Page 40 - Unlikely Stories 5

The Robert N. Hood Foundation

Marianne Ward, your accomplice according to your barely disguised
notes, has left for Zurich where you intend to meet her tomorrow
and divide the spoils hidden in numbered Swiss accounts. But first
you need to create a diversion by destroying me.”
“And I will!” screamed Gisbourne, throwing off the nylon cord
and caution to the winds. He grabbed the poison-tipped razor-sharp
flat-blade screwdriver from his belt and leaped across the desk at
Robert Hood. The latter, who had been gazing intently at his
computer monitor, fell backward with an expression of horror
contorting his features. Then the thick forearm of Firetruck halted
Gisbourne’s impetuous advance, locking firmly around the man’s
neck.
Hood recovered his poise and came carefully around the desk to
look at the fallen telephone repairman. Then he went quickly to his
office telephone and punched in a few numbers. He spoke briefly
and hung up.
“That ought to do it, Firetruck. That knot was just loose enough.
Johnnie can splice the tape from our concealed surveillance cameras
into a credible sequence of felonious entry, unprovoked attack on a
defenseless man and your quick response to save my life. Too bad
about Mr. Gisbourne. Those chokeholds are so easily fatal. And I was
just about to thank him for the Omniphage—we didn’t have a Mark
IV. It will make our next target much easier to identify.”

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