Psychlone

by Greg Bear

  BOOK THREE

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  The lookout had been converted to a landing pad for helicopters. The highway had been blocked off for a five-mile stretch, where it meandered around the valley, and Jeeps patrolled regularly. The road into the valley was empty. Except for a special truck, which had been allowed in three hours before, no vehicles or humans were in the valley. It was four o'clock in the afternoon. Fowler nervously checked his watch, sitting in the back of an Air Force personnel van. He was going to be allowed to use the phone in about fifteen minutes. He was miserable. Dorothy had apparently returned to Los Angeles. He could guess at some of her reasons, but why she was running away from him, and not just the valley, he didn't know. When the possibility of losing her became clear, he realized how much he needed her. Not someone like herbut Dorothy herself. His misery came because he couldn't remember ever telling her that, and now it might be too late. For the first time, he actively hated the thing in the valley. This was the second relationship it had snatchedwas snatchingaway from him. When he thought of Henry Taggart his eyes grew moist and he wanted to curse. But he kept silent. Across from him, Prohaska sat reading a newspaper, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Burnford and Williams were playing chess in the next seat forward. He leaned over the seat and watched them. Snow was predicted for the evening. It had been clear enough the night before, when five officials in plain civilian suits had watched the beast present its display. Tonight, the rumor was that real experts would be called in. To Fowler and Burnford, that meant more civilian contractors. Both doubted the military or government kept active experts on demons and psychic phenomena on the payrolls. The persistent rumor that the President would also be present had been quashed by the presiding General Machen late in the morning. The President didn't dare risk exposing himself to a potential farce. A major tapped on the outside of his window and Fowler looked around. The man indicated his phone was ready. Burnford glanced up at him as he walked down the aisle. Don't be long, Williams said. We're going into the valley in an hour." Fowler walked to a small communications truck with his escort. The back doors opened a crack and a hand passed out a small headset and mike. The major took it and asked Fowler what the phone number was. The guy inside will get it for you, he explained. Fowler told them and waited while hums and buzzes crossed the line. You know the routine by now, don't you? the major asked. Fowler nodded. I'm not to say anything meaningful. No clues or hints. All is calm, all is quiet." That's why we're calling this operation Silent Night, the major said, grinning. Don't mind me. I'm a pro at this sort of thing, like a doctor." Sure, Fowler said. The phone at the other end started ringing. After four rings, Fowler began to lose hope. But the receiver was picked up and Dorothy answered. Dot, Fowler said, hello from where I sit." Hello, Larry, she said, sounding tired. I had to leave." Listen, everything's in control up here. I'm fine, we're in good hands" The major nodded approvingly. and everything's going to be fine. Why did you run away, honey?" You can't guess, not after all the things I said? I'm sorry, Larry" What things? Dot, you just left." About being upset. I couldn't take it. I've never been through anything like that." Neither have I."

  And I don't intend to ever put up with such delusions again. It was unreal. I can't take that. Maybe you can, but I just can't." But you left me up here, not justnot just the cabin." I have to think things over. Her voice was unsteady. He put his mouth closer to the mike, trying to find some semblance of privacy. The major casually looked the other way.

  Honey, why did you leave without talking to me?"

  You're all wrapped up in it. You wouldn't listen. You would have done the same thing you're doing now, try to get me to staycome backand I can't." I don't want you to come backnot for this, I mean. For me, yes. I would have told you to go." Sure. Her voice was flat, almost nasal. Honey, you're not being rational." Rational? I'm not being rational? Larry, you laughed about it. I saw you and I couldn't believeyou laughed at it! Jesus, if that's rational. Here we all were going crazy, seeing things, and you were the worst of all. What can I tell you, Larry? I never saw you like that before." Maybe it was guts, some kind of crazy bravery. Did you think of that? I was coping. If I hadn't laughed, I would have gone mad, had a heart attack or something. We weren't seeing things, Dot, not the way you mean. The major looked at him sharply. Fowler ignored him.

  I just couldn't take it. You laughing. I was scared shitless." You think I wasn't?" But you believe it was there! I saw you believing, she said, her voice reaching a high peak. Dorothy, a lot of important people are waiting to make sure. Some have already seen." The major raised his arm and made a cutting motion. Fowler nodded and held up his hand. I can't talk about it now. I want to. I want to show you you're not taking this right, that being scared is fine, but ignoring it is foolish. I can't ignore it." You know I'm into firm things, Dorothy said. I want solid realities. I couldn't put up with parochial schools. They always wanted to show us what Hell was like and I couldn't take it. So I left. All those people suffering, just so I could have a pretty, fatherly God. That was too much. And for the same reason I can't handle this. I'm sorry. I have to go now." Wait, Dot. Think about it. Remember that I love you. Remember! I love you." I'm thinking, but ... oh, shit, Larry. Leave me alone. Let me get this all straightened out and don't try to mess me over."

