Businessmen -- Fiction; Human-alien encounters -- Fiction; Life on other planets -- Fiction; Science fiction
"Don't know and it doesn't sound comfortable," he grunted. "We'd better
get out, quick!" With Kitty at his side, he raced toward the door, past
the hammer-wielding Uvan and into the reception room of the building.
"Look! Bill!" There was a note of terror in Kitty's voice.
Through the numerous doorways that debouched into the reception room,
dozens of angry eyed Uvans charged. Some of them carried radium-guns
which, somehow, they forgot to use. Bill glanced around hastily, then
ducked into an unblocked doorway with Kitty.
"A passageway," he hissed. "It leads out. Hurry."
Racing through the dim passageway, they came to another door. This
opened upon a curving Uvan street. As Bill stepped through the doorway,
he saw another mob of Uvans hurrying toward the building. By now, gongs
were ringing wildly throughout the entire city.
"Something went very wrong," Bill muttered. "We're going to put a lot
of space between us and town."
Both he and Kitty ran as fast as their legs could carry them, following
the long bed of the street. Behind them the pursuing crowd gathered in
size and more natives came in from side streets.
"We're making it," gasped Kitty.
Bill glanced at the girl appreciatively. She wasn't only pretty but she
was an athlete. She could run. Her face flushed with a clear golden
healthiness as she matched strides with him.
* * * * *
A half mile more and they had cleared the limits of the Uvan
metropolis. Bill's lungs burned for air. He had never done this much
running in his life. He looked back, and thankfully, saw that the Uvans
had been outdistanced and were giving up the chase. But--no!
There was still one Uvan following. Bill swore and tried to urge his
feet on. Then, suddenly, the lone Uvan whizzed past them and came to a
stop a short distance ahead. He stared back at Bill and Kitty, looking
bewildered.
"Wait a second," murmured Bill, breathing heavily. "This may be a
trick. Have you got your gun, Kitty?"
The girl shook her head.
The Uvan approached slowly, staring at Bill and the girl in friendly,
though puzzled fashion. He was about an inch shorter than the average
Uvan, sort of important looking and with his lavender eyes set close to
the top of his head.
When he had come within ten feet, he halted again. "Please," he asked.
"Who are we chasing?"
Bill's jaw sagged with surprise.
"You mean you don't know why you were running?" he demanded.
The Uvan shook his grape-clustered head. "I did know when I started,
but I forgot," he answered apologetically. "I suppose you're
Earthfolks. That's nice. My name's Olé. I'm chief editor of the _Uvan
Clarion_."
"So you publish a paper here?" Kitty smiled.
"Yes, when we remember. How about letting me show you around?"
Bill stared at Kitty and Kitty stared at Bill. Both smiled.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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