Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [210]
"How did you find me?" Lafayette cut in.
"Ah—as to that, I employed a simple device called a Homer. It makes bipping sounds, you see, and—"
"More electronic gadgets, eh? Where'd you get it?"
"Concealed in a small grotto."
"Grotto?"
"Cave. I hope I didn't do wrong by using it to save you from a horrible death—"
"Another lucky find, eh? That's your answer to everything. Well, I suppose it's possible. Every cave in Artesia seems to be stuffed full of loot. But that still doesn't explain how you carried me from wherever I landed up to that eagle's nest. A mountain goat couldn't have climbed those cliffs, even without me on his back."
"Climb—Oh, I see what you were thinking! No, no, I should have explained. You see—there's a stairway. An escalator, as a matter of fact. No trick at all, just had to drag you a few feet and push the button." Lom beamed.
"Oh, that clears everything up," Lafayette said. "Swell. You didn't climb, you used the escalator. How stupid of me not to have figured that one out."
"You—you sound dubious."
"Who are you, Lom!" O'Leary demanded. "Where do you come from? Why did you cut me out of that cage?"
Lom drew a breath, hesitated, let it out in a sigh. "I," he said in a dismal tone, "am a failure." He looked across the flickering fire at Lafayette. "Once, I occupied a . . . a position of considerable trust. Then . . . things went badly for me. There was a robbery, so arranged as to make it appear that I—that I was the thief. I escaped barely ahead of the authorities."
"And?"
"I . . . made my way here. Foraging, I stumbled on the, er, supplies of which you know; I found the route to my isolated hideaway. Then—you dropped from the skies. I naturally did what I could for you."
"Then?"
"Then you disappeared. Poof! I searched for you—and at last I found you, as you know. And here we are."
"You left out one small item. What did you do with the Mark III?"
"Mark who?"
"Maybe you didn't make off with the till, back where you came from," O'Leary said. "But there was a gadget concealed in a secret pocket of my coat. You took it while I was unconscious. I want it back."
Lom was shaking his head emphatically. "You wrong me, my boy—"
"Just call me O'Leary."
"Is that your name?" Lom asked quickly.
"Certainly—"
"Then why did you tell the young woman—the one who seemed to dislike you so—that it was Zorro?"
"Because it is. I mean, she knows me as Zorro—"
"But that's not your real name? Curious that you have the letter Z embroidered on your shirt pocket—and on your handkerchief—and your socks."
"I'm in disguise," Lafayette said. "Don't try to change the subject. Where's the Mark III?"
"Tell me about it," Lom suggested.
"I'll tell you this much," Lafayette snapped. "It's the most dangerous object in the country! I don't know why you wanted it; maybe you thought you could pawn it; but—"
"Mr. O'Leary—I took nothing from your person, while you were asleep or any other time!"
"Don't stall, Lom! I want it back!"
"You may search me if you wish; you're considerably larger and stronger than I. I can't stop you."
"What good would that do? You could have hidden it."
"Indeed! And why, if I had robbed you, would I have returned to preserve you from what, it appeared, would have been a peculiarly unpleasant fate?"
"Maybe you needed me to show you how to operate it."
"I see. Without letting on I had it, I suppose."
"Well, blast it," O'Leary snarled. "If you didn't take it, where is it?"
"Possibly," Lom said thoughtfully, "it dropped from your pocket when you fell . . ."
There was a momentary silence, while Lafayette stared across the fire at the small, indignant figure, who returned the look defiantly.
"All right," O'Leary sighed. "I can't prove you took it. I guess I ought to apologize. And to thank you for getting me out of that cage."
"Perhaps," Lom said, "if you told me a bit more about the missing item?"
"Forget it, Lom. The less anybody knows about it, the better."
"This Mark III; was it your property? Or were you keeping it for someone else?"
"Don't pry, Lom! Tell