The Thinking Machine Affair (10 page)

The pair headed for the Moldau, and climbed down the grass-covered embankment to the river shore. A sudden break in the clouds bathed the scene in silvery light. Napoleon slid behind a dense bush and watched them walk along the riverbank. It occurred to him that the spot could not be too far from the area where Illya had lost contact with the direction finder on the previous night.

Almost as they reached the bend where the Moldau turned in a northerly direction, they stopped. Napoleon's view was obscured by some high foliage, but he heard the sound of a boat being dragged over stony ground, and soon afterwards there came the unmistakable noise of rowing oars. He saw a small boat moving across the river towards the far shore.

Napoleon watched it through his binoculars and was surprised when it stopped alongside an almost vertical rock formation covered with moss and small vegetation. He was even more surprised when he saw a section of the rock slide to one side to enable the boat to enter what was obviously a secret water passage. Immediately the boat had entered, the ingenious stone door shut and the massive rock looked as impenetrable as before.

This must be the way into the THRUSH European Center, he thought. He activated his ultra-shortwave radio transmitter-receiver to give Alexander Waverly this new information, and when Channel D was closed again, walked along the riverbank searching for a boat in which to cross the river.

About half a mile from the spot where the two THRUSH agents had boarded their rowing boat, he found a kayak lying on the grass verge some twenty feet from the river. He lifted the light boat, carried it to the water, boarded it, and steered towards the rock formation on the far bank.

As he reached the rock the clouds began to close in again on the moonlight, but before darkness engulfed him he located a small lever in a crevice beneath a layer of artificial moss. He tried to turn it, without success. Perhaps it was locked by a safety device from the inside? He extracted a small electronic gadget from one of his pockets. It was constructed to open any lock silently.

He was in the process of fastening the opener to the lever when the river currents moved the kayak from the rock. To keep the boat in position, he grabbed the lever with his left hand and unintentionally pulled it. The rock slid aside. The door had been constructed from steel and made to look like a genuine continuation of the moss-covered rock formation.

He steered the kayak into the inky black manmade underground tunnel and reflected that it was similar to the underwater channel entrance to U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters. As soon as the kayak passed the door, it automatically shut.

He was alarmed that this entrance door was operated by electronic eyes, knowing this could have set off an alarm. To bypass concealed alarm devices along the underground channel, he switched on his electronic diversion device, which temporarily put out of action any alarm network.

His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and he was able to see the straight walls and roof of the tunnel, his nostrils conscious of a musty smell.

Some five hundred yards or so on, the channel ended in some steps rising to a platform.

Napoleon fastened the kayak to the rowing boat left by the two THRUSH agents, and noted a powerful small motorboat moored alongside it. He climbed the stone steps to the platform; this opened into a long corridor that veered to the right. He moved silently along the dark passage and noted that it descended slightly. He kept his electronic diversion device working continuously to ensure that no alarm system betrayed him, but wondered as he went on how long it would be before concealed steel arms, or something or someone, emerged from the walls to hold him in an iron grip. As if responding to his thoughts, a tubular steel net dropped from the ceiling, pressing his arms against his body, thus making any movement impossible.

"Welcome to THRUSH Headquarters, Mr. Solo," a voice said as blazing lights flooded the passage.

It took a few moments for his temporarily blinded eyes to adjust before he could see what was obviously a THRUSH officer and guards.

"Had you advised us that you wanted to visit us, we would have told you where to find our main entrance, which is much more respectable," the Chief Organizing Officer smiled.

"I didn't want to trespass on your kindness," Napoleon said wryly.

"We'll take these uncomfortable things off you and show you the way to our more civilized quarters," the THRUSH executive said.

Two guards removed the steel net from Solo; at the same time they removed his gun and emptied his pockets. When Napoleon held out his arms for handcuffing, the officer said:

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Solo. We don't copy U.N.C.L.E. methods."

