The Hormone Menace by Eando Binder Read online

Passing through an arched doorway

  from this, level—at the other end. But guards

  that led into a long low chamber filled with

  are not so numerous down here; we have a

  great quartz tubes, Y-44 pulled Wistert behind

  good chance.”

  a bulwark of bakelite studded with switches

  “Lead the way. If it comes to a and buttons, then pointed eloquently at the showdown, this”—Wistert displayed the gun

  back of the unsuspecting guard. Without

  the guard had dropped to the floor—“will help

  compunction Wistert took careful aim and

  considerably.” He slipped the weapon beneath

  pulled the trigger. Y-44 leaped forward as

  his garment so that it too was invisible.

  soon as the man fell, jerking his pistol, from

  Y-44 led the way along the dimly its holster.

  lighted passageways, peering ahead anxiously.

  As they started forward, a bell clanged

  Wistert, following ghostlike, noticed for the

  loudly. Y-44 turned a grave face to Wistert.

  first time that his companion’s dark-blue outfit

  “The alarm! I’ve been expecting it, yet hoping

  covered a rather small1 and slight form. against it. Every guard in the whole place will Beneath the tam, also of service-blue, was a

  be on the lookout for us now!”

  delicately molded face—almost an effeminate

  “How far yet to the depot?”

  one. It was hardly the picture Wistert had

  “Not far—if we can make it!” Y-44

  formed of Y-44, one of America’s most dashed forward recklessly. They plunged into trusted agents. Yet brains were more a corridor, raced around a corner. Two guards important in a spy than brawn, and that Y-44

  whirled, guns spitting. Y-44 threw himself

  was soon to prove.

  flat. Before the enemy could aim again for the

  one figure visible to them, lying prone,

  “ON your toes,” whispered Y-44, without Wistert’s gun had spoken twice. His deadly slackening pace. “We must skirt the laboratory

  aim stretched the men low with bullets in their

  section.”

  brains.

  Wistert gripped his pistol tighter. They

  As the two Americans ran past, both

  passed doorways from which came the paused to reload their pistols from the guards’

  whining of dynamos, crackling of arcs, and

  ammunition belts.

  other signs of scientific activity.

  “Better take along some extras,”

  “This way!” said Y-44, leading the admonished Y-44. In another moment they way straight into a laboratory. They threaded

  had supplied themselves, Y-44 filling a

  their way between towering apparatus pocket, Wistert stuffing the shells in his belt attended by bewilderingly staring gland-men

  pouch.

  in denim.

  No more guards appeared for a time,

  “No guards in this section,” explained

  and the two spies raced down a narrow

  Y-44, increasing the pace to half run. “These

  corridor. Back of them the clanging of the

  Thrilling Wonder Stories

  10

  alarm system died away.

  Something akin to interest came into

  “We’re in Bergmann’s personal the gland-man’s face. A vague emotion was laboratory section,” panted Y-44. “Don’t think

  working through his somnolent nervous

  they’ll look for us here for a while. Now—”

  system—drugged by Bergmann to kill all

  Wistert brought up his gun as a figure

  personal initiative. Wistert, impatient at the

  appeared suddenly from a side corridor.

  strange delay, began to wonder what Y-44 had

  “No-” Y-44 struck his gun aside. in mind.

  “That’s him—Bergmann’s prize gland-man,

  “We tried to kill Bergmann,” went on

  the inventor of the Invisibility Cloak!”

  Y-44, “because he wishes to subjugate all the

  “What’s he doing here?” demanded world, and make them all gland-men—make Wistert. “Looking for us too?”

  them slaves, as you are!”

  “No. He often wanders around the

  The gland-man pondered this.

  corridors—when in deep thought with his Presently he spoke: “Slave? But I am a great gland-impregnated mind. He’s privileged.”

  scientist. I am a super-mind!”

  He stepped forward eagerly. “I want to

  “But Bergmann is your master!” cried

  talk to him.”

  the spy. “You do as he tells you. You must, or

  “Good heavens, now?” spluttered he would kill you. You are a slave!”

  Wistert. “When every second—”

  The travesty of a rage glared suddenly

  Y-44 turned on him almost fiercely.

  from the gland-man’s eyes. An instinct that

  “I’ve planned this for days! I wanted to come

  Bergmann had almost eradicated worked in

  here, to meet him! Your coming to this place

  the doped mind•—manifested itself in

  and getting me in a mess almost spoiled it, but

  clenching fists—man’s instinct against

  I’m going through with it. If you’re eager to

  personal slavery.

  get out, go up the steps at the end of this

  “Come,” said Y-44 then. “Must you be

  hallway, and turn to the right. It leads to the

  a slave, you who have made a vortex of living

  freight depot.”

