"Hehasn"t.Heshowedmethewill."
Mollyopenedhermouthtosaysomethingthenthoughtbetterofit.
"Allright,"Henrywenton,catchingherlookofmischief,"sohecouldwriteasecondoneinsecret...No,we"veawageronand..."
"Iknowwhatyoumean,hopingtowinthewagerlosesafriend."
"IcanseehorizonswiderthanmortalitybutIcannotalwaysseethesparrowfall."
"SoyoungopOwenwillbeyoursuccessor?"GeorgeHennerwasinaverytestymoodthatmorning.
"Yes,butofcourse,notforsometimeyet..."
"You"vegot.i.tallforeseen,haveyou?"
"Certainlythebasicproblems..."
"Ha!Ithoughtyou"dalreadysolvedthebasicproblems..."
"Bynomeans,myfriend,"andHenry"slaughwasmirthless."I"vehadtheeasypart.No,really.TheestablishmentoftheCenterandothersintimeinstrategicpartsoftheglobe...isonlythefirstbit:scarcelytheworst.
"Oncewe"delevatedparapsychicTalentstoademonstrable,scientificbasis,itwasonlyaquestionofsomedecentorganizationalefforttomakeusselfsufficientandindependent.Wediddodgethegovernmentalattempttotakecontrolbecauseweoperatemoreefficientlyasaprivateagencyandbecauseyoucouldimaginethetaxpayers"shrieksaboutfundingtealeafreaders.FundingwasnorealproblemoncewecouldproveTalent.Training,now...thatisalongtermprogram.
We"vegottodevelopmoreefficienttechniquesinrecognizingandtrainingTalentandthattakesTalentedpersonnel.Gettingindustryandthegovernmenttoacceptourworkerswaschild"splaywithwhatwecanoffer."ThenHenrysighed."Thesuspicionsofthegeneralpubliccan"tbetotallyallayedbutwiththehelpofadiscreetPRprogram,peoplecanbecomeaccustomedtotheTalented.
"No,George,someofourbiggestproblemsareyettobesolved.TheknottiestoneisestablishinglegalprotectionforTalent.Withoutthat,allwe"vecarefullybuiltcouldbewipedawayinlegalfees,damagesandlawsuits...particularlyagainsttheprecogs.Oh,Iseethatwe"llgetprofessionalimmunitysoonerorlater.I"mgreedy.Iwant.i.tsooner.Andthat"swhyatelepathlikeDaiopOwenisrequiredasDirector.He"smoresensitivetotheimmediatesituation.ByG.o.d,thetimesI"vewishedIwereatelepath..."
Georgesnorted.
"It"seasierforamanwhocandelveintothoughts,notthefuture.
That"sa.s.sured."
"Ha!"LightflitteredfromGeorgeHenner"ssunkeneyes."Notyet.
You"vethreedays,fourhoursandfiveminutestogo."
"No,"Henryrepliedgently,"no,oldfriend,you"vethreedays,fourhoursandfiveminutestogo.AndIshallmissyou."
"Hatothataswell!Seeanynewsignsofdecay?"Georgejerkedhisheadthiswayandthat.
Henryshookhisheadslowly."Iwillmissyou,youoldb.a.s.t.a.r.d."
"w.i.l.l.you?w.i.l.l.youwhenIdefyyourpredictionandyouandyourTalentsarethrownoutintothema.s.snoiseagain?"
Henrysummonedalaugh."Thenwhyhaven"tyoudiedlongago?"
Georgeglaredathim."Iintendtomakeyousweat,HenryDarrow.
Sweat.Bleed.Diealittle."
"AndyouwonderIwantatelepathasaDirector?"HegrippedGeorgefirmlybytheshoulderandgavehimanaffectionateshake."Playtheenemyifitpleasesyou:ifthecholermakesthebloodcontinuetoruninyourveins.You"remoreourfriendthanenemy.AndIknowit."
"Ha!Youarenervous.You"reworriedthatyou"rewrong.Thatthistimeyou"rewrong!I"llproveyouwrongifit"sthelastthingIdo."
Henryc.o.c.kedhisheadatGeorge,grinningironically."Youmayatthat,youoldb.a.s.t.a.r.d.I"veneverclaimedinfallibility,George.Andyou"veheardmestatetimeandagainthatforeknowledgeofthefutureca.n.a.lterit..."
"Copout!Rationalization!"Hennershookwithtriumph."You"readmittingdefeat!Ha!"