  I'm not trying"

  I have to go now. There was a pause and Fowler expected a click. Instead, she said, Larry, come back, soon." I'll try. Then she hung up. He handed the set back to the major. You aren't going to put a guard around her, or anything silly, are you? he asked. No plans, as far as I know, the major said. We checked her out. She's safe." Yeah, Fowler said. He thanked the man and walked back to the bus. A gray-and-white helicopter was landing on the lookout, raising dust. He shielded his eyes and climbed into the bus. Any luck? Prohaska asked, folding the paper. Fowler shook his head. I don't know." Keep at her, Burnford said. I like that girl." Fowler returned to his seat and watched the passengers disembark from the helicopter. Jacobs and Trumbauer ducked to avoid the last turns of the blades. Miss Unamuno, dressed in a wool skirt and plain black blouse, stepped down gingerly and followed them away from the craft. A marine in kelly green conferred with the pilot, who started the motors again. The marine backed off and the helicopter lifted into the air. Jacobs and Trumbauer walked to the edge of the lookout and peered into the valley. The marine escorted Miss Unamuno to the edge. Is that where the cabin is? Jacobs asked. Yessir, the marine said.

  Psychlone When are we going down?" In forty-five minutes, sir." What's down there, son? Jacobs asked. I don't know, sir. Follow me, please. He took them to the bus. Burnford and Williams stood up as the new group entered. Fowler watched sullenly, slouched in his seat.

  The marine made introductions and then left. Jacobs approached Fowler, bushy eyebrows knitted together. Mr. Fowler, you're the man who found it first, aren't you?" No, Fowler said. The first two are dead." I see. Can you tell us what it was like?"

  Be patient, Mr. Jacobs, Williams said, pushing a pawn. We'll get there soon enough." Burnford pounced on a bishop left unguarded and Williams groaned. Never play chess with a physicist, Burnford warned. We're skilled at getting grants and staying on faculties and research groups. Chess is very similar."

  We were supposed to go to Haverstock, Trumbauer said to no one in particular. Williams looked up, annoyed at him now. Trumbauer was puzzled. Gentlemen, I've beenwe've been subjected to secrecy ever since we got involved in this mess. When are we going to stop behaving like children playing spy games and start figuring out what happened?" My sentiments exactly, Jacobs said. YouMr. Williamshow do you government people expect us to help when we're ignorant?" I don't expect anything until the rest arrive, Williams said. I've already warned a few of youI'm a red- taper from start to finish. Everything is protocol and planning. After tonight, we'll put you all in a room and see what comes out. Until then, please sit down and be bored and restless. Mr. Burnford is undoubtedly going to win this game, and one o
f you can play him after."

  May I? Miss Unamuno asked. Ho ho! Burnford grimaced. Playing with a mind-reader. By all means. He made a move. Checkmate."

  Psychlone Prohaska turned in his seat as Jacobs sat behind him. You're an author, aren't you?" Jacobs nodded. And you're a reporter." I'd like to have an interview with you when this is over. An exclusive." Jacobs shrugged. Put your name in with my appointments secretaries, he said. Either General Machen or Colonel Silvera."

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  The black man's name was Voltaire Simons. As he fixed lunch for Tim, he told the boy to call him Volt. Other fellow, his name is Jack Davies. We'll be with you and Mr. Thesiger for a few more days." Tim sat at the kitchen table and drank from his glass of milk. I was going to Lorobu, he said. There ain't nothing for you there, son, Simons said. Just a bunch of Army people and scientists. Most of them'll be pulling out soon."

  Davies entered through the swinging door, holding a half-eaten sandwich in one hand. Thesiger wants us to call Machen and get us a flight to Haverstock in two days." Will do, Simons said. Tim, I hope you like corned-beef hash, cause we have a mess of it." I'll take a dollop, Davies said, sitting at the table. What about Thesiger?" He isn't eating much now. Says he works better on a fast. You like him, Tim?" He's okay, Tim said.

  Sure. Davies gave Simons a wink. In the afternoon, Tim watched television with Simons and played Monopoly with Davies. He took a bath and ate dinner. Simons wrote in a small black book and Davies made numerous phone calls in another room.

  Who lives here? Tim asked as he helped Simons with the dinner dishes.

