatens. Those aft storage
bins are loaded with explosive, inflammable substances. Maybe we can
reason with him--" He turned to Maureen. "Hold the ship to its course,
my dear. I will be back in a few minutes."
We moved aft. Mallory and myself, MacGregor and Ian Pelham-Jones,
Devereaux. We passed through the bulkhead that sealed the forward from
the aft portion of the ship, hurried down a long corridor, and came to
the carriage lock beyond which lay the storage bins, the engineers'
berths, the recreation room and the library.
This door was closed; before it, tense, nervous, uncertain, hovered a
dozen of my men. Van Huys headed them; he looked up at me, his pale
blue eyes troubled.
"He's in there, Brian. I think the man's gone mad!"