The Wings Of Pegasus Part 10

Theconnectionwentdead.OpOwenlookedaroundattheothers.

"That'sknownaslockingthebarnwhenthehorseisgone,"saidWelchinaflatvoice."Layyoutwotooneandnopreviewing,RizorjustdiscoveredthatZeusma.n.u.sesahelijetforthesejauntsofhis."

"Charlie,getmethroughtooneofthemobilerescueteamtrucks."

"Sir,they'reconvergingonthecampus.Onlythey'vebeendelayedatthegate,"Charliesaidinaquietsadvoiceafteramomentofurgentcrosswirephoning.

Welchscratchedhishead,smoothinghishairbackoverhisears,tryingnottostareatopOwen's.e.xpressionlessface.LajoswonderedhowtheDirectorcouldsitsocalmly,butsuddenly,notthetranquilizerbutaninnernaturalcomposuresettledLajos'stensions.

"Sir,"hesaidtoopOwen,"Ithinkitcameoutallright."

Everyoneglancedupattheclockwhichnowtickedovertohighnoon.

Thesecondhandmovedforwardagain,andagain,thesweep-seconddulycirc.u.mscribingitssegmentsoftime.Thephone'sbuzzstartledeveryone.OpOwendepressedReceiveandBroadcast.

"IwanttospeaktotheDirectorofthissocalledCenter,"aba.s.svoicedemandedauthoritatively.

"OpOwenspeaking,SenatorZeusman."

"Well,didn'texpecttogetyou."

"YouaskedtospeaktotheDirector;Iamhe."OpOwenhadn'tswitchedonhisvisual.

ThecomposedanswerappearedtoconfoundtheSenatorbriefly.Hehadnotactivatedthescreenathisendeither.

"You'veoutsmartedyourself,Owen,withthismorning's.e.xhibitionofcrystalballing.Ithoughtyou'dhavebettersensethantosetoneupandtrytofoolmeintobelievinginyourpsionicartsbunk."Thesenator'svoicewasrichwithridiculeandselfsatisfaction."Heatconverter'sblowing,indeed!They'reconstructednottoblow.Safest,mosteconomicalwayofheatinglargeinst.i.tutionalbuildings.Ascientificway,Imightadd."

"Itellyou,Senator,"Rizorinterrupted,"thereisaflawinthebleedoffofthatconverter.Myengineersreportedit."

"Getofftheextension,Rizor.I'llsettleyourhashlater.Applyingforfundstorunaresearchprogramwhichyouarbitrarilyinterruptatavitalstageonthesaysoofcrackpotsandwitchdoctors?YouruniversityisunfittohandleanyfurtherpublicmoniesoverwhichIhaveanycontrol."Zeusmanwasalmostsnarling.

"Iwon'tgetofftheextension,Zeusman.Thisismycollege,inwhatisreputedlystillafreecountry,andIdon'tregretinanywayhavinglistenedtoDr.opOwen.Therewasaflawwhichwouldhaveexplodedunderconditionsforeseen..."

"Don'tdefendOwen,Rizor,"Zeusmansaid."Hismeddlingcosts.h.i.+sdefenderstood.a.m.nedmuch.How'sJoelAndresfeelingthesedays,Owen?

How's.h.i.+samyloidosisprogressing?Justrememberwhenyoupredicthisdeaththattheresearchyourschemeinterruptedheremighthavesavedhislife."

TherewasaloudclackasZeusmanbroketheconnection.

"Dave?"Rizorsoundeddefeated.

"I'mstillhere,"opOwenreplied."What'sthisaboutJoelAndres?"

"You'vehadnothing?Ithoughtyoualwayskeptacheckonimportantmen...likeZeusman."Thenamewasgratedout.

"Nothing'sbeenreportedonJoel.Precogis.h.i.+ghlyunpredictable,asyou'vejustwitnessed."

"Thatd.a.m.nedconverterwasfaulty,"Rizorwasangrynowanddefiant.

"Itwouldhaveblowninthenextoverload.YousavedZeusmanandyou'vealsosavedotherpeople."

"AndJoel?Isittrueabouthisliver?"

