Stutsman nodded. “I watched. You can't get away with it, Manning. You can't take the law into your own hands that way."
"You and Chambers have been taking the law into your hands for years,” said Greg. “All I did tonight was clear the Earth of some vermin. Every one of those men was guilty of murder… and worse."
"What did you gain by it?” asked Stutsman.
Greg gave a bitter laugh. “I convinced you, Stutsman,” he said, “that it isn't so easy to kill me. I think it'll be some time before you try again. Better luck next time."
He flipped the switch and turned about in the chair.
Russ jerked his thumb at the skylight. “Might as well finish the ship now."
Greg nodded.
An instant later there was a fierce, intolerably blue-white light that lit the mountains for many miles. For just an instant it flared, exploding into millions of brilliant, harmless sparks that died into darkness before they touched the ground. The gangster ship was destroyed beyond all tracing, disintegrated. The metal and quartz of which it was made were simply gone.
Russ brought his glance back from the skylight, looked at his friend. “Stutsman will do everything he can to wipe us out. By tomorrow morning the Interplanetary machine will be rolling. With only one purpose-to crush us."
"That's right,” Greg agreed, “but we're ready for them now. Our ship left the Belgium factories several hours ago. The Comet towed it out in space and it's waiting for us now. In a few hours The Comet will be here to pick us up."