This Will Indeed Be A Little Gem

by Mario V. Farina

has been working on an apparatus that can safely be used to take travelers into space," she continued. "The one I'm holding is a duplicate of the one that brought you here. In testing the one you found, he was planning to be hit by an oncoming subway train."

  My mouth dropped. "He was planning to do what?"

  "Yes," she replied. "You heard me right. I tried to dissuade him about this, but he was adamant. He needed to know whether the Levitator's force field would protect him against a heavy blow like that delivered by a locomotive traveling at forty miles an hour! He went to the station and hid the Levitator inside a magazine he was carrying. Then, he went to the platform and waited for a train to arrive. It was his plan to turn on the Levitator, then jump in front of it. He expected that he would be tossed aside like a balloon but not be hurt. It wasn't long before the train became visible coming out of the tunnel."

  "And he jumped?"

  "No, he was pushed. It seems that a young man, standing near Jim, was inexplicably moved to take that moment to shove him off the platform before he had a chance to do what he had planned. The Levitator had fallen on to the platform. The train attempted to stop but it was too late. Jim was hit and thrown about one hundred feet. He was in a coma for three days, but came out of it and is expected to recover. The young man is being held for attempted murder. It is thought he might be insane."

  "Then we don't know whether it works," I commented.

  "That's right, she agreed. "I have a hunch that when we see my husband, he will ask you to do him a favor."

  "Oh?" I said, fearing to ask my next question. "What would that be?"

  "He will ask you to stand on the platform and do what he may never be able to do," she responded. "Let us visit Jim, then go to the station. This time, I'll hold the Levitator until you are ready to jump. I'll hand it to you as you actually make the leap! If it works in keeping you from harm, then this device will, indeed, be a little gem!"