Part 44 (1/2)
It was easier than he expected to tell her the truth. And far easier to wake up next to her the next morning in his apartment.
”I'm not saying I believe it,” she said, propped up on one elbow.
”Then why are you here?” John said.
”Because you clearly believe it and you think keeping it from me is what drove me away.”
”Didn't it?”
”Yes, but I need to decide if the secret of cross-universe travel is any different from the secret of harboring a paranoid delusion of cross-universe travel,” she said.
John smirked. ”Henry and Grace believe me.”
”Yes, smart people can behave irrationally. Insane people can be incredibly smart.”
”We have a device. We've taken it apart.”
”Does it work?” she asked.
”Yes!”
”Have Grace and Henry seen it work?”
”Uh, no. I've seen it work.”
”So your experience is your only evidence.”
”Charboric and Visgrath know.”
”Who witnessed your conversations with those two?”
”Uh, no one.”
”So you see my dilemma?”
”Not really.”
”Can I still love you if you're a psychopath?”
”Is paranoia really a psychosis? It's more of a neurosis. And everyone has neuroses.”
”No, I think dedicating your life to your delusion is a psychosis.”
”It's brought prosperity.”
”So pinball is part of the psychosis. I a.s.sumed it was just a good idea you had that you had to justify due to an inferiority complex.”
”I do not have an inferiority complex. I'm very good at most things I do.”
Casey laughed. ”You're a very attractive psychopath.”
”See? I have no reason to feel inferior. I'm not short like Napoleon. I'm going to college. I own an explosively growing company. I have an above-average... you know.”
”How do you know?” Casey said. ”About that last one.”
”I've read scientific articles. In scientific magazines.”
”Did they come with color pictures and pullout centerfolds?”
”No. Black-and-white bar charts. Many, many bar charts.”
Casey laughed again and straddled him.
”I appreciate your scientific process,” she said. She slid him inside her. ”I've decided to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
”You believe I'm not-huh!-lying?”
”No, I don't believe it matters as long as you're honest with me.”
”I won't ever lie to you again.”
”That's what I wanted to hear.”
They stopped talking after that.
Huge crates of materials-everything that Grace had ordered-arrived at the old warehouse the next morning.
”What are we going to do with this stuff?” John asked.
”Henry is going to model our diagram.”
”I am?” Henry asked.
”Sure.”
”I don't know anything about electronics,” he said.
”You didn't know anything about pinball before either,” Grace replied.
”I can't argue with that.”
They were at the point where they could do a couple hundred threads in an hour. The slowly evolving circuit almost made sense, but then John'd turn his head and it would all dissolve away. It was alien and yet familiar. Like thermodynamics.
John looked up suddenly, his bladder near to bursting. The sun had set.
”Where's Henry?”