Free The Collected Stories of Frank Herbert by Frank Herbert Page A

shuddered. “I kept having horrible dreams last night about all those poor people going insane. I kept waking up. I wanted to go in and have it out with Pete.” She put her hands over her face. “How can you be certain it’s the musikron. You can’t be sure. I won’t believe it! I can’t.”
    Eric stood up, went to the bench and rummaged under loose parts for a notebook. He returned, tossed the book into her lap. “There’s your proof.”
    She looked at the book without opening it. “What is this?”
    â€œIt’s some figures on your itinerary. I had a travel bureau check your departure times. From the time Pete would have been shutting down the musikron to the moment all hell broke loose there’s an even twenty-eight-hour time lapse. That same time lag is present in each case.”
    She pushed the notebook from her lap. “I don’t believe it. You’re making this up.”
    He shook his head. “Colleen, what does it mean to you that you have been each place where the Syndrome hit … that there was a twenty-eight-hour time lapse in each case. Isn’t that stretching coincidence too far?”
    â€œI know it’s not true.” Her lips thinned. “I don’t know what I’ve been thinking of to even consider you were right.” She looked up, eyes withdrawn. “It can’t be true. If it was, it would mean Pete planned the whole thing. He’s just not that kind of a guy. He’s nice, thoughtful.”
    He started to put his hand on her arm. “But, Colleen, I thought—”
    â€œDon’t touch me. I don’t care what you thought, or what I thought. I think you’ve been using your psychological ability to try to turn me away from Pete.”
    He shook his head, again tried to take her arm.
    She pulled away. “No! I want to think and I can’t think when … when you touch me.” She stared at him. “I believe you’re just jealous of Pete.”
    â€œThat’s not—”
    A motion at the lab door caught his eye, stopped him. Pete stood there, leaning on his cane.
    Eric thought, How did he get there? I didn’t hear a thing. How long has he been there? He stood up.
    Pete stepped forward. “You forgot to latch your door, doctor.” He looked at Colleen. “Common enough thing. I did, too.” He limped into the room, cane tapping methodically. “You were saying something about jealousy.” A pause. “I understand about jealousy.”
    â€œPete!” Colleen stared at him, turned back to Eric. “Eric, I—” She began, and then shrugged.
    Pete rested both hands on his cane, looked up at Eric. “You weren’t going to leave me anything, were you, doctor—the woman I love, the musikron. You were even going to hang me for this Syndrome thing.”
    Eric stopped, retrieved his notebook from the floor. He handed it to Pete, who turned it over, looked at the back.
    â€œThe proof’s in there. There’s a twenty-eight-hour time lag between the moment you leave a community and the moment madness breaks out. You already know it’s followed you around the world. There’s no deviation. I’ve checked it out.”
    Pete’s face paled. “Coincidence. Figures can lie; I’m no monster.”
    Colleen turned toward Eric, back to Pete. “That’s what I told him, Pete.”
    â€œNobody’s accusing you of being a monster, Pete … yet,” Eric said. “You could be a savior. The knowledge that’s locked up in that musikron could practically wipe out insanity. It’s a positive link with the unconscious … can be tapped any time. Why, properly shielded—”
    â€œNuts! You’re trying to get the musikron so you can throw your weight around.” He looked at Colleen. “And you sugar-talked her into helping you.” He sneered. “It’s not the