Authors: Alan Dean Foster
“Evening, ma’am.”
“Hello, Dabis.”
Clarity noticed a second man watching a wall tridee from one of the folding beds. He did not turn around or sit up. From the sound, she guessed he was eyeing some sort of sporting event.
“Everything all right?” Vandervort inquired as she stepped off the last step and started across the floor.
“Quiet as a nursery,” said the big man. As he replied to Vandervort, his gaze was fastened on Clarity. It was not a kind gaze, and she laughed nervously as she looked away from him.
“What is this? Some kind of secret laboratory? Or are we into drug running now?”
“Neither, my dear. This is no more than a temporary way station. A stop on the road to fame and extreme fortune of the kind Coldstripe could never give us.”
Clarity turned a puzzled face to her superior. “I don’t follow you. And where’s Flinx? You said he’d be here.”
“So he is, my dear.”
She walked over to where a large curtain hung suspended from a supporting bar and pulled it aside. Resting on a table behind it was a large octagonal container molded of gray plasteel. It looked like an oversized coffin. The surface was lightly pebbled, smooth and cool to the touch. Attached to its base was a second plasteel container a meter and a half long. It matched the larger one perfectly but was dyed beige instead of gray.
Set into the side of gray container was a touch control pad composed of glowing contact squares. Vandervort played a short sequence on them. A motor hummed compliantly, and the top layer of gray plasteel retracted halfway. Without being told, Clarity moved forward and peered through the transparent inner shield. Her heart skipped a beat.
Flinx lay beneath the transparent plexalloy. His eyes were closed, and his hands were crossed over his chest like those of a primordial Egyptian relic. Pip formed a tight, brightly colored coil below the crossed hands while a smaller duplicate of herself lay nearby.
Clarity whirled on the older woman. “Dead?”
“No, not at all.” Almost as shocking to Clarity as Flinx’s appearance was her superior’s ability to muster a laugh. “They’re only sleeping.” She walked the length of the table and rested a hand on the beige container. “This assures that they sleep.”
“You’d better explain yourself.” Clarity was astonished at the hostility in her own voice.
The other woman ignored her tone. “One thing I never forgot about my uncle’s tales was his fear of the Meliorares’s wild approach to manipulative eugenics, the possibility that one or more of their experimental subjects might develop unpredictable abilities. My actions merely reflect ordinary caution when confronted by such a possibility.” She studied the gray plasteel coffin.
“There is also the fact that even if our young friend is as harmless as he claims to be and you seem to think he is, his pets are anything but and should be handled with the utmost care.” She smiled at Clarity. “You told me as much when you related the story of your flight from Alaspin.
“Fortunately, our young friend’s desire to maintain the lowest possible profile worked to our advantage. As a result it is unlikely anyone will miss him. He ate in average restaurants, traveled by ordinary transportation, and, best of all, stayed in a middle-level hotel. Not too expensive, not too cheap. A place where people may be bribed.
“Since my expertise lies in administration, I took the time to locate and employ reliable help. You’ve already been introduced to Dabis. The gentleman on the bed goes by the name of Monconqui.” The latter never looked up from his sporting match. Dabis grinned unpleasantly at Clarity. “They supplied advice, obtained necessary equipment, and provided muscle.
“The gas that was introduced through the hotel room’s venting system was quite odorless and colorless. We also took the precaution of injecting it while our young friend was asleep. Your story made me additionally cautious, you see. At first we feared his scaly companions were immune, but eventually they, too, were overcome. Dabis was for needling both on the spot, so I had to explain to him that the bond between man and minidrag would be an important component of future research. Difficult to carry out if half your subjects are dead.”
“Future research? What are you talking about, future research?”
Vandervort ignored her as she continued. “Once they had been anesthetized, it was a simple matter to place them in this specially designed container, which is used by zoos and related institutions to transport dangerous fauna. I think our young man and his friends fit in that category. I did not and do not want him conscious until he has been placed in a facility that will render his pets harmless.” She patted the beige container.
