Two clean skeletons lay on the floor. The bones were dry and polished. There was not a particle of flesh. There was not a drop of blood.
She was speechless.
“Like that woman in the dump,” one of the squad muttered. “Only no beetles this time.”
Subadar Ind’dni cut him off with a sharp gesture. To Gretchen he said smoothly, “Surely not accomplished with this burner, madame? Flesh drills, yes. Penetration drills, single or several, yes. But complete disintegration? And of flesh and blood alone? You will understand my astonishment.”
“I… Yes, Captain.”
“I am acquainted with every form of Lethal by violence, madame. Surely you are, too. Never before have I seen anything of this sort. Have you?”
“I… Never… Until now.”
“And yet you allege this is your work. I have very special cause to beg for very careful answer. This is your work?”
“I… Yes.”
“It is permitted to inquire how accomplished? This is most important, madame; more important than you know.”
“It is permitted.”
“Thank you. Then…?”
But he had given her enough time to gather herself. In those few moments she had accelerated and improvised everything she would say in the next half hour.
“Unfortunately, I can’t tell you, Captain Ind’dni.”
“No? Why, madame? Again I must warn you. This is of much importance and danger; more danger than you know.”
“The weapon I used is new and secret. In fact, it is the crux of the contract on which I’m working. No one has seen it yet and no one may see it. That’s why I had to dismiss my staff tonight.”
“Ah. And you used contract weapon on your assailants? Not the laser you presented to me?”
“Yes.”
“Producing this effect?”
“Yes.”
“You have never used it before? Elsewhere? At another time? Be very careful, madame.”
“Never. That’s one of the things I was trying to puzzle out tonight; how to test it in secret.”
“And then came this most opportune rip.” Subadar Ind’dni’s tone was tinged with irony. “I congratulate and thank you, madame. Frankly, I found it difficult to believe that you had fought off two assailants, disarmed them, and killed them with their own laser. You are most formidable lady, but not physically.”
“Forgive the clumsy lie, Captain Ind’dni. I’m trying to protect the contract, and I’m rattled.”
“To be understood, madame. Alas, protection no longer possible. I must have the contract weapon.”
“It’s out of the question.”
“It is not my choice, it is constraint of Legal. Weapon must be produced. You know that, madame.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You are adamant?”
“I must be.”
“You place us both in most difficult position.”
“I know mine.”
“Then consider mine. I am dealing with most distinguished colleague of great honor and respect. That is the one hand, but here is the second. I am required by Legal to gather all existing evidence, both factual and verbal, to complete case for prosecution.”
“Of course.”
“But you will not produce lethal weapon.”
“I can’t.”
“Then what am I to do? Your refusal requires me to follow homicide procedure.”
“I suggest you do whatever the procedure requires.”
“Then you are under arrest, madame.”
“Lethal-One? Lethal-Two? Lethal-Just?”
“You persist in making difficult case doubly compounded, madame. Never before have I— You are above suspicion, but the— No. No. The charge will be none of them. I charge you in an invented category. It is… What to name it? Ah. Yes. It is Felony-Five.”
Gretchen burst out laughing. She had brought it off. “Bravo, Captain Ind’dni! Have you improvised a procedure to go with a Felony-Five? Will I be confined? Can I get bail?”
“I continue to invent in face of most unkind laughter. You are under extended house-arrest. We will call it Guff-arrest. You may continue professional practice, but you will not leave Guff under any circumstances without hukm (which is Hindu for sanction) from me.”
“Thank you, Subadar.”
“Although I am not of your quality, madame, I do have resources. I warn you that I will uncover this most secret contract weapon, if it exists.”
“If it exists? You doubt my word, Captain?”
“I do not apologize. Disbelief is the Bombazine syndrome, but that is not the case now. You are, alas, involved in one of a series of most malignant outrages, of which I hope you have no knowledge.”
“This is a surprise. What outrages, Captain Ind’dni? I haven’t heard of any lately.”
“They are not yet matters of record.”
“Why not?”
“Because they are too outré for belief.”
“I see. At least I think I understand. All the same, I thank you for your courtesy, Subadar. I’ll do everything I can to cooperate. This is a damned nuisance, isn’t it?”
“Most sadly I agree, madame. And I am afraid that both of us will be much sadder when I have finally all questions firmly answered.”
“When you do, I hope you’ll tell me,” Gretchen prayed fervently. Her psytech skill at construction and design had taken a temporary leave of absence. Emotion will do that to the human animal.
7
After her final report (which most definitely was not the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth) to Chairman Mills Copeland, Ms. Nunn received his thanks and check and went directly to the scent laboratory, which she entered without announcement. Dr. Shima was doing demented things with flasks, pipettes, and reagent bottles.
Without turning, he ordered, “Out! Out! Out!”
“Good morning, Blaise.”
He spun around, revealing a mauled face. “Well, well, well,” he smiled. “The celebrated Gretchen Nunn, I presume? Voted ‘Person of the Year’ three times in succession?”
Her heart leaped; there wasn’t a hint of resentment in his tone. “No, sir. People in my class don’t have last names.”