  Atomic Power?”

  But Wistert did not take the hint;

  A strange look came into the

  instead he followed Y-44, who approached the

  gland-man’s eyes.

  gland-man standing apathetically in the

  “Must you bow to his will?”—the

  middle of the corridor.

  strange look deepened—“when you have

  “MORVAINE!” said Y-44, standing inestimable power in your hands!”—the eyes directly in front of the gland-man. “Do you

  widened—“You can show Bergmann who is

  hear the loud clanging of the alarm bells?”

  master and slave!”—a deep anger flared—

  The gland-man looked at the spy “You can in one moment defeat him”—an coldly, as though brought down from some

  eager light now—“by releasing your

  Olympian height of thought. “Alarm bell? super-powerful vortex, immediately!”

  That noise! Yes, I hear it.”

  Y-44 watched the gland-man’s face

  “It is ringing for us,” continued Y-44,

  like a hawk. Had the play on subconscious

  speaking slowly and distinctly. “They want to

  emotions and instincts succeeded in arousing

  capture us—Bergmann and his men.”

  in that human thinking machine a desire for

  A frown came over the gland-man’s

  revenge against Bergmann?

  brooding face. “Bergmann is—”

  “Come,” said the gland-man suddenly.

  “Yes, he wants to kill us! Do you

  “We shall go to my laboratory—and release

  know why? Because we are his enemies. We

  the vortex!”

  tried to kill Bergmann and now he wants to

  kill us.”

  The Hormone Menace

  11

  CHAPTER IV

  expect us to try it. He may be a scientific

  The Vortex

  genius, but I don’t credit him with much sense
<
br />   of strategy. He no doubt has his main forces

  combing the upper levels for us.”

  SAYING this, he turned about, heading for an

  With quick movements, Wistert

  open door down the hall. Y-44 made as suddenly doffed his Invisibility Cloak, though to follow, but two strong, invisible

  extending it toward the other. “I have a

  hands held him back.

  premonition, though, that we’re going to fall

  “No you don’t,” said Wistert. “You’re

  into the arms of a bunch of guards outside.

  coming with me! Let Morvaine do what he

  That Baron Laiglon is a wise old buzzard. It’s

  will, but-you and I are getting out.”

  your turn how to be protected by this thing.”

  “No, no! I must go with him; he will

  “No! I have never worn one; I

  forget! Everything depends on this! Let me

  would—would stumble! You—”

  go—”

  “This is no time to argue,” said

  Wistert wasted no further words but

  Wistert. “Put it on.” He looked Y-44 in the

  picked the other up bodily, and ran, for the

  face with an odd smile. “Besides, what kind of

  stairs that led to the freight depot. As he a man would I be, letting you take the greatest gained the top, he heard the murmur of voices

  risk?”

  behind them. He set Y-44 down.

  Y-44 started. “What do you mean?”

  “Coming? Or would you like to plow

  Wistert’s smile became a grin. “Do

  through a few guards? You’ve done a great

  you remember, Y-44, when I shot that guard?.

  piece of work, Y-44. But whether it succeeds

  I heard something resembling a scream from

  or not, it is up to you and me to carry on the

  you in the excitement. And, in circumstances

  way we should—escape and contact H.Q.”

  like that, men do not scream!”

  Together, then, they ran along.

  Y-44 stared for a moment, eyes

  Pounding feet sounded behind them. They dilating. “All right,” she said finally, “I am a gained a door which opened out into an woman. But I insist on taking my share of the immense drome with great unloading risks.” Pulling open the grillwork door, she platforms and derricks.

  dashed out, pistol in hand.

  “This way, quick!”

  “You little fool!” said Wistert

  Wistert followed Y-44, who ran admiringly as he followed.

  toward a huge opening at one end of the

  drome, toward an auxiliary lift, designed for

  Y-44 ran to a door and opened it cautiously.

  human freight. Automatic machinery raised

  Wistert peered through, to see a giant chamber

  the cage at the swing of a lever. Before it had

  whose one side was open to the night air. Here

  risen ten feet, a dozen guards came scurrying

  it was where the giant commercial craft,

  from the drome, guns belching. The two spies

  loaded with supplies, were taxied to the great

  threw themselves flat to the metal flooring of

  freight lift to be lowered and unloaded in

  the cage, returning the fire effectively.

  secrecy.