“This holds the sleep gas as well as equipment for mixing it with breathable air. The supply is constantly monitored to ensure the health of the larger container’s occupants. In reality the two containers comprise a complete life-support system. Ports on the other side permit intravenous feeding when necessary without compromising the system’s integrity. Don’t be so melodramatic. Flinx and his pets will enjoy the kind of deep rest and comfort the rest of us can only dream about. This system is designed to keep expensive specimens optimally healthy.”
“He’s not a specimen!” Clarity could not contain her anger or her anguish any longer.
Vandervort pursed her lips. “My dear, I don’t think you’re taking this in the proper spirit. Perhaps you’ve not yet glimpsed the opportunity that lies before us. This young man can make our fortune. If he cooperates, it will make his fortune as well.”
“I don’t think he’s interested in fortunes. His or anybody else’s,” was the angry retort.
Vandervort shrugged. “People often choose to deny their interest in large sums of money until it’s actually offered to them, until they are faced with the reality instead of the concept. Your lack of interest in this project puzzles me. Insofar as we know, this young man is the only surviving sane product of the Society’s work. I’d think you’d find that fascinating.”
“Of course I find it fascinating. That doesn’t mean I’m going to go poking around inside his head and nervous system without his permission. He’s an individual with rights and—”
“Yes, yes.” Vandervort waved off her objections. “I’m familiar with all the pertinent regulations. But we have here an exception to all the rules. An exception worth bending regulations to study.”
“He may not cooperate. Have you thought of that?”
Again the smile, which in its own way, Clarity saw for the first time, could be more sinister than that of Dabis. “My dear, I like to think that I’ve thought of everything. I believe he will cooperate—eventually. I sincerely hope that he will. If not, there are ways to induce him to do so that do not involve physical coercion. For example, he is very attached to his pet. I am speaking of genuine affection and not just the unique emotional bond that exists between them. While I would be reluctant to countenance probing him against his will, I do not think I would have the same compunctions where a flying snake is concerned.”
Clarity managed to calm herself. “I liked you, Amee. I thought of you as a second mother.”
“I’m flattered, but I would much prefer it, my dear, if you would think of me as a fellow scientist striving to extend the reach of human knowledge.” She nodded at the coffin. “Our young friend is reluctant to explore himself because he doesn’t understand himself. That’s to be expected. The conflict within him is social, not biological. As soon as he can be made to realize that, I think he will be eager to seek our cooperation. We intend to see that he has everything he could possibly want, that he’s given the best conceivable living environment, and that he’ll be working with dedicated professionals who only want to help him understand himself.
“I think he’ll be grateful to us. He won’t have to hide anymore, won’t have to run. We’ll keep him hidden from the government functionaries who’ll only want to ‘normalize’ him.”
A sudden realization struck Clarity like a window opening in her mind. “My function in all this is to act as one of his teachers and observers?”
“I can’t imagine what else you had in mind.”
“You wouldn’t be trying to include me as part of that ‘everything he could possibly want’?”
Vandervort stared evenly back at her. “If your presence at the facility which is in the process of being established resulted in your performing a dual function, I’m sure the company would be correspondingly grateful.”
“I just wanted to make certain I understood my position in all this. But suppose you have him figured wrong, Amee? Suppose he doesn’t want any part of your generous offer to help him learn to ‘understand’ himself? What if all he wants is to maintain his privacy? Suppose that’s more important to him than helping you ‘extend the reach of human knowledge’—for your profit?”
“He’ll profit as well.” Vandervort sounded hurt. “This will benefit him more than anyone else. I truly believe that.”
“I don’t. What I also can’t believe is that Coldstripe’s backers would countenance something like this. I had the opportunity to meet several of them when I was hired, and they didn’t strike me as the type who’d go in for this kind of thing. Sure, they want to preside over historic breakthroughs and get their names on the newsfax. Sure, they want to make money. But I don’t see any of the men and women I talked to approving kidnapping as part of the necessary methodology for achieving those ends.”
