You Can't Buy Eternity!

by Dwight V. Swain

Ross' voice crackled. "All right, you! Do you live or die?"

But now, equilibrium recovered, his prisoner only sneered. "Go ahead. Shoot. A fat lot of good it'll do you, locked up there in that room."

Ross' nostrils flared. He dug the pistol deep into the other's broad back.

But Veta caught his arm. "No, Stewart! No! That's not the way!"

And then, to the guard: "Look, Burrage: this is your chance as well as ours."

"My chance—?" The man's eyes rolled as he tried to look far enough round to see her.

"Yes, of course." Veta moved closer. "Did Cheng tell you a batch of Tornelescu's life catalyst was stolen, along with the formulas?"

"It was—?"

"Yes, and it's worth millions—more money than you can even count."

"Where is it?"