THE Agent’s blood was boiling. He longed to get his fingers on the throat of the fiendish brute beside him who knew no greater delight than the sadistic pleasure of warping the minds and bodies of his fellow men. He could have turned upon Thoth and killed him with his bare hands. But the safety of Betty Dale, Kaxton, Thaddeus Penny, and perhaps others depended upon “X” thinking coolly. “X” knew that in a moment he would be called upon to use all his mental and physical strength to extricate Kaxton from the toils of the monstrous Thoth.
For at that moment, the door of the pain room opened and four of the mobsters entered carrying the bound Bertram Kaxton. They threw the helpless man on the floor at the feet of Thoth. Then one of the mobsters entered the room carrying a small, white-topped table. Upon the table, “X” saw a number of large, cruel-looking hypodermic needles.
Kaxton, though fully conscious, was terrified beyond speech. He could only stare in awe at the bizarre figure of Thoth bending over him. Thoth turned the helpless man over on his face. “You will observe, Voinoff,” said Thoth, “that I will make the injections of a drug stimulating the pituitary gland to abnormal activity.”
Thoth reached to the table and picked up a hypodermic needle. “You will notice an immediate change pass over the face of Kaxton—a very slight hint of what Mr. Kaxton will be like when the treatment is complete. After it is all over, he will be perfectly willing to do anything I ask of him, including find the money with which to pay his own ransom.”
Agent “X” was leaning far over Thoth, apparently enthralled with the idea of what the chief criminal was about to do. At the same time, he thrust his left hand deep into the pocket of his coat. His fingers closed over a fragile sphere-shaped capsule. Thoth was filling a needle with his accursed drug. The beaked-mask turned toward “X.” A glimmer of suspicion in the slanting eyes. “What are you thinking about, Voinoff?” he asked.
The Agent’s voice suddenly changed. It was low-pitched but penetrating—entirely unlike the voice of Voinoff. “I am about to liberate Bertram Kaxton, Thoth,” he whispered. “In a very few minutes, you will be on your road to the electric chair!”
The hypodermic dropped from Thoth’s fingers. He straightened to his full height. His odd eyes were fixed upon “X.” The Agent could feel the hypnotic power of those strange eyes within the mask. “Who are you?” he asked softly.
“I believe you know,” replied Agent “X.” His right hand drove into his right coat pocket. Ignoring the automatics in the hands of the mobsters, “X” withdrew his gas gun and thrust it into Thoth’s noxious face. “You will release Bertram Kaxton. Your men can shoot me, but not before I shoot you.”
“If you desire it, Agent ‘X’,” replied Thoth quietly. “I am a man to know when I am beaten—for the time being.”
A sensation of apprehension crept over Secret Agent “X.” Why this sudden compliance from the most dangerous criminal he had ever known? Thoth was actually kneeling beside Kaxton and cutting the ropes that bound him.
“Stand up, Kaxton,” ordered Thoth. “You may leave the room. I will deal with you later—after I have dealt with this man.”
Kaxton, struck dumb by his sudden escape from damnation, started toward the door. Standing up, Thoth faced Agent “X.”
“What madness is this, Agent ‘X’?” he whispered. “Suppose that you should leave this room alive, you will never be able to leave my headquarters. Men have gone mad trying to find their way out. You have only postponed the ostectis treatment in store for Kaxton. And you have played directly into my hands. I have waited for this moment!”
Agent “X” felt the muzzles of automatics upon him, forming a constricting circle of death about him. Yet he did not fear the guns. His attentions were focused entirely upon the masked criminal. Thoth’s attitude was disarming. The slanting eyes in the mask gleamed with cunning.
Across the room, “X” heard a door open. That would be Kaxton leaving the pain room. The gas-pistol in the Agent’s hand raised a trifle. Suddenly, he jerked the trigger. A cloud of vapor spurted across Thoth’s masked face. “You have waited for this moment!” he mocked.
MAD, riotous laughter sounded from the masked fiend and echoed around the pain room. Instead of instantly collapsing, Thoth hurled himself straight at the Agent.
