Part 23 (1/2)

The boy had huddled in their suite alternating between wild confidence that no indictment would be issued and fear that he would be convicted and imprisoned. The latter seemed the most likely, for he had been horribly abusive to the committee during that final day of testimony, even going so far as to compare them to Hitler's ruling elite. The climate was not forgiving. Tachyon had been driven nearly to distraction trying to suppress David's more vengeful plans against the committee, and trying to soothe Blythe, who seemed to have completely lost English as a first language, and spoke almost exclusively in German.

His efforts were not aided by the fact that they were under virtual siege in the room; surrounded and badgered by swarming reporters who were undeterred even after Blythe emptied a pot of hot coffee over one who had tried to enter while posing as room service. Only Quinn was permitted within their fortress, and he was so uniformly pessimistic that Tach was ready to pitch him out a window.

Now, as dawn was tinting the eastern sky, Tach lay listening to the even beating of Blythe's heart and the soft whisper of her breathing as she lay snuggled against his side. Their lovemaking had been long and frenzied, as if she feared to lose contact with him. It had also been disturbing, for he had found a large amount of leak between the various personalities. He had tried to make her concentrate on a new construct, but she had been too emotionally fragmented to make it work. Only rest and a respite from the stress would restore the balance, and Tach vowed that committee or no committee they were leaving Was.h.i.+ngton that day.

A furious hammering on the door of their suite brought him plunging out of the bed at one that afternoon. Befuddled, he didn't even think of his dressing gown, but instead wrapped the bedspread about his waist and blundered to the door. It was Quinn, and the look on his face drove the last vestige of sleep from his mind.

”What? What's happened?”

”The worst. Braun's ruined you all.”

”Huh?”

”Friendly witness. He's thrown you all to the wolves to save himself.” Tach sank into a chair. ”That's not all, they're recalling Blythe.”

”When? Why?”

”Tomorrow, right after Earl. Jack very generously volunteered the information that in addition to Von Braun and Einstein and all the rest of the eggheads, she also has your your thoughts and memories. They want the names of those other aces, and if they can't get them from you, they'll get them from her.” thoughts and memories. They want the names of those other aces, and if they can't get them from you, they'll get them from her.”

”She'll refuse.”

”She could go to jail.”

”No . . . they wouldn't . . . not a woman.”

The attorney just shook his head.

”Do something. You're the lawyer. I refused first, let them send me to jail.” something. You're the lawyer. I refused first, let them send me to jail.”

”There is another option.”

”What?”

”Give them what they want.”

”No, that is not an option. You You must keep her out of that hearing room.” must keep her out of that hearing room.”

The old man gusted a sigh, and scratched furiously at his head until his hair stood out from his head like the quills on an outraged porcupine. ”Okay, I'll see what I can do.”

It hadn't been enough, and on Tuesday morning they were back at the Capitol. Earl had marched in, taken the Fifth, and marched back out with an expression of utter contempt and disdain. He had expected nothing from the white man's government, and it hadn't disappointed him. Now it was Blythe's turn. At the door, two young Marine guards had tried to hold him back. He knew he was being unfair, las.h.i.+ng out at the wrong people, but their attempt to separate him from Blythe shattered his control, and he had brutally mind-controlled them both. He had ordered them to sleep, and they were snoring by the time they hit the floor. That display of his power had a strong effect on several observers, and they quickly found a seat for him in the back of the room among the press corps. He had tried to remonstrate, wanting to be with Blythe, but this time it was Quinn who demurred.

”No, you sitting up there with her would be like a red flag to a bull. I'll take care of her.”

”It's not just the legal thing. Her mind . . . it's very fragile right now.” He jerked his head toward Rankin. ”Don't let them hammer at her.”

”I'll try.”

”My darling.” Her shoulders felt thin and bony beneath his hands, and when she raised her face to his, her eyes were like two darkened bruises in her white face. ”Remember, their freedom and safety is riding on you. Please don't say anything.”

”Don't worry, I won't,” she said with a flash of her old spirit. ”They're my patients too.”

He watched her walk away, a hand resting lightly on Quinn's arm, and terror seized him. He wanted to rush after her, and hold her one more time. He wondered if the feeling was his errant precognition kicking in, or just a disordered mind?

”Now, Mrs. van Renssaeler, let's get the chronology set in all our minds, shall we?” said Rankin.

”All right.”

”Now, when did you first discover you had this power?”

”February 1947.”

”And when did you walk out on your husband, Congressman Henry van Renssaeler?” He hit the word Congressman hard, glancing quickly to the left and right to see how his colleagues took it.

”I didn't, he threw me out.”

”And was that maybe because he had found out you were fooling around with another man, a man who isn't even human?”

”No!” cried Blythe.

”Objection!” shouted Quinn in the same breath. ”This is not a divorce proceeding-”

”You have no grounds upon which to object, Mr. Quinn, and may I remind you that this committee has sometimes found it necessary to investigate the backgrounds of attorneys. One has to wonder why you fellows would choose to represent enemies of this nation.”

”Because it is a tenet of Anglo-American law that a defendant have someone to s.h.i.+eld him from the awesome might of the federal government-”

”Thank you, Mr. Quinn, but I don't think we need instruction in jurisprudence,” broke in Representative Wood. ”You may continue, Mr. Rankin.”

”I thank you, sir. We'll leave that for the moment. Now, when did you become one of the so-called Four Aces?”

”I think it was in March.”

”Of '47?”

”Yes. Archibald had shown me how I could use my power to preserve priceless knowledge, and had contacted several of the scientists. They agreed, and I-”

”Began to suck out their minds.”

”It isn't like that.”