Mutants Vs Mutants Read online

  She seemed to be about 25 years old, was slender and had dark brown hair. Her somewhat narrow eyes lent her oval face a special charm and Lloyd had trouble realizing that she could be an agent of the unknown supermutant. Perhaps all of this was nothing but a mere coincidence.

  The plane took off, pursuing the setting sun. They flew at such speed that the sun was still standing at the same height in the horizon when they landed at the airport at Berlin-Tempelhof.

  Lloyd was suddenly flooded by a wave of excitement coming from the young girl as she rose from her seat and walked to the exit door of the plane. The plane had stopped close to the big customs shed.

  Fellmer got up and tried not to let his victim out of his sight. Her brain-wave pattern had become so intensified that Fellmer felt it almost unbearable. Painfully these patterns surged into his awareness and aroused in him the urgent sensation of imminent danger.

  She had walked down the gangway and was now hurrying toward the barrier. She held her ticket in her hand. Apparently she had no hand luggage.

  No hand luggage?

  Lloyd felt for a moment as if somebody had poured a bucket full of boiling water over his back. Luggage?

  He realized now what had happened. The young lady carried no luggage therefore she must have left her brown leather bag on the plane.

  Lloyd abruptly made an about-face and ran back to the plane. He pushed his way through the exiting passengers, paying no attention to their infuriated protesting voices, and raced to the place where the suspect had been sitting.

  Her leather bag was still underneath her seat.

  He picked it up with one swoop and raced back to the exit. He looked around, trying to locate her; afraid that he might have lost her. He ran out of the building and saw the owner of the bag just trying to hail a taxi. Lloyd monitored again her confused thought pattern, into which now again feelings of insecurity had crept. Should she not really be convinced that what she had been doing was really the right thing?

  Bounding forward he arrived at the taxi just in tine, flung open the door and jumped in. He peered directly into the wide open, horrified eyes of the young girl, that were not at all interested in the intruder but only in the leather bag he was holding in his hand.

  "Young lady," began Lloyd, groaning with exhaustion, "are you in a hurry! You forgot your bag on the plane."

  She examined his face with a searching glance, then fear flitted across her features. She quickly reached into her suit pocket and pulled out a snub-nosed revolver. But Lloyd had already been alerted by a corresponding brain-wave pattern change from the young lady. He quickly disarmed her.

  "But my dear young lady," he warned gently. "I have only your best interests at heart..."

  "You are lying." She shook her head. She spoke English with a strong Russian accent. You've been following me ever since Moscow. Do you really believe I didn't notice?"

  "You can read minds?"

  She hesitated for a moment then replied: "Yes, I'm a telepath."

  For an instant Lloyd was disappointed and even frightened. How should he handle a person who could guess even his innermost thoughts? But then he shrugged his shoulders.

  "Alright, then we needn't pretend. Let's be frank with each other. You were under orders from the supermutant to sabotage the airlines of the New Power. There's a time bomb ticking away in your leather bag. You set the mechanism and left the bomb on the plane. Between Berlin and London the bomb would have exploded. Did I guess right?"

  She looked him up and down with a scornful glance. "So what?"

  "In this case Perry Rhodan would be most interested to have a talk with you."

  A shadow flitted across her pretty face. "I'm not in the least interested in having a talk with a traitor of all mankind. You can tell him that from me. By the way, if I were you I'd take care to get rid of that bag over there. It contains explosives powerful enough to send the two of us sky high. I'm the only one who knows when it is set to go off."

  "As long as you are with me and don't show any signs of apprehension, I know nothing will happen," countered Lloyd with satisfied logic. He leaned forward and pushed aside the glass partition. "Driver, take us back to the airport." He closed the glass partition and turned to his prisoner. "It's time we got to know each other. Since you already are familiar with my name, of course, may I ask what yours is?"

  "Tatjana Michalowna," she answered in a defiant tone. He sensed clearly that she wasn't lying. "But that's all you'll find out from me."

