It was sometime before the air of tension in the room subsided. But the lingering seeds of suspicion which Lacey had aroused, continued to do their work. The glances which the men exchanged showed that they had ceased to trust each other. And “X” could hardly blame them. For it was entirely possible that any one of them might be connected with Doctor Blood just as they had suspected that Stanton was, just as he himself had suspected that Langknecht was.
“X” found a chair, relaxed, and closed his eyes. To the others he appeared to be sleeping. But in reality the active brain behind those closed eyes was weighing every angle of the situation. They were prisoners of Doctor Blood, and in spite of the fact that there was a police station right behind the building in which they were confined, they would all surely die if the Agent did not evolve some plan to release them.
This was a situation which called for all the resources, all the abilities, all the great daring of that man who was known as Secret Agent “X.” And for once he did not feel that sense of extreme confidence which he generally experienced in his clashes with clever criminals.
For Doctor Blood was indeed the master of them all—in ingenuity, in ruthlessness, and in fiendishness.
Chapter XV
THE EYE IN THE WALL
THE Agent’s thoughts were disturbed by the voices of the other men in the room, which rose to a high pitch of excitement. Larkin was almost hysterically berating Marsh and Mayor Sturgis for having compelled him to go with them. “Damn you both!” he shouted. “I wanted to pay, I wanted to settle with this Doctor Blood, and you wouldn’t let me. Now you’ve dragged me into this. We’re in the hands of that madman, Wilkerson. Now we’ll all have our throats torn open, and our blood drained out of us!”
“We can still put up a fight,” Marsh growled. “We’re all armed. They may have sub-machine guns, they may have claws, but five determined men like us ought to be able to give a good account of ourselves. To hell with this Doctor Blood. Let’s sell our lives as dearly as possible!”
Mayor Sturgis was glumly silent. He let Marsh finish, and then he said: “Perhaps there’s some way out of this. Maybe we can do business with this Doctor Blood. It’s all my fault, gentlemen. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this. But my duty as mayor—”
Secret Agent “X” did not hear the rest of what Sturgis had to say. For he had opened his eyes, and in glancing around the room noted that a tiny aperture in the opposite wall had slid open. It was no more than an inch by probably a half inch wide. But behind that opening he detected an eye peering in at them. He arose from his chair, borrowed a cigarette from Marsh and lit it. Under cover of lighting Marsh’s cigarette for him, he whispered to the explorer: “Be careful what you say or do. We are being watched. Don’t look around.”
Marsh lowered his eyes to signify that he understood. Then he said with a great appearance of casualness: “Perhaps you’re right, Sturgis. Maybe it would be better to pay up. I wonder if Doctor Blood would take our money now.”
“It’s a good thing,” Sturgis replied, “that Randall didn’t let you shoot Wilkerson through the door, Marsh. If you had killed him, or injured him. Doctor Blood might want to take revenge on us, rather than accept our money. Now we have a chance.”
Lacey was pacing up and down, again. He was about to say something, when he stopped short; for the wicker grill in the massive door was swung open once more.
They all turned to the door, remained silent as Wilkerson’s ugly face appeared there again. This time Wilkerson did not press his face as close to the grill as he had before. His right hand was close to the opening, and in it he held a small metal object.
The Agent recognized this as the same sort of gas bomb which Laurento had thrown into the commissioner’s room, and which the men who attacked him in his retreat had attempted to use on him. Apparently this sort of bomb could be used as a container for various kinds of gases.
Wilkerson’s harsh, cackling voice addressed them. “I won’t use this gas bomb unless I have to. Doctor Blood wants to talk to you, one at a time. You’ll come out in turn, according to your numbers on his list. Marsh is first, Sturgis next, then Lacey, Larkin, and Randall last. Do you agree, or do I throw this bomb in and knock you all unconscious?”
The five men in the room glanced at one another questioningly. Marsh was about to say something defiant, when “X” stopped him by putting a hand on his arm. Then “X” said to Wilkerson:
“Maybe you’ll tell us what Doctor Blood wants to talk to us about. And why he wants to see us one at a time?”