“A harsh choice of words, my dear. I prefer to think of what we’re doing as helping a mentally distraught young man to find himself. And I should add that Coldstripe has nothing to do with this. Your assessments are correct in that respect.”
That brought Clarity up short. “Then who?”
“Scarpania House is paying all our expenses. I’ve kept in touch with friends there for a long time. A survival tactic in the world of business. Always keep lines of communication open to alternative employment. Scarpania is a hundred times bigger than Coldstripe. They can provide private spacecraft, unquestioning customs clearances, everything an operation like this requires. When I explained to them what was at stake here, they readily opened their hearts and minds to me. Also their line of credit.
“I still don’t think you’re seeing the potential here, my dear. Imagine watching this young man under controlled conditions as he matures and develops. Even if he manifests no other talent, the close study of his capacity for emotional telepathy will be sufficient to guarantee us comfortable employment for life. Having been emotionally involved with him, you are in a better position than anyone else to engage in such research.”
“I see where you’re going with this, Amee, and I can tell you right now I don’t want any part of it. Understand?”
“Think carefully, my dear. Think clearly. Cultivate a proper scientific attitude.”
“I’m not going to cozy up to him so you can measure and record and analyze his reactions,” she said bitterly. “I’m not some damn soporific you can inject into his life to make him feel a little better about what you’re going to do to him.”
Vandervort moved away from the beige container. “At least you know what is wanted of you. I’m sure you’ll change your mind, if for no other reason than that he’ll need you. I urge you not to commit yourself to a snap emotional decision but to give it time and consideration. If nothing else, he is a very handsome young man, for all the pains he takes to conceal it.”
“I’m not one of your tools. You can’t buy me.”
This time the older woman was genuinely amused. “That remains to be seen, my dear. I haven’t tendered you an offer yet, have I? Consider also that if you return to Coldstripe, and I say now I will not stop you from so doing, you will never find out what happens to our Flinx: how he develops, what unsuspected talents he may display, or who might be hired to take your place.”
This could not be happening, Clarity told herself. This was not Momma Vandervort speaking to her, calmly laying out the details of a plan as nefarious as anything seen on the tridee. Flinx was not lying doped and still as the dead in a plasteel coffin on that table to her left.
She knew the truth of what Vandervort had told her. If she did not agree to participate, then they would find someone else to try to insinuate herself into Flinx’s confidence. They would keep trying until they hit on the right combination of empathy, beauty, and intelligence. Someone with less understanding of Flinx and fewer scruples than herself. If she wanted to help him, then she had to accept the older woman’s offer, work for her and Scarpania at least temporarily until she could think of a way out for both of them.
Think!
Buy some time.
“Just for the sake of argument, what if I abjure everything you’ve proposed and take this straight to the Gorisan authorities?”
Vandervort’s tone did not change. “I’d rather you didn’t do that, my dear. Regardless of what you may think of me at this moment, I’ve grown fond of you during the time we’ve worked together. I think you are a highly qualified, potentially brilliant gengineer who is also blessed with enthusiasm and the talent to inspire her coworkers beyond their natural abilities.”
That was all she said. No threats, direct or implied. Only admiration and a gentle request backed up by the presence of Dabis and the still supine Monconqui.
“I could go along,” Clarity told her, “agree to all you ask, and then slip away and spill everything to the Church.”
Vandervort considered briefly, nodding. “Yes, you could probably do that. You’re resourceful, and not as naive as when you first came to work for me. You might even find a padre who’d believe your story. But by the time anyone came looking, we’d have moved our facility and our young man to a place of safety. You won’t be able to trace us, and neither will the Church. And while I would simply shrug off the additional expense, Scarpania likely would not. Since you would not have the money to reimburse them for their trouble, I’m afraid they would find another method of obtaining satisfaction.”
Having run out of arguments, Clarity slumped visibly. Realizing she had gained everything she wanted, Vandervort forced herself not to smile with satisfaction. The younger woman would only react emotionally, and Vandervort had had enough of emotional reactions for a while.