  "Believe me, that won't work with Perry Rhodan and his mutants," he assured her, smiling sarcastically. He was satisfied to note that she now seemed frightened. "I've a fast jet waiting at the airport. We'll be in Terrania in a short while."

  She remained silent. Her eyes were resting thoughtfully on her brown leather bag, which sat on the floor next to Lloyd. He noticed her glance and smiled. "Don't worry, my dear. Somewhere in Siberia that explosion won't harm anybody. Years ago they were used to much bigger ones than that thing you brought."

  Stubbornly, she still didn't utter a word.

  • • •

  The mental duel between John Marshall and Tatjana Michalowna lasted only a short tine. Then the Russian girl knew that it made no sense for her to continue lying. In addition to that there was another factor she had not counted on: Perry Rhodan.

  With a halting voice she began to speak. "Like the majority of mankind I was skeptical toward the New Power. For me you were a traitor, Mr. Rhodan, for you entered into an alliance with extraterrestrial life forms and strove to rule the whole world. I admit you prevented the atom war between the East and the West but this didn't entitle you to force a development on us which is progressing too fast and throws us out of our prescribed path. We would have managed very well without you in our goal of uniting this world."

  "I'm convinced of that," retorted Rhodan with a mischievous smile, "but you'd have done the uniting in your own way. I preferred mine. Any objections?"

  "Certainly. In any case, one day I met a man in whose mind I could detect an agreement with my own thoughts regarding you. He too condemned the New Power and desired peace. Our peace. I got in touch with him and since he had no idea of my telepathic gifts I found out everything. Another power has come into being, a purely human power, which has nothing to do with the Arkonides or any other galactic races. The mutant master's policy is concerned exclusively with Earthly affairs and not galactic interests."

  "Very narrow-minded," said Rhodan. "But, please, go on."

  "I joined the supermutant and his forces," she continued. "His fight is just, for it is directed against something that is alien to human nature and will forever remain so."

  "That same xenophobia was once typical of all the small European nations who used to believe that the culture of their neighboring countries was inferior and that therefore they could never be united and live in peace with each other," interjected Perry Rhodan. "And today they are united!"

  "This was a natural process, no artificial union..."

  "Don't say that. They were helped along on that path."

  "Nevertheless..."

  "There is no difference. Mankind had to learn that it is not the only intelligent life in the universe. Should mankind remain in isolation in order to one day become the victim of a hostile invader's surprise attack? Or isn't it better to adjust to your surroundings? That's all we are really doing! Only a united Earth, with a strong leadership, will not fail to join up with the rest of the galactic civilizations—on a par with them. Not too long ago, such developments seemed to lie in the very remote future for mankind; they were looked upon like the wild dreams fantasy writers. But today it has become reality. We must make the decision—and many have done so already. There's nothing even a supermutant can do about that."

  "He doesn't intend to but he is against you as the sole ruler."

  Rhodan smiled and quickly glanced at Marshall. "If I had wanted to be the sole ruler of mankind I could have done so a long time ago. You
surely must admit that."

  She was hesitant. "It's true. Why didn't you do it, then?"

  "Because it didn't matter to me. Peace-loving people should see to it that there is order but they should never attempt to rule and force their will on others."

  "Do you consider yourself the policing force of this globe, or even the Peacelord of the universe?"

  "In a way. But we are mainly trying to pave the way for a better understanding among the nations of this Earth and a peaceful existence with the rest of intelligent life all over the universe.

  She did not answer but it was obvious that she was pondering what she had just heard. John Marshall the telepath said suddenly: "How come I can't always receive your thoughts? I've never before encountered anyone who could conceal their thoughts from me."

  "Well, you've met one now," smiled Tatjana superciliously. "Besides being a telepath I've another talent which is not as generally well-known as I used to assume. I can erect a shield against any strange influence; maybe this causes at the same time my thoughts to be screened off so that not even another esper can penetrate through this barrier."