Beside the THRUSH executive, and flanked by guards at the front and rear, Napoleon continued along the brightly-lit concrete passageway until they reached the end. A wall moved automatically aside to let them enter a square room where an elevator was ready for the next stage.

"We'll have a little chat, Mr. Solo, which, I trust, will be fruitful," the Chief Organizing Officer said as they stepped into the elevator. "I have long wanted an opportunity to meet you."

"So have I." Napoleon forced another smile.

He realized that he could do no more at present than play cat and mouse, but the knowledge that the guards had not, as yet, discovered some of the emergency tools concealed in his tie, suit lining, shoes and cufflinks, gave him hope that he was not as yet altogether helpless.

As they stepped from the elevator and turned left, the head of the Special Tasks Department emerged from one of the doors along the corridor. Seeing Napoleon, he drew his gun.

"Put it away," the Chief Organizing Officer said coolly. "We don't want Mr. Solo dead. We have better plans for him." And, as he led Napoleon into his office, he explained: "It would be foolish to kill you, Mr. Solo. Murder is such a messy business. I prefer everything to be nice and smooth."

"Oh, I do so agree with you," concurred Napoleon heartily.

They entered the THRUSH executive's office and as the officer seated himself at the desk, he invited Solo to make himself comfortable.

"Now, don't let's mince words," he said. "We are preparing to dispose of U.N.C.L.E. and I intend to let you play a considerable part in its destruction."

"That sounds most interesting," Napoleon said.

"It is much more than interesting, Mr. Solo; it is at long last the beginning of a new world—a THRUSH world. The actual execution of our 'Operation U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters' is now almost only a mere formality."

"Do go on—I find this fascinating."

"Cynicism won't get you far, Mr. Solo," the THRUSH executive snarled abruptly. "Nothing can save U.N.C.L.E. from being wiped out. And, to make extra sure, we now have Professor Novak's apparatus. He is already working on the extension of its operating radius."

"It could take ages before he finds the solution," Napoleon cut in.

"We are ready for such an eventuality. Our own scientists and technicians have solved some of the shortcomings of Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus, and if he and his daughter, supported by our own experts, cannot achieve unlimited distance within the next twenty-four hours, we shall nevertheless use Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus for the successful conditioning of the brains of all U.N.C.L.E. personnel to surrender unconditionally."

"How are you so certain you can do it?" Napoleon enquired.

"Our agent has installed specially constructed electronic beam receivers onto the entire internal communications systems at U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters. These receivers can pick up the beam from our transmitter, which will be linked with Professor Novak's apparatus, and then our thought orders can be beamed over the internal communications systems to every U.N.C.L.E. officer, beginning with Alexander Waverly and Illya Kuryakin down to the least important clerk and messenger. Brilliant, isn't it?"

"How do you know your agent has, in fact, carried out your plan?" Napoleon asked.

"That's no secret, either," the THRUSH executive boasted. "When our agent fixed the last electronic beam receiver on the internal communications systems at U.N.C.L.E. Headquarters, he was, unfortunately, detected and caught. In accordance with his instructions for such an eventuality, he took a special drug which killed him temporarily. Your Mr. Waverly, or someone at U.N Headquarters, had the body removed to some funeral directors in New York. One of our agents claimed the body, flew it here, and it arrived safely last night. The dead agent was revived and reported that he had successfully carried out his task. So you see, Mr. Solo, we know for sure that everything is set for action."

"Why tell me all this?"

"Because I want you to be in the picture. You see, Mr. Solo, you are going to play an important part in our operation."

"Oh?"

"You are going to tell your Alexander Waverly that you are with us, that we hold all the trumps, and that the time for unconditional surrender has come. You are to tell him that all U.N.C.L.E. files and secret gadgets, including weapons, must be destroyed forthwith and that he and the entire U.N.C.L.E. staff are to surrender to us. You will convince him that we are always ready to recruit personnel with ability and brains and that Waverly, Kuryakin and the rest of the U.N.C.L.E. team will find excellent opportunities with THRUSH."

"And if I refuse?"

