Destination Unknown Part 14

Bianca spoke to Hilary.

"After dinner," she said, "there is a choice of many things to do. There is a card room and you can play bridge; or there is a cinema There is a card room and you can play bridge; or there is a cinema or three nights a week theatrical performances are given and or three nights a week theatrical performances are given and occasionally there is dancing." occasionally there is dancing."

Ericsson frowned disapprovingly.

"All these things are unnecessary," he said. "They dissipate energy." energy."

"Not for us women," said Bianca. "For us women they are necessary." necessary."

He looked at her with an almost cold and impersonal dislike.

Hilary thought: "To him women are unnecessary, too."

"I shall go to bed early," said Hilary. She yawned deliberately. "I don't think I want to see a film or play bridge this evening." don't think I want to see a film or play bridge this evening."

"No, dear," said Tom Betterton hastily. "Much better to go to bed really early and have a good night's rest. You've had a very tiring really early and have a good night's rest. You've had a very tiring journey, remember." journey, remember."

As they rose from the table, Betterton said: "The air here is wonderful at night. We usually take a turn or two on the roof garden after dinner, before dispersing to recreations or the roof garden after dinner, before dispersing to recreations or study. We'll go up there for a little and then you'd better go to bed." study. We'll go up there for a little and then you'd better go to bed."

They went up in a lift manned by a magnificent-looking native in white robes. The attendants were darker-skinned and of a more white robes. The attendants were darker-skinned and of a more ma.s.sive build than the slighter Berbers - a desert type, Hilary ma.s.sive build than the slighter Berbers - a desert type, Hilary thought. She was startled by the unexpected beauty of the roof thought. She was startled by the unexpected beauty of the roof garden, and also by the lavish expenditure that must have gone to garden, and also by the lavish expenditure that must have gone to create it. Tons of earth must have been brought and carried up create it. Tons of earth must have been brought and carried up here. The result was like an Arabian Nights fairy tale. There was the here. The result was like an Arabian Nights fairy tale. There was the splash of water, tall palms, the tropical leaves of bananas and other splash of water, tall palms, the tropical leaves of bananas and other plants and paths of beautiful colored tiles with designs of Persian plants and paths of beautiful colored tiles with designs of Persian flowers. flowers.

"It's unbelievable," said Hilary. "Here in the middle of the desert." She spoke out what she had felt: She spoke out what she had felt: "It's an Arabian Nights fairy tale."

"I agree with you, Mrs. Betterton," said Murchison. "It looks exactly as though it has come into being by conjuring up a Djin! Ah well - I as though it has come into being by conjuring up a Djin! Ah well - I suppose even in the desert there's nothing you can't do, given suppose even in the desert there's nothing you can't do, given water and money - plenty of both of them." water and money - plenty of both of them."

"Where does the water come from?"

"Spring tapped deep in the mountain. That's the raison d' tre of the Unit." Unit."

A fair sprinkling of people was on the roof garden, but little by little they dwindled away. The Murchisons excused themselves. They they dwindled away. The Murchisons excused themselves. They were going to watch some ballet. were going to watch some ballet.

There were few people left now. Betterton guided Hilary with his hand on her arm to a clear s.p.a.ce near the parapet. The stars hand on her arm to a clear s.p.a.ce near the parapet. The stars showed above them and the air was cold now, crisp and showed above them and the air was cold now, crisp and exhilarating. They were alone here. Hilary sat down on the low exhilarating. They were alone here. Hilary sat down on the low concrete, and Betterton stood in front of her. concrete, and Betterton stood in front of her.

"Now then," he said in a low nervous voice, "Who the h.e.l.l are you?"

She looked up at him for a moment or two without answering. Before she replied to his question there was something that she Before she replied to his question there was something that she herself had got to know. herself had got to know.

"Why did you recognise me as your wife?" she asked.

They looked at each other. Neither of them wished to be the first to answer the other's question. It was a duel of wills between them, answer the other's question. It was a duel of wills between them, but Hilary knew that whatever Tom Betterton had been like when he but Hilary knew that whatever Tom Betterton had been like when he left England, his will was now inferior to her own. She had arrived left England, his will was now inferior to her own. She had arrived here fresh in the self-confidence of organising her own life - Tom here fresh in the self-confidence of organising her own life - Tom Betterton had been living a planned existence. She was the Betterton had been living a planned existence. She was the stronger. stronger.

