The Wings Of Pegasus Part 11

"Whichis?"

"ThatSenatorAndresisspendinghislastmomentshelpingaminoritygroupthatnotonlyhaspredictedhisimminentdemisebutdestroyedhisonechanceofacure."Hervoiceheldnoinflectiona.s.sheutteredthesequicksentences,butherdislikeofimpartingthegossipwasobvioustoherlistener.Maraclearedherthroatsuddenly."Idohaveaprecogthough,"sheadded,mildlyamused.

"Agoodone,ifIrecognizethattoneofvoice.Icouldstandsomepleasanttidings."

"I'llbeseeingyoushortly,"andshelaughedmischievously."Intheflesh,Imean.Here!"

"InWas.h.i.+ngton?"DaffydopOwenwa.s.startled.HerarelylefttheCenterand,atthismoment,hehadnodesireunderheaventosetfootinWas.h.i.+ngton.

Twoweekslater,DaffydopOwen,inaswivetofanxietywhichnoperceptioncoulddispel,disembarkedfromthehelijetontheSenatelandingpad.MaraHelmandJoelAndreswerewaitingforhim.Daffydhadnoeyesforanyoneb.u.t.thesenatorwhostrodeforward,grinningbroadly,eagerlygraspingthetelepath'shand,forgettingintheexcessofhiswelcomethatDaffydavoidedcasualphysicalcontacts.

However,opOwenwantedmorethananythingtotouchsensehisfriend.

Andwasrea.s.suredbythevigoroussensationhefeltequallystrongthroughmindandbody.HemightdisbelievetheevidenceofhiseyesashestaredatAndres'sclearpupils,thehealthytannedskinwithnotraceoftheyellow,indicativeofliverdisorder.OpOwencouldnotdenythefeelingofhealthandenergythatcoursedtohiminthatheartyhandclasp.

"Whathappened?"heaskedhoa.r.s.ely.

"Whoknows?"Joelreplied."Themedicscalleditaspontaneousremission.Saidmybodyhadstartedmanufacturingtherightenzymesagain.Somethingtodowithas.h.i.+ftintheRNAmessengerproteinsorsomerotlikethat.Anyhow,nomoreamyloidsintheperivasculars.p.a.cesifthatmakesanysensetoyoutheoldliverandspleenarebacktonormalsizeandIcanfeelthat.So,friend,InolongerneedthatneoproteinresearchthatZeusmansc.r.a.pped."MaraHelmremainedaside,smilingbenevolentlyatthetwomen,untiltheyfinallyrememberedherpresence.

"Dai,see?"andshelaidafingerfleetinglyonhissleeve."You'rehereaspredicted!"

"DidyoubringthegraphsandrecordsIaskedfor?"Joelinquired.

"Heretheyare,"andDaffydhandedtheneatpackageover.

"Good,"andthesenator's.e.xpressionwasmaliciouslygleeful."We'regoingtohoistSenatorMansfieldZeusmantodayonhispetard.

However,"andblackangersurgedacrossAndres'sface,"Ibegyourindulgence,Daffyd.Certainwhatwouldyoucallthem,Marasecuritymeasures?"

Mara'slipstwitchedb.u.t.therewasanansweringindignantsparkleinhereyes.

"As.h.i.+eldedcage?"Daffydasked.

"Yeah,"andthesoundwasmoreof.a.growlthananaffirmative."Don'tthinkIdidn'tprotestthatinsulting..."

"Infact,"Marasaid,"herantedandscreamedatthetopofhisvoice.

AllWas.h.i.+ngtonheard.Ielectedtokeepyoucompanyinthegiltwiredgoldfishbowl,"andshegaveopOwenaflirtatiouswink.

"You'llhaveanadvantageoverme,"Andressaid."YoucanswitchoffthesoundofZeusman'svoice."

"Who?Me?"DaffydaskedandthethreeenteredtheSenateBuildinglaughing.

OpOwenwasnotsurprisedatMansfieldZeusman'sinsultingtreatment.

Heexpectedlittleelse.AlthoughthesenatorhadinitiatedtheinvestigationofalltheCenters,hehadneverpersonallyenteredone.

ObviouslyZeusmanwasamongthosewhobelievedthatanytelepathcouldreadeverymind:hewouldbeunlikelytobelievethattelepathsperformedtheirservicesmuchasasurgeondoesanexploratoryoperationinthehopeofuncoveringapatient'smalignantdisease.

Zeusma.n.a.lsodecriedthepsychiatricsciences,sohisatt.i.tudewasatleastconsistentlynarrowminded.

