"Get them!” Thorn shouted hoarsely, lunging out.
The charging Planeteers reached the two Saturnians before they could level the weapons they had drawn. Thorn grabbed the atom-pistol of one of the green men, and twisted fiercely.
The Saturnian suddenly let go of the gun and jumped back, clawing a pocket-audio from his jacket. He shouted wildly into the little instrument.
"Dungeon-guards calling for help! The prisoners are—"
Thorn brought the atom-pistol down on the man's head, and he sank with a groan. Gunner and Sual Av had already knocked out the other guard, and the Mercurian had his gun.
"That call will bring guards down here at once!” Thorn cried. “Quick — the drain by which we got in here! It's our one chance now to get to the space-ship court!"
They ran down the short dungeon corridor to the place where the drain opened. The inertrum bars had been reset in new cement to repair the drain-grating, Thorn saw instantly.
He leveled his gun and triggered rapidly. The bursting flares of blinding energy burned away the new cement, again freeing the inertrum bars. As Gunner Welk bent and tore loose the bars, Thorn heard over the roar of the storm a rush of running feet.
"They're coming!” he cried, and leaped headfirst down into the narrow tube. The others followed him.
Thorn writhed down the cramped pipe with frantic haste, ahead of the Mercurian and Venusian. He heard distant yells as soldiers burst into the dungeon which they had just quit.