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diff --git a/old/30288.txt b/old/30288.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eb9542d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/30288.txt @@ -0,0 +1,876 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sight Gag, by Laurence Mark Janifer + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sight Gag + +Author: Laurence Mark Janifer + +Illustrator: Schoenherr + +Release Date: October 19, 2009 [EBook #30288] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIGHT GAG *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction May 1962. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. + + + + SIGHT GAG + + + BY LARRY M. HARRIS + + + Intelligence is a great help in the evolution-by-survival--but + intelligence without muscle is even less useful than muscle + without brains. But it's so easy to forget that muscle--plain + physical force--is important, too! + + + + ILLUSTRATED BY SCHOENHERR + + * * * * * + + + + +Downstairs, the hotel register told Fredericks that Mr. John P. Jones +was occupying Room 1014. But Fredericks didn't believe the register. +He knew better than that. Wherever his man was, he wasn't in Room +1014. And whoever he was, his real name certainly wasn't John P. +Jones. "P for Paul," Fredericks muttered to himself. "Oh, the helpful +superman, the man who knows better, the man who does better." + +Fredericks had first known of him as FBI Operative 71-054P, under the +name of William K. Brady. "And what does the K stand for?" Fredericks +muttered, remembering. "Killer?" Brady wouldn't be the man's real +name, either. FBI Operatives had as many names as they had jobs, that +much was elementary. Particularly operatives like Jones-Brady-X. +"Special talents," Fredericks muttered. "Psi powers," he said, making +it sound like a curse. "Superman." + +Upstairs, in Room 1212, the superman sat in a comfortable chair and +tried to relax. He wasn't a trained telepath but he could read surface +thoughts if there were enough force behind them, and he could read the +red thoughts of the man downstairs. They worried him more than he +wanted to admit, and for a second he considered sending out a call for +help. But that idea died before it had been truly born. + +Donegan had told him he could handle the situation. Without weapons, +forbidden to run, faced by a man who wanted only his death, he could +handle the situation. + +Sure he could, he thought bitterly. + +Of course, if he asked for reinforcements he would undoubtedly get +them. The FBI didn't want one of its Psi Operatives killed; there +weren't enough to go round as it was. But calling for help, when +Donegan had specifically told him he wouldn't need it, would mean +being sent back a grade automatically. A man of his rank and +experience, Donegan had implied, could handle the job solo. If he +couldn't--why, then, he didn't deserve the rank. It was all very +simple. + +Unfortunately, he was still fresh out of good ideas. + +The notion of killing Fredericks--using his telekinetic powers to +collapse the hotel room on the man, or some such, even if he wasn't +allowed to bear arms--had occurred to him in a desperate second, and +Donegan had turned it down very flatly. "Look," the Psi Section chief +had told him, "you got the guy's brother and sent him up for trial. +The jury found him guilty of murder, first degree, no recommendation +for mercy. The judge turned him over to the chair, and he fries next +week." + +"So let Fredericks take it out on the judge and jury," he'd said. "Why +do I have to be the sitting duck?" + +"Because ... well, from Fredericks' point of view, without you his +brother might never have been caught. It's logic--of a sort." + +"Logic, hell," he said. "The guy was guilty. I had to send him up. +That's my job." + +"And so is this," Donegan said. "That's our side of it. Fredericks +has friends--his brother's friends. Petty criminals, would-be +criminals, unbalanced types. You know that. You've read the record." + +"Read it?" he said. "I dug up half of it." + +Donegan nodded. "Sure," he said. "And we're going to have six more +cases like Fredericks' brother--murder, robbery, God knows what +else--unless we can choke them off somehow." + +"Crime prevention," he said. "And I'm in the middle." + +"That's the way the job is," Donegan said. "We're not superman. We've +got limits, just like everybody else. Our talents have limits." + +He nodded. "So?" + +"So," Donegan said, "we've got to convince Fredericks' friends--the +unbalanced fringe--that we are supermen, that we have no limits, that +no matter what they try against us they're bound to fail." + +"Nice trick," he said sourly. + +"Very nice," Donegan said. "And what's more, it works. Nobody except +an out-and-out psychotic commits a crime when he hasn't got a hope of +success. And these people aren't psychotics; most criminals aren't. +Show them they can't get away with a