Wilkerson seemed to think that over for a minute, then he said quickly: “Yes, I’ll tell you. Doctor Blood knows that four of you men are the ones you’re supposed to be. But one of you isn’t. One of you is here in disguise—he is the person who is known as Secret Agent ‘X.’ That man must die. The rest of you can buy your way out of here.”
Mayor Sturgis started to laugh nervously. “Secret Agent ‘X’! Impossible! Why, we all know each other thoroughly. I’ll vouch for every one of these men!”
“And who,” Wilkerson sneered, “will vouch for you?”
Sturgis flushed. “What do you mean—”
“Stop it!” Wilkerson’s mad voice almost cracked with its intensity. “I hate every damn one of you. You all contributed in some way to my ruin. I’d like to claw you all. Answer quickly. Do you agree to come out one at a time, or do I throw the bomb?”
His hand, holding the small object, approached the grilled opening.
Lacey shouted: “Wait! We’ll go.”
“All right.” Wilkerson’s hand disappeared with the metal object, reappeared in a moment with a pair of handcuffs which he dropped into the room. “Marsh is first. Cuff his hands behind him, and stand well back from the door. You have nothing to fear Marsh, if you are not Secret Agent ‘X.’ Otherwise, prepare to die.”
A HEAVY key turned in the lock outside. The door started to swing open. In the hallway the twisted figure of Wilkerson was disclosed, and beside him that of the bogus Sergeant Mace holding a sub-machine gun trained on the doorway. Mace called out:
“All right, Marsh come out. If any of you others try to come with him, I’ll cut you down.”
Marsh turned to his companions, said quietly: “Well, see you later.” He winked to them, turned and strode out of the room. The heavy door clanged shut behind him.
Sturgis and Lacey and Larkin began to talk all at once. Secret Agent “X” kept quiet. He was content to let the others buy their way out. As for himself, he must devise some means of outwitting Wilkerson and this unknown person who used the name of Doctor Blood. When his own turn came, he would not be able to avoid exposure. He could make no plans now, for he did not know where he would be taken from here. Of one thing he was sure—he would certainly make an attempt to kill Doctor Blood once he came face to face with him.
It was against the Agent’s policy to kill. He avoided it whenever possible. But in this case he regarded the person who used the title of Doctor Blood as no more than a mad dog, to be shot on sight. He regretted now, that his gas gun was not a lethal weapon.
His eyes stole to the small aperture in the opposite wall. He breathed easier when he noticed that it was closed now. No eye was observing them. Suddenly he appeared to stagger, clutched at Lacey’s coat.
“What’s the matter?” Lacey demanded, supporting him with one hand. He led “X” to a chair, seated him in it.
“I don’t know,” the Agent said, making his voice sound as weak as possible. “I got dizzy all of a sudden.”
Mayor Sturgis and Larkin crowded around him. Sturgis said sympathetically: “You must be under a terrible strain, Randall. You’ve been through more than the rest of us. After all, you were actually in the hands of one of Doctor Blood’s men once before. Take it easy, Randall.”
“X” kept his eyes closed for a while. He was entirely satisfied to appear to be a weakling before the others. He had accomplished his purpose. For, in staggering against Lacey as he had
done, his hands had worked rapidly, efficiently, with a lightness of touch that defied detection. He had noted that Lacey was carrying his gun in an outside coat pocket. And he had made an exchange, placing his own gas gun in Lacey’s pocket, transferring Lacey’s gun to his own.
So swiftly, so expertly had he done it, that none of them had noticed it. Now he was armed with a weapon that would kill. And he was fully prepared to take the law into his own hands this time. If he got the opportunity, he would execute Doctor Blood in the interests of humanity.
Chapter XVI
STRANGE ALLIANCE
THREE times more in the next hour the key turned in the lock and the heavy oak door swung open, revealing Wilkerson with his hideous claw, and Mace, armed with the submachine gun. Each time another man was led out. And they did not return. Sturgis was the second to go, then Lacey, then Larkin. They seemed more or less resigned to go peaceably, since Wilkerson had told them that it would be possible for them to buy their way out.
