condensed master

Will Bonner
figures at the far end. Obviously Gerry had returned by a different route. Will got
to within twenty feet of the two men when the inevitable happened and there was
nothing he could do to stop it.
Gerry was standing in front of the receiver which was mounted on the
telescope next to the window, and Ed passed the headphones to him. Will called
out in a loud whisper, "No! No!" but it was too late. The characteristic howl of
acoustic feedback pierced the silence. Ed, who had been crouching looking
through the scope was so shocked he fell to his knees, and Gerry just stood there
petrified.
Will covered the remaining distance like lightening and pushing Ed out of the
way, scooped up the instrument in one hand, and the carrying case in the other. A
quick glance through the window and across the yard, confirmed his worst fears.
Some of the men were scattering in all directions, but two or three of them were
scanning the area around the building.
Thrusting the empty instrument case into Ed's hands and still clutching the
telescope with it's tripod legs dangling like a set of bagpipes, Will accelerated
towards the stairway, which was the only way out. It would be disastrous to get
caught up there. Stopping momentarily at the top he turned to see Ed stumbling
his way across the room.
"For God's sake Ed, get a move on or you'll get caught!" Panic was showing
on his face, and his normally bulging eyes were now nearly popping out of his
head. Gerry was nowhere in sight. Where could he have gone? Ed was obviously
out of condition, he had probably never run before in his life and the suitcase was
a liability to him. Will snatched it from his hands, at the same time, tucking the
telescope under his arm.
"Try and keep up with me!" Ed did not reply and Will could hear him panting
and already out of breath. Breaking clear of the building, Will turned towards the
car.
"No, leave the car," Ed panted. Will's eyebrows wrinkled, questioning his
logic. "It's a stolen car, they won't be able to trace it back to me."
Will had no time to ponder the whys and wherefores of Ed's last statement. He
could hear voices and the sound of running feet. "Quick, follow me through the
buildings, not on the street!" and they set off as fast as they could with Will in the
lead, followed by Ed, his puffing and wheezing becoming more prominent with
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