thing--show them we're +infallible, all-knowing, all-powerful supermen--and they'll be scared +off trying anything." + +"But killing Fredericks would do that just as well--" he began. + +Donegan shook his head. "Now, hold on," he said. "You're getting all +worked up about this. It's your first time with this stakeout +business, that's all. But you can't kill him. You can't kill except +when really necessary. You know that." + +"All right. But if he's going to kill me--" + +"That doesn't make it necessary, not this time," Donegan said. "This +vengeance syndrome doesn't last forever, you know. Block it, and +you're through with it. And think how much more effective it is, +letting Fredericks go back alive to tell the tale." + +"Think how much more effective it would be," he said, "if Fredericks +managed to get me." + +"He won't," Donegan said. + +"But without weapons--" + +"No Psi Operative carries weapons," Donegan said. "We don't need them. +We're supermen ... remember?" + +He twisted his face with a smile. "Easy for you to talk about it," he +said. "But I'm going to have to go out and face it--" + +"We've all faced it," Donegan said. "When I was an Operative I went +through it, too. It's part of the job." + +"But--" + +"And I'm not going to tell you how to do the job," Donegan went on +firmly. "Either you know that by now, or you don't belong here." + +He got up to leave, slowly. "It's a fine way to find out," he said +mournfully. + +Donegan rose, too. "Good luck," he said. And meant it, too. + +That was the chief for you, he thought. Send you out into God knows +what with no weapons, no instructions, lots of help planted for the +man who wanted to kill you--and then wish you good luck at the end of +it. + +Sometimes he wondered why he didn't go in for some nice, peaceful job +of work--like rocket testing, for instance. + + * * * * * + +Fredericks, downstairs, was deciding to do things the subtle way. The +man upstairs--Jones, Brady or whatever his name was--deserved what he +was going to get. Psi powers were all very well, but there were +defenses against them. Briefly he thought of the man who'd sold him +the special equipment, and wondered why more criminals didn't know the +equipment existed. It worked; he was sure of that. Fredericks knew +enough of general psi theory to know when somebody was handing him a +snow job. And the equipment was no snow job. + +A force shield, that was the basic thing. A shield with no points of +entrance for anything larger than air molecules. Sight and sound could +get through, because the shield was constructed to allow selected +vibrations and frequencies. But no psi force could crack the shield. + +Fredericks has sat through a long explanation. Psi wasn't a physical +force; it was more like the application of a mental "set," in the +mathematical sense, to the existing order. But it could be detected by +specially built instruments--and a shield could be set up behind which +no detection was possible. It wasn't accurate to say that a psi force +was blocked by the shield; no construct can block that which has no +real physical existence. It was, more simply, that the shield created +a framework inside of which the universe existed in the absence of +psi. + +That wasn't very clear, either, Fredericks thought; but mathematics +was the only adequate language for talking about psi, anyhow. It had +been the theory of sets that had led to the first ideas of structure +and rationality within the field, and the math had gotten +progressively more complex ever since. + +Psi couldn't get through the shield, at any rate; that was quite +certain. And very little else could get in, or out. There was only one +point of exit. Unholstering his gun and aiming it automatically keyed +the shield to allow passage of a bullet, and the point of exit was +controlled by the gun's aiming. It was efficient and simple to handle. + +But Fredericks wasn't depending on the shield alone. There was a +binder field, too--a field which linked him to the surrounding area, +quite tightly. That took care of the chance that the Psi Operative +would try to pick him up, force shield and all, and throw him out a +window or through the roof. With the binder field in operation, no psi +force could move him an inch. + +A plug gas mask, too, inserted into the nostrils. The shield plus the +mask's pack held two hours' worth of air--just in case the Psi +Operative tried to throw poisonous molecules through the force +shield, or deprive him of oxygen. + +And then there was the blindfold. Such a simple thing, and so +effective. + + * * * * * + +Upstairs, the Psi Operative caught the sequence of thoughts. Did the +FBI have to do such a thorough job, he wondered bitterly. The +equipment, he knew, would do everything Fredericks thought it would +do. It was important that Fredericks go up against the Operative +thinking he was completely protected--in that way his final defeat +would be most