The Quakelizors, Tom argued, seemed to offer protection against any future quake waves, unless the power of the shocks was greatly stepped up. Meantime, working through Exman, Tom might be able to provide the Brungarian loyalists with valuable information. “I’m hoping it will help them overthrow the rebel clique and their brutal allied military bosses.”
162 THE VISITOR FROM PLANET X
The State Department men conferred, then Thurston spoke up quietly, “In our opinion, it’s worth a gamble.”
After the group had left, the Swifts resumed their sensing experiments in Tom’s private laboratory. They were hard at work when the signal bell suddenly rang on the electronic brain.
The two scientists rushed to read the incoming message. It said: EXMAN TO SWIFTS. ONE ENEMY EARTHQUAKE PRODUCER IS AT …
Here the message gave precise latitude and longitude figures. It went on: RUIN OF SWIFT PLACE IN ONE WEEK.
Tom and his father gasped in dismay. “I thought the New York-New England Quakelizor was going to protect us!” the young inventor exclaimed. “Our enemies must have located another earth fault with Enterprises right in its path!”
Hastily opening an atlas, Tom fingered the location of the proposed source of attack. It was Balala Island off the coast of Peru.
“Dad, that settles it!” Tom declared grimly. “It’s clear now that those Brungarian rebels want to destroy us and use Exman in some way to conquer the earth!”
“I don’t doubt that you’re right, son,” Mr. Swift said grimly. “We must act fast!
But how?”