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〃My God； how do you know this； Rona 。 。 。〃
〃It isn't mystically arrived it。 I noticed the number of steps in the city； and the shapes of the few buildings that weren't cubical。 And I asked a guard about it … down in the dungeon。 He was playing with a kind of Rubik's cube with seven sides。 It had the same puzzle about 'magic numbers'； and …〃
〃Never underestimate a woman；〃 McCaughlin said admiringly。 〃Heaven preserve you； fair Rona。 You are the best。〃
Rockson sighed heavily。 〃Here goes。。。〃 He punched in Rona's numbers。 Then he pushed the red button。
The door swung slowly open。 Artificial daylight flooded into their would…be tomb。
They were free。
They cautiously ran the distance to the next building； one at a time。 The streets were deserted。 〃It must be the sleep hours；〃 Danik said。 〃I'm tired。 We all get tired at the same time。。。〃
There was the sound of approaching footfalls。 Rockson and the others pressed close to the building wall。
A startled pair of lower…rank Civil Guards rounded the corner。 They saw the Freefighters too late。 They were beset immediately； and died with startled expressions； their heat guns still in their holsters。
〃I would prefer my Liberator；〃 McCaughlin said as the Freefighters made their way through the streets of Eden； startling the few timid passersby with their presence。 He was holding one of the paper…light heat guns that the Edenites called disintegrators。 Rona had the other one。
〃We'll get our weapons back。〃 Rona promised。 〃They're all piled up in a side room to Stafford's throne chamber。 I saw them cart the whole pile in there and just toss them on the floor。 They don't really know what to make of them； I suppose。。。〃
The group of determined Americans reached the corner just across from the Government Building。 Rockson had wondered what the effective range of a heat gun was； and now was the time to find out。 He peered around a corner。 There were two guards； one on either side of the open doorway。
Rona touched Rock's shoulder。 〃Let me and McCaughlin do the honors。。。〃
Rock stared for a second into those determined green eyes。 Then he said； 〃Okay； see if you can hit them with those pop…shooters； but get as close as you can without them noticing before firing。〃
Rona and McCaughlin just walked across the empty street and sauntered toward the entrance stairs。
The guards were facing one another； their mouths moving。 Idle chatter。 The last remarks they would ever make in this world。
They turned when the pair of Freefighters were a quarter of the way up the stairs； and they died as they raised their weapons。 Burned where they stood。 Blackened and smoking human charcoal； they fell apart as they fell。
The rest of the Freefighters ran across the street； hardly containing a rousing cheer。 One of the guard's guns had fallen； heat…damaged； it sat there on the topmost step。 Rock picked it up。 Useless。 They walked down the corridor； and into the circular throne room。
〃It's empty；〃 Rona exclaimed。
〃Perhaps they are all asleep；〃 Danik said。
〃Stafford's private apartments are to the left；〃 Rockson stated in a low voice。 〃In any case； the study contains the safe。 The place Stafford keeps Factor Q。〃
Rock ordered the rest of the Freefighters to secure the building while he plunged into Stafford's quarters。
Through the unlocked door and down the short corridor he ran； gun thrust ahead of him。 Perhaps the real Stafford would be in there in his pts。 Rock could try again to force the code to open the safe from Stafford。 The real Stafford。 Awaken him from his beauty sleep with the point of the heat gun pressed against his fat face。
Happily； Rockson came upon one of the Freefighters' weapons … a baton … lying on the floor in a er。 He wondered if a soldier had pilfered it； played with it a while； then discarded it。 He probably thought it just a heavy metal stick。 Unless you activated the baton by pressing a certain area of the instrument； it didn't do its thing。
Rock； happy for any slight improvement in the situation； picked it up。 He had another weapon too … the one he'd taped to his body just before they entered Eden。 The butterfly knife tucked on the inner thigh of his left leg。 The slender blade； folded into its own handle hadn't been discovered in their cursory frisk by the inhibited guardsmen。
CHAPTER 27
A steel door was shutting； a foot…thick blast…resistant door that was going to close off the room that had the safe in it。 There was just a second to make it through。 Rockson dived between the sliding…together masses of metal death； and rolled into the study。 The twin walls of crushing steel slammed together a fraction too late to crush his feet。 He had made it in。
It was utterly dark； and he had no light。 Window…less buildings had that problem。 He somehow thought it might not be a good idea to feel around for a light switch。 Especially when he heard the muffled whispers somewhere in the room。
He eased forward in the utter darkness； trying to sense the source of those utterances。 Rock snapped open his balisong knife。
A hissing sound and a red glow erupted in the far darkness。 Rockson jumped to the left。 The disintegrators took a fraction of a second to warm up before their heat beam shot forward … long enough for steeled reflexes to respond to the danger。 The beam of intense heat burned the wall next to him。 Then there was a click。 The weapon had misfired； or run out of whatever juice it needed to spray hot death。
Then there was an awful silence。 He lay flat； breathing through his teeth； trying to make no noise。 He was blind； but the protectors of Stafford's inner sanctum couldn't see him； either。 Perhaps they thought they had hit him； and were waiting for a movement； a sound； to prove otherwise。 Well； he was not going to make that sound。
He slipped the balisong knife into his belt； felt for the explosive…bolt baton on his belt； slipped it into his grip。 All silently。 But after a minute； they won the waiting game。 He didn't have time to wait any longer。 He got into a crouch and moved forward； trying to remember where the furnishings were in this dark room。
Voices。 Something about 〃I'm sure I got him。 Switch on the lights。〃
Rock smiled； and froze in place。 He was just a dozen feet from the voice； he could make it there in the dark。。。
He threw himself forward； swinging the deadly baton in an arc； intending to smash anything it encountered； and hit the soft Morris chair； not a man。 He knew it the minute the baton demolished the plastic…and…fiber affair。 And the lights came on； blinding。 He spun and dove behind a cabinet。 He peered over it。
There stood Bdos and his two henchmen； the martial arts masters known as Nunchaku…man and Dedman。 Bbos held his familiar bullwhip in his left hand； coiling it tighter。 Nunchaku…man took the twin sticks of death from his waistband and smiled a toothsome grin of evil。 Dedman's implacable huge face was enigmatic as he stood like a straight robot； holding his spear in the left hand； his other hand on the handle of his sword。
〃We will see if you are as powerful a fighter as I suspect by your courage； Rockson。 We will test you one at a time。 Each one a fair fight。 Prepare to die；