effective. He'd have guarded against every possible +failure--so, when he failed, there would be nothing to explain it. + +Except the "fact" that the Psi Operatives were supermen. + +He gritted his teeth. It would be nice, he reflected, to be a real +superman. But any talent has its limits. And, even allowing for that, +only Donegan and a very few others could handle the full theoretical +potentials of their talents. In theory, a telekineticist could move +any object with his mind that he could move with his hands. That was a +rough rule of thumb, but it worked. The larger objects were barred by +sheer mass; no matter what kind of force you're using, there's a limit +to how much of it you can apply. + +The smaller objects--molecules, electrons, photons--simply took +practice and training. First the object had to be visualized, and the +general structure memorized. Then the power had to be controlled +carefully enough so that you moved just what you wanted to move and +not, for instance, shift the Empire State Building while trying to +lift a molecule out of its topmast. + +It was possible, in theory, to create full sensory hallucinations by +juggling electron streams and molecules within the brain. But +memorizing the entire structure of the brain was a lifelong task, +since you also had to allow for individual variation, and that meant +working with "tracking" molecules inside each brain before any work +began. Most Operatives stuck to one area--usually, as most effective, +sight or sound. + +He was a sight man. He could create any visual hallucination, as long +as the subject was within a twenty-five-foot range. Beyond that, +control of the fantastically small electrons and photons simply became +too diffused. + +But Fredericks had a shield. And in case the shield didn't work, he +was coming with a blindfold. + +The Psi Operative had no weapons, no reinforcements, no chance to +run--nothing except his psi talent, which Fredericks had defenses +against, and his brains. + +But there had to be a way out. + +Didn't there? + + * * * * * + +The desk clerk looked young and comparatively innocent. Fredericks +ambled over, taking his time about it. The clerk looked up and smiled +distantly. "Yes, sir?" + +"You've got a man registered here," Fredericks said, in crisp, +official tones. "He gave the name of John P. Jones--" + +The clerk was consulting a card file. "Yes, sir," he said brightly. +"Room 1014." + +"He's at work on an FBI matter," Fredericks said. "Naturally, this is +private and confidential--" + +"Naturally," the clerk said in a subdued tone. "But I--" + +"I'm assigned to work with him," Fredericks said. "You understand." + +"Of course, sir," the clerk said, trying to look as if he did. + +Fredericks took a deep breath. "I know he's here, but I don't know his +room number," he said. "Some red-tape mixup." + +"He's in 1014," the clerk said hopefully. + +Fredericks shook his head. "Not that," he said. "The real room number. +Look, I've got to get to him immediately--" + +"Of course, sir," the clerk said. "Identification, sir?" + +Fredericks grinned and fished in pockets. Naturally, he didn't come up +with a thing, FBI identification was infra-red tested, totally +unmistakable and unavailable to non-Operatives under any circumstances +whatever. "Got it here some place," he muttered. + +The clerk nodded. "Of course, sir," he said. "No need to waste time. I +understand." + +Fredericks stopped and stared. "You what?" + +"The room, sir, is 1212," the clerk said. "Would you like me to +accompany you--" + +"No thanks," Fredericks breathed. "I'll find it myself." The man was +too easy to find, he thought savagely. It ought to be tough to find +him--but it's easy. + +Remotely, that idea bothered him. But what difference did it make, +after all? He had all the protection in the world. He had all the +protection he was going to need. And all the time to fire one shot. +Doing it blindfolded was going to be tough, but not insuperably tough. +Fredericks had spent a week practicing, and he could locate a fly by +sound within two inches, nineteen times out of twenty. That, he +thought, was going to be good enough. + +Upstairs, the Psi Operative thought so, too. + +There had to be a way out, he told himself desperately. + +But he couldn't find it. + +He couldn't even come close. + + * * * * * + +On the way to Room 1212, he flipped on the shield, the mask, the +binder field. Now let the superman try something, he thought wildly. +Now let him try his tricks! He attached the blindfold as he got off +the elevator. He could see Room 1212, three doors down the corridor, +twenty steps--and then the blindfold was on. From now on he worked in +the dark. + +He felt the skeleton key in his palm and flipped the shield off for a +second; then the key was in the lock, the shield back on, protecting +him. The door opened slowly. + +He heard it shut behind him. Then there was silence. He drew his gun. + +"Go