He looked away from her at last, and muttered sullenly: "It was - just an impulse. I was probably a d.a.m.ned fool. I fancied that you might have been sent - to get me out of here." that you might have been sent - to get me out of here."

"You want to get out of here, then?"

"My G.o.d, can you ask?"

"How did you get here from Paris?"

Tom Betterton gave a short unhappy laugh.

"I wasn't kidnapped or anything like that, if that's what you mean. I came of my own free will under my own steam. I came keenly and came of my own free will under my own steam. I came keenly and enthusiastically." enthusiastically."

"You knew that you were coming here?"

"I'd no idea I was coming to Africa, if that's what you mean. I was caught by the usual lure. Peace on earth, free sharing of scientific caught by the usual lure. Peace on earth, free sharing of scientific secrets amongst the scientists of the world; suppression of secrets amongst the scientists of the world; suppression of capitalists and warmongers - all the usual jargon! That fellow capitalists and warmongers - all the usual jargon! That fellow Peters who came with you is the same, he's swallowed the same Peters who came with you is the same, he's swallowed the same bait." bait."

"And when you got here - it wasn't like that?"

Again he gave that short bitter laugh.

"You'll see for yourself. Oh, perhaps it is that, more or less! But it's not the way you thought it would be. It's not - freedom." not the way you thought it would be. It's not - freedom."

He sat down beside her frowning to himself.

"That's what got me down at home, you know. The feeling of being watched and spied upon. All the security precautions. Having to watched and spied upon. All the security precautions. Having to account for one's actions, for one's friends... All necessary, I dare account for one's actions, for one's friends... All necessary, I dare say, but it gets you down in the end... And so when someone comes say, but it gets you down in the end... And so when someone comes along with a proposition - well, you listen... It all sounds fine..." He along with a proposition - well, you listen... It all sounds fine..." He gave a short laugh. "And one ends up - here!" gave a short laugh. "And one ends up - here!"

Hilary said slowly: "You mean you've come to exactly the same circ.u.mstances as those from which you tried to escape? You're being watched and those from which you tried to escape? You're being watched and spied upon in just the same way - or worse?" spied upon in just the same way - or worse?"

Betterton pushed his hair back nervously from his forehead.

"I don't know," he said. "Honestly. I don't know. I can't be sure. It may be all going on in my own mind. I don't know that I'm being may be all going on in my own mind. I don't know that I'm being watched at all. Why should I be? Why should they bother? They've watched at all. Why should I be? Why should they bother? They've got me here - in prison." got me here - in prison."

"It isn't in the least as you imagined it?"

"That's the odd thing. I suppose it is in a way. The working conditions are perfect. You've every facility, every kind of conditions are perfect. You've every facility, every kind of apparatus. You can work for as long a time as you like or as short a apparatus. You can work for as long a time as you like or as short a time. You've got every comfort and accessory. Food, clothes, living time. You've got every comfort and accessory. Food, clothes, living quarters, but you're conscious all the time that you're in prison." quarters, but you're conscious all the time that you're in prison."

"I know. When the gates clanged behind us today as we came in it was a horrible feeling." Hilary shuddered. was a horrible feeling." Hilary shuddered.

"Well," Betterton seemed to pull himself together. "I've answered your question. Now answer mine. What are you doing here your question. Now answer mine. What are you doing here pretending to be Olive?" pretending to be Olive?"

"Olive -" she stopped, feeling for words.

"Yes? What about Olive? What's happened to her? What are you trying to say?" trying to say?"

She looked with pity at his haggard nervous face.

"I've been dreading having to tell you."

"You mean - something's happened to her?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, terribly sorry... Your wife's dead... She was coming to join you and the plane crashed. She was taken to hospital and to join you and the plane crashed. She was taken to hospital and died two days later." died two days later."

He stared straight ahead of him. It was as though he was determined to show no emotion of any kind. He said quietly: determined to show no emotion of any kind. He said quietly: "So Olive's dead? I see..."

There was a long silence. Then he turned to her.

"All right. I can go on from there. You took her place and came here, why?" here, why?"

This time Hilary was ready with her response. Tom Betterton had believed that she had been sent "to get him out of here" as he had believed that she had been sent "to get him out of here" as he had put it. That was not the case. Hilary's position was that of a spy. She put it. That was not the case. Hilary's position was that of a spy. She had been sent to gain information not to plan the escape of a man had been sent to gain information not to plan the escape of a man who had placed himself willingly in the position he now was. who had placed himself willingly in the position he now was. Moreover she could command no means of deliverance, she was a Moreover she could command no means of deliverance, she was a prisoner as much as he was. prisoner as much as he was.

