“You are very charming Professor,” Calida said as she met Ryan’s eyes for a second. “And considerate.”
“Why don’t the two of you get started on the equipment?” Siri offered. “And Professor, please explain what your equipment might observe to us.”
“Doctor Ryan, please bring everything in and set the two chambers up as I demonstrated back in your lab,” Professor Balken instructed. “Do not worry, I’ll give everything a close inspection once you have finished.”
“That’s fine,” Ryan said. “I’m glad to earn your pay for you.” And he walked out of the cell and began to bring in the equipment.
“That should keep our good Doctor Ryan busy for a short while,” Professor Balken said and he addressed Calida. “Now, Miss, my equipment will allow us to confirm whether or not your claimed mental abilities are real.”
“I don’t claim anything,” Calida said.
“Do you mean to say you don’t have telepathic abilities?” Professor Balken asked. “Then why have I been asked—”
“Don’t worry, Professor,” Calida interrupted. “Ryan isn’t going to drop one of your pretty glass balls.”
Professor Balken paused and rubbed his hands together for a moment. “That is not proof of anything, Miss. That could easily have been guessed by anyone in this same situation . . . we shall just have to see.”
Calida intently stared at the Professor for several seconds and then asked: “How about now?”
The Professor’s eyes opened wide and he placed his right hand over his chest. After a moment, he reached for a nearby chair with an unsteady hand. “Miss, that was remarkable,” he said. “Most remarkable.” He looked over at Ryan. “Please finish with the equipment . . . I just need a moment to gather myself.”
Siri went over to the Professor and helped him into the chair. “Are you all right?” Siri asked, concerned. “Calida, please.”
“No, everything is fine,” Professor Balken said. “She did not harm me, it’s just a shock, you understand. A wonderful shock, I must say. But Miss, please do not do that again, my old heart just cannot take it.”
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Calida said.
“Oh, but ye did, Miss,” he said. “Ye put this old man in his place.” Professor Balken softly cackled to himself for a moment and stood up. “All right, Doctor Ryan? Let’s get started,” he said.
Ryan had assembled two sturdy metal stands that stood six feet high and were ten feet apart. Attached to a swing arm at the top of each stand was a glass cloud chamber. And placed below each chamber was a chair. A series of wires ran from the back of each chamber into several electrical units which were wired into a portable computer that had been placed on a small stand. Professor Balken looked over the equipment and made several fine adjustments. Satisfied, he turned toward Calida.
“Now Miss, it is my theory that telepathic ability will manifest itself as an exchange of particles between the sender and the receiver,” Professor Balken explained.
“That means nothing to me.”
“What this means, Miss, is that when you reach out to someone’s mind the information you send or receive is in the form of invisible particles. Whether you are trying to send words or, as you just demonstrated to me, an image, these projected and received thoughts are really nothing more than particles that surround us at all times. This quantum telepathy merely provides order to the particles that interact with the brain’s electrical signals and thereby conveys information.”
“I don’t know anything about these particles,” Calida said, slightly amused. “But please continue.”
“It has been confirmed, Miss, that the space we live in is filled with countless particles that blink in and out of existence at all times. These are called virtual particles. And for each virtual particle there is a corresponding partner that makes up a pair. When enough of these particles are made into the proper pattern, their partners that may be at any distance, will also instantaneously form the same pattern.”
“I read your paper on the EPR Paradox,” Ryan said.
“Doctor Ryan, let’s not make this more difficult than necessary.”
“Sorry.”
“Now what these glass chambers might allow us to see are the tracks formed by these information particles that are generated by your unique gift. Inside each chamber is a dense alcohol vapor that has been super-cooled by Doctor Ryan’s enthusiastic use of liquid nitrogen. Every time a particle passes through the chamber a nice little track should become visible. If we see tracks and they have a pattern as I suspect, then my theory will be confirmed.”
“I would like to see these ghost particles of yours,” Calida said.
“First,” Professor Balken continued with his lecture, “We will have Doctor Ryan place a chamber on his head so we can see if any tracks appear. He will be our control for the equipment. But don’t expect too much, the only tracks we might see would be debris from the random cosmic ray penetrating through the building.”
Ryan didn’t wait to be asked. He sat down on the chair below the closest chamber and waited as Professor Balken lowered the globe until the deep indentation in the bottom of the glass encompassed his head. The Professor walked over to his computer and entered a command. Several minutes passed when a single, thin, silvery track appeared within the chamber and slowly dissipated.
“You make for an excellent control, Doctor Ryan. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen such a lack of activity.”
“Uh huh . . . you should update your lines, they sound stale.”
“Now please get up so Miss Calida can have a go.”
Ryan lowered his head from the chamber and got out of the chair.
Calida stood up from her cot and walked over to the chamber. “All I have to do is sit down with this thing over my head?”
“T’is really that simple,” Professor Balken replied. “Now please sit down . . . there, thank you.” He carefully lowered the chamber onto Calida’s head. “Is that too much weight?”
