"You were right on the murder angle," Harror admitted. "Pretty smart,
ain't you?"
"About some things," Blake admitted. "I don't fall for everything I read
in the papers. I know you used a hidden mono track to get us here, and
that you'll probably send us back over it into a nice deep canyon, when
you have everything you want off the train."
Harror leaned over silently and spat into his face. Blake saw red. With
a lightning thrust he smashed the lamp from the table and plunged the
room into blackness. From O'Toole's side of the room a ray gun belched
fire, but Blake was already out of range. He heard a cry of pain and
realized that Harror had caught the flame on the arm. Harror, outlined
in the light of the ray was almost on top of him.
From the spot where O'Toole had been, Blake heard a sullen thud and a
long groan of pain. Dodging from Harror's plunging fall, Blake knew
O'Toole was doing his part. He grasped the edge of the table and tried
to thrust it in front of Harror. The man swore loudly and kicked it
away. There was a slit of light coming from under the door.
In its path, Blake saw Harror standing above him, a hairy fist
descending like a ton of lead. He twisted his face around, sensed
Harror's blow miss him by a fraction of an inch. Diving low he hit
Harror a body blow with his shoulder and the giant doubled in pain.
Blake swung upward before Harror could regain his balance, and set his
fist crashing into Harror's face. The giant swung backward like an
enraged elephant. Two more flashes of electro-fire went spurting over
his head and O'Toole started to sing in a loud, off-key voice.
"Slug 'em," O'Toole chanted. "It's the Irish that are in this mess
tonight."
In the darkness, Blake grinned painfully. His lip was split and
bleeding. His arm ached from the forceful contact with Harror's jaw.
Another guard went down in the scuffle and O'Toole howled his battle cry
again.
* * * * *
Harror was silent. Blake changed his position wearily, waiting for some
sign. He heard Harror breathing loudly from the far corner. The blow on
the face must have dazed him.
Blake closed it slowly, listening to Harror. Waiting for him to strike
again. Then two giant arms closed tightly around his chest, cutting off
his breath. He tried to shout, but his lips made no sound. He felt
himself sinking toward the floor, Harror on top of him. Harror was
holding on with all his strength.
Blake relaxed slowly, and his head fell to one side. He felt the grip
relax just a trifle, and gathered all his remaining strength. With a
terrific uppercut, Blake's arm shot upward, catching Harror squarely on
the chin. There was a sudden snap as the giant's head tipped back as
though unhinged. His arms relaxed and Blake fell away from him.
The Irishman had done his job well. The room was quiet.
Then: "Jeff, Jeff, are you all right."
Blake chuckled.
"I've got condensed ribs," he said. "But I think Harror will lie still
for a while."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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