To confide in him fully would, she felt, be dangerous. Betterton was very near a breakdown. At any moment he might go completely to very near a breakdown. At any moment he might go completely to pieces. In those circ.u.mstances it would be madness to expect him pieces. In those circ.u.mstances it would be madness to expect him to keep a secret. to keep a secret.

She said, "I was in the hospital with your wife when she died. I offered to take her place and try and reach you. She wanted to get a message to her place and try and reach you. She wanted to get a message to you very badly." you very badly."

He frowned.

"But surely -"

She hurried on - before he could realise the weakness of the tale.

"It's not so incredible as it sounds. You see I had a lot of sympathy with all these ideas - the ideas you've just been talking about. with all these ideas - the ideas you've just been talking about. Scientific secrets shared with all nations - a new World Order. I was Scientific secrets shared with all nations - a new World Order. I was enthusiastic about it all. And then my hair - if what they expected enthusiastic about it all. And then my hair - if what they expected was a red-haired woman of the right age, I thought I'd get through. was a red-haired woman of the right age, I thought I'd get through. It seemed worth trying anyway." It seemed worth trying anyway."

"Yes," he said. His eyes swept over her head. "Your hair's exactly like Olive's." like Olive's."

"And then, you see, your wife was so insistent - about the message she wanted me to give to you." she wanted me to give to you."

"Oh yes, the message. What message?"

"To tell you to be careful - very careful - that you were in danger - from someone called Boris?" from someone called Boris?"

"Boris? Boris Glydr, do you mean?"

"Yes, do you know him?"

He shook his head.

"I've never met him. But I know him by name. He's a relation of my first wife's. I know about him." first wife's. I know about him."

"Why should he be dangerous?"

"What?"

He spoke absently.

Hilary repeated her question.

"Oh, that." He seemed to come back from far away. "I don't know why he should be dangerous to me, but it's true that by all accounts why he should be dangerous to me, but it's true that by all accounts he's a dangerous sort of chap." he's a dangerous sort of chap."

"In what way?"

"Well, he's one of those half balmy idealists who would quite happily kill off half humanity if they thought for some reason it would be a kill off half humanity if they thought for some reason it would be a good thing." good thing."

"I know the sort of person you mean."

She felt she did know - vividly. (But why?) "Had Olive seen him? What did he say to her?"

"I can't tell you. That's all she said. About danger - oh yes, she said she couldn't believe it." she couldn't believe it."

"Believe what?"

"I don't know." She hesitated a minute and then said, "You see - she was dying..." was dying..."

A spasm of pain convulsed his face.

"I know... I know... I shall get used to it in time. At the moment I can't realise it. But I'm puzzled about Boris. How could he be can't realise it. But I'm puzzled about Boris. How could he be dangerous to me here? If he'd seen Olive he was in London, I dangerous to me here? If he'd seen Olive he was in London, I suppose?" suppose?"

"He was in London, yes."

"Then I simply don't get it...Oh well, what does it matter? What the h.e.l.l does anything matter? Here we are, stuck in this b.l.o.o.d.y Unit h.e.l.l does anything matter? Here we are, stuck in this b.l.o.o.d.y Unit surrounded by a lot of inhuman Robots..." surrounded by a lot of inhuman Robots..."

"That's just how they felt to me."

"And we can't get out" He pounded with his fist on the concrete.

"We can't get out."

"Oh yes, we can," said Hilary.

He turned to stare at her in surprise.

"What on earth do you mean?"

"We'll find a way," said Hilary.

"My dear girl," his laugh was scornful. "You haven't the faintest idea what you're up against in this place." what you're up against in this place."

"People escaped from the most impossible places during the war," said Hilary stubbornly. She was not going to give in to despair. said Hilary stubbornly. She was not going to give in to despair.

"They tunnelled, or something."

"How can you tunnel through sheer rock? And where to? It's desert all round." all round."

"Then it will have to be 'or something.'"

He looked at her. She smiled with a confidence that was dogged rather than genuine. rather than genuine.

"What an extraordinary girl you are. You sound quite sure of yourself." yourself."

"There's always a way. I dare say it will take time, and a lot of planning." planning."

His face clouded over again.

"Time," he said. "Time... That's what I can't afford."

"Why?"

"I don't know whether you'll be able to understand... It's like this. I can't really - do my stuff here." can't really - do my stuff here."