"HaveImadeyourday,George?Fairenough!I"vegottogoplacatethattaxmanagain.Seeyoulater."
"Don"twasteyourtimewithhim.He"sstupid.NowaytheycantaxtheTalentswiththestructureIhelpedyoubuild.Anddon"tmisstheparty!TheDeathParty!"
"Christ,Hank,"GusMolnarcomplainedtoDarrow,"he"shadmecheckinghimoveronthehourallday!Andthenthatgaggleof"impartialphysicianwitnesses"checkonme."Molnarranhishandnervouslythroughhislongfairhair,hiseyesrestlesswithanxietyandirritation."Andsuddenlyhewon"tletMollyoutofhissight.Saidherhealinghandswouldturnthetrick.Givehimtheminuteheneeds.
G.o.dd.a.m.noldb.a.s.t.a.r.d!"
"Coolit,Gus.It"swhatheneededtokeephimalive."Henrychuckledandstraightenedhistunicjacket,pokedathissoftlytiedscarf.
Gusmadeadisgustednoiseinhisthroat."You"resod.a.m.nedsure?"
"Notatall.Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?WiththefutureoftheCenteratstakeononeman"sheartbeat?"
"I"veseenthatwedogettheproperty.Iregretthat.i.thastobevalidatedbythedeathofanoldandvaluedfriend.Icouldalmostwishthathedoeslivepasttheappointedminute..."
"Minute..."Molnarcorrectedhim."b.a.s.t.a.r.d"sgotahugealarmclockrigged,totheGreenwichmeantimeminute!"
"C"mon,Gus.Let"sgotothewakeandcheerthecorpseon!"
"MyG.o.d,Darrow,howdoyoudoit?"
TheDeathPartywasa.s.sembling,reluctantly,inthevaultroofedloungeoftheBeechwoodsmansion.Georgehadinvitedaselectfewtobe"inatthedeath."
Indeed,ashesaidhimself,hehadoutlastedmostofhiscontemporariesandthosethreerepresentedtodayweremoreenemiesthanfriends.
Georgequippedthatbusinessenemieshadareputationofbeinginatthedeath.HewasdressedinhisVietnamcampaignbattledress,remarkingthathe"dcheatedHimthenasatwentyyearold,soitbehoovedhimtokeeptheappointmentnowsuitablyattired.MostofthosepresentwereTalentsorconnectedwiththeCenter.YoungDaffydopOwenwaspresent.SowereLEOCommissionerMailer,tryinghardnottolookuncomfortable,GovernorLawson,severalSenators,representativesfromfourcharitableorganizations(probablybenefitingunderthewill,Henrydecidedwhenhesawtheguestlist),andthefourphysicianswho"dbeenchosenatrandomfromtheAMAdirectorybyGeorgeandflownintoJerhattanfortheevent.ThatwasGeorge"swayofsolvinganymedicalquestion.Withatouchofghoulishhumor,Georgehaddecreednotthathedidn"ttrusttheTalentsimplicitly,butonehadtoprotectoneselfthattheautopsywouldbeperformedonhiscorpseimmediatelyafterdeathhadbeena.s.sumed.
Thepartyconsequentlygeneratedlittlejovialitydespitetheabundanceofliquorandexoticfoodsonthesideboard.Georgeatesparingly,drankslowly.Anythingheconsumedthesedays,hecomplained,tastedsourorflatorinsipidandcausedheartburn.
Conversationswereconductedinsepulchraltonesandlanguishedeasily.
Theoccasionallaughwasquicklysuppressed.OnlyHenryDarrowcontrivedtolookateasethoughMollyknew,bythewayherubbedhisthumbandindexfingertogetherconstantly,thathewasinahighlynervouscondition.Shedidn"tdaretouchhimsinceshewasnotawhitlessdistraughtherself,andwouldonlydoubleHenry"stension.Thepersonwhowa.s.sufferingmostwasyoungDaffydopOwen.Shehadbecomeveryfondofthesensitiveyoungmanandwishedthathedidn"thavetobepresent.He"dnothadtimetolearntoshieldhimself,certainlynotinsuchanemotionallyloadedsituationasthis.Daffydwasvisiblysweating,yetgamelytryingtosimulateproperpartybehaviorashechattedwithanotheryoungTalent,aprecognamedMaraChanning.
Astheappointedtimedrewnearer,anysemblanceofnormalitydwindled:effortstokeeppartytalkgoingfaltered.EveryonehadoneeyeontheclockandtheotheronGeorgeHenner.
