The intruder laid out the sheets and his flashlight on the bench. Then he took a miniature camera with a flash attachment out of his coat pocket and began photographing the papers.
Quickly Tom recorded the action with his infrared movie camera. Hearing footsteps, Tom switched off the camera and peered through the hole. The man was replacing the papers in the file and evidently preparing to leave.
110 MEGASCOPE SPACE PROBER
“Okay, mister. You’ve got what you wanted and so have I,” Tom thought grimly. “Now to nail you on the way out!”
Tom laid down his camera, tiptoed across the apartment, and quietly stepped into the corridor. The laboratory door opened and the masked figure emerged furtively.
As he paused to close the door behind him, Tom went into action. He took two quick steps down the hallway, cleared the short remaining distance in a leap, and grabbed the surprised intruder in a flying tackle 1 Both went down in a tangled, struggling heap.
Tom pulled at the man’s mask, but the intruder, half crazed with panic, fought like a wild man. Beating Tom off, he struggled to his feet.
Tom was up just as quickly. He swung an up-percut that connected with his opponent’s jaw. The man reeled and gasped in pain but punched back furiously.
Again and again Tom’s blows went home. But the man remained on his feet, fighting with a last-ditch desperation.
“Good grief! Won’t he ever go down?” Tom wondered.
Suddenly from down the corridor came the sound of running footsteps. A switch clicked and lights blazed. Rushing forward were two young plant guards from Enterprises’ security office.
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