around.
"Fool," he hissed. "He's waiting for a chance to burn you."
Skarack strolled into the storckade before the helpless prisoners, thoroughly enjoying the moment of triumph. Two of the guards stationed themselves on either side of him, covering the ragged prison horde with their atomic pistols. The remaining guards shoved their guns back into their holsters and started to collect the picks and clubs.
"You stupid, spineless curs," Skarack's voice lashed at them, "Did you think you'd get away with this thing for even a second? I can't believe you're that moronic. I know everything that's done or said here."
Vyers gripped Dirk's arm.
"The girl," he grated. "She ratted on us. You were a fool to go near her, to trust her."
"No," Dirk said desperately. "No. She can't be in on this thing. She wouldn't sell us out."
"Shut up," Skarack roared. "I'm talking. I want to know the ring leader of this business. Any man who tells me will go free. The rest will be returned to work. I just want the name of the man who started this. I don't give a damn about the rest. All right. Speak up!"
A heavy silence answered him.
"I'll give you till I count three to talk," Skarack said grimly. "If no one has unbuttoned his yap by then I'll give my men orders to fire into the lot of you."
He held up his hand.
"One!"
Dirk smiled, a lean bitter smile,
"Two!" Skarack shouted.
Dirk started to step forward, but suddenly a feminine voice said,
"I can tell you the name of the ring leader!"
Skarack wheeled, as did Dirk and the prisoners, toward the voice.
Dirk felt the blood turn cold in his body. The blonde girl was standing in the doorway of her wooden dwelling, smiling provocatively at Skarack.
Vyers swore furiously.
DIRK felt a sickness and weakness over his body. The girl was in with Skarack. She had listened to his plans, talked him out of killing Skarack when there was a chance that it might have succeeded. Instead she had persuaded him to assemble more men, waste more time. Then she had tipped off Skarack as to what was brewing. Now she was completing her day's work by putting the finger on him.
"You know something about this?" It was Skarack speaking. He sounded strangely skeptical.
"Sure thing, big boy," the girl smiled. She stepped from the doorway and walked toward him, her slender body swaying enticingly. "I heard a few things that might interest you. After all you're the brains of this place and you'd know best how to use information like this."
"So you're getting smart, eh baby?" Skarack chuckled.
The girl walked behind the first guard, and Dirk suddenly noticed that her right hand was concealed in the folds of her dress. His muscles tensed. Maybe . . .
The girl moved swiftly. Her hand swung at the guard's shoulder. Skarack bellowed in surprised rage and leaped for her, but the girl ducked his flailing arms and dove at the other guard, swinging her arm again in a wide arc that connected with the guard's back.
Skarack leaped for the girl, swinging. His ham-like paw struck her a glancing blow on the shoulder, knocking her sprawling to the ground. He wheeled, shouting at the guards, his own hands
