A voice made the assassin spin around. Hey! Come and help me with the others! They’re all hurt and unconscious! Unknown to the assassin, his companion was none other than the Emperor’s nephew, Janno. This is the pilot. He’s in a bad way. As they tended to the other survivors, the assassin’s mind turned to his terrible predicament. The other two are only concussed. If I don’t carry out my orders and destroy Trigo at the opening of the Imperial Assembly, those people will destroy me! I’ve got to get out of here! I must get to Trigan City! So must I, my friend! It’s a matter of life and death! Janno’s thoughts fled back a few hours . . . This is the way to spend one’s leave—wintersporting in Tharv! Yaahhooo!He remembered how, that very afternoon, he had returned to his room at the inn . . . Strange! I don’t remember leaving the door unlocked! Ah! Not a sound, Lord Janno! What do you want? Listen! You must warn your uncle, the Emperor, that he is to be assassinated at the opening of the Imperial Assembly! But who are you? A member of the conspiracy, but I have decided it has gone too far! Don’t transmit this information, it’s too risky. Go back to Trigan City today and inform the Emperor from your own lips! Good luck! Janno recalled how he had obeyed the masked stranger—and how the air-cruiser had crashed in flames! Janno gazed at his companion, unaware that this was the paid assassin who also had an urgent reason to reach Trigan City. Here we are—stuck in this confounded jungle! We’ve got to work together to get out! Suddenly . . . Down! Down, for your life! Aaaaaagh!
This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 654 on 27 July 1974.