"But, my dear Mr. Solo, are you in a position to refuse? Do you think I would have taken the trouble to get you here if I thought I couldn't use you? You have no alternative but to do as I say."

"And if I refuse, you'll kill me..."

"I told you earlier that I don't favor that sort of thing. I prefer smoother methods."

"How can you force me to do something I am determined not to do?"

"I have Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus. I can make you do anything I want."

"Rubbish!"

The THRUSH executive switched on the closed circuit television system. Instantly the workroom in which Professor Novak and his daughter were busy with a box that looked like a portable radio set appeared on the screen. "Bring the Professor and his apparatus to my office," he ordered.

"Very well," the supervisor acknowledged.

"You will now have the opportunity to learn the efficiency of the thought-transference apparatus," Napoleon was informed.

He stayed silent. He considered the position—"even if the Professor's machine turns me into their tool, Waverly still won't take notice of what I tell him," he thought.

Professor Novak entered the office, the supervisor carrying his apparatus.

"I am happy to see you looking so well, Professor," the Chief Organizing Officer greeted him.

"I'm afraid, sir, the radius is still not unlimited," the scientist said, thinking he had been brought for a progress report.

"This is not my concern at the moment," the THRUSH executive assured him. "I want you to demonstrate your apparatus in my office and to transfer my thoughts to this gentleman to illustrate the effectiveness of your apparatus."

"Very well," the scientist said; "at such short range it will work to full satisfaction."

He positioned the apparatus so that one of the knobs was aimed at Napoleon, then turned some dials, checked an indicator, and finally told the Chief Organizing Office that everything was ready for his experiment.

The THRUSH executive started to condition Napoleon's mind.

"Do you remember what I told you earlier about the message I want you to send to Waverly?" he said as soon as the Professor had departed.

"Yes, sir," Napoleon said. "Can I have the transmitter, please?"

Napoleon asked for Channel D to be opened. When Waverly replied, Napoleon repeated what he had been persuaded to say.

"This is not the time for practical jokes, Mr. Solo," Waverly said dryly.

"It's no joke, sir," Napoleon insisted. "Everything's as I told you and I can only repeat, you must heed my advice."

"Are you out of your mind, Mr. Solo?"

"No, sir. I am at THRUSH European Center E and I have ascertained that everything is as I told you. If you want to survive and save all the others, do as I tell you. There is no alternative."

Waverly closed Channel D. The Chief Organizing Officer was pleased with Napoleon and told him so.

"What do you wish me to do now, sir?" Napoleon asked.

"You can rest now. When you're needed again I'll call you."

Napoleon was led out of the office by a guard and taken to a room similar to the one allocated to Professor Novak. Only the dividing wall separated him from the Czech scientist, but Napoleon did not know this fact.

He looked around the room. It was comfortable, although there were no windows and the door had been locked from the outside. He settled into an armchair and tried to figure out whether Professor Novak's thought-transference apparatus had actually conditioned his mind to think completely on THRUSH lines or whether it had confined itself to his sending the crucial surrender message to Waverly. He decided that the conditioning had only partly influenced him, because he still felt loyal to U.N.C.L.E., determined to play his part in destroying THRUSH. He decided he would utilize the fact that his mind had been conditioned to pretend a devotion to THRUSH.

He was anxious to tell Illya the location of THRUSH European Center E and warn him that the U.N.C.L.E. diversion devices were ineffective on THRUSH'S alarm system. With his ultra-shortwave transmitter out of his possession he hadn't the means of calling Illya, although he still had the emergency short-distance transmitter-receiver safely concealed in his cuff-links. But unless Illya happened to be really near, he still would not be able to make contact.

Napoleon sat in the armchair and repeated patiently into the transmitter:

"Illya, I'm calling you."

Napoleon tried the radio call again and again over a period of hours without result. Illya was probably miles away from the area, he thought.

Before giving up for the night he tried once more. "Illya, I'm calling you."

"I can hear you," Kuryakin's voice replied suddenly.