The mountain man's jaw opened and closed like that of a stranded fish. His eyes bulged and perspiration beaded his brow but words would not come.
The earless man squatted beside them. "Perhaps when he was cutting out the eyes he stayed too long in the room where the gas was."
"What kind of gas?"
"I don't know the names of gases."
"Dammit, what did it smell like? Salty? Stinging?"
"No, like the flower with the red and white petals. Leave him alone," the young man's voice rose in sudden authority. "You haven't time for him. Put in the eyes."
But Jeff hastened to the medicine cabinet and took out an emetic and a heart stimulant. He knew that gas.
"Get to work on the master, I said." The earless one's voice rose a notch. "Quick or I shall kill you." He brought the large muzzle of his sten gun in line with Jeff's eyes.
"And The Assassin will die on the table," the doctor retorted as he pried open Taen's mouth.
"Garth," he shouted as he injected the heart stimulant into the now retching Taen.