“Strike the ‘sir’ bit, will you.”
“Thank you, s— Mr. Wish.”
He winced in agony. “Don’t remind me of that incredible insanity, Gretchen. I— How’d everything go with Homicide?”
“Oh, I snowed them.”
“And the chairman?”
“I snowed him, too. You’re off the hook.”
“I may be off the CCC hook but I’m not off my own. D’you know, I was seriously thinking of having myself committed this morning.”
“What stopped you?”
“Well, you, partly.”
“Only partly? I’m indignant. You gave me to believe that I had you in my thrall.”
“And I got involved in this patchouli synthesis and… and sort of forgot.”
She laughed. “You don’t have to worry. You’re saved.”
“You don’t say ‘cured.’”
“No, Blaise, not any more than I’m cured of my freak blindness. We’re a pair of freaks, but we’re saved because we’re aware. We can cope now.”
He nodded unhappily.
“So what’s your plan for today?” she asked cheerfully. “The battle royal with patchouli?”
“No. To tell the truth, I’ve just been going through the motions. I’m still in one hell of a mess, Gretchen. I think I’d better take the day off.”
“Perfect. Bring two dinners. No funny business; we’ve got to have a war council. We’re both in one hell of a mess.”
“You’ve told me everything?”
“Everything, Blaise.”
“Nothing left out by oversight or undersight?”
“Not even by second sight. I’m in the fact business, man.”
“So am I, ma’am, but I’m a chemo and you’re an intuitive, which means I’m cere
bral and you’re visceral.”
“Are you claiming I think with my gut?”
“Certainly. You must know that you really do feel the answer to a problem first. Then your mighty brain produces a proof construct.”
“And how do you work?”
“Exactly opposite. After I find a fact, I try to translate it into feeling. That’s how I create perfumes.”
“Then tell me this, mighty creator, is a Lethal-One fact or feeling?”
“It could be pure rut for all I know. Listen, if the war council is starting, kindly get off me.”
“Yes, you think best vertical.”
“What gave you that idea? Psychodynamics?”
“I know how you make love.”
“Which leaves me in doubt. No more jokes, Gretch. I want to be profound.”
“Proceed cautiously.”
“We ought to hate each other.”
“Yes? Why?”
“Because we think exactly opposite. You’re psych-oriented and I’m chem-oriented. We’re opposite poles, but that makes us an ideal team; a sort of psychemo— What are you laughing at?”
“I just thought of some twentieth-century pejoratives we could call us.”
“Don’t shock me, I beg.”
“Blaise, I never.”
“Gretchen, you always.”
“Only professionally.”
“Oh? Who told me just this morning, no funny business? What a way to refer to love!”
“And who forgot to bring two dinners?”
Shima took a beat and then muttered, “My very good friend, Mr. Wish.”
Gretchen cut the comedy. “Right on, man. Thank God you can joke about that.”
“Gallows humor,” Shima said without humor.
There was another pause. At last Shima faced the firing squad. “You think this mess is connected with Mr. Wish?”
“Think? I know. It has to be.”
“Your gut speaking?”
“Yes.”
“So we can’t just slough off the skeleton mystery as another Guff maggot and let it go at that?”
“How can we? Take a hard look at what’s hanging over us. I’m prime suspect in a Lethal-One. What’s more, I’m guilty as hell.”
“Not of a Lethal-One. Lethal-Just.”
“What difference does that make? Both our careers are hanging.” Gretchen took a breath. “Even if I do justify the Lethal to Ind’dni, it’ll become public record and I’ll lose my reputation for guaranteed discretion, which is a big part of my sell. Ind’dni will be forced to bring in Mr. Wish publicly, and where’s your career?”
Shima thought that over. “You’re right. Either way it’s a bummer. But believe me, Gretch, if you have to involve Mr. Wish to save yourself, I’m game.”
She kissed his back. “What I love about you, Blaise, is that I like you. You’re a nice guy. Thanks for the offer, but the Wish truth won’t answer everything for Ind’dni. Don’t forget those damned skeletons.”
“I wish I could; but surely they’ll be the Subadar’s problem, not ours.”
“Wrong. They’re still our problem. Who did that to the goons? How? Why? Will it be done again? All that’s Ind’dni’s problem, yes, but answer this: Was the outrage really meant for me or for you?”
Shima stared at her. “You mean, could the goon butchery have been a goof?”
“Yes. It could have been intended for us. And if so, will it be tried again, so how can we cop out?” Gretchen grimaced. “We’ve got to defend ourselves, but don’t ask me against what.”
Shima frowned. “Then let’s fall back and regroup. Ind’dni mentioned other malignant outrages?”
“He did.”
“Not specifying?”
“He said, ‘Not of record’ because they were too outré to be believed.”
Shima shook his head. “They’d have to be damn fantastic to be considered outré in the Guff today.”
“He gave me the feeling that they were worse than what happened here.”
“And you don’t know what happened here?”
“Not a clue.”
“You did safe the door after I left?”
“I did.”
“Then how in God’s name did he get in? Jesus-Mary-and-Joseph! Incredible! You saw nothing?”
