Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 41 — page 36: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE PHOENIX NEST Churchill Two would soon put him back to sleep with invisible violence, if only he would stay in the nest long enough. “What are you doing?” Churchill Two asked. “Tl have to warm the equip- ment before I can make the measurements,’ Strothmeyer lied. He became conscious that Professor Knaut was gasping horribly on the bed, but dared not look away from Churchill Two. “What do you mean, ‘Who is winning’ ?”’ he asked, checking his con- trols over and over. Churchill Two sneered. “Don’t act the fool with me, Herr Doktor. You know per- fectly well what I mean. Like my cells, before me, I am your captive. You won’t lose any- thing by telling me. So, who is winning? The resurgent forces of National Socialism or the decadent democracies ?”’ Strothmeyer watched his meters nervously. He needed just a few more seconds. He could not risk the truth. ““The fight goes on,” he said. - “Neither side gains much.”’ Churchill Two nodded. He was disappointed, but he 39 seemed to find hope in Stroth- meyer’s words. “I told them it would be a long fight,’’ he said. “Told who?” Strothmeyer glanced at Professor Knaut, and was shocked to see how sick the old man looked. “Goering... Himmler... Goebbels... all ofthem. Iam not surprised that it is not yet over.” He grew reminiscent and sank down a little into the nest. “In 1940, Ribbentrop said to me, ‘Only ten more years, mein Feuhrer!’ But I knew it would take longer.” Strothmeyer’s hand was on the waking stud. The meter zeroed in. He glanced once at the body of Churchill One, crumpled on the floor, then looked back at Churchill Two. Curiosity made him withhold the ray for one last moment. *“What really happened in the Chancellory bunker, before you disappeared, Herr Hitler ?” Churchill Two looked at him contemptuously. “I knew that my part of the great work was over,” he said. *“That it was up to others to carry on... He started to climb out of the nest, but he conmicloooks.Ccomn