  "Are you capable of protecting yourself against foreign influences?" asked Rhodan with great interest. "Do you find this necessary? There are only very few people who are hypnos."

  "The mutant master is a hypno," said Tatjana emphatically.

  Rhodan had a good long look at her before he continued. "And you are able to ward off his remote hypnotic control over you?"

  He waited until the girl had nodded in agreement. Then he said: "This means you can at this instant act against his will?" She nodded once more to confirm what he surmised to be true. "Do you realize that he issues orders to his collaborators to will themselves to death as soon as they fall into our hands?"

  "They actually obey his command and die," said Rhodan with brutal candor. "So you be very careful to maintain this shield. You are probably the only living human being over which the supermutant has no control. Except for us, of course, because he doesn't know our brain-wave patterns. He can exert a certain influence but can't give orders to out hearts to stop."

  "That's horrible!" she exclaimed. Tatjana could not get over the fact that her master was a person without scruples. Rhodan took advantage of this situation.

  "The mutant master caused one of my companies to mutiny and forced them to shoot at their own comrades. Fortunately we could prevent him from completely carrying out his evil plans."

  Tatjana clapped her hands over her face. "And I was so deluded that I almost murdered hundreds of innocent people. The bomb..."

  "Don't think back on that," Rhodan said softly and with emphasis. "Many men have done worse things acting in good faith. You followed your own convictions. As soon as you've recovered from this unpleasant experience, Lloyd will return you to Moscow. Nobody forces you to stay here."

  She regarded him in amazement. "You'll let me go free?"

  "Why should I hold you against your will? I hardly believe you'll ever again make the same mistake of letting yourself be misled by stupid slogans. The supermutant is not merely a narrow-minded zealot, he's also a criminal thirsting for power. Some day I'll learn who hides beneath the mask of the mutant master."

  Tatjana raised her head and her eyes were filled with surprise as she looked straight into Rhodan's eyes. "You don't know who he is?" she asked.

  Rhodan shook his head but his steel-grey eyes became suddenly cold and more alert than usual. "Do you?" he asked.

  Tatjana seemed to savor the moment when she could feel superior to a giant like Perry Rhodan. She nodded and replied: "I even have met him in person."

  3/ WORLD ENEMY #1

  In the vicinity of Alamogordo, where the first atom bomb was detonated in 1945, a nuclear reactor accident occurred during testing. Many scientists and workers were killed by the leaking radiation but just as many people who worked there escaped with their lives.

  Among these was the physicist Monterny, who married a short time afterwards. His marriage was very brief but also very happy. His wife bore him a son, Clifford Monterny. Clifford was a mutant of the first degree, a hypno of incredible power.

  Like his father before him, Clifford studied physics. Due to his superior intelligence he obtained an influential position and acquired a considerable fortune but he was no longer a youngster when he discovered his unusual mutant characteristics. He could force his will on others with the greatest of ease. It took him two years to find out that this hypnotic influence was not restricted by spatial distances. Once he had met, or even only seen a person, he could locate and influence them with his extrasensory powers.

  Clifford Monterny was fat, puffy and unattractive. Women shunned him, which certainly had an effect on the development of his character. His small, deepset eyes always bore an expression of distrust and envy. At the age of 32 he had already lost all his hair, a fact he tried to hide by usually wearing a hat. His outstanding intelligence stood in harsh contrast to his disagreeable exterior.

  With great interest he followed the founding of the New Power and the successful path taken by Perry Rhodan. He observed how Rhodan's mutant corps was organized and more than once he was tempted to put his talents at Rhodan's disposal. But he never took the decisive step.

  After all, wasn't he a superior mutant in his own right? If he so chose, couldn't he himself guide the destiny of mankind? Was he not capable of concentrating more power in his hands than ever anybody alive before him? Why not set up a mutant corps of his own?

  And thus Clifford Monterny began to gather, in all secrecy, a group of mutants around him.