"Onemorething,"Andressaidasheheldopenthedoorintothes.h.i.+eldedroom,"you'rehereattheCommittee'srequest,notZeusman's,ormine.Theymaywanttoquestionyou.Please,Dave,don'ttellallyouknow?"

"I'llbeaverbalmiser,Ipromise."

"That'llbeoursaving,"Andresreplied.HeobviouslydistrustedopOwen'ssuddenmeekcompliance.

"Doesn'tJoellookwonderful?"whisperedMaraastheyseatedthemselves.

"Yes,"Daffydrepliedandthenshuthislips.Eventhatinterchange,broadcastintothechamberbeyond,dreweveryeyetothem.OpOwencrossedhislegs,claspedhishandsandcomposedhimselfoutwardly.

ZeusmanwasnotaslargeamanasopOwenthoughthe'dbe.Norwasheasmallmaninstaturewhichmighthaveexplainedtheaggressive,suspiciouspersonality.Heresembledaprofessormorethanasenator,exceptfortheelaborategesticulationswhichweredecidedlyoratorical.Andhewas.e.xpatiatingatlengthnowwithmanygestures,pointedlyignoringAndreswhotookhisplaceattheconferencetable.

TheotherfivemembersoftheCommitteenoddedtowardsAndresasiftheywelcomedhisarrival.Theirsmilesfadedastheyturnedbacktothespeaker.ItwasapparenttoDaffydthatZeusman'saudiencewasheartilyboredwithhimandhadheardthesameargumentsfrequently.

"TheseExpertsclaim..."andZeusmanpausedtopermithislisteners...o...b..orbthevitriolheinjectedintothatlabel,"thateventheadvertis.e.m.e.ntofthatprecognitivewordchangesevents.Nowthat'sacowardlyevasionoftheconsequencesoftheirperniciousmeddling."

"We'vebeenthroughthatargumentfromstemtosternbefore,Mansfield,"thelankybaldmanwithahawknosesaid.OpOwenidentifiedhimasLambertGouldMcNabb,theseniorSenatorfromNewEngland."Youcalledthis.e.xtraordinarysess...o...b..causeyouclaimyouhaverealevidenceprejudicialtothisBill."

ZeusmanglaredatMcNabb,McNabbcalmlytampeddownhispipe,relit.i.t,pinchedhisnosebetweenthumbandforefinger,blowingagainstthepressuretorelievehiseardrums,sniffedonceortwice,putthepipebackinhismouthandturnedanexpectantfacetowardsZeusman.

"Well,Mansfield,eitherhang'emorcut'emdown."

"Ihaveyourattention,SenatorMcNabb?"

"Atthemoment."

"Mycontentionhasalwaysbeenthatprotectionforthesemeddlersisagainstcommonsense,ethics,andallthelawsofmanandG.o.d.TheyusurpthepositionoftheAlmightybydecidingwho'stoliveandwho'stodie."

"Tothepoint,Mansfield,"McNabbsaid.

"SenatorMcNabb,w.i.l.l.youdesistfrominterruptingme?"

"SenatorZeusman,Iwillifyouwilldesistfromjawing."

ZeusmanlookedaroundforsupportfromtheotherfivemembersoftheCommitteeandfoundnone.

"Onthe14thofJune,IleftmyofficesinthisbuildingforthepurposeofvisitingseveraloftheuniversitiesrequestingtherenewalofResearchFunds.Asyouknow,itismycustomtoarriveunannounced.

Therefore,itwasnotuntilwewereairbornethatIgavemypilothisdirections."

"Whattimewasthat?"askedAndresquickly.

"Thetimeisirrelevant."

"No,itisn't.Irepeat,atwhattimedidyougiveyourpilothisflightdirections?"

"Ifailtoseewhatbearing..."

"Ihaveatranscriptofthepilot'slog,fromthefilesoftheSenateAirwing,"Andressaidandpa.s.sedthecopyovertoMcNabb.

"Tentwelve,DaylightSavingTime,therecordsays,"McNabbsaidinadrawl,hiseyestwinklingashecasuallyflippedtherecordacrossthetabletotheothers.

Zeusmanwatched,frowningbleakly.

"Ihavehere,"JoelwentonbeforeZeusmancouldgrabthefloor,"authenticatedgraphreadingsoffourprecognitiveIncidents:onefromEasternAmericanCenter,theWas.h.i.+ngtonBureau,DeltaCenterandQuebec.Theperiod,allowingfortimezones,inwhichtheseprecogsoccurredisbetween10:12and10:16.Excusetheinterruption,Zeusman,butI'mtryingtokeepthingschronological."

ZeusmanawardedAndresavicioussmileandthenakeenerlook.OpOwenwonderedifZeusmanwasonlynowawareofAndres'simprovedhealth.

