Tales of the Unexpected #20

In "The Earth Gladiator," John Trent faces an alien champion in a high-stakes game of survival, where the fate of Earth hangs in the balance. Outmatched and outgunned, Trent must rely on cunning and courage to defend humanity in a fight that tests more than just strength.

In "The Remarkable Mr. Multiplier," Thad Merkel’s groundbreaking machine can replicate any object with astonishing precision—until it starts showing signs of a mischievous, almost childlike intelligence. When the device unexpectedly thwarts a gang of thieves with clever, playful interventions, Merkel realizes its autonomy is both brilliant and deeply unsettling. The story explores the fine line between invention and unintended consequence, as one man must decide whether to preserve a machine that thinks for itself—or erase it before it becomes something beyond control.