  Clifford Monterny became the master of the mutants, a man known hardly to anyone but one who seemed to be everywhere—and nowhere. Thanks to his considerable fortune he built a veritable fortress in the mountains of Utah. Nearly 60 miles to the east of the great Salt Lake, at the foot of Emmons Peak, was his farm and adjoining land covering an area of nearly four square miles. His house resembled a fortress which had been made impregnable. All the latest modern technical devices had been installed to insure proper announcement of any visitors and their surveillance. Any unwelcome visitors or intruders would of course be effectively repelled.

  When Clifford Monterny reached the age of 35 his telepathic abilities had finally matured and reached their peak. Combined with his hypno talent he was now able to dominate unconditionally any person he had once encountered and whose vibration pattern was known to him. There was no escape for his unfortunate victims for he would infallibly find them again wherever they might try to flee.

  Shrouded in complete secrecy, the headquarters of a malign power had grown in the rocky mountains of Utah, an organization that threatened even Perry Rhodan's existence. Their first attack on the financial and economic strength of the New Power had been warded off by Perry Rhodan but now the mutant master was concentrating on more direct method of striking at the heart of the realm of the Power.

  At this point in the development of this struggle Perry Rhodan finally found out the identity of his unknown, bitter foe.

  • • •

  All the secret services of the world had joined in one organization, the Terranian Defense Federation. The General Secretary of this influential federation was Allan D. Mercant.

  Mercant was hastily running his fingers through the thin crown of blond hair, trying to pat the unruly strands into place, when a visitor was announced.

  "Rhodan in person?" he asked to reassure himself. It had been ages since he had last talked to him. "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and show him in!"

  The young officer whirled around so swiftly that he almost knocked over Rhodan who entered the room smilingly cordially in greeting to Mercant. "It's good to see you again. You still look as lively as ever."

  "Don't be deceived by my looks, I'm getting on in age," complained Mercant bitterly and smoothed the wispy curls on his temples. His temples had turned grey but the blond of his thin wreath of hair around his big skull had s
tubbornly retained its color, thought Rhodan with a sudden suspicion. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

  "Nothing pleasant brings me here," replied Rhodan and sat down on the proferred chair. "I need your help."

  "Help?" Mercant's eyes looked saucer-like in astonishment. "I am supposed to help you ?"

  "This time, yes," smiled Rhodan; "it's an exception; I don't want to cause any political difficulties. You know yourself how sensitive some people's feelings are in that respect."

  "How true," nodded Mercant to express his agreement and compassion. "After all, we still don't have a United Government of the World."

  Rhodan leaned forward and looked inquiringly into Mercant's eyes. "Do you know a Clifford Monterny?"

  Mercant's face grew pensive and he reflected for awhile, then hesitantly he nodded his head. "I know of him but haven't met him personally."

  "Very fortunate for you," interjected Rhodan. Mercant overlooked this remark.

  "There was once a well-known physicist by the name of Monterny but he lost his life quite some time ago during an explosion."

  "That was the father. I mean his son Clifford."

  "Isn't he a physicist, too? Yes, I know of him. He's made a few inventions but has never come to the attention of the Terranian Defense Federation. Seems to have a lot of money. Has a ranch somewhere out west. But what do you want to know that for?"

  "I'd like to obtain your permission to fly over the territory of the United States with a squadron of my space-destroyers and raze Monterny's ranch to the ground. I hope you understand now why it is necessary for me first to get some official sanction."

  "What do you want? I believe..." shouted Mercant excitedly.

  "Don't believe anything, Mercant. Clifford Monterny is the mysterious mutant master, in case you are interested. He is about to shake the world order to its very foundations. He is a hypno and can cause any statesman of this globe at any moment to drop his country's stockpile of atom bombs over their neighbor's territory. Clifford Monterny is world enemy number one. Only his ruthless extinction can save us all from certain ruin. This is why I came to see you."