  In another moment, as the elevator

  “We can’t escape on foot,” whispered.

  rose steadily, they were secure from gunfire

  Y-44. “We must gain the open air and then

  below.

  look for a motor-car; or, better, an airplane. If

  “We’re safe enough now,” said Y-44

  luck is with us, we may find a big Stutgart

  panting. “Outside we’ll have to take our outside, waiting to be taken in at daylight, to chances again. You see, I took this way of

  be unloaded. Think you and I could handle

  getting out because Bergmann would not one?”

  Thrilling Wonder Stories

  12

  “Lead me to it,” grunted Wistert.

  hide a trembling lip. Wistert expressed a

  Y-44 took a deep breath and stepped

  strange desire to take her in his arms and

  from the small ante-chamber. The great room

  comfort her. Then Y-44 whirled around, face

  beyond was empty, and but faintly illuminated

  set grimly.

  by a few overhead lights. Two hundred yards

  “I say let’s give the baron his money’s

  away lay freedom.

  worth!”

  The two spies hugged the wall, making

  There was no chance to employ

  their way toward the large portal to the subterfuge or design. It was an open stretch outside. They were in a precarious position,

  from their position to the portal. There was not

  exposed to gunfire from three directions. a stick or stone to use as temporary protection.

  Wistert did not breathe easily till they had

  It was obvious suicide. Already the first

  gone halfway and gained the welcome greyings of dawn were lighting up the huge protection of a bulwark which stood there to

  open chamber.

  break the back-wash of powerful airplane

  propellers.

  THEY dashed out together, eyes grimly set to

  Wistert leaped ahead of Y-44 spot the enemy when he would reveal himself.

  suddenly, and was the first to step from behind

  Before they had advanced twenty feet, dark

  the concealing partition. There was a sharp

  figures loomed against the pale sky, limned

  pop and bullet whined past his ear. He jerked

  clearly in the doorway. A volley of shots rang

  back with an exclamation.

  out, and bullets whined by their ears. Sobbing

  “Tough luck,” said Y-44, biting her lip

  in a deadly rage, Wistert sped forward,

  at this unexpected opposition. “How many are

  withholding his fire till he could make more

  there, can you see?”

  effective use of it. Y-44 fell a little behind.

  Wistert was already peering cautiously

  Another volley of shots, and by some

  around the bulwark. “Can’t make it out, but—

  miracle the two spies were untouched. A tall,

  ” He clipped off his words to bring up his

  broad-shouldered figure leaped forward to

  right hand. At the sound of his shot there was

  meet them. The guards in back, fearing to hit

  a short scream from the direction of the open

  the officer, were forced to cease firing. When

  doorway.

  no more than a hundred feet separated them,

  Wistert turned hard eyes on his Wistert and the baron stopped short as though companion. “We’ve got to make a rush for

  at a signal, firing.

  it—our only chance!”

  Wistert’s pistol barked three times.

  “Let’s go, S-23!”

  Something tore at his left shoulder and jerked

  Wistert gripped her extended hand, him half around. But his eyes lighted up as he looking down into her eyes. As they were

  saw the enemy officer crumple and fall

  about to dash headlong in a wild fight for

  forward.

  freedom, a ringing voice reverberated through

  “Good work!” cried Y-44, dashing

  the place, coming from ahead.

  past him straight for the massed guards.

  “Messieurs Spies! You are trapped! I

  Wistert started forward again; he saw

&
nbsp; await you here with ten guards—here at the

  the opposing guards again bringing up their

  door which is your only escape!”

  guns, taking deadly aim. Wistert was not

  The two besieged spies looked at one

  conscious of the cause, but suddenly he

  another in dismay.

  noticed that something strange had happened.

  “What do you say, Y-44?” asked The guards were swaying as though caught in Wistert quietly.

  a twisting’ wind. Their guns fell from shaking

  The other turned away suddenly to hands; they seemed to be frightened.

  The Hormone Menace

  13

  Wistert became aware then that he motors revved to high speed, and the great himself was staggering forward drunkenly. It

  ship plunged along the ground. In a few

  seemed as though the ground were heaving

  minutes they were climbing.

  under him. He felt a hand on his shoulder;

  Then they looked back and down at the

  then an eager voice shouted into his ear:

  place they had left. It was a smoking ruin.

  “At last! I’ve been hoping and praying

  “Were we the only two to get out

  for it! Come on, S-23, now’s our chance.”

  alive?” Wistert asked wonderingly.

  Wistert followed Y-44 just as a terrific

  “It’s a miracle that we got out!” cried

  rending and grinding noise tore the air to

  Y-44. “Those guards a hundred feet away

  shreds. He saw walls tumbling, ceilings were crushed. It was like an earthquake, more cracking; the floor seemed to squirm as than anything else. Of course, down below it though alive. It was like a nightmare in slow