Read Online Flash Gordon 3 - The Space Circus by Alex Raymond - Free Book Online
Authors: Alex Raymond
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We don’t, remember, know very much about Mesmo.”
“Well, I suppose living in the forest or the jungle, or wherever it is we’re going to wind up, is better than being a prisoner,” she said. “And better than being . . . well, than being like poor Zumm.”
“Wait,” called Booker. “Help me, will you?” He’d fallen, tripped over a twisting root.
Sixy, sighing, halted and went back to give the black man a hand up. “Maybe it would be simpler if I hefted you, Booker.”
“My ankle’s busted or sprained,” said the fallen Booker.
Sixy bent down toward him. There was a droning humming sound and he froze where he stood.
“It must be—” began Jape, two of his hands reaching for weapons. The droning came again and he never reached either one.
Mallox roared, lumbered in the direction of the rifleman, but he was hit before he got there. Flash let go of Narla and threw himself to the ground. He rolled, did a backward somersault, and was behind the trunk of a huge oak before the stun rifle could fire again.
CHAPTER 19
I n spite of the cold nervousness which filled him, Djorj smiled to himself. I’ll soon have them all, he thought, hunched in the brush a few yards from the spot where the stunned Sixy, Jape, and Mallox stood frozen. The blue man had only picked up their trail moments earlier.
The blonde girl had fallen when Flash made his dive for concealment. She was struggling to her feet now and was crawling in the direction Flash had taken.
Can’t let that one get away. Djorj squeezed the trigger again.
Narla froze, still on all fours.
What about the black one? He appears to be injured, unable to move, reflected the trapper. Yet he makes a good deal of noise.
“Who is it out there?” Booker was shouting. “You don’t have to kill me. I give up. It was their idea to run away, not mine.”
None of this meant anything to Djorj. I’d better stun him, just to be on the safe side.
“Come on, we can make some kind of deal.”
The rifle hummed once more.
“That’s five of them,” tallied the blue man. “Imagine what money they’ll bring. I’m sure to be paid at least a hundred harlans for each one. In fact, I’ll insist on at least that much before I turn them over to anyone, militia or otherwise. That’ll mean at least five hundred. Perhaps it will come to even more. But I still have to catch the sixth one, the last one. He looks to be more cunning, more dangerous than the rest of the pack.
Djorj stayed another moment in his hiding place, rain hitting down at him.
The beast may be getting away even now, he thought. I have to start after him. He began to move, traveling as silently as when he had approached the group initially.
Flash bellied along over the damp mossy ground, soundlessly. He eased behind the trunk of another tree, listening.
Didn’t hear them coming at all, he thought. Don’t even know how many of them are out there.
With his head close to the earth, hidden by thick underbrush, Flash could see part of the area where they’d been attacked. He saw the immobile Narla, the shock-still Jape.
Nobody’s come near them yet.
Flash heard something, caught his breath, and listened more intently. Only the sound of the rain clattering down on the leaves and branches came to him.
But I heard something else, he thought again. Somebody stepped on a branch, not very far from me.
With narrowed eyes, he scanned the forest around him. There was no sign of anyone—no sound of anyone. The rain kept falling.
He sensed the presence of the trapper before he heard him or saw him. Flash threw himself to the side as the rifle hummed.
He swung and fired his stungun.
But the blue man was not where he had been, framed between two tree trunks.
Flash ducked, then spun around behind a tree bole. That guy must be used to walking in these woods, Flash decided. He hardly makes a sound.
He took three steps backward, slightly crouched, watchful. Then something caught him around the ankle. It
“Well, I suppose living in the forest or the jungle, or wherever it is we’re going to wind up, is better than being a prisoner,” she said. “And better than being . . . well, than being like poor Zumm.”
“Wait,” called Booker. “Help me, will you?” He’d fallen, tripped over a twisting root.
Sixy, sighing, halted and went back to give the black man a hand up. “Maybe it would be simpler if I hefted you, Booker.”
“My ankle’s busted or sprained,” said the fallen Booker.
Sixy bent down toward him. There was a droning humming sound and he froze where he stood.
“It must be—” began Jape, two of his hands reaching for weapons. The droning came again and he never reached either one.
Mallox roared, lumbered in the direction of the rifleman, but he was hit before he got there. Flash let go of Narla and threw himself to the ground. He rolled, did a backward somersault, and was behind the trunk of a huge oak before the stun rifle could fire again.
CHAPTER 19
I n spite of the cold nervousness which filled him, Djorj smiled to himself. I’ll soon have them all, he thought, hunched in the brush a few yards from the spot where the stunned Sixy, Jape, and Mallox stood frozen. The blue man had only picked up their trail moments earlier.
The blonde girl had fallen when Flash made his dive for concealment. She was struggling to her feet now and was crawling in the direction Flash had taken.
Can’t let that one get away. Djorj squeezed the trigger again.
Narla froze, still on all fours.
What about the black one? He appears to be injured, unable to move, reflected the trapper. Yet he makes a good deal of noise.
“Who is it out there?” Booker was shouting. “You don’t have to kill me. I give up. It was their idea to run away, not mine.”
None of this meant anything to Djorj. I’d better stun him, just to be on the safe side.
“Come on, we can make some kind of deal.”
The rifle hummed once more.
“That’s five of them,” tallied the blue man. “Imagine what money they’ll bring. I’m sure to be paid at least a hundred harlans for each one. In fact, I’ll insist on at least that much before I turn them over to anyone, militia or otherwise. That’ll mean at least five hundred. Perhaps it will come to even more. But I still have to catch the sixth one, the last one. He looks to be more cunning, more dangerous than the rest of the pack.
Djorj stayed another moment in his hiding place, rain hitting down at him.
The beast may be getting away even now, he thought. I have to start after him. He began to move, traveling as silently as when he had approached the group initially.
Flash bellied along over the damp mossy ground, soundlessly. He eased behind the trunk of another tree, listening.
Didn’t hear them coming at all, he thought. Don’t even know how many of them are out there.
With his head close to the earth, hidden by thick underbrush, Flash could see part of the area where they’d been attacked. He saw the immobile Narla, the shock-still Jape.
Nobody’s come near them yet.
Flash heard something, caught his breath, and listened more intently. Only the sound of the rain clattering down on the leaves and branches came to him.
But I heard something else, he thought again. Somebody stepped on a branch, not very far from me.
With narrowed eyes, he scanned the forest around him. There was no sign of anyone—no sound of anyone. The rain kept falling.
He sensed the presence of the trapper before he heard him or saw him. Flash threw himself to the side as the rifle hummed.
He swung and fired his stungun.
But the blue man was not where he had been, framed between two tree trunks.
Flash ducked, then spun around behind a tree bole. That guy must be used to walking in these woods, Flash decided. He hardly makes a sound.
He took three steps backward, slightly crouched, watchful. Then something caught him around the ankle. It
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