Part 15 (1/2)
”If he is hidden” Rick said the words before he even thought
”What do you mean, Rick? No one outside the family or the project knows of his presence!” Julius Weiss exclaiet to that point in its proper turn”
Hartson Brant picked up the threads again ”We will assume for theDr Morrison was a preventative I know Steve doesn't accept this fully, but we must use assumptions since we have no facts of consequence If the assumption is correct, then we have to accept the fact that eneents are interested in the project And wea lance at Parnell Winston The cyberneticist was sitting quietly, his bushy eyebrows knitted thoughtfully Winston hadn't said a word
Hartson Brant paced the floor as he went on ”We now have one slight bit of additional information that supports the theory of enemy interference You are all aware of what happened to Dr Marks thisHe is in the hands of Constantine Chavez, who is in touch with the physicians in charge of the other team members Dr Chavez is of the opinion that Dr Marks' h he cannot say how He also states, although there seems to be no connection with the ed”
Parnell Winston spoke for the first tied, we can accept it How could it have happened?”
Steve spread his hands in a gesture that seeone over every step of the journey with Tom Dodd The answer is yes Thanks to Marks' bullheadedness, and a clerical error, there was an opportunity for an eneet at him on the train”
The scientists waited, obviously wanting to know more Steve elaborated ”Marks was covered by one of ourat the Bureau of Standards, and while he was at his apart has happened to them However, when the reservations were made for the train trip, Marks specified that he wanted a bedrooot the one next door”
”Why did Marks want to travel by train overnight, anyway?” Scotty deton to Newark the hard way”
”I told you he was stubborn,” Steve reminded ”Tom tried to talk him out of it but failed After all, the project team members aren't prisoners We can't use force, and we can't order theht by train because he always traveled that way, he said He insisted”
Dr Morrison said sadly, ”I assure you that he is not an easywith sometimes But we must remember that he is--or was--an extreiven many eccentricities”
”Thanks to his eccentricities, we've also lost his competence,” Julius Weiss pointed out ”Go on, Steve”
”Right Well, Toot the reservations and found that he had actually received bedrooe because the train was sold out”
”I can't see what difference that made,” Rick objected
”You will People often buy connecting bedrooms on a train, and that's what To door open and reht with an eye on Marks However, while A and B connect, B and C do not Do I reed ”The connecting bedrooms come in pairs, A-B, C-D, and so on”
”That's it Well, Tom ran a fast check on the person who had received bedroom D, and found it was a Balti overnight to New York So Tom didn't worry about it Instead, he kept his bedroom door open so he could watch the corridor He says he didn't sleep at all, and I believe hients The occupant of Bedrooht to bed The night passed quietly, until it was ti hie effect hit him Rick and Scotty know
They were there”
The boys shuddered, re Marks' condition
”But where did the opportunity to drug hi on every possible angle,” Steve said quietly, ”and we've found a couple of interesting things First of all, the man who reserved Bedroom D is in a Baltimore hospital He was struck by a hit-and-run car as he walked from his office to the railroad station Obviously, he was struck deliberately He's in critical condition”
”Then the asped
”Yes Who was the o over the rooerprints except those of the porter who cleaned up after the train left New York The room iped clean But our BostonThey had a sample analyzed, and so far as we can determine, it's a kind of water-soluble salt paste often used by doctors when they take electrocardiograroup leaned forward, interested Rick knew the kind of stuff Stevean electrocardiogra scientist had fainted from sheer overwork, and possible heart complications were suspected The technician squeezed the paste from a tube and applied it to wrists, ankles, and chest, under the metal terminals of the machine Its purpose was to allow a better electrical contact
Julius Weiss demanded excitedly, ”Steve, do you iraed ”I iain Parnell Winston spoke ”Perhaps I can shed soht on this
It's true that such an electropaste is used to rareater i electroencephalograms”