Lacey and Larkin were almost eager to make terms with Doctor Blood. Sturgis, though he felt the responsibility of his official position, seemed to be beaten. He was contrite at having dragged the others into this situation.
Larkin, who was the last to go, turned and shook hands with “X.” “Well, Randall, I suppose I’ll be seeing you shortly. This Doctor Blood must be mistaken about one of us being Secret Agent ‘X.’ I guess there’ll be little difficulty in all of us proving to him that we are ourselves.”
“X” made no reply, but shook hands with him, watched him leave the room. Again the oak door slammed shut.
The Agent was alone in the room. He had noted that with Lacey and Larkin, Wilkerson had not bothered to throw in a pair of handcuffs as he had done with Marsh and Sturgis. But he had seen Mace holding a pair in the corridor. Evidently they were sure enough of themselves to wait until they got each man outside now before handcuffing him.
“X” had noted the type of handcuffs which had been used on Marsh, and now, after casting a glance at the small aperture in the wall to make sure that it was closed and that he was not observed, he set to work quickly, extracted from his pocket a small case in which nestled a number of keys. From these he selected one, no more than three-quarters of an inch in length. This was a skeleton handcuff key.
“X” now replaced the case in his pocket and palmed the key. Though his hand remained open, the key rested there, held by the fleshy part of his palm. No one would have suspected that he was holding anything. The Agent took out the gun which he had slipped from Lacey’s pocket, examined it to make sure that it was loaded, pulled up his right trousers leg, and stuck it in under the top of his sock. His experience had shown him that very few people when frisking a man for weapons will look there.
Hardly had he finished, when a key grated in the lock, and the big oak door swung open. “X” was slightly surprised, for less than three minutes had elapsed since Larkin had left. He wondered why they were coming for him so quickly. But it was not the distorted figure of Wilkerson which appeared in the doorway.
It was the woman, Lola Lollagi.
“X” watched her silently, with eyes narrowed as she stole into the room, casting a fearful glance behind her. She closed the door softly, so as not to make any noise, then turned, ran impulsively toward him. Her beautiful face was drawn and haggard, and her eyes betrayed inexplicable terror.
She came close to him, whispered urgently: “I know who you are. You’re not Randall. You are the man that Doctor Blood has sworn to kill. You are Secret Agent ‘X’!”
“X” lowered his eyelids, veiling his eyes. He said nothing.
Her slim hand reached up, gripped his coat lapel, and she shook him impatiently. “Don’t deny it. You’re wasting time. I’m here to help you. I know who you are, because I followed you from headquarters when you carried Laurento away. Please, please, don’t waste time. There is so little left.”
“If you are so sure about who I am,” said the Agent, “why didn’t you tell this precious Doctor Blood of yours. He seems to want to know very badly. You collected his money for him, you told him where Laurento was hidden. Why don’t you betray me too?”
SHE dropped her hand with a gesture of despair, allowed her head to droop. “I was afraid of this. I was afraid you wouldn’t trust me.” Suddenly she raised her head, her large eyes met his. There was no guile in them now, only earnest pleading. “I’ll tell you the truth. I’ll tell you everything, because I want you to trust me. You must trust me.” Her hands clenched and unclenched fearfully.
“X” glanced furtively at the aperture in the far wall. It was still closed. “Go on,” he told her. “Talk quickly. They will soon be coming for me.”
She rushed on, the words tumbling from her lips. “Everything I did, I did because I was compelled to. Doctor Blood got Laurento in his power, and did something to him that gave him this lust for blood. Then he sent him out to kill.” She shuddered. “Laurento isn’t the only one. He has Wilkerson, and he has others. They all do his bidding. I don’t know what he does to them to make them obey him, but they go out to claw and kill at his command.”
She faltered, said hesitantly: “I know you won’t believe me when I tell you that I was compelled to do everything I did for Doctor Blood—compelled by the most devilish means!”
The Agent placed a hand on her shoulder, said gently: “I think I know by what means you were forced to do his bidding.”