"SoIunderstand,"Rizorsaidinaheavyvoice,"Andourresearchwasforaneoproteintoreplacethefaultyendogenousproteinandrestoreanormalmetabolism.Don'tworry.Theexperimentscanbereinitiated."

"WithZeusmanwithholdingfunds?"

"ThereareothersourcesoffundsandIintendtouseyourso-called'meddling'toadvantage.d.a.m.nit,theconverterwouldhaveblown!"

Rizorwas.m.u.tteringasheendedthecall.

Lajoswasutterlyspentwhenhereturnedtohisapartment.Ruthtookonelookathisfaceandfixedhimastiffdrink.Hetookitdown,andwithawearysmilefloppedontothebed.

"Doroteaasleep?"heaskedhopefully.Hewastoodisturbednottogenerateemotionalimbalanceandtootiredtosuppressit.

"Fastasleep.Goodforacoupleofhours,honey,"Ruthreplied,herstrongfingersalreadyatworkonhistensemuscles.Shedidnotquestionhisdepressionandweariness.Slowlyshefelthimrelaxasherma.s.sageandthestiffdrinkcombinedtobringsurcease.

Hewokeintimefordinnerandseemedincontrolagain,laughingatDorotea'santics,playingwithherontheflooruntilherbedtime.

Onlywhenthebabywa.s.safelyasleepinhers.h.i.+eldedroomdidhetellRuthallthathadhappened.

"Oh,no,notMr.Andres,"shesaidwhenhefinished.Lajosdidn'tnoticeherquickflusha.s.sherecalledheronepersonalencounterwiththemagneticSenatorAndres.He'dbeen...sokindtoherandshe'dbeensoembarra.s.sed.

"HowcouldIguessthathe'dbeinvolved?Itwastheflames.AndhowcouldIknowthatZeusmanwouldbesavedatAndres's.e.xpense?"

"Why,youcouldn't,darling,"Ruthcried,alarmedathisself-castigation."Youcouldn't!Youmustn'tblameyourself.Yousavedlotsoflivestoday!Lots!"

Lajosgroaned,miserable."Butwhy,Ruthie...whydoesithavetoricochetoffAndres?IfRizorhadn'torderedtheconverteroff,theexperimentwouldhavebeenconcluded.Alltheyhadtodowaskeepvisitorsout."

"No,that'snotquitetrue,"Ruthtoldhiminsterncontradiction.

"Yousaidyourselfthattheheatconverterprovedtobeflawed.Thatflawwouldnothavebeendiscoveredwithoutyourprecog.Itwouldhaveexplodedduringthenextlabfire.Whoknowswhomighthavebeenkilledthen?"

"ButAndresistheonewhoneededtheneoprotein!"

"They'llcomeupwithaneoproteinsomewhereelse,then,"Ruthsaid,verypositivelytodistractLajos."They'vemadesomanystridesinorganreplacement..."

"Exceptlivers!Thatneoproteinwa.s.supposedtocorrectsomekindofabnormalproteingrowth...faultyendogenousproteinmetabolism...

that'swhat'skillingSenatorAndres...stuffiscrammingintohisliverandspleen,enlargingthemandthere'snoknownwaytocleartheamyloids.Andwhentheliverdoesn'twork,that'sit,honey.Ticketout!"

RuthwentonstrokingLajos'foreheadgently,knowingthathemustfindhisownwayoutofthis.Heburrowedhisfaceintoherneck,entreatingthecomfortthatsheneverdeniedhim.Laterhermindreturnedtotheterribleparadox,thetragiclinkageofcirc.u.mstanceandthesorrowofthewellintentionedGoodSamaritan.

G.o.dgivesmanstewards.h.i.+pofhisgiftsandthefreewilltouseordenythem.Whymust.i.tbe,thatamanactingingoodfaith,finds.h.i.+mselfreviled?

a.s.sleepfinallyclaimedherintheearlymorninghours,shewonderedifsheoughtnowtouseherTalenttopreventLajosfromprecogslikethis.No,shedrowsilyrealized,shehadnorighttotakenegativeaction.Onemustalwaysthinkpositively.Oneisone'sbrother'skeeper,nothiswarder!