“X” wheeled. He ducked beneath those hands outstretched to kill. He hurled the glass capsule in his left hand to the floor. There was a faint pop and the anesthetizing gas it had contained instantly spread its cloud of oblivion. A mobster tried feebly to fire his automatic, but keeled over before he could pull the trigger.
Another tried weakly to clutch “X’s” arms, but the gas overcame him in another moment. “X” was already running toward the door, zig-zagging to avoid the few scattered shots that came from gunmen as yet unaffected by the gas. He held his breath to avoid the effects of his own powerful weapon.
“Trapped. Agent ‘X!’ You’re trapped!” and Thoth’s triumphant laughter rang throughout the room.
Why had not Thoth succumbed to the effects of the gas that no human being had ever been able to resist? Why did he insist that “X” was trapped when there was nothing human between the Agent and the door?
And in the next moment, “X” knew the answer to one of those questions. A shutter on the door had opened and through the shutter appeared the muzzle of a sub-machine gun. Instantly came the spatter of the Tommy’s leaden hail. A slug struck the Agent’s shoulder. The impact of the shot, halted by his bullet proof vest, knocked “X” flat. He rolled toward the door. A tracer of bullets followed him, the thunder of the shots drowning out Thoth’s laughter.
“X” struck the wall a few feet from the door. He lay perfectly still. His heart was pounding at his temples. How much longer could he hold his breath against the gas that would immediately render him unconscious? The rattle of the machine gun had stopped; for “X” was in such a position that the gun could not be sighted on him through the narrow shutter. Glancing toward the other end of the room, “X” saw Thoth approaching cautiously, stepping over the unconscious men who had fallen beneath the effects of the gas. How had Thoth escaped that gas when the others had fallen?
Suddenly, “X” sprang to his feet and leaped straight toward the door. Before the Tommy gun could go into action again, he had hold of the barrel. Taken completely by surprise, the man on the opposite side of the door uttered an oath. “X” brought his powerful muscles into full play in a mighty yank that pulled the gun free from the monster’s grip. “X” drove the butt of the gun into the man’s face with all of his strength. With a howl, the man fell to the floor. “X” jerked the gun through the opening and wheeled around.
“Hands up, Th—” “X” checked his words. Only his superb self control checked a surprised gasp that would have filled his lungs with the anesthetizing vapor. For aside from the unfortunates in the racks and the unconscious men on the floor, the room was empty.
“X” swung the gun on the door and opened it up on the lock. In another moment, he must gasp for air. Slugs drilled through the steel lock as if it were made of paper. “X” kicked open the door and stepped into the little room where steps led up to Thoth’s office.
The Agent crossed the hall and entered the council chamber. It was empty and as silent as the tomb. He crossed the room and opened the door that led into the passage. Bill Ziek, the guard, was sitting quietly in his chair. He showed not the slightest alarm at the Agent’s appearance. Evidently, the pain room was so sound-proofed as to prevent the sounds of the battle from reaching Ziek’s ears. Furthermore, the Agent’s escape seemed to have demoralized Thoth’s entire organization. The gang had evidently not been warned that Agent “X” was in their midst.
Ziek frowned as his eyes encountered the machine gun in the Agent’s hand.
“X” nodded. “Yes, it’s loaded. Up on your feet, Ziek. Turn to the left and keep to the left. I’m right behind you.”
“Say, what the hell is this, Voinoff?” growled Ziek.
&nb
sp; “It’s a swell start for your funeral if you don’t start moving!” “X” prodded the guard with the muzzle of the machine gun.
Ziek’s jaw dropped. He stood up slowly. “X” jabbed at his back with the gun. “I said move!” And pushing Ziek with the nose of the gun, “X” started up the passage.
“X” hurried past the cells occupied by the Thoth slaves and stopped in front of the cell in which he had left Thaddeus. “Not a word, Thaddeus,” “X” warned, using the voice which the old man associated with “Mr. Robbins”, as he called the Agent.
Crouching in the corner of the cell, Thaddeus Penny, hideous in his Neanderthal disguise, uttered not a word. “X” opened the cell door and pushed Ziek inside. Then “X” slipped his cigarette lighter from his pocket, pressed the button which controlled the charge of anesthetizing gas, and turned a tiny stream of vapor into Ziek’s face. Taken completely by surprise, Ziek took all that the Agent had given him. He crumpled to the floor without a groan.
