Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 41 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION the right thing in the right tone of voice. He accom- panied them to the nearest velo-track subway entrance, and there they exchanged brief goodbyes. His eyes followed them a little sadly as they disappeared down the escalator, arm in arm, then he turned back towards the doomed buildings of the Citadel. There was a female clerk in the Index room, but Rondo sent her away on an imaginary errand. Then, working swiftly, he tore the long, narrow drawers from the steel filing cabinet, emptying the small rectangular cards into a heap in the centre of the floor. This completed, he took out his pistol, removed the clip of expansion slugs, and fitted a new clip of incendiaries; then, with cool deliberation, he fired six times into the mass of index cards. In a few seconds the whole - floor was ablaze with licking tongues of flame, and white smoke filled the air with asphyxiating fumes. Rondo backed out of the door, surveying his handiwork with 90 sober satisfaction. And then, unexpectedly, a voice said: “T’ve been looking for you, Major.” He swung round, raising the pistol, and saw the astonished face of Lieu- tenant Pope. “What the hell...?” ex- claimed the Lieutenant. Com- prehension flickered in his eyes. He took in the angry smoke pouring from the half open door of the Index Room, then looked at Rondo’s grim face, and the tense finger quivering on the trigger of _the pistol. “You—Rondo—of all people!” he said, almost in reproach. “Kratt’s been mur- dered—and my guess is you did it, then set fire to the Index. You’re a Reversionist agent.” His hand moved swiftly to his tunic pocket—but Rondo got him first. An incendiary slug exploded in Pope’s brain. For a moment his head seemed to be on fire with intense, white light, then he was a crumpled, smouldering cadaver on the floor. There were footsteps at the end of the corridor. Rondo spun round, his heart sinking comiclooks.conn