"Iratherexpectedacallfromyou,Dave,"JoelAndressaid,hisgrinonthevidscreenslightlywavingfromatmosphericdisturbance."Andthat'snoprecog.Noindeed,"herattledon,withoutpermittingopOwentospeak."ThegoodsenatorfromthatgreatmidwesternstatecalledespeciallytowarnmethatI'mthenextsparrowtofallbecausemypetwitchdoctorreadthewrongcrystalball.Hey,thatrhymes.

Now,Idon'tbelievethatforamomentDave,onaccountofIdon'tthinkthatthatstupidmockproteingoopwouldhavebeenjelledorcurdledorwhathaveyou,intimetosavemymisspentlifeanyhow."

Thewordswerelightlysaidb.u.t.therewasanedgetoAndres'svoicethatruinedthejovialeffect.

"Howlong,Joel?"

"ProbablylongenoughtogetthatBilloutofCommittee,Dave,andI'llcountthetimewellspent.Zeusmancan'tputdownthema.s.sofevidenceinfavorofpsionics,thetremendoussavingoflossoflifealreadyeffectedbyvalidatedprecogs.Bytheway,Welchtoldmethattheprecogcameinat10:12.DoyouknowthetimewhenZeusmangavehispilotorderstoflytoNorthEast?"

"10:12?".

"Right,man.Andthat'sintherecord!Rightinhisflightlogandafriendofmineimpoundeditbecausethepilotisn'tsocontemptuousofthecirc.u.mstancesasZeusman.Thatpilotwa.s.scaredsillybythecoincidence.Anddon'tthinkI'mnotgoingtoramthatdownZeusman's...o...b..echins."

"He'llneveradmitourwarningsavedhislife,Joel,"Daffydsaid.

"h.e.l.l,hedoesn'thavetoadmit.i.t.Thefactsproveit.ButImustsay,Dave,youmadeonemistake."Joel'schucklewasrich.

"HadIknownwhatIknownow,Idobelievethatthisonce,I'd'vesatbackandtwiddledmythumbs."

"Ha!Idon'tbelievethatforaminute...no,maybeyouwouldhave,"andthelawmaker'svoicerippledwithamus.e.m.e.nt."Ifthishasbuckledyouraltruisticarmor,it'sworthit.Worthdyingfor,becausethere'snothingtrickiertotiedownthananhonestmangonebad!Nowletmegotowork."

"Joel,letmeknow..."

"Hangloose,man.Don'trobmeofmycool.Notnow!"

ThesenatorsignedoffbutDaffydopOwensatstaringmoodilyatthewalloppositehisdesk,unableforthefirsttimeinhislifetodiverthistrainofthought.Hismindwrithedinrecriminationasbitterasanancientinquisitionalpenance.

"Dave?"Welch'sbriskvoicebrokethroughhisintrospection."There'sananomalyon...Oh,I'llcomebacklater...."

"No,Lester,comein."

Welchgavehisfriendaspeculativelookbutheunrolledthegraphswithoutcomment.

"RuthHorvath!"OpOwenwa.s.surprised,almostirritatedthatsheshouldbethesubjectoftheintrusion.

"Coupleofthings.Here...onthebaby'schart...IncidentafterIncident...compareitwithRuth's.Nopattern.Notevenaninkyhiccup.Ithoughtyousaidshecouldblockthatbaby."

Curiousnow,opOwenscannedthecharts."What'sthis?"heasked,pointingtoasustainedemphaticvariation.

"That'stheanomaly.Happenedlastnight.It'saspontaneousvariation.Allherothershavebeentriggered,usuallybyLajos.And,ifyou'lllookatthepeaksandvalleysinlastnight'srecords,you'llseethatthepatterniskinetic."

"That'stootightforatruekinetictouch."

"Well,it'snotTP,it'snot'finding'andwhat'n'h.e.l.lwouldshebetryingtodo,fastasleep?'Finding'isaconsciousapplication,anyway.No,thisisakineticpattern."

"Forwhatreason?Againstwhat?"

"Whoknows?Thepointis,whilesheha.s.stoppedsuppressingherhusband,shehasn'tstartedblockingherdaughter.Andthat'sgoingtobeserious.Imean,wedon'tneedateethingtelepathbroadcastingdiscomfort."

"Teething?"

