Free Pulling The Dragon's Tail by Kenton Kauffman Page A

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violent thoughts had not been used outside of a few direct court
proceedings. Since returning from a murder investigation on the
Moon colony, Dr. Devereaux had steadily worked on improving the
RVT’s measurements of a variety of biochemical markers and
electrical impulses in the brain. Her confidence level in the
accuracy of the RVT was enhanced as it became more adept at ruling
out false positives. However, the wireless, portable unit was still
very experimental; using it was not condoned at the Ellis Clinic.
Moving deftly through the program, she recalled a maxim of Dr.
Chun’s, one of her medical school professors: “The truth will set
you free. But it comes at a cost.”
    She casually placed the RVT computer on the
table in front of her. No one paid attention to her moves as all
eyes remained transfixed on Keagan. Slowly, she turned the lens
toward Keagan until his image was in the viewfinder.
    One thing Dr. Chun had not told her was how steep the cost was of discovering the truth. Her
psychiatric mission to the Moon colony taught her the full extent
of that. Did she really want to pay the price again?
    Her finger hovered delicately over the ‘enter’
key. Memories of the Moon colony odyssey flashed through her mind. What has gotten me this far is striving for knowledge and truth.
Regardless of the consequences, I can’t live any other way .
    With the impetus of that last thought, she
determinedly pushed the key. Microwave emissions surreptitiously
leaped across the room, and measured the electrical and biochemical
activity of the man on the other end of the viewfinder.
    Keagan concluded his defense. “Again my
intention was to entice him out by getting him enraged. Religious
discourse, based on his religious ideation, I hoped would insult
him enough to come out. So yes, okay, I insulted him, but for
protection of the whole unit.”
    Campbell rolled her eyes in disgust over his
blatant rationalizations. But she knew she must stay focused on the
data gathering experiment. “Keagan, for the record, you need to
state your personal feelings about this patient. Quite honestly I
doubt you can remain impartial when Mr. Kristopher’s religion is
anathema to your well-known beliefs. Do you need a Bible to swear
on?” she goaded.
    Outside the storm increased. Lightning and
thunder raged in their ancient choreographed dance. Wind gusts
pummeled the large windows. Raindrops performed a staccato rhythm,
competing for attention with the storm going on in the conference
room.
    “Stop acting like a damned prosecuting attorney,
Campbell,” implored Martinez.
    Keagan glared at her. Briefly he noticed the RVT
computer, with its novel green light, blinking at him. He paused
and stared at the gathering storm clouds passing over Manhattan. A
thunderclap shook the room, startling everyone except him, whose
gaze remained fixed outward, jaw firm as a rock.
    “Mr. Kristopher is entitled to his religious
beliefs.” He chewed on every word, haltingly, forcing them out a
word at a time. “In no way am I biased against this man, and I have
no other ulterior motives for doing what I did. Satisfied?” Then he
added in a postscript, “I intend this man no harm .”
    Glancing down, her screen read, “POTENTIAL
DANGER DETECTED: HOMOCIDAL RAGE.”
    For a moment Campbell stared, transfixed at the
readout. Fearing others may notice it she hastily shut off the
monitor. Wiping her sweaty palms on her blouse, she noticed she had
been holding her breath.
    Director Martinez was nodding thoughtfully.
“Keagan, your style continues to be unorthodox, creative, but this
time you know, you really were over the top. You must be more
careful the next time you find yourself in a similar
situation.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “That’s it?” Dr. Devereaux was outraged.
Glancing around the room she noted the body language of the
participants. She spoke for them. “All he gets is a slap on the
wrist? You will have a staff revolt if that’s the extent of