"Ahem.WhenmyhelijetlandedatNorthEastUniversity,IandmypartywerephysicallyrestrainedbyDr.HenryRior,theResearchDeanandmembersofhisstaff,fromconductingourinvestigationoftheirprojectonthespeciousgroundsthataprecoghadbeenissued,predictingaflamingdeathformeandmyparty,duetoafaultyheatconverterwhichwa.s.supposedtoexplode.Well,gentlemenIfathomedthislittletrapimmediately."

"Whoa,whoaMansfield,"RobertTeaguesaid,tappingthematerialnowinfrontofhim."TheprecogreportsIhavehere...byG.o.d,I'mgettingsoIdon'tneedanexperttotranslatethemformeanymore...indicatethat's.e.xactlywhatwastohavehappened.

At...ah,shortlybeforenoon.WhendidyouarriveatNorthEast?"

"Quartertotwelve."

"Thenyou'd'vebeeninthebuildingaroundtwelve.I'dsayyouowedtheseprecogsyourlife."

"Mylife?Don'tberidiculous!"

"I'mnot.Youare,"Teaguerepliedwithconsiderableexasperation.

"I'mnofool,Bob.IknowwhenI'mbeinghad,inspiteofalltheforgedrecordsgoing.Thewholebusinesswasrigged.Heatconvertersdon'tblow."

"Right,sohowcouldoneberiggedtoblowatpreciselytwelvenoonatNorthEastwhennoone,includingyourself,knewwhenorwhereyouweregoingthatmorninguntil10:12?"

"Aflawwasdiscoveredwhentheheatconverterwasdismantled:airbubbleinthesteeltank,"JoelAndressaid,pa.s.singanotheraffidavittoTeague."Themainchamberhasbeenreplaced.Itcouldhaveblown,throughthatairbubbleflaw,underjustsuchcirc.u.mstancesofoverloadaspredicted."

"But.i.tdidn't!"Zeusmansaidinaroar.

"No,becauseithadbeenturnedofftopreventsuchanoccurrence."

"Exactly.Thewholethingwasahoax.Tentwelve,twelvenoon,whatever.And,"Zeusmanrattledthewordsoutsoloudandsofastthatnoonecouldinterrupthim,"inturningoffthatsocalledfaultyconverter,theexperimenttheninprogress,paidforbygovernmentfunds,wasruinedjustbeforewhatwascertaintobeasuccessfulconclusionofahighlydelicate,valuableproject.I'vepapersofmyowntopresent"hedramaticallyflungstapledsheetstothetable"depositionsfromthevariousqualified,highlytrained,highlyreputablescientistsinchargeoftheneoproteinresearch.Andhereiswherethese...thesemeddlingG.o.dletsoverreachthemselves.Thatneoproteinresearch,sorudelyinterruptedonthebrinkofsuccesswouldhaveproduced,byscientificmethodsaccurate,repeatable,provenasubstancethatwouldpreventcertainalltoocommonandterriblypainfuldeathsduetoliverfailure.PreventanagonizingdeathfacingacertainmemberofthisaugustCommittee.And,iftheseprecogsaresoomniscient,sobenign,soaltruistic,sowise,whyIaskyou,why,didtheynotforeseetheeffectsoftheirownmeddlingontheiravowedchampion?"

OpOwen'saltruismandbenignityhita.n.a.lltimelowandhefoundhimselfobsessedwithanintensedesiretoturnkineticandclogZeusman'swindpipepermanently.

"Ahha,"crowedJoelAndres,leapingtohisfeet,"whyshouldtheyforeseemydemise,mydearcolleague?Duetoliverfailure?Howinteresting!Ofcourse,youhaveapapertoproveit,Senator,suchasmydeathcertificate?"

"Easy,Joel,"saidMcNabb,squintingatAndreskeenly,"Anyonecanseeyou'rehealthyasahog,thoughImustadmityouhadbeenlookingabitjaundiced.Youlookgreatnow,though."

"ButIhadareportthathewasdyingofliverfailure,"Zeusmansaid.

"Gotthatauthenticated?"Teagueaskedsarcastically.

"Easy,Bob.WeknowMansfield'sbeendoingthejobhewaselectedtodo,protecthisconst.i.tuentsandthiscountry.Thatusedtobeaseasytodo,"McNabbpausedtodragonhispipe,"asfindingdecentsubst.i.tutetobacco.ButMansfieldprovedthatwasbadformostofus."

"We'rediscussingexperts,nottobacco,"Zeusmanremindedhim.