She raised her eyes, startled. “You know—”
“Yes. Let me see if I am right.” He had been studying her face carefully, comparing its contours and general conformation with that of another face the picture of which he carried in his mind’s eye. Now he went on: “I can see the resemblance. It is undeniable. Laurento is your brother. Doctor Blood got him in his power, did something to him that you talk about to make him lust for blood. Your brother’s resistance was feeble; not mentally sound. He was confined in a sanitarium back in Paraguay for a while, was he not?”
Her eyes opened wide, her mouth fell slack. “How—how did you know?”
“If, as you believe, I am Secret Agent ‘X’ you must not be surprised that I should know things. But let’s go on. When you learned that Laurento was in Doctor Blood’s power, you appealed to this Doctor Blood to leave him alone. And Doctor Blood compelled you to serve him as the price of your brother’s freedom. But he did not keep faith with you. He made your brother kill Patterson, anyway.”
“That’s right,” she breathed. “I got my fiancé, Hugo Langknecht, to assist me when I discovered that Doctor Blood did not intend to keep faith with me. Some detective named Fearson discovered where Laurento was hidden, and somehow discovered that Hugo was interested. He went to Hugo’s house, and I followed him there. We caught the detective and put him in a closet, and, as we were about to leave, Wilkerson and some of Doctor Blood’s men raided the place and killed poor Hugo. I did not tell them about the detective hidden in the closet. They took me away, forced me to tell where Laurento was hidden. Doctor Blood must have guessed that you were Secret Agent ‘X,’ for he set a trap to catch you. But the trap failed.”
The Agent put both hands on her shoulders, swung her about so that the lamp from the table cast a light upon her face. Then he demanded of her sharply: “Who is Doctor Blood? Is he Oscar Stanton?”
She shivered. “No, no! It couldn’t be Oscar. Oscar has been hoping to marry me, even though I told him I was engaged to Hugo. But Oscar isn’t the kind of man who could be so ruthless. He would never have had Hugo killed that way, even if they were rivals.”
“Who, then, is Doctor Blood?”
She wilted, and her face paled. “I—don’t—know! I have never seen his face.”
“What did he do to these people—to Wilkerson, to your brother, to the others—to make them into wild beasts?”
“I don’t know that—either. Most of the men that he has in his power are like Wilkerson and Laurento—mentally deranged. They are the ones who killed Prescott an
d Forman and the others. Somehow or other he has managed to gather around him a number of madmen, who do his bidding without question.”
“All right,” said the Agent “Now tell me what you have come here for.”
“I want your help!” she exclaimed passionately. “Doctor Blood has Laurento here in this jail We are all his prisoners. I will help you to escape, if you will promise me to save Laurento—to take Laurento and me out of here with you. You are a man for whom nothing is impossible. You must help me in this. I do not ask you to save Laurento from the law. Let him be tried for his crime. They will not send him to the electric chair, for he is insane. But at least he will be confined in an asylum where he will be treated as a patient, instead of remaining under the dominion of this fiend who is known as Doctor Blood. Quick, is it a bargain? I will help you, if you will help me in this way.”
“I promise you,” said Secret Agent “X” slowly, “that if I leave this place alive, I will not leave without you and Laurento.”
A smile almost of happiness suffused her face. “Thank God!” She dipped into her dress, extracted from the bodice a revolver which she handed to the Agent. “Here. It’s loaded. The door is open. There are half a dozen men in the building. But I know you can win.”
“I’m afraid,” the Agent told her, “that it is too late. We have been seen!”
He was right. For the small aperture in the opposite wall had slid open, and a pair of dark eyes had looked through for a moment—a moment only, and then the aperture had been shut. Doctor Blood knew that Lola Lollagi was attempting to save Mr. Randall; and he must also guess that Victor Randall was none other than Secret Agent “X”!
Chapter XVII
MADMEN IN THE DARK
THE Agent acted now without a single lost motion. He dropped the handcuff key in his pocket; there was no further use for it. The time for guile and trickery had passed. Nothing counted now but action. He stooped, retrieved his other gun from under his trouser leg, then snapped at Lola Lollagi: “Get over against the wall. I’m going to open that door and shoot my way out.”
Secret Agent X - The Complete Series Volume 4 Page 23