  Psychlone Nobody but us, Simons said. Rented the place special." You trying to keep me away from people?" No Simons began, his tone betraying him. If you are, that's good, Tim went on. I got to stay away from people until I'm grown up." Yeah, Simons said softly. I know how that is. We're all here together, son. We ain't afraid of you, you shouldn't be afraid of us." I'm not afraid, Tim said. Mr. Thesiger knows what's happening, I think." Thesiger came out of his room in the back of the house at seven. He stood beside Tim's old overstuffed chair and smiled at the TV game show. Gentlemen, do you mind if Timothy and I get back to work?" Not at all, sir, Davies said. If you need anything, let us know." Ready, Timothy?" Tim nodded. Then get your coat and come out in the backyard with me. There's a lot to do tonight. We're leaving here tomorrow, right, gentlemen?" Sure are, Simons said. Tim slipped into his jacket and walked through the kitchen to the service porch. He zipped himself up, stuck his hands into the pocketsit was a new, bright blue, down-filled coatand opened the back door. Thesiger was standing in the middle of the small lawn. The fish pool and tool shed were clear in the moonlight. Have the voices been bothering you? Thesiger asked, motioning for Tim to stand beside him. No, sir, Tim said. No headaches, anything like that?" Nothing." Good. Do you understand what was happening to you?"

  I think so. Everybody who died was trying to get me to come with them. I didn't want to go, so they made me want to hurt people." Why would they want to do that?" Whatever killed them was real mean." I see. Have you ever heard voices before, when you were younger, or seen anything unusual?" No. I had nightmaresstill do, sometimes, but not like you mean. Not like I think you mean." You understand my meaning very clearly, Timothy. Would you like to see something marvelous tonight? Not see, exactly, but feel?" Tim hesitated. What kind of thing?" Nothing that will hurt. We're going to duck our heads into the waterbelow the waterand feel what lies far beneath. Not the fish pond, but all around us." Tim dug his hands deeper into his pockets. Why? he asked. Thesiger put both his thin, gnarled hands on Tim's shoulders and squatted down in front of him. The old man's eyes were as bright as a child's, without the bleariness or veining Tim had once seen in his grandfather's. Because you're important to us now. We need you strong and capable. Grown up, even. To be sure you understand, I'm going to show you things related to what you've experienced. You're a lucky young man, actually. Very few people can be shown these things any more. They keep their feet on the ground so firmly they don't even know how to die. But you're young and flexible." How did you see when you were younger?" Remember the story about my grandmother? I knew I had the gift from that time on. So I travelled around the world, listening to people tell stories and camping in the countrysides, just listening. Feeling. I saw many of the things they talked about, and saw them clearer than most others had before me. My strength grew. And so must yours, but we don't have much time. I will give you advanced training now, because I believe you can stand it. You've already stood up to considerably more than most could." Tim looked up. The sky was bright with stars and a close, observant moon. Okay, he said. If it will make me grown up." In a way, it will. Thesiger lay on the grass and stared up at the sky. Lie on your back, feet pointing away from me, with your head against mine. Tim did as he was told and Thesiger adjusted himself until their scalps touched. Good." Now, do you see the stars, Timothy?" Yes, sir." Between them and us, around them and us, there is a vast ocean which we seldom see. It isn't really our business to see it. Our business is to live in this world as well as we can, and to keep our kind alive. But some of us, now and then, have a glimpse of the ocean. We've interpreted it many ways. Some have been driven mad, others have become saints, others have lived their lives normally. But apparently something very bad has happened and this balance has been upset. Now we must look into the ocean, for there are sharks waiting. What kind of sharks, we don't know. The sharks got your town, Timothy. But sharks are very rare in this ocean. Look, feel. Listen." I don't see anything, Tim said, scrunching up his eyes. Just stars and stuff." Listen." After a few minutes, Tim's body began to tingle. The old man was very strong. Tim felt his eyes were sinking far back into his head. It didn't hurt, but it was peculiar. When he shut his eyelids, the illusion was complete and he swam in warm, empty darkness. Thesiger's voice was clear and distant. Some of the ocean's inhabitants are huge. Feel them? They move between the stars, between and through us and our world, like leviathansgreat whales, broad and slow, paying no more attention to us than we do to molecules of air. Feel." A shudder passed through the boy. His eyes were locked and would not move. He was no longer seeing with them. His arms and legs were numb, yet he was moving. And from the darkness came a deep, shuddering mind-sound. There's one, Thesiger said without words. I feel it, Tim replied in kind. The mind-sound passed back and forth across great distances, echoing yet not echoing, rising in pitch and falling, yet not. It's singing, Tim said. Breathing, Thesiger corrected. With every breath it swells past suns, and with every exhale it vanishes into a pinpoint. But it lives across a wider range than we do, so at no moment is it ever smaller in our universe than it is now. Or larger." Tim didn't understand, but he didn't need to. The leviathan, whatever it was, had no care for them, no care for the world. It existed and travelled. Then it was gone and the ocean was empty again. The giants are very common, Thesiger said. They aren't powerful, however. Smaller forms have a greater ability to influence our world. Listen for themthey chatter like birds." Yet the chatter was a symphony compared to human speech. Are they God? Tim asked. No more and no less than we are." I seem to know them." They play with our dreams sometimes like dolphins play with turtles. You know them, they know you."