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374 "That's right," said the doctor, "And when I opened the box, it was empty."

375 "Scientists are studying your box," said the Old Man, "But I don't think they will learn anything from it."

376 "What do you think: is Christian still alive?" asked Fox. "Yes, I believe so," said the Old Man. "Up to now they have always left the decapitated bodies of their victims. So I think they have not killed Captain Christian. Evidently they have taken him with them - alive. But why? And where?"

Fox felt better.

377 "Then there is a chance," he said: "If Christian is alive, maybe he will escape and bring us the information that we need."

"I hope so," said the Old Man.

378 Christian was in a very large hall with a high ceiling and no windows. He had an impression that he was deep underground.

379 In the walls of the hall there were some doors through which he could see long corridors. The central part of the hall was occupied by a big construction with ladders and balconies. Two Brains stood near a large switchboard with red and green lights. The sides of the construction were covered with black crystals.

380 The crystals were placed in pairs. From time to time a Brain appeared from nowhere and put his black crystal into the construction, and then a red light on the switchboard turned into green. Sometimes another Brain took the crystal from the construction and fastened it to his belt. Then he touched the crystal and disappeared.

381 Christian understood that this construction was a kind of transmitter, with the help of which the Brains got to the earth and disappeared from it.

382 He wanted to jump to his feet and break the machine... but two Brains armed with decapitators were guarding him. The crystal, with the help of which he had got into that hall, was taken from his belt and put into the transmitter.

He began to wonder where he was.

383 Was he still on the earth but underground? Or was it another planet? Or maybe, he was on board a spaceship?

He decided that he must wait and learn all he could.

384 A woman came from one of the corridors. It was a very strange woman. She had long blond hair and was very beautiful. But she was at least nine feet tall.

385 She came up to Christian and said something very quickly, but Christian did not understand her. A Brain answered her, and she laughed. Then she bent and easily lifted Christian with one hand. She looked at him a few seconds, then lost interest and dropped him to the floor, like a child drops a doll.

She turned away and left the hall.

Christian stood up.

"We meet again, Captain Christian..."

386 It was Waldo's voice. And, indeed, the Brain was standing near Christian.

387 "Do you begin to understand now?" asked Waldo. "No? Well, it doesn't matter. You will never leave this place. You will die, but not easily..."

388 He called two other Brains who came up and stood on both sides of Christian, holding their decapitators ready.

389 "Follow me," said Waldo and went along one of the corridors.

Christian walked after him.

390 They walked along the corridor, sometimes crossing other corridors. On the side of the corridor there were cells in which Christian saw Brains and giant women. Finally they stopped near an empty cell.

391 "You can live here for some time," said Waldo. "Food will be brought to you. You are free to go anywhere, except back to the transmitter hall. If you try to get there, you will be immediately killed. I shall return later."

392 Christian was left alone in the cell. The cell was about ten feet in diameter. There was a chair and a low table. Christian sat down. The chair was very comfortable.

393 In a few minutes a giant woman brought a tray with food and water. The food was not very tasty, but Christian was hungry and ate it all.

394 He tried to speak to the giant woman, but she did not answer him.

395 Some other giant women come to look at him. They pointed at him and laughed, but the look in their eyes told Christian that they had very little intelligence.

396 In the days that followed Christian walked along the corridor, where he sometimes met Brains and giant women. He noticed that they spoke a language, which was very much like English, but still it was very difficult for him to understand them. Sometimes he tried to ask them where he was, but they never answered him.

397 One day he was standing in the corridor near his cell waiting for the giant woman who always brought him food. Suddenly he saw another woman who was running very quickly towards him. Some other women were running after her and beating her with metal whips.

398 The woman jumped into Christian's cell and stopped at the far wall. At that moment Waldo appeared in the corridor.

399 "You are a fool to interfere," he said to Christian. "Let them do what they like." He looked around the cell. "Do they give you enough food? Are you all right?" he asked.

"I am all right." replied Christian.

400 Waldo rubbed his hands and smiled. "Excellent, excellent," he said. "Not long now, you won't have long to wait..."

401 He walked away. His smile reminded Christian of a cat playing with a mouse.

402 The giant woman brought Christian his food. When she saw the woman in his cell, she said something to her and called her "Alma." Then she went away.