“No, it’s fine, I hardly feel anything at all.”
“Very good.” Professor Balken again went over to the computer and entered the start command. “Now, do not send out your thoughts. Just stay put.”
Several moments passed and a few tracks appeared. Just as quickly they vanished.
“Excellent, now I want you to send the same image you gave me to Doctor Ryan.”
The cloud chamber instantly turned white. Calida’s head was no longer visible as the entire chamber turned into an opaque ball.
Ryan’s mouth opened and closed. “Why am I not surprised?”
“She does have a devilish sense of humor,” Professor Balken said.
“Why is the chamber white?” Siri asked. “I don’t see any tracks.”
Professor Balken studied the chamber for a moment. “Miss Calida, please stop sending out.”
Within a minute the impenetrable opaque cloud inside the chamber turned translucent and finally the chamber was completely transparent again.
“I think you may have overloaded the chamber,” Professor Balken said. “I would hypothesize that your image produced so many particles their collective tracks over-saturated the alcohol vapor.”
“Maybe we can just try a simple word or even a single letter this time,” Ryan offered. “I believe that particular image was too much even for the chamber.”
“I believe you are right,” Professor Balken said. “Miss Calida, please just send the letter ‘A’ to Doctor Ryan this time.” Again he entered the command on the laptop and a small tightly spaced group of tracks suddenly appeared in the chamber.
“It’s just the letter ‘A’ this time,” Ryan said.
“My dear! You have done it!” Professor Balken said. “We have just witnessed actual information pass from one mind to another. How remarkable.”
“It looks like congratulations are in order,” Ryan said. “And to think that you made this discovery without using one of those billion dollar particle accele
rators.”
“Big science has its place,” Professor Balken said. “But sometimes the probing of nature requires a more subtle approach.”
“But your theory has been confirmed,” Siri said.
“Only halfway,” Professor Balken said. “Doctor Ryan, go over to the second chamber and sit down. We must see if a corresponding pattern appears in the second chamber. This is the very crux of Einstein’s ‘spooky action at a distance’ postulate. The sensors in both chambers will determine if there is any time delay between the appearances of both patterns.”
Ryan quickly sat down below the second chamber and guided it over his head.
“All right, Miss Calida,” Professor Balken said. “Send out the letter ‘A’ to Doctor Ryan one more time.”
The same pattern of tracks simultaneously appeared inside both chambers and Ryan raised his left hand.
Professor Balken arched both of his bushy eyebrows and looked down at the screen of his computer. “May the Saints protect us,” he said, his voice noticeably shaking. “I cannot believe what my eyes are telling me. There—there was no time delay! It is a spooky world after all.”
“I wonder what kind of pattern forms when you are controlling someone else’s thoughts,” Ryan said.
“That’s harder unless I’ve touched this someone,” Calida replied. “And once I’ve touched them I can always locate them,” she added with a wicked smile.
“At what distance?”
“If I haven’t touched you then I must see you to enter your thoughts. But once we’ve touched it doesn’t matter how far away you are.”
Siri walked over to Ryan. “The prions?” she asked. “Could they allow her to locate from a distance?”
“I think that’s it. They must somehow boost the signal of the target’s brainwaves, or do something to the brain’s electrical field that lets her home in.”
“What are these prions you speak of?” Professor Balken asked.
“Nothing that should concern a physicist,” Ryan replied, and at that instant both chambers turned milky white. Ryan let out a sharp breath. “That’s not funny,” he said and lifted the chamber off his head.
“It wasn’t meant to be,” Calida said as she, too, removed the chamber from her head. “Now that you people have had your fun and I cooperated with this nonsense it’s time for me to feed.” Calida got up from the chair and went over to a table that had something covered by a large white sheet. “Don’t make me wait too long.” Her eyes flashed pink.
“Heaven help us,” Professor Balken said. “What . . . what are you Miss Calida?”
“You don’t want to know,” Ryan said and as he guided Professor Balken out of the cell he looked back. “Siri, just get her—get her meal here so she calms down. I’ll check on you in a few minutes.”
“I will not harm Siri.”
Ryan gave Calida a quick nod and continued with Professor Balken through the door. “Let’s get you back to your quarters so you can get some rest. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure all of your equipment is safely returned to the lab.”
“What is she?” Professor Balken asked. “I didn’t imagine her eyes and those teeth . . . where did they suddenly sprout from?”
“She is very dangerous when she’s hungry,” Ryan said. “That’s all I can tell you. William will take you back to your quarters. Meet me at my lab tomorrow morning by 8:00 AM. Everyone has had enough excitement for one night. I’ll have a talk with the Director and see if I can get permission to provide you with more information about what is going on here.”
“All right, Doctor Ryan, I will see you tomorrow morning. But please tell me something before I go.”
“Of course, if I can.”
“I am an old man who has had several close calls over the years, but will I ever be able to publish?”
“I don’t think so Professor, and it’s a shame.”
“Oh well, my young friend.” Professor Balken sighed. “The Nobel would have been nice.”