"You"resupposedtobehappy,"GeorgeHennercomplainedwhenthecurrentsilenceremainedunbrokenforsixtyfourseconds."Mydeathmeansyou"reallsafelyensconcedhere."Hisscowlwasambiguous.
ThenhepointedafingeratHenry."Sotellme,Hank,ifyoulosethewager,wherew.i.l.l.yougo?I..."andhelaughedhollowly,"ormyexecutors.e.xpectyoutovacatethepremises...immediately."
"Andwewill.I"vea.s.sembledeverytelekineticwe"vegot...andaflockofphysicalmusclemen.Wecanclearthepremisesinanhour,I"mtold.Youwillgrantusthatmuchtime?"
Hennergrunted,thenbrightlyaskedwherethenewCenterwouldbelocated.
"I"veasiteupstateseventymiles:woods,asmalllake,verypastoral.
Thedisadvantagebeingthedistancetocommute.YouknowwhatcoptertrafficislikeovertheCityandtheTalentsarecontractedtobeatworkontime...nomatterwhat."
Henner"schairhadbeenwiredtomonitorhislifesystems,andtheresultswerebroadcastonascreenvisibleanywhereintheroom.
Georgeglancedupat.i.tincuriously.
"Allsystemsstillgo?"heasked,swingingaroundtothenearestmedicalmanwho,startled,nodded."Threeminutesandcounting,Henry?"
"George,mayIremindyouthatthis.e.xcitementisbadforyou?"Henrysaid.
"Excitementbadforme?G.o.dd.a.m.nyou,Darrow,it"skeptmealivemonthspasttheestimatethosejokersgaveme.You"vekeptmealive,d.a.m.nyoureyes."
"d.a.m.n"em?"Henrylaughed."Thatwasthepoint,George,andyou"veadmitteditbeforeimpartialwitnesses,too."
Hennerpursedhisthin,bloodlesslips,glaringatvariouspeopleintheroom,unsatisfiedwithhispresentvictim"sreactionsandunabletoventhisfeelingsonanyonebettersuitedthanHenry.Hisrestless,probingglancefellbrieflyonMolly.
"Havingtoleaveherewillputyourprogramback,won"t.i.t?"
Henryshrugged."Forthisdecade,perhapsyes.ThenewlocationwillbetoofarforprospectiveTalentsinthesubbiecla.s.stocomeforthetest.Wecanhavemobileunits...oncewehavethepersonnel.
Troubleistheunitshavetobeespeciallyconstructed...""Yes,yes,you"vetoldmeallthat."Georgeflouncedaroundinhischair,seekinganeworcomfortablepositionaswellasanothervictim.ButhereturnedtoHenry."You"llbesorryyou"vekeptmealive.Inexactlytwominutesandfourseconds..."
"No,George,Iwon"teverbesorryforyourlife.Onlysorryforyourdeath."
"Icanbelievethat!"
"Indeedyoucan!"criedMolly,unabletobearGeorge"stauntingacrimony.
"Molly..."George"svoiceentreatedherandsheinstinctivelysteppedtowardhim,herhandsoutstretchedtogivethecomfortwhichhadofteneasedhim.Butheleanedaway,suddenlysuspiciousevenofher.Herhandsflewtohermouthastherebuffwoundedher.ButhisreactionbrokeHenry"stightcontrol.
"d.a.m.nit,George,sheonlywantstohelp."
"Helpme?Live?Ordie?"
Mollybegantocry,turningtowardsthewall.ButHenrytookherinhisarms,foroncethecomforter.
"Mollydidn"tdeservethatfromyou,George.Thewagerwaswithme!"
"Hedidn"tmeanitthatway,Henry,"saidyoungopOwen,thewordsburstingfromhislips,asifhe"dbeenholdingbackforsometimethedesiretospeakout.
Hennernodded,hisfaceflushedwithwhatDaiopOwenafterwardssaidwasremorse.b.u.t.themonitorsbeganflashingwarningsignals.
"h.e.l.l,Molly,"Georgebeganinachokedvoice,"Idon"tdistrustyou.
"Thenthedeathalarmwentoff."Ha!Theappointedminute...AndI"malive!You"rewrong,HenryDarrow.Youandallyourtealeaf,tabletippingcrystalgazing..."
Atprecisely9:00:30,GeorgeHenner"sheartgaveama.s.sivecontractionandstopped.Camerasonthedeadmanrecordedthathishandraisedslightly,towardsHenryandMollybeforethedeadbodycollapsed.
