Free The Eyes of Heisenberg by Frank Herbert

woman, a bit of leisure. Let him think she was loyal to us.”
    Allgood nodded, said, “We are giving him a woman, Nourse, who will keep him under constant surveillance.”
    A trill of laughter escaped Calapine. “Why has no one mentioned this Potter, the genetic engineer?” she asked.
    â€œI was coming to him, Calapine,” Allgood said.
    â€œHas anyone examined the embryo?” Schruille asked, looking up suddenly.
    â€œNo, Schruille,” Allgood said.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œIf this is a concerted action to escape genetic controls, Schruille, we don’t want members of the organization to know we suspect them. Not yet. First, we must learn all about these people—the Durants, their friends, Potter … everyone.”
    â€œBut the embryo’s the key to the entire thing,” Schruille said. “What was done to it? What is it?”
    â€œIt is bait, Schruille,” Allgood said. “Bait?”
    â€œYes, Schruille, to catch whoever else may be involved.”
    â€œBut what was done to it?”

    â€œHow can that matter, Schruille, as long as we can … as long as we have complete control over it.”
    â€œThe embryo is being guarded most adroitly, I hope,” Nourse said.
    â€œMost adroitly, Nourse.”
    â€œSend the pharmacist Svengaard to us,” Calapine ordered.
    â€œSvengaard … Calapine?” Allgood asked.
    â€œYou need not know why,” she said. “Merely send him.”
    â€œYes, Calapine.”
    She stood up to signify the end of the interview. The acolytes turned around, still swinging their thuribles, prepared now to escort the meres from the hall. But Calapine was not finished. She stared at Allgood, said, “Look at me, Max.”
    He looked, recognizing that strange, studying set to her eyes.
    â€œAm I not beautiful?” she asked.
    Allgood stared at her, the slender figure with its outlines softened by the robe and curtains of power within the globe. She was beautiful as were many Optimen females. But the beauty repelled him with its threatening perfection. She would live indefinitely, already had lived forty or fifty thousand years. But one day his lesser flesh would reject the medical replacements and the enzyme prescriptions. He would die while she went on and on and on.
    His lesser flesh rejected her.
    â€œYou are beautiful, Calapine,” he said.
    â€œYour eyes never admit it,” she said.
    â€œWhat do you want, Cal?” Nourse asked. “Do you want this … do you want Max?”
    â€œI want his eyes,” she said. “Just his eyes.”
    Nourse looked at Allgood, said, “Women.” His voice held a note of false camaraderie.
    Allgood stood astonished. He had never heard that tone from an Optiman before.
    â€œI make a point,” Calapine said. “Don’t interrupt my words with male jokes. In your heart of hearts, Max, how do you feel about me?”

    â€œAhhhh,” Nourse said. He nodded.
    â€œI shall say it for you,” she said as Allgood remained mute. “You worship me. Never forget that, Max. You worship me.” She looked at Boumour and Igan, dismissed them with a wave of her hand.
    Allgood lowered his eyes, feeling the truth in her words. He turned, and with the acolytes flanking them, led Igan and Boumour out of the hall.
    As they emerged onto the steps, the acolytes held back and the barrier dropped. Igan and Boumour turned left, noting a new building at the end of the long esplanade which fronted Administration. They saw its machicolated walls, the openings fitted with colored filters which sent bursts of red, blue and green light upon the surrounding air, and they recognized that it blocked the way they had intended to take out of Central. A building suddenly erected, another Optiman toy. They saw it and planned their steps accordingly with the automatic acceptance that marked them as regulars in the Optiman demesne. The meres and