Ryan understood Professor Balken’s concern. A great moment in science just took place and the world would probably never know that it happened. And as he watched the guard escort the Professor out of the isolation wing there were two images fixed in Ryan’s mind that kept flashing back and forth. The first was startlingly pleasant and the second was also pleasant, but in its own uniquely terrifying way.
Chapter Ten
“God’s fingers touched him, and he slept.”
—Alfred Lord Tennyson, English Poet
Calida had taken her evening blood and now sat on her bed less than satisfied. The young man she was given, although nice and polite, left an unwholesome aftertaste that made her irritable. In fact, his blood was so unpleasant that she didn’t finish her full ration and refused to talk with Siri, who after several failed attempts at engaging her, finally gave up and looking concerned, left the cell.
Ryan had also returned and asked questions about the glowing stone, but she didn’t have the answers he needed, apparently. The man was evidently disappointed that when she discovered the stone she didn’t have with her the means to accurately weigh and measure it. Scientists were a strange part of the human race.
But now she was alone and as the night hours passed Calida fought with her growing hunger, and of course, the boredom of her situation. It appeared that the novelty of having a caged vampire had worn off on her captors. Not even one of the guards had decided to look at her through the funny glass. She had experienced far worse than this through the centuries and fortunately she had developed the ability to pass time by looking back from where she had come.
She closed her eyes and again traveled into her ancient memories. She often wondered what had happened to the glowing stone that was her maker, but she never went back to the cave to find out. There just didn’t seem to be any point in crossing paths with it again.
She stayed far in her past and relived the time before she was taken from her home as a young woman. The faces of her parents and her youngest sister made her smile for a moment. It gave her comfort knowing that even though they had been gone for nearly two thousand years their existence remained a living memory for one who still walked the earth.
A familiar touch upon her mind immediately brought Calida out of her dream-paths. She heard the rush of air from beyond the glass followed by the metallic click of the door that led to this part of the building. It didn’t surprise Calida that he was coming to her again. She opened her eyes and watched him walk past the large window and enter her cell. All of her incredible senses reached out and told her what she already knew.
They were alone.
“Hi, I wanted to come by and see how you were doing.”
“That is very sweet of you.”
“I know I shouldn’t be here, but—”
“I’m sure it’s all right.” Calida stood up and walked over to her guest. “Everything in here is always under a watchful eye.” Calida discretely observed one of the ceiling cameras turning toward them, its ultra-quiet motor audible only to her.
“So the doctors have finally given you some clothes.”
“Doctor Lei is very considerate.”
“Oh, I like her, but I don’t care much for that Doctor Ryan.”
Calida softly giggled. “He’s not so bad, in his own way,” she said and she reached down and took his hand.
“Do you still need to take—take blood like that?”
“I still need blood.”
“That’s just terrible.”
Calida smiled and allowed her instincts to take control as she pressed herself against him and felt his eagerness.
“I’ve gotten used to it, Christopher,” she said. “But I’m always hungry. That’s the worst part of it.” Calida prepared for a warning, but strangely, all remained quiet.
“Come on, let’s go over to the machine and I’ll give you a little snack.” Christopher said. “And when we’re done maybe we can get to know each other better . . . over there.”
Calida looked at her cot and smiled. “So you want me right now? And then what?”
“Don’t worry,” Christopher said, his anticipation reflected in his light southern drawl. “I’m pals with the duty officer in the surveillance room and the camera’s are in maintenance standby for the next half hour. So come on and get some blood.”
Calida sensed something was wrong. A second camera now silently tracked her. She reached out to Christopher but found only a sweet desire and foolish innocence. There was no deception lurking in his mind. As she pulled away from him a warning vibration pulsed inside her skull. She reflexively moved into Christopher’s arms and the vibration stopped. They were being manipulated, but she wondered for what purpose.
“Okay, but only a small snack,” she said. “You’re not supposed to be back here for weeks.”
“I’m sure I can spare a few more ounces.”
Calida looked forward to getting rid of the unpleasant taste from earlier that still lingered on her tongue. Christopher’s blood had been sweet so she warned herself not to take too much.
As he turned to lead her over to the feeding station, the warning vibration again struck and became painful. “No,” Calida said. And as she drew him close the vibration stopped once more.
“Now come on,” Christopher said.
The lack of any guards was another obvious warning to her. Their absence could only be deliberate. Calida again entered Christopher’s mind and the clarity of his thoughts startled her. “This is important,” she said. “Tell me the truth . . . did you take the pills before you came here?”
“Of course, I took two. I know they put special vitamins into my blood for you—we all know about taking the pills.”
She looked into Christopher’s eyes and felt her heart ache. “You shouldn’t be here.” Her voice wavered. “This is all wrong.”
Calida now felt another presence that was also familiar. She pulled Christopher’s head down onto her shoulder and looked up through the observation window. A figure stood on the other side and he held up something he wanted her to see. She reached out, fearful of the contact.
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