Page:Fantastic Universe (1956-10; vol. 8, no. 3).djvu/71

Rh "You deliberately inoculate the patients with something that will wipe out memory?" she was appalled.

"I should like to word it differently. The ingredients create a new consciousness, eager and willing for change."

Her mind fumbled for something he had said a moment before.

"An inoculation," he said matter-of-factly, "would work faster but there would be the difficulty of hiding the instrument before and after. We have in our laboratories perfected the capsule as a wiser if slower means."

"You said 'you here in this world' " her voice dropped as the pounding blood threatened to burst her heart walls. "You here you mean you come from another world!"

"Yes," his voice held a note of sadness. "We are visitors."

"We! There are others like you! Putting capsules into innocent people making them "

He held up both of his hands.

"We do not make people do anything! They wish to work with us."

And now she was standing, her panic a live thing pounding out horror in her ears, drying out her throat so she could not swallow.

"Who are you?"

"I am Director in this city," he said. He stood up but did not approach her. "When I visit the patient upon the fourth night, I transmit to him his key number and his base for orders."

She could not see. Blindly she moved toward the door, but when she was within a foot of it, he spoke.

"You can't go now. Knowing so much, surely you must know all."

She stood still, waiting for her panic to subside. What he said was true. She had to know everything about this man, about his plot, about his 'other world.' If she ran from the room now, and denounced him to Mr. Archer, would he believe her? Poor Sara, Mr. Archer would shake his head regretfully, she's getting too old for her job

The next moment with startling suddenness she had her opportunity for escape and for unmasking Dr. Smith.

There was a knock and Mr. Archer's voice raised in the way one speaks when faced by a door.

"Oh, Dr. Smith? I'm just on my way to the meeting ready?"

Shaking, she stood and watched Dr. Smith rise slowly. She saw that he was completely in command of himself.

"I'm just changing my clothes, Mr. Archer," Dr. Smith said in a slightly higher tone than usual.

"Let's say another ten minutes. I'll join you in your office."

"Right!" Mr. Archer's hearty voice answered.

Sara heard his receding footsteps. Why, she asked herself in