Accustomedastheyweretothedeathprocesses,thephysiciansinattendancewereheldmotionlessbythedramaticcirc.u.mstances.GusMolnarreactedfirst,handmovingtowardstheadrenalinsyringe.
"No!"criedDaiopOwen,steppingforward,hishandoutstretched."Hewantstodie.Hedoesn"twanttowinthewager."
"MyG.o.d,"criedoneofthephysicians,pointingtothescreen.
"LookattheGoosegg.It"sgonewild.Themind"sstillalive...
No.Consciousnesshasgone.ButG.o.d,lookatthegraph."
"Lethimgo.Hewantstogo,"DaffydopOwenwa.s.saying.
MolnarlookedfirsttowardsHenrywhosefacewas.e.xpressionless,thenattheotherphysiciansstaringatthemonitorreadings.
"Thatmeansthebrain"sdead,doesn"t.i.t?"askedLEOCommissionerMailer,pointingtotheGoosegggraphnowscribingstraightlifelesslines.
Twoofthemedicalmennodded.
"Thenhe"sdead,"saidMailer,glancingtowardstheGovernorwhonoddedaccord."I"dsayyouwonthebet,Darrow."
"Thewagersaid"minute",Itrust,notsecond?"askedoneoftheSenators.
"Heshouldn"t"veexcitedhimselflikethat,"adoctormuttered."Thispartywasamistake.Ofcourseweweren"tconsultedonthat.But.i.tsetupcirc.u.mstanceswhichwouldobviouslyresultinoverstimulation,certaindeathforamaninHenner"scondition."
"Or,there"sthevoodooelementinthis,"anotherphysiciansaidwithoutrancor."Tellavictimoftenenoughthathe"llbedeadatsuchandsuchatimeandthesubconscioustakesoverandkillstheman."
"Notinthisinstance,"saidGusMolnar,loudlyandbelligerently.
"Andthere"samplemedicalsubstantiation,includingyourownremarks,"headded,pointingatthevoodooadherent,"thatthestimulationprovidedbytheoriginalbetkeptGeorgeHenneralivelongpasthisownmedicalmen"sestimate.Thebetdidnotcausehisdeath,itcausedhislife."
Nooneventuredtorefutethatstatement.
"Ibelieve,"spokeuponeoftheattorneyspresent,"thattheautopsywastobeperformedimmediately?"
Asifoncue,twomenappearedfromthehallway,wheelingastretcher.
Silentlytheyapproached,theirpa.s.sageunimpededasguestssteppedasidehastily.Thebodywaslaidonthestretcherinsilence.But,asthementooktheirpositionstoleave,MollybrokefromHenry"sembrace.Withgentlefingers,sheclosedthedeadman"seyes.Thetearsstreameddownherfacea.s.shekissedGeorgeontheforehead.Thestretcherglidedoutoftheroom.Noonespokeuntilthelastsoundoffootstepsinthehallwasgone.
"Mr.Darrow,"saidtheattorney,hisvoicesoundingabnormallyloudaftertherequiemsilence,"IwasenjoinedbyMr.Hennertomakeafewannouncementsatthistimeusuallyreserveduntilseveraldayshence.
Iwastotellyouthatthiswasonewagerhedidn"twishtowinandhopedhewouldn"t:nomatterwhatindicationhegavetothecontrary.
Hesaidthatyouweresportsmanenough,Mr.Darrow,toappreciatethefactthathehadtotrytowin."Theattorneyturnedtothephysicianwhohadbroughtupthevoodooinsinuation."Healsoorderedmetocounteractanyattempttobringchargesresultingfromamisinterpretationoftoday"ssadoccasion.HeempoweredmetosaythathehadimplicittrustintheintegrityofallmembersoftheParapsychicCenter.We,"andhegesturedtowardshiscolleagues,"aretobetheexecutorsofMr.Henner"sestate,thebulkofwhich,excludingafewbehestsandexcludingthesegroundsnowtheirrevocablepropertyoftheNorthAmericanCenterforParapsychicTalents,istogointoaTrustFund,providinglegala.s.sistancetoanyoneregisteredwiththeCenterwhomaybeimprisonedorchargedwithdamagesorlawsuitsfollowingtheprofessionaluseoftheirTalent,untilsuchtimea.s.specificlawsarepromulgatedtogivetheTalentsprofessionalimmunity."ThelawyergaveHenryawrygrin."Hesaid,andIquote,"Ifyourideawingedhorse,you"dbetterhaveawidenetwhenyoufall.Andthattakesmoney!"