'Specifically, the theft of property lying under the Official Secrets Act and the unauthorized use of it in a manner calculated further to prejudice the safety of the realm. No doubt there'll also be a civil charge relating to conduct likely to lead to physical injury or loss of life.'
'That's not so good, is it, Minshull?' said Dr. Best, grinning as broadly as when they had entered the room. 'I don't like that at all.'
With a despairing glance at Hunter, Leonard said, 'What do you mean, not so good?'
'What is this property and how am I supposed to have used it?'
'You know very well, Best,' shouted Leonard. 'You stole an atomic rifle and fired it off in the middle of the night.'
'Oh? And where is this rifle now?'
'Outside in your hallstand. At least it was. I've repossessed it.'
Both doctors laughed again.
'So it isn't there any more,' said Dr. Best in childish tones. 'What a pity. If it was still there we could all have had a jolly game with it.'
'You're raving mad.' Leonard was shouting again. 'And let's have no more of this nonsense. You're coming with me.'
'Oh no, Captain Leonard,' said Dr. Best cordially. 'I'm not mad. It's you who are mad. And I have a piece of paper to prove it. It's much more powerful than any piece of paper you can produce against me.'
He picked up the document from the table and flourished it.
'I have here an order committing you to an asylum under the Mental Health Act, 1959,' he went on. 'This asylum. It's signed by two doctors-I'm sure you can guess who they are-and it provides for a course of treatment lasting one year in the first instance. Which means that I shall not be coming with you. It's you who'll be coming with me. Not very far, of course, but far enough.'
Hunter too got up.
'We've a car outside,' he said. 'Either you go there voluntarily, or Leonard and I will take you.'
'You really shouldn't have had that brandy, Captain Hunter. I fear it's been too much for you. Neither of your alternatives is acceptable.'
Hunter and Leonard each took a step forward.
'Stay where you are, you lunatics. Nurse!'
Hunter turned and saw someone he recognized come through the doorway from the consulting room, a man of about thirty-five with an unusually small nose. He had discarded the white coat he usually wore and had on a white T shirt, under which his muscles were noticeable, and white drill trousers. In each hand he carried a large hypodermic syringe.
'Hullo, Marie dear,' said the man. 'Long time no see, eh?'
'You'd better take them one at a time, nurse,' said Dr. Best. He indicated Leonard. 'This man first, I think.'
The nurse placed one of the hypodermics carefully on the sideboard between two decanters and advanced on Leonard, who took a small automatic pistol from his pocket.
'Keep away,' he said more steadily than earlier, pointing the pistol at the nurse.
The nurse came on. 'Don't be silly, my old nut,' he said.
As soon as Leonard had snicked off his safety-catch Dr. Best caught hold of his gun-arm. Hunter jumped forward and, though hampered by the intervening corner of the table, hit Dr. Best hard enough on the cheekbone to send his glasses flying and perhaps make him loosen his hold. Anyway, Leonard shook it off, but was unable to turn before the nurse was on him. The two spun away, the left hand of each grasping the other's right wrist. At once Hunter was on Dr. Best again and bent him backwards over the table. While they were struggling, Hunter heard Minshull's laughter and then a clattering sound which he interpreted correctly as that of Leonard's pistol falling to the floor. A moment later Dr. Best got a hand to the decanter on the table and hit Hunter twice on the side of the head with it. This was not very painful, and quite soon Hunter had that wrist, so that when the stopper came jumping out of the decanter he was able to direct a stream of brandy into Dr. Best's face. While he was doing this, he heard more noise behind him, this time a crashing and smashing which turned out later to have been caused by Leonard being hurled against the loaded sideboard. The brandy quietened Dr. Best down a certain amount, so then it was not hard for Hunter to pull him upright by his lapels and give him a punch on the jaw that caused him to fall over immediately and decisively. Hunter now went for the nurse, who had transferred his hypodermic to his left hand and was repeatedly hitting Leonard with his right. He stopped this just for the instant required to bring his right elbow round and down into Hunter's stomach. Hunter dropped to hands and knees, from which position he was able clearly to see Jagger burst into the room and run up to the nurse, but not what it was which flung the nurse so hard against the oak-paneled wall that he slid quickly down it and finished up motionless.
'Dear oh dear,' said Jagger. 'Got yourselves into a right mess, didn't you? Good job I got bored with huddling up in that car and started wandering round outside here. Why didn't you yell when this lot got going?'
'We didn't think of it,' said Hunter. 'At first there was no need to, and then there was too much going on.'
'I gave you strict orders to stay in that car, Jagger. Where are my spectacles?'
Leonard spoke indistinctly. He was dabbing with a handkerchief at the blood trickling from his nose and from a cut at the comer of his mouth.
'Here,' said Jagger. The glasses were undamaged.
