Ker got on his breathe-mask. He tiptoed over to the machine and picked it up, using only one arm. Then he tiptoed over to the door and suddenly swung it open as though walking out.
A wave of breathe-gas burst out of the room.
Lars was standing there, frozen in the act of attaching a listening device to the door. He wore no air mask.
The invisible puff of breathe-gas hit Lars full in the face.
He must have been in the act of taking a breath at that moment, for he rose on his toes like someone being strangled.
He gagged. He reeled back. He fought for air. He started to turn blue. In another few seconds he would start into convulsions.
Jonnie and Angus grabbed him, one on each arm, and rushed him back to clearer air. Angus fanned him with a metal plate he’d found on the floor.
Graduall
