But there are ways of starting trouble—
The intercom pealed in Maynard's office. "Andrew has escaped," came the message.
Maynard smiled. "Good. As we planned?"
"According to clockwork," came the amused answer. "He bopped Timmy over the head with that hunk of plastic, used the same plastic rod to pry his way out of the house, and then he took off like a demon in the Ursiad's lifeship."
"I wonder what he thought we had it out for," laughed Guy. "Also I wonder what he thought we were using to keep him in?"
"He's not too well informed. He knows, for instance, that we can avoid the vortex—and that some sort of mind-reading gadget is available. Furthermore, he knows that there is one on Ertene. Nothing about the stuff, understand, but just that such a thing exists."
"That's the ticket," smiled Guy. "Now we'll get action!"
Detector operation of the following events were impossible. In their place, the men in Maynard's black chamber controlled a model of the System, synchronized with others throughout the Mephistan system of planet and moons.
And for the first time in history, Mars and Terra took off in battle array and headed together in the same direction. And Mephisto followed them, watching all the way.