The Adversary - 4 by Julian May Read Free Book Online Page B

afflictions accurst With which a man's saddled And hampered and addled, A diffident nature's the worst!
    Now people were rushing from the observatory into the garden. There was a wild melange of farspoken thought: It's that goddam docilator Steinbrenner go fetch himRight. Pat comealong help coldturkey letdown.
    Affirm hurryhurry!
    SHEWASHERERIGHTHEREYESMONSTERFELICEWAS HEREODIDYOUSEEWASITILLUSIONOCHRISTNO REALDIDN'TYOUSEELaura you&Dorsey get tank ready Keoghs bring bodytransporter.Affirm/Affirm/Affirmaffirm.
    GODBLANCHARDDIEDDIDYOUFEELITFUCKHIM WHATABOUTMONSTERFELICEDIDSHEFUSEMARC WHOTHEHELLKNOWSITWASADJUMPDJUMP CHILDRENWHATABOUTTHEMARETHEYSAFESHUT UPOGODISMARCDEADISFELICEDEADORDIDSHE SUBSUMEMARCYOUFUCKINGIDIOTSSHUTUPONO SHUTUPONOTHEGENESMENTALMANTHEGENES MARCMARCSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUT UP!
    DJUMPDJUMPSHECOULDHAVEFUSEDSUBSUMED it was a d-jump I tell you ...
    Silence!
    Jordy you can't be certain.
    It was a d-jump.
    You don't dare divest until we confirm her excursion.
    That's why they're bringing Manion you fool!
    THE GENES. O GOD THE GENES.
    Damn genes!
    The children!
    GathenDalembertWarshawVanWyk STAY Everybodyelse GO.
    Must know children can't push me out damn Marc damn genes damn all of you ...
    Steinbrenner when you get Manion out docilator put Helayne IN.
    Affirm.
    Oblivious, Alexis Manion pottered among the orchids. And there came big Jeff Steinbrenner, archquack and babykiller, all reeking with adrenalin overload! And pretty Pat Castellane, her steel eyes weeping! Amazing. Manion sang out: If you wish in the world to advance, Your merits you're bound to enhance.
    You must stir it and stump it, And blow your own trumpet.
    Or trust me, you haven't a chance!
    The two of them pounced on Manion and tore off the docilator headpiece. He staggered, convulsing, as the Florida landscape melted into concentric expanding shells of colour. They held him while his muscles bucked and spasmed. Pat's redactive douche calmed while Jeff's numbed the recollection of anguish; and at last his brain settled into its normal rhythm and he could stand alone.
    Trembling, with blood trickling down his chin from his bitten tongue, he forced their hands away with his psychokinesis. The social aspect of his mind was so tattered that he was unable to contain the malicious satisfaction that welled up as he discovered why they had come.
    "Felice nailed him?" Manion began to laugh. Steinbrenner's coercion lashed out to no effect. Docilated, Manion had been barely biddable; free, he was a rock of intransigence. "Let the bastard boil in his own devil-rig!"
    "Alex, it's not just Marc!" Patricia cried. She took one of Manion's hands. Her skin was icy in spite of the June heat.
    "We're all in danger. And the children. The metaconcert operation-we don't know what's happened. Owen Blanchard is dead, and Ragnar Gathen's son and God knows how many others in Europe. We don't know about Felice. Marc's data input to the computer cut off at the moment of the d-jump-"
    In spite of himself, Manion found his interest aroused. "Her mind generated a real upsilon-field? Barebrained?"
    "We think so. She seemed to appear right there in the observatory and ... attack Marc in some way through the cerebroenergetic equipment."
    Manion chuckled. "Well, well. What a nasty surprise."
    Patricia was drawing him along the white pathway toward the observatory entrance. Some twenty of the veteran Rebels were standing about exuding an emotional farrago to chill the blood.
    Steinbrenner's thought was thunderous.
    Go to the lodge!
    Go to your homes! Anywhere away from here. He's alive and we'll have him safe in the regen tank as soon as Diarmid & Dierdre get here with transport. NOW GET OUT.
    With much mental murmuring, the people began to disperse.
    Manion was lost in his own thoughts, animosity vanished in the face of an intriguing problem. "A d-jump! Now when was the last time we tried to confirm one at the IDFS? 2067? Yes ... an adolescent from one of the black worlds. Engong, was it? But he