Ten From Infinity Part 12

"Thank you," Brent Taber said. "Thank you very much."

Frank Corson and Les King walked north together after their interview with Brent Taber.

"I guess we got off lucky," King said. "Those Washington appointees can be tough."

"He seems to have a pretty tough job."

"They all think they've got tough jobs."

"It's still a murder as far as the New York police are concerned. What do you think will happen?"

"They turned us over to Taber, didn't they?" King asked. "That shows how they're playing it. The New York cops have enough murders to worry about. They like to pa.s.s them on to somebody else."

"Then they won't question us any further?"

King shrugged. "Who knows? You've got nothing to worry about, though.

Just sit tight. In fact, you're d.a.m.ned lucky."

"How so?"

"This killing is under wraps. n.o.body's talking. That means you won't get in trouble at the hospital." King grinned. "Your _ethics_ won't come under scrutiny."

Frank Corson flushed and said nothing. King, after a moment's silence, said, "I've been thinking about that tenth android."

"Do you think there's as much danger in this thing as Taber says?"

King shrugged. "Those guys always think that way. Remember what they said about the atom bomb? The world was doomed. We were going to blow each other up. But n.o.body's been heaving them around. The view-with-alarm boys always talk that way."

"I hope you're right."

"But about that android that's supposed to be walking around loose."

"What about him?"

"Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds confiscated all my stuff. The shots I made in your room--everything. But if I could get some shots of the other one--"

"You're actually going to work on your own? In spite of what Taber said?"

"It's a free country," King retorted hotly. "I've got a right to follow my profession. What I was going to say was that you're in a position to help yourself a little, too."

"I am?"

"Only you and I know what we're looking for. If you spot the android, see him hanging around anywhere, and let me know, I'll--"

"You can go to h.e.l.l, King. I want no part of any more of your ideas.

I've had it. If I see the creature I'll call Taber and n.o.body else. I'm going to do exactly what he told me to do. Mark me off your list."

Frank Corson strode away. Les King stood watching him. King shrugged.

Just another bewildered citizen who thought G.o.d lived in Washington.

Afraid to spit if some Washington bureaucrat wagged a finger.

Well, the h.e.l.l with Corson. The h.e.l.l with Taber. The h.e.l.l with all of them. If Les King stood to make an honest buck, he was going to do his d.a.m.nedest until somebody pa.s.sed a law making it illegal.

6

Brent Taber was drawn to Doctor Entman. He found, in the ugly little scientist, a rapport that seemed to exist nowhere else. At the moment, Entman was having a fine, stimulating time dissecting the cadaver of the android. His ugly little eyes were bright. "It's a miracle, my friend! A positive miracle. The thing these people have been able to do!"

"People? You've used that word before."

Entman waved an impatient hand. "Oh, don't quibble! Why, the creation of an artificial digestive system alone is awesome--not to mention the creation of a synthetic brain."

"The brain is what interests me."

"I can hardly wait to get into that area. Certain aspects are obvious, though. These creatures must have mental powers far beyond ours--in certain areas, that is."

"Tell me more."

"That's merely a matter of logic. We know that _h.o.m.o sapiens_--because of his free choice, so to speak--uses, on an average, not more than a tenth of his mental ability. All right. These people have created, to all intents and purposes, a man. They surely had sense enough to remove the free-choice element. The creature surely has judgment, even cunning, but it is no doubt pointed totally and completely toward the objective of its being."

"Whatever the h.e.l.l that objective is!"

Entman was mildly surprised by Taber's exclamation. He held up a warning finger. "Nerves, boy, nerves. You must watch that. As to the objective--I'm sure it's something pointed at our destruction."

"What powers were you referring to?"

"Hypnotism, I should think. Any of the mental processes through which one human being strives to a.s.sert control over another. We are aware of several of these. They may have found others."

"You won't be able to define them by cutting up that brain?"

"I doubt it. We could know them only by watching one of the creatures in action." Entman sighed. "If we only had other facts."

"What facts?"

Entman's smile was almost patronizing. "You're tired, aren't you, son?

You're not thinking very well."

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it! Quit treating me like a cretin!"

"Temper, temper! Look at it a.n.a.lytically, son, a.n.a.lytically. Suppose we knew who these people are. What distances have they covered in arriving here? What is their method of conveyance?"

"The distance? Light years, I would a.s.sume. The conveyance? A s.p.a.ceship, or a projectile along basic lines but farther advanced."