"No,we'rediscussingprogress,onalevelsomeofusfindashardtotakeasgivinguptobacco.However,itwasprovedthattobaccowasunhealthy.ThesepeoplehaveprovedthattheirCentersprotecthealthandproperty,andtheygoabout.i.tscientifically.EverythingI'veheardtoday,"andMcNabbjerkedhispipestematZeusmanasthelatterstartedtointerrupt,"provesconclusivelytomethatyou'vebeenputtingthewrongeggsintherightbasket.Thatprecogwasforyourhealthandwellbeing,Mansfield,whichthesepeoplearepledgedtoprotect:youdidn'thavetotakethewarning...""Iwasforced..."

"Lotsofuswereforcedtostopsmoking,too,"McNabbsaid,grinning.

"Thisartificialstuffstilldoesn'ttasterightbutIknowit'sbetterforme.

"Mostimportantofall,Mansfield,anditseemstohavecompletelyescapedyourlogical,scientific,onetrackmind,istheveryfactthatthesepeoplewarnedyou!WhethertheyknewtheconsequencestoJoelAndresornotiftheyalsostoppedtheexperiment,theyhadtowarnyouandyourparty!Sostopyourmaunderingonabouttheirethicsandmeddling.I'd'veletyouburn!"

Zeusmansankdownintoachair,blinkingatMcNabb'scraggyface.ThentheNewEnglandsenatorrose,aslightsmileonhislips.

"Gentlemen,we'veha.s.sledthisBillbackandforthforclosetotwoyears.We'vesatisfiedourselvestheprovisionsprotectingtheparapsychicprofessions,asoutlinedinArticlesIVandV,donotthreatenthesafetyofthecitizensofthiscountry,donotjeopardizepersonalliberty,etceteraandallthat,and,h.e.l.l,let'splaceitontheagendaandstartprotectingthesepooridealisticb.a.s.t.a.r.dsfrom...

fromthemasdon'twishtobeprotected."

McNabb'sgrinwaspuremalicebuthedidn'tglanceinZeusman'sdirectionnorwasthemidwesternerawareofanythingb.u.t.thisunexpecteddefeat.

OpOwenreachedtheCenterafterfulldarkofthelatespringevening.

Thepleasantsenseofvictorystillenvelopedhimincontentment.Hefoundhimself,however,turningtowardtheapartmentsratherthanhisownquarters.ThenewsthattheAndresBillhadleftCommitteeandwouldbepresentedtotheSenatenextsessionhadalreadybeenrelayedtotheCenter.Heheardechoesofthecelebratingwhichappearedtobegoingonalloverthegrounds.

Alittlepremature,hethoughttohimself,fortheBillmustpa.s.sSenateandCongress.Therewouldbesharpdebateb.u.t.theypredicteditwouldpa.s.s.ThePresidentwasalreadyinfavorofprotectionfortheTalentedsincehebenefitedfromtheirguardians.h.i.+p.

OpOwenenteredthebuildingwheretheHorvathslived.Hehesitatedattheelevator,thenmadeforthesteps,pleasedtoarrivewithoutbreathlessnessattheirapartmentdoor.

Hehadasplitsecondofconcernthathemightbeinterruptingtheyoungcouplebut.i.twasquicklydispelledwhenLajos,stilldressed,flungthedoorwide.

"Mr.opOwen!"Theprecog'sfacewasastudyinincredulousamazement."Goodevening,sir!"

"I'msorry.Wereyouexpectingsomeone?"

"No,noone.Exactly.Please,comein.It'sjust...well,everyone'sbeenapartmenthoppingsincethenewscame.

"TheDirectorisimmunetojubilation?"

Lajoswa.s.sparedthenecessityofansweringbecauseRuthenteredfromthekitchen,herfacelightingupa.s.sherushedforwardtogreettheirguest.OpOwenwasrelievedatherobviouswelcome:shecouldhavedevelopedasubconsciousantipathyforhimaftertheirrecentsession.

"Idon'tthinkanyoneexpectedyoubacktonight,sir,"Lajoswa.s.saying,pressingadrinkonopOwen.

"We'reallsoproudofyou,sir,"Ruthaddedshyly.

"Ididnothing,"opOwenreplied."Isatinas.h.i.+eldedroomandlistened.ItwasLajos'sprecog..."

"Therewerethreeotherreports,sir,"Lajossaid,"butisitreallyconfirmedthatSenatorAndreshashadaremissionofthatliverailment?"

"Yes,absolutely,demonstrablytrue.Iknowwe'veallfeltburdenedwithacertain...regret,onthataspectoftheNorthEastIncident.

Itistheinevitableconcomitantoftheprecognitivegift."

"AndDr.Rizor'sgrantwillberestored?"