“Nothing.”
“Then you couldn’t see through his eyes. That means he’s blind. Impossible!”
“He or she…” Gretchen hesitated. “But blind? I don’t know. I’m feeling for something else.”
“Feeling. You felt nothing while you were waiting for Homicide?”
“Nothing. I— Wait. There was a sensation of cold for a few moments, but I was half-naked, and anyway, we’re all used to drafts and chills most of the time. ‘Where You Beez Come God’s Big Freeze?’”
“Cold. Hmmm. Impossible entry and sudden cold. Did you hear anything?”
“Not a sound.”
“Any other sensations?”
“None. No, wait. A strange odor, I thought.”
“That’s my department. What kind of odor? Sweet, sharp, cloying, pleasant, unpleasant?”
“Strange and sickening.”
“Entry. Cold. Silent. Sickening smell. And then consumed the flesh and blood of the dead goons?”
“Every particle. The bones were clean.”
“And then left through the safed door, but leaving it safed. Impossible exit. Punkt. And where are we? I’ll tell you where this half of the psychemist is… Nowhere! So much for data-power. What were those pejoratives you had in mind?”
“You jump around so, Blaise.” Gretchen giggled in relief from the tension. “The Jig and the Jap.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why aren’t you laughing?”
“Am I supposed to? I don’t know what a Jig is. I’m a sort of Jap, yes? You’re a Jig?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What’s a Jig?”
“A Black.”
“Why is it funny?”
“Because it didn’t used to be.”
“How long ago?”
“Couple hundred years.”
“It hasn’t improved any with age. All right, Miz Jig, your turn.”
“This can’t be data’d, my dear Jap. It has to be felt’d.”
“I usually start with an empiric equation.”
“Very handy at times, but in this case where would we put the equals sign? No, we have to feel it.”
“I don’t know what to feel.”
“But you do feel something?”
“Christ! Yes!”
“Only you don’t know what it is.”
“I don’t.”
“Thank you, sir. That’s where I’m headed.”
Shima looked so bewildered that Gretchen explained. “Your gut responds to situations, yes?”
He nodded.
“What I’m saying is, the situation may be new, unexpected, a surprise, but your gut can accept it and respond along familiar paths because it feels that the unexpected can be knowable.”
“Jeez, Gretch, this high altitude is making my ears ring. I think I understand. You’re saying that we respond to events provided we sense that they’re within the parameters of life as we know it or can know it.”
“Yes, and that’s the crux.”
“Proceed cautiously.”
“Where are we when we don’t know and understand our responses?”
Shima examined her face as he would an unexpected precipitate which had surprised him in a flask. “Then. The. Event. Is. Un-know-able,” he said slowly. Suddenly he took fire. “By God, Gretchen, you’ve got it. Psymetrics forever! We aren’t dealing with anything animal, vegetable or mineral… anything known or capable of being known… We’re involved with something completely alien; outside of any possible parameter.”
“Yes. That’s where I was headed.”
“And arrived in triumph.”
“Thank you. Time out for a question?”
“Ask it.”
&
nbsp; “Something alien from outer space?”
“Nonsense! There’s nothing viable in the galaxy that’s on visiting terms with our solar system. All our probes have demonstrated that. No, we’re dealing with a native, viable, homegrown entity which is entirely alien… A sort of Golem.”
“You mean Rabbi Loew’s monster?”
“No. That’s the classic Jewish version of the artificial creature used as a servant.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“I’m going back to the original legendary Golem. The original Golem, according to Talmud tradition, was Adam in the second hour of his creation, when he was alive, but a shapeless mass without a soul.”
“Shapeless and without a soul. Hmmm.” Gretchen considered, then nodded. “So we can’t know what this Golem is, what it wants, or why it wants.”
“We don’t even know how it wants and achieves. That would account for the impossible entrance and exit and everything in between. My God, we don’t even know whether it does want.”
“It must want something, Blaise. What about the cannibal bit and the other things Ind’dni hinted at?”
“You think our Golem may be responsible for them, too?”
“My within thinks so. Viscera speaking.”
“Then no argument.” Shima was tremendously excited. “This is fantastic, Gretch! Unique! We don’t know whether it has senses in our terms or appetites in our terms. Its senses may be functioning on Ångstrom wavelengths above or below the limits of our own spectrum.”
“I buy that, Blaise, but if it’s alive or quasi-alive, it must have appetites. That’s just another word for life.”
“D’you think it’s alive in our sense, Gretchen?”
“You tell me what life is, doctor, and I’ll answer your question.”
“I wish I knew. I wish somebody could define life. What a magnificent challenge this is! I—” Suddenly Shima deflated and let out a shuddering sigh. “But it’s made me forget the reality of our situation. To tell the truth, Gretch, deep down inside I’m scared, really scared. I feel like I’m in a nightmare and can’t wake up… That filthy Golem…”
“Easy man, I feel the same way. It’s an intellectual challenge, but an emotional nightmare.”
“Then how do we wake up? As you say, we don’t know where to put the equals sign in any equation because there’s no equation to balance. All unknowns.”
GOLEM 100 Page 6
