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Terl looked at Jo
He was gone for some time. Jo
Then the truck rocked as Terl's enormous weight came onto it again.
He looked down at Jo
The recon drone rumbled in from the distance and passed over with an earsplitting roar. Jo
“Good,” said Terl, approving. “You know what spotted her and so you know what will spot you now, if you get up to anything I don't like. Beautiful pictures we get with that thing. Tiniest detail. Get off the truck.”
Jo
Chrissie and Pattie were tied to an iron rod that had been inset into the side of the pool. Chrissie was trying to massage some feeling back into Pattie's arms and legs, and the little girl was crying with the pain of returning blood.
“Now, animal,” said Terl, “I am giving you a briefing tour, so pay very close attention.” Terl pointed to an electric co
Terl yanked Jo
“Now tell those two other animals to watch this carefully,” said Terl.
Jo
“Well, no matter,” said Terl. “I see they are watching.”
With his gloved paw, Terl held up the struggling coyote and launched it at the bars.
There was a searing puff of light. The coyote shrieked.
An instant later it was a charred, crackling mess on the bars, turning black.
Terl chuckled. “Animal, tell them if they touch those bars, that's what will happen.”
Jo
“Next,” said Terl, taking off the glove and putting it in his belt, “we have a real treat for you.”
Terl reached into his pocket and took out a compact switch box. “You know all about remotes, animal. Remember your tractor! This is a remote.” He pointed at the two girls. “Now look closely and you will see they are wearing a different kind of collar. See that red bulge on the side of the collar?”
Jo
“That,” said Terl, “is a small bomb. It is enough to shatter their necks and blow their heads off. Understand, animal?”
Jo
“This switch,” said Terl, pointing to his remote control box, “is the small animal. This switch,” and he pointed to another, “sets off the collar of the other animal. This box-'
" And what is the third switch?” said Jo
“Well, thank you for asking. I didn't think I was getting through to your rat brain. This third switch ignites a general charge in the cage that you do not know the location of and that will blow up the whole lot.”
Terl was smiling behind his faceplate, his amber eyes slitted, flickering, watching Jo
At length he continued. “This control box is always on my person. There are also two other remotes in places you don't know about. Now, is all that very clear to you?”
“It’s clear to me,” said Jo
“Animal, we are standing here jabbering and omitting the fact that I have truly befriended you.”
Jo
Terl took out a metal cutter and snipped off Jo
“Run around,” said Terl. “Feel liberty. Frisk!”
Terl moved off and started picking up some odds and ends of tools he had strewn about while working. The stench of the electrocuted coyote was rank in the air.
“And what do I pay for this?” said Jo
Terl came back. “Animal, you must have realized by now– in spite of your rat brain– that your best course is to cooperate with me.”
"In what way?”
“That's better, animal. I like to see gratitude.”
"In what way?” repeated Jo
“The company has some projects that need doing. They are very confidential, of course. And you are standing there pledging your full cooperation. Right?”
Jo
“And when they are all done,” said Terl, “why, I will stagger you with gifts, and you can return to the mountains.”
“With them,” said Jo
“Of course, and with your four-legged companions as well.”
Jo
“Of course,” said Terl, “if you try to get away– which I think by now you have found impossible– or if you seek to mess me up or if you don't succeed, why then, very easy, the little one loses its head. And if you repeat your mistake in any way, the bigger one loses its head. And if you go off the cable completely, the whole place blows up. Now do I have your promise of cooperation?”
“I can move around all I please?”
“Of course, animal. I’m tired of hunting rats for you. And I’m sure not going to hunt rats for those two in there!” Terl laughed, the soul of joviality.
“I can go into the cage?”
“When I’m standing outside with my little remote control box watching. Yes.”
“I can ride around the country?”
“As long as you wear this,” said Terl. He pulled out of his pocket a button camera with a loose neck band and dropped it over Jo
“You're not a monster. You're a devil.”
But Terl saw clearly he had won. “So you promise?”
Jo
“I promise to do the project,” said Jo
But it was enough for Terl. He almost gaily tossed his tools into the back of the truck and drove off.
Jo