Through the door swarmed Kingallis and four of his henchmen. They paused to get their bearing and then they plunged forward, shouting. Rhine made ineffective gestures against them—pure instinct, for her senses were shocked by their abrupt appearance.
Carroll cursed. His sense of timing told him that there was no second to waste, yet his right arm hung useless and he was reeling weakly from the shock. They did not fire again as they came swarming across the floor, but their interception of his move was as effective. Kingallis, with an angry shout, caught Carroll and hurled him away from the panel.
Kingallis caught Carroll and hurled him away from the panel.
Two of the others took Rhine by the arms and drew her back out of the way.
"Now!" snarled Kingallis, with sheer animal tones in his voice. "We'll see about this!"
He waved the other two aside and back and then stepped forward to slap Carroll across the face. The blow, meant as an insult strong enough to arouse fighting instinct, was strong enough to stagger Carroll.
"Weakling," scoffed Kingallis. He back-handed the staggering physicist again and again, driving Carroll against the far wall of the laboratory.