"Iforgetyou'renotaparent,"Welchsaidwithtolerantcondescension,"tosmallbabies,thatis."

OpOwenwasengrossedinthepatternsanditwasobviousthatRuthwasnotrespondingandseemedunabletouseaconsciousblock.Andthatwas...o...b..d.Hefrownedattheunusualkineticdisplayofthepreviousnight.

"She'sgot.i.t.Sheusedit."

"Notconsciously."

"Ihatetoresorttotherapeuticinterference.Itmightjeopardizehereverusingitconsciously."

"It'stherapyforRuth,orthatbaby'lltyrannizebothparents.Andthat'sbad.Akidthatstronghasgottohavelimits,rightnow,beforeshecandevelopprecociousresistance."

OpOwenexaminedthechartsonelasttime,shakinghisheadashenoticedthetelepathicpatternsonDorotea'schart,sawtheimpingementonthemother'sandn.o.block.

"Thesecouldbelegitimatecalls..."

'Don'tevade,Dave.IknowyouhateinterferingwithTalent;that.i.tshouldbespontaneous.AdmitRuthHorvathisoneofthosewhocannotuseTalentconsciously.Meddlealittle!"

OpOwenrose,hisfacedrawn."I'lldropovertoseethemtoday.

Let'shopesherespondswelltohypnosis."

"Shedoes.Ilookeduphertrainingrecord."

TwodayslaterWelchcamebackintriumph,trailingtwosheetsofgraphingtissuelikevictorystreamers.

"Youdidit,Boss.Look,pa.s.sblocked,timeandagain,withaminimumofeffortonRuth'spart.Butd.a.m.nit,she'snotapurekinetic.Whatcouldshebemovingwithsuchaninfinitesimaltouch?Howdoessheapplytheblock?"

"Unconsciously,"opOwenrepliedwithaslygrin."However,itmaybebecausethattouchissodelicate,shecan'tdoitconsciously.Ididn'tlookverydeeply.ButsomanykindsofTalentarefairlyheavyhanded,violent.Likeusingawlsinplaceofmicroneedles."Hewincedalittle,rememberinghowhismentaltouchhaduncoveredRuth'spitifullackofselfconfidenceinherTalent.AllherIncidentsoccurredwithoutherawareness,deepinthesubconsciouslevelsofhermindintowhichDaffydsawnoneedtotrespa.s.s.Shewasanicewomanlyperson:hersurfacethoughtsrevolvingaroundherhusband,herdaughter:allheranxietieswereneedlessguiltsoverminordetails.

Itwas,therefore,relativelyeasytoblockhernotionsthatshewouldinadvertentlyharmDorotea,ortrytosuppressLajos.ItwaseasytoeraseconsciousknowledgeofherTalent,replacingitwithafeelingofaccomplishmentandwellbeing:theposthypnoticcommandtorespondtoDorotea'stelepathicdemandsandchannelthemfirmlyintospeechcenters.HealsodisplacedherreluctancetohaveotherTalentedchildrenbecauseshefeltinadequate.Ruthmusthavegreatresourcesofself-a.s.surance.Heplantedthem.

NowopOwenturnedtoWelch."AskJerryFrameshowsoonRuthHorvathcanbearanotherchild.I'dlikeherfirsttwofairlyclosetogetherbeforeshegetscoldfeet."

"Coldfeethecallsit!"wasWelch'spartingcrack.

"I'msorry,Daffyd,"theWas.h.i.+ngtonprecogsaid,"I'vestaredatJoelAndres'spictureforhours.I'vereadhisHousespeeches,I'vereadhismemoirs.I'vesatinhisouterofficeuntiltheSenatepoliceaskedtohaveawordwithme.Thenhecamein,andrecognizedme,ofcourse.Andgavemeascarftohold."MaraHelmpaused."Asamemento,hesaid.ButIdon'tseeit."

"You'vehadnostimulationabouthimatall?"

"Nothingdire."

"Whatdoyoumean,nothingdire?"

"That'swhatImeanandallImean,Dai.Nothingconclusive,inthathislifeconcludes.And,asyouknow,myaccuracyisunfortunatelyhigh."

"Idon'tunderstandthis,Mara."

"NomoredoIwhenIhearthegossiparoundtown."