The Avenger 34 - The Glass Man Read Online Free PDF Page A

onto it. He thrashed wildly, trying to pry away the fingers. And behind him were the images of the zombie, dead eyes staring, and the desperate girl.
    “The guy’s having a fit.”
    “It’s Napton.”
    “Hey, Nappy, you jitterbugging?”
    Napton heard none of this. He heard only the invisible man saying, “This is for Rusty.”
    Then he fell backward into blackness. He died as he hit the floor.
    The movie went on.

CHAPTER VII

Reinforcements
    Algernon Heathcote Smith, better known as Smitty, balanced the small black object on the palm of his hand. It was the size, and had the dimensions, of a child’s building block “This one’s even better than the last one,” he announced proudly. “Heck of a lot smaller, too.” He was a giant of a man, but a kind-hearted giant. His specialty was electrical engineering, and now and then he liked to tinker with something inconsequential.
    Looking up from the maps and charts which he had spread out on the floor of the large Justice, Inc., office, Josh Newton asked, “What is it, another radio?”
    Smitty tossed the small black object up toward the ceiling, caught it, and walked to the windows. The Venetian blinds were unlike those to be found in any other office in Manhattan, being made of bulletproof nickel-steel. “Look at that snow coming down on Bleek Street,” he said. “Bet it ain’t snowing in New Mexico.”
    “Not the part Nellie and Cole are in,” said the black man. He’d been going over maps of the Nolansville area.
    “I’m pretty sure,” said the giant, eyes still on the fast-falling snow, “Nellie’s too smart to fall for Cole’s line.”
    “She’s too smart to fall for anything.”
    “Yeah, she’s really a terrific dame.” He turned on a tiny switch on the little radio with his huge fingers. “I missed an episode this morning, don’t want to lose out on the afternoon rebroadcast.”
    The radio said, “. . . again it’s time for the heartaches and triumphs of The Romance of Mary Joyce, MD. The everyday story of a lovely surgeon who . . .”
    “You still following that soap opera?”
    “It’s more than a soap opera, Josh, it’s a slice of life.”
    “What end did they slice it off?”
    “Naw, really, there’s something about this show.”
    “. . . the glad news that little Jerry will walk again, though only for short distances. Meanwhile, Mary’s rival at the huge Civic General Hospital, the sultry Nurse Rodermann, has planted the seeds which will . . .”
    “I’m glad little Jerry can walk,” said Smitty. “I was worried after they removed his toes.”
    “Only one toe,” said Josh.
    “Oh, that’s right.” Smitty dropped into a chair, resting the newly invented radio on his knee.
    “. . . missing from the medicine cabinet in Mary Joyce’s tastefully furnished townhouse apartment. Can those be the very same pills which took the life of iceskating champ Nils . . .”
    The door opened and a dark-haired young man came into the office. It was Richard Henry Benson, also known as the Avenger. There was something about the way he moved, about the glint in his eyes, which told you that this was no ordinary young man.
    Smitty clicked off the radio. “Afternoon, Dick.”
    After seating himself behind the desk the Avenger said, “Nellie phoned me a few moments ago.”
    “She okay?” Smitty dropped his radio to the floor.
    “Nellie’s all right,” answered Benson. “We’re not sure about Cole, however.”
    Josh asked, “What’s happened to him?”
    “That’s what we’re going out there to find out,” Benson told them. His eyes were narrowed, glowing with determination.
    “Give us the details,” requested the giant.
    “Cole and Nellie went out there to New Mexico to find out why Dr. Dean disappeared. Now Cole seems to have disappeared as well.”
    “Turned invisible maybe?” said Smitty.
    “I don’t think so. Nellie doesn’t know exactly what happened.” He repeated the details the girl had given him over the