“Now, Thaddeus,” whispered “X,” “you think you will be able to lead us out of this place?”
“I’ll try mighty hard, Mr. Robbins,” whispered the old man. “You think it’s safe?”
“X” knew that it wasn’t safe. The silence of the labyrinth was but the calm before the storm. Thoth would be confident that he still had “X” within his power, but that confidence would not occasion carelessness on the part of the master-fiend.
Already “X’s” fingers were busy, spreading plastic make-up material, from his pocket kit, over his face. In the dim light of his flashlight, he was measuring every angle and curve of Bill Ziek’s face. When he was satisfied with the new set of features he had created, he removed the toupe that had been a part of his disguise as Voinoff. His own wavy brown hair was very similar to the hair of Ziek. Pulling Ziek’s cap over his own head, be considered himself ready to bear even Thoth’s scrutiny.
Then “X” deliberately disarmed himself. Gas gun, pocket medical kit, make-up kit, tool kit, amplifier, and master keys—all passed into the pockets of the unconscious Ziek. He retained only flashlight and cigarette lighter, having reloaded the latter with a charge of gas. Then he picked up Ziek and carried him to the first shadowy corner of the passage he came to.
Running, he doubled back the way he had come, past the slaves’ cells to the blocks where Thoth’s prisoners were kept. Eagerly, he looked among the cells. Kaxton was there, pacing back and forth like a hunted animal. The blonde girl was there, sobbing herself to sleep on the wooden bench. But the next cell was empty. Frantically, “X” searched the other cells. All were empty. There was no sign of Betty Dale.
Suddenly, “X” heard a faint buzzing sound. It came in three short, sharp signals. A moment later, it was repeated. Obviously, it was some sort of signal. What did it mean? What had the masked fiend done to Betty?
Chapter XI
THE ELECTRIC LASH
“X” WHIRLED around and ran blindly up the passage. His throat ached to cry out for Betty, though he knew such action would be the height of folly. Suddenly, he crashed into someone running in the opposite direction. In the dark, “X” seized the shoulders of a man. A flashlight beamed across the Agent’s face.
“Ziek! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
The voice belonged unmistakably to one of Thoth’s mobsters.
“That signal!” “X” covered his surprise effectively. “We’ve got to hurry.”
“Sure,” the man grumbled. “But you’re runnin’ the wrong way. Thoth wants us bad. I just heard that he thinks Mr. “X” is around here somewhere. He’s a hellion to run into, they say. It’s get him before he gets us!” And the man broke from “X’s” grasp and ran up the passage. “X” turned, following close at the man’s heels.
From the passage, they turned into the council chamber. Then the man with the light led through the little door and into a hall that connected the council chamber with the room in which Thoth made his monsters. A line of perhaps twenty men extended across this room, waiting in front of an open door. “X” and his companion fell in at the rear of this line. A few minutes later, another man fell in behind “X.”
Slowly, the line passed into the next room, and as “X” came near the door, he saw that the tall, masked man who was Thoth’s lieutenant was carefully searching each man before he was allowed to pass. “X” congratulated himself that he had foreseen something of the sort and had discarded all of his special equipment which would have instantly identified him.
When it came to his turn to be searched, the masked man deftly removed the automatic “X” had taken from Ziek as well as the Agent’s cigarette lighter. These were all dumped into a cardboard carton which was later removed from the room.
“Who searched you, big boy?” demanded “X” of the tall man when the search was complete. The masked man only laughed and pushed “X” into the room.
It was one of the strangest rooms “X” had ever seen. Its low-vaulted ceiling and its grey walls were decorated with Egyptian symbols. One particular design represented Thoth, the Egyptian god, weighing the souls of the dead on a pair of scales. Beneath the design was a little stone platform supporting a tall chair. In the chair sat Thoth himself, looking more imposing than ever in his ornate mask. “X” also noted that he wore polished boots with high heels and thick soles.
