Polly touched his shoulders. 'Those giant robots in Manhattan weren't ghosts, Joe. Or the Flying Wings that wiped out the Legion's base, or that mysterious woman who killed Dr. Jennings and knocked us both unconscious.'
Dex found himself intrigued by the control panels. He smeared dust from glass gauges and engraved plates that identified systems. With complete confidence, or just reckless curiosity, he started flipping switches. Indicator lamps illuminated, a sparkling sequence of red, yellow, and green.
'Blinking lights,' Dex said. 'That's a good sign.'
Without thinking, he almost sat down in the high-backed chair, but stopped himself before he could drop into the mummy's lap. One switch seemed more prominent than the others, so Dex flipped it without hesitating because they didn't have time for caution.
The low bass hum of large machinery increased. The thick metal shutters forming one wall of the mad genius' inner sanctum began to grind aside to reveal a broad picture window. Totenkopf's empire of enslaved machines lay revealed before them.
Breathing quickly, they gathered at the window to watch as hundreds upon hundreds of robots toiled endlessly in the background. The entire island had been transformed into a single organism that was dedicated to one task.
'Totenkopf had his great plan, and he programmed all his robots with very precise instructions,' Dex said. 'Even after he died, they never stopped, his machines. Those worker robots are finishing what they were programmed to do. They don't need their master anymore to complete their task.'
Dr. Vargas placed his hands flat against the glass of the broad window. 'Don't you see? This entire island is Totenkopf. Every wire, every gear. He's found a way to cheat even his own death.'
'So how do you kill someone who's already dead?' Polly asked. 'And by the way, we've only got a minute or two left to do it.'
Suddenly, a low rumble throbbed through the giant complex. The entire mountain began to shake. The two surviving Unit Eleven scientists looked at each other.
The rumble became louder and louder, and the floor was jolted by the force of immense rocket engines igniting. Totenkopf's desiccated cadaver swiveled in the chair.
Sky Captain turned to Dex. 'How do we stop it?'
Old Dr. Vargas shook his head and turned away from the window. 'Nothing can stop the end of the world now.'
34
A Deadly Countdown. A Painful Good-bye. A Final Face-Off
As vented rocket exhaust roared out of the wide cones at the base of the gantry structure, Totenkopf's control room itself started to collapse. The ceiling buckled, and a long crack split the glass of the viewing window. Debris rained down from the quaking force of the rocket ship's engines.
Polly ducked, shielding her head. 'There must be a way to cut it off!'
Dr. Vargas and Dr. Lang huddled together, chattering in heated German, tossing desperate ideas back and forth, and then dismissing every one. Dex looked at the two old men, hoping to contribute. Totenkopf's notes and journals lay strewn across the desk, but it was far too much information to absorb in a few seconds.
Figuring that he couldn't possibly make matters worse, Dex furiously worked the control panel, slapping switches and cutting off power systems. As the rocket's thrust continued to build, automated systems across the entire complex shorted out. Dex reeled backward, covering his face from a fountain of sparks. Smoke curled from the control panel. 'I don't think I pushed the right button.'
Scratching his goatee, Dr. Vargas turned back to Sky Captain. He wore a hangdog expression. 'Even if it were possible, Totenkopf's machine defenders would never allow us to get close enough to succeed. They won't permit anything to interfere with their programming.'
Sky Captain squared his shoulders. 'You let me worry about the damned machines.' He cracked his knuckles. 'Just show me what to do.'
'May as well let him try,' Dr. Lang said.
Vargas led Sky Captain to the dusty mahogany desk and unrolled the schematics to the rocket ship. 'We worked on this design. The scientists of Unit Eleven were familiar with its capabilities. It was our job to determine — and eliminate — any flaws or weaknesses. But on such a monumental construction, it is not possible to achieve perfection.' He lowered his sad eyes. 'Some of us did not want to.'
With a yellowed fingernail, he pointed out an electrical conduit that ran through the rocket's control module. 'Here, observe closely.'
Dr. Lang joined him, so excited he could speak only in German. Vargas replied, and both of them explained in rapid-fire words. Sky Captain looked at the two old men, lost.
Dex stepped in. 'They say if you can cut the lead in the system terminal, it should create a short that will ignite the fuel line before the rocket can reach its third stage.' He grinned. 'Big explosion. No more rocket, no more problem, no more end of the world.'
Sky Captain felt relieved but puzzled by the plan's simplicity. 'That's it? That's all I have to do?' He slapped Dex on the back. 'Let's go, then. No time to waste. Where's this — '
'The terminal is on board the rocket, Cap.' The young man's face was grave. 'And… once you cut the lead, there won't be time for you to escape.'
Sky Captain froze, then came to terms with the situation. 'Well, there's no use crying about it. We're talking about saving the world.' He took a long breath, then turned solemnly to Polly. 'Get Dex and the scientists to safety. You know where my Warhawk is. Dex can fly her… probably.' The young man blushed. 'Contact Franky as soon as you're off the island. She'll know what to do from there.'
Polly put her hands on her hips. 'What are you talking about, Joe? I'm coming with you.'
'Not this time.'
'We had a deal! You're not leaving without me — not when things are finally getting interesting.' Polly held up her camera, insistent. 'Besides, I still have to take my last photo.' She didn't want to think that the final picture on the roll of film would show the rocket exploding, with Sky Captain on board. Then Polly surprised both of them by giving him an emotional embrace. 'I won't let you — '
A calm suddenly came over him as he gazed into her blue eyes. His voice softened. 'I wish we had more time, Polly. I only hope you can forgive me someday.'
Polly looked at him quizzically. 'Forgive you? Oh, for Nanjing…?'
'No. For this.' Sky Captain pulled Polly close, kissing her hard. Then, without warning, he swung back and punched her squarely in the jaw. Knocked unconscious, Polly collapsed into Dex's waiting arms. The young man caught her, looking surprised.
'Take care of her, Dex.'
'Sure, Cap.' He struggled to hold on to Polly's limp form as Sky Captain raced out of the room. 'Good luck.'
The rocket's engines built up thrust for takeoff, consuming more and more fuel. The skyscraper-tall structure strained against the clamps holding it in place until the output had reached its maximum levels.
Setting his flight goggles over his eyes so he could see through the caustic fumes and stinging smoke, Sky Captain fought his way through the growing inferno as the island continued to shake. The intense vibrations made him reel from side to side. He ducked from an erratically swinging robot arm connected to an assembly line, then careened into a burly mechanical worker, then tripped and sprawled to the ground.
Robotic janitors followed their programming, striving in vain to keep the work floor tidy.
Sky Captain hauled himself to his feet and continued to fight his way through the rocky chamber. The chaos grew worse the closer he got to the rocket ship, but he staggered forward.
He finally emerged on the launch bay where he skidded to a stop. The mysterious black-clad woman stood there facing him, her arms at her sides. She adjusted her opaque goggles and turned a stony, perfect face toward