ahead," a muffled voice said from his right. "Go ahead and try +something, Fredericks." + +He whirled and almost fired--but voices could be thrown. He listened +again. There was silence ... not quite silence ... a movement ... a +rustle-- + +Breathing was faint but unmistakable. It gave him a new direction. +Breathing couldn't be faked. + +He pictured the Psi Operative, in one flash of imagination, trying to +get through the shield, sweating as he strained helplessly against the +force shield, the binder field, the mask, the blindfold--oh, there was +no way out for the poor superman, no way at all. + +And Psi Operatives didn't carry weapons or anything else. They +depended on their powers, and that was all. + +And he'd neutralized those powers. + +The breathing gave him the direction. He turned again, bringing the +gun up, and fired six shots without a second's break between them. +There was a sound like a gasp, and then nothing. + +Nothing at all. + +Grinning wildly, Fredericks whipped off the blindfold and switched off +his shield in one triumphant motion. There, on the floor-- + +There, on the floor, was a nice gray rug with nobody at all lying dead +on top of it. In the half-second it took Fredericks to see that, the +Psi Operative moved. Fredericks tossed the empty gun at him and +missed; the man was coming too fast. He guarded his face but the Psi +Operative didn't go for the face. Instead his hands went swinging up +and out and _back_. + +The sides of the palms landed neatly on the twin junctions of +Fredericks' arms and shoulders. Fredericks let out a shriek as his +arms turned to acutely painful stone, and the Psi Operative stepped +back and moved again in one blinding motion. This time the solar +plexus was the target for one balled fist. + +And then, of course, it was all over. + + * * * * * + +"Of course it was simple," Donegan said. "Anyone could have thought of +it--and I knew you would." + +"All the same," the Psi Operative said, "I nearly didn't." + +Donegan nodded. "If you hadn't," he said, "we'd stationed a man +downstairs who'd memorized your room. He could have done the job, +too." + +The Operative blinked. "Who?" he said. + +"Desk clerk," Donegan said. + +"Why didn't you tell me--" + +"Now, use your head," Donegan said. "If you'd known you were all +right, you'd never have thought of the answer. You had to prove you +could do it--prove it to yourself as well as to me." + +"But--" + +"And you had to prove you could beat him on his grounds, too, as well +as yours," Donegan went on. "You had to take him, not only with psi +forces, but with the only weapons a Psi Operative is allowed to +carry." + +"Fists," the Operative said. "Sure Judo and Karate are standard +subjects--every Operative has to know them. What's so tough about +that?" + +"Nothing," Donegan said. "Nothing at all--except for Fredericks. He's +been beaten on your ground, and on his own. Now he _knows_ he's +licked. Standard operating procedure." + +"I guess so," the Operative said. + +"And after all," Donegan said, "now that you're going up a grade--" + +"Now that I'm what?" + +"That," Donegan said, "was your promotion test, friend. And you +passed." + +There was a second of absolute silence. Then the Operative said: "And +it was all so simple." + +"Sure," Donegan said. "Simple enough so that you get a promotion out +of it--and Fredericks gets sixty days for attempted assault." + +"Not ADW--assault with a deadly weapon--because we've got to keep up +the myth," the Operative said. "Psi Operatives are untouchable. No +such thing as a deadly weapon for a Psi Operative." + +"Which is nonsense," Donegan said, "but necessary nonsense. I wonder +if Fredericks will ever figure out how you got him." + +"I wonder," the Operative said. "He'll know about karate, of course." + +"Karate's hand-to-hand fighting." Donegan said. "That was _his_ field. +No, I mean _our_ field. Psi." + +"It makes a nice puzzle for him, doesn't it?" the Operative said, and +grinned. "After all, I didn't touch him--couldn't, in any way. He'd +shielded himself perfectly from any telekinetic force--and I had no +weapons. I couldn't even get to him barehanded because of his shield +and the binder field. He had me located--no tomfoolery about that. He +fired six shots at me, point-blank at can't-miss range." + +"But you got him," Donegan said. + +"Sure," the Operative said. "Simplest thing in the world." + +"All you had to do--" Donegan began. + +"All I had to do," the Operative finished for him, "was use my mind to +move the bullets--as he fired them." + +[Illustration] + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sight Gag, by Laurence Mark Janifer + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIGHT GAG *** + +***** This file should be named 30288.txt or 30288.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/2/8/30288/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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