“X” joined the other men who were silently standing in a group along one wall. In the center of the room was a polished steel platform with a circular top. “X” could not guess its purpose. Finally, the door was closed and Thoth stood up to speak.
“As you know, men,” he said quietly, “Secret Agent ‘X’ is among us. Undoubtedly, he is in this room right now, since he is far too clever to attempt the labyrinth without a guide. In as much as I and my lieutenant are the only ones who know the way out, I have no fear of him escaping.
“About an hour ago, he entered this place disguised as Mark Voinoff and made some sort of mad attempt to disrupt my perfect organization. A few minutes before that happened, Agent ‘X,’ alias Voinoff, was seen paying marked attentions to a certain young lady. At the time, I thought it was only some foolishness between one of my men and this beautiful prisoner of mine.
“But when I discovered that Mark Voinoff was really Agent ‘X,’ it occurred to me that he holds the young woman in high regard. By a method of exquisite torture with which all of you who have been disobedient are familiar, I intend to force Mr. ‘X’ to identify himself. The subject of our amusement will of course be the young woman!”
“X’s” fists clenched. His heart throbbed. Thoth had spoken coldly of torture like the merciless fiend he was. He had evidently been watching “X” speaking to Betty for some time, though the shadows within the passage had rendered him invisible.
“X” SWAYED slightly forward. The tall masked lieutenant appeared, carrying the lovely Betty Dale in his arms. The girl’s ankles and wrists were securely bound. Her eyes were wide with terror, searching eagerly from face to face for one flickering gleam of recognition in the eyes of another; for one sign of hope from the man who had always befriended her.
Yet “X” made no sign. He dared not. Behind his expressionless mask of a face, his alert brain was working like chain lightning. He was almost without resources. The only weapon left him was a tiny drugged needle in the compartment in the heel of his right shoe. It was utterly beyond his reach at the moment. Depending solely upon his physical dexterity, he might have faced half a dozen men such as the criminals about him; but he could never hope to vanquish a score of them.
He watched the masked lieutenant place Betty upon the circular steel platform in the center of the room. He saw Betty’s sweet face strained with mental agony. Again he was forced to exert every ounce of his will power to prevent himself from rushing to her. Then he noticed that a strange calm had come upon the girl. Her eyes closed. She swallowed with difficulty. “X” could scarcely resist applauding her stoical courage.
Suddenly, a daring plan
evolved from the maelstrom within his brain. He forced his vocal cords to assume the voice of Bill Ziek once more.
“Hey,” he called out.
Thoth turned his ornate mask in the Agent’s direction.
“This test would work a lot better if you’d take a tip from me,” said “X.”
“Well, what is your suggestion?” asked Thoth calmly.
“First of all, you’ve got to remember that when Agent ‘X’ first got in here, he must have come in disguised as one of the slaves. At least, that’s what Voinoff said. Well, you’re going to put on this show for ‘X’s’ benefit, and you haven’t brought in the slaves. ‘X’ may be among them.”
For a moment, Thoth was silent—a pause that was agonizing for Agent “X.” “A good suggestion, Ziek,” said the master criminal. “You and Carter and Kelly go to the cells and bring the Thoth slaves here. But one word of warning: If, one of you three is ‘X’ you need pick up no gas bombs or similar weapons. You will be searched on returning.”
Followed by two of Thoth’s mobsters, “X” passed through the door and into the pain room. From there, they entered the hall, turning left to hurry to the cells where the slaves were confined. “X” left the assembling of the slaves up to Carter and Kelly, while he went directly to the cell where the disguised Thaddeus was waiting. Opening the door, he whispered to the old blind man: “On your feet, Thaddeus. Remember, I’ll be right behind you.”
“Ready for me to get you out of here, Mr. Robbins?” piped the old man.
“Not yet. Trust me implicitly. I am going to take you with a group of others who resemble you closely. You must stand still where I put you and be ready the moment I need you.”
“Ready any time,” whispered Thaddeus.
“X” grasped Thaddeus’ shoulders and steered him from the cell to join the others. The two mobsters headed the parade back to the torture room while the Neanderthals followed with Thaddeus and “X” bringing up the rear.
Secret Agent X - The Complete Series Volume 5 Page 47