ands. And he would soon
die.

Die? No! Blaine Asher swore silently to himself that no power in
existence should keep him from destroying these two fiends. It had to
be done!

He dared not fail.

* * * * *

"Wonderful, stupendous thing," he forced himself to smile. "I'd like
to grasp the hand of the genius who devised and carried out such a
wonderful thing."

He took a step toward Lee Wong, right hand extended, his left slipping
toward the pocket where his own static gun rested.

Lee Wong extended his own right band. Something in the chill, flint
look of Asher's eyes must have warned him. Even as Asher's fingers
closed around his hand, he tried to jerk back.

"Destroy him!" he cried out to Krenski.

Asher dropped to one knee, letting his static gun remain in his
pocket. His left hand closed around Lee Wong's wrist as the Oriental
tried to pull away. Krenski was bringing the heavy, cylinderlike gun
up and aiming it at Asher.

Asher twisted on one knee, his teeth gritted, braced to receive the
shock from the gun. He jerked Lee Wong's arm down, heaved and came to
his feet. Crying out, arms and legs flailing, the Chinaman catapulted
toward Krenski--and just at the instant Krenski fired!

The sickening smell of cindered flesh was in Asher's nostrils as he
turned and ran back up the main hallway. He glanced back over his
shoulder as he ran, and shuddered at the black mass lying at Krenski's
feet. Lee Wong was no more. Wide-eyed, the Russian stared at the thing
at his feet. Then, with a fiendish shriek, turned and brought the gun
into line on the fleeing Asher.

A crackling charge of electricity singed the back of Asher's head as
he dove head first around the corner of the hall into the control
cavern. He reasoned that Krenski had sent a full charge after him, and
hope kindled higher in his breast. For Asher believed his smaller
static weapon was as strong as that of the other. At that, it would be
a test, and Asher dared not take chances.

* * * * *

He crouched in the door of another hallway, waiting. Cursing, Krenski
dashed into the control cavern. Asher brought his gun up and fired.
But even as he pulled the trigger, a long tentacle reached from the
dark crevice behind him and jerked his arm. His charge snapped by the
Russian, warning the other that Asher, too, was dealing with powerful
electric rays that meant death should they touch.

Asher