Steed suffled through his phone book.Oh!..there it was.B...Baufort,Bomis,Brown,Byers.
He picked up the receiver and dialed.
"Hello?"
"This is Steed".
"Who?Ahhh..Wait a minute..I woke up this morning and I had a new idea and..anyway now I'm into it..and."He was probably talking about his research.
"This is Steed."
"Hello old chap.How is Mrs Peel?What a tragedy!I'm sorry about before..I was just.."
"It's ok,I know you're busy.Mrs Peel is fine.Look,I really need to see you."
"It's impossible today.What's going on?"
"I believe that your life may be in danger."This should scare him enough.
"My life?You think someone's after me??Oh!dear..Oh!dear...Do stop by then!"
If it wasn't a matter of life and death Steed would 've laughed.
"I'll be there in about...let's say twenty minutes.Ok?"
"Ok.Bye."
"Bye".
It took him forty minutes to get to Byers' appartment.There was no bell.A small plate on the door said: "Knock gently."Steed followed the instructions and soon Byers was with him.
"Come in."
Steed was looking at the plate.
"I can't stand noise.I can't concetrate!"
But he could stand chaos,Steed thought.The whole place was a mess.Papers and books spread everywhere.A black cat with green eyes was crouched at the top of a book pile,staring at Steed ,a new attraction for her.At the back room something sounded like a kettle ready to explode.It was Byers'lab.Byers removed some leaflets from the sofa,so Steed could sit.
"Now,do you really think I may be in danger?"
"There's a possibility,yes."
"Why?"
"You were sitting behind Mrs Peel,remember?"
"A coincidence,wasn't it?"
"It depends on what you're working on Byers.."
"Don't!Don't even think about it Steed...I can't talk about that,not to you,not to anyone."
"Then you're taking your own head."
"I have no other choice.It's supposed to be confidential information!"He was holding his head in his hands.
"Just a word Byers,a hint,something.For old time's shake.Remember?"A memory came to him.Some boys laughing at Byers,because he was studying so much.Steed was always there to defend him.
"I remember Steed but I can't help you.I'm not like you,I never was.This is my achievement,my life's work.I'm sorry,I can't."
"Do it for her."
"Who?"
"You know who.Mrs Peel.I have to know she's safe.She has to know she's no longer in danger,so she can rest."She didn't worry so much,but there was no need to tell Byers.
Byers sighed."Ok then.I'm working on a new medicine against cancer.I'm really close Steed.But who would want to kill me for that?I mean it's a matter of time.I'm working with a team of scientists spread all over the world,we trade results and we spend half a year doing experiments at the National Research Center,in Geneva.In fact,I'm leaving next week.If I don't finish my work,they will.The reason I can't talk about it is because there are other labs,where people work on similar subjects.But to kill someone?I hardly think so."
"What about competition?What if someone wanted to slow you down?"
"Then they'd kill Dr.Caine.He's the most promising chemist I've ever known.They wouldn't go for me."
"Maybe somebody doesn't want this new medicine to come out.A pharmaceutical company...I mean maybe they want people to stay sick.We're talking about a lot of money here."
"They can't stop it.I mean,now research isn't like thirty years ago.I'm telling you,it's team work.Besides,there are many types of cancer Steed.We're working on a form of stomach cancer,I can't get into details.Genetics has got to do a lot with it.This isn't a cure for everyone.I wish it was ...Unfortunately,the natural world is much more complicated than one might think... "
"I see."He was dissapointed.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't be more helpful."An alarm clock started ringing.
"Never mind.Thank you Byers."
"OH!The time has come...."He rushed off into his lab.
"Goodbye!"Steed yelled behind his back.
"Bye.Sorry,I don't have much time...Give Mrs Peel my best regards."His voice coming from the lab,muffled.
Steed showed himself out.
He picked up the receiver and dialed.
"Hello?"
"This is Steed".
"Who?Ahhh..Wait a minute..I woke up this morning and I had a new idea and..anyway now I'm into it..and."He was probably talking about his research.
"This is Steed."
"Hello old chap.How is Mrs Peel?What a tragedy!I'm sorry about before..I was just.."
"It's ok,I know you're busy.Mrs Peel is fine.Look,I really need to see you."
"It's impossible today.What's going on?"
"I believe that your life may be in danger."This should scare him enough.
"My life?You think someone's after me??Oh!dear..Oh!dear...Do stop by then!"
If it wasn't a matter of life and death Steed would 've laughed.
"I'll be there in about...let's say twenty minutes.Ok?"
"Ok.Bye."
"Bye".
It took him forty minutes to get to Byers' appartment.There was no bell.A small plate on the door said: "Knock gently."Steed followed the instructions and soon Byers was with him.
"Come in."
Steed was looking at the plate.
"I can't stand noise.I can't concetrate!"
But he could stand chaos,Steed thought.The whole place was a mess.Papers and books spread everywhere.A black cat with green eyes was crouched at the top of a book pile,staring at Steed ,a new attraction for her.At the back room something sounded like a kettle ready to explode.It was Byers'lab.Byers removed some leaflets from the sofa,so Steed could sit.
"Now,do you really think I may be in danger?"
"There's a possibility,yes."
"Why?"
"You were sitting behind Mrs Peel,remember?"
"A coincidence,wasn't it?"
"It depends on what you're working on Byers.."
"Don't!Don't even think about it Steed...I can't talk about that,not to you,not to anyone."
"Then you're taking your own head."
"I have no other choice.It's supposed to be confidential information!"He was holding his head in his hands.
"Just a word Byers,a hint,something.For old time's shake.Remember?"A memory came to him.Some boys laughing at Byers,because he was studying so much.Steed was always there to defend him.
"I remember Steed but I can't help you.I'm not like you,I never was.This is my achievement,my life's work.I'm sorry,I can't."
"Do it for her."
"Who?"
"You know who.Mrs Peel.I have to know she's safe.She has to know she's no longer in danger,so she can rest."She didn't worry so much,but there was no need to tell Byers.
Byers sighed."Ok then.I'm working on a new medicine against cancer.I'm really close Steed.But who would want to kill me for that?I mean it's a matter of time.I'm working with a team of scientists spread all over the world,we trade results and we spend half a year doing experiments at the National Research Center,in Geneva.In fact,I'm leaving next week.If I don't finish my work,they will.The reason I can't talk about it is because there are other labs,where people work on similar subjects.But to kill someone?I hardly think so."
"What about competition?What if someone wanted to slow you down?"
"Then they'd kill Dr.Caine.He's the most promising chemist I've ever known.They wouldn't go for me."
"Maybe somebody doesn't want this new medicine to come out.A pharmaceutical company...I mean maybe they want people to stay sick.We're talking about a lot of money here."
"They can't stop it.I mean,now research isn't like thirty years ago.I'm telling you,it's team work.Besides,there are many types of cancer Steed.We're working on a form of stomach cancer,I can't get into details.Genetics has got to do a lot with it.This isn't a cure for everyone.I wish it was ...Unfortunately,the natural world is much more complicated than one might think... "
"I see."He was dissapointed.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't be more helpful."An alarm clock started ringing.
"Never mind.Thank you Byers."
"OH!The time has come...."He rushed off into his lab.
"Goodbye!"Steed yelled behind his back.
"Bye.Sorry,I don't have much time...Give Mrs Peel my best regards."His voice coming from the lab,muffled.
Steed showed himself out.
