The Fourth K

The doctor, reading his mind, patted him on the shoulder and said, "That fact is more important to civilization than anything you guys can do here in the White House. And all we need is a billion dollars to prove it. What the hell is that, one aircraft carrier?" Then he had smiled at Klee to show that he meant no offense.

And now he was smiling when Klee walked into his office.

"So," Dr. A

Klee knew that Dr. A

"Truth," Dr. A

"No, no," Klee said and smiled to show he had a sense of humor. "I'm here for information. We have a situation that calls for that special PET study under the Atomic Weapons Control Act."

"You know you have to get the President's signature on that," Dr. A

"I know," Christian said. Then he explained the situation of the atom bomb and capture of Gresse and Tibbot. "Nobody thinks there is really a bomb, but if there is, then the time factor is crucially important. And the President refuses to sign the order."

"Why?" Dr. A

"Because of the possible brain damage that could occur during the procedure," Klee said.

This seemed to surprise A

Complete amnesia. But even that shouldn't dissuade him in this case. I've sent the President papers on it, I hope he reads them."

"He reads everything," Christian said. "But I'm afraid it won't change his mind."

"Too bad we don't have more time," Dr. A

Christian felt a tinge of excitement. "A safe, infallible lie detector whose findings would be admitted into court?" he said.

"As to being admitted into a court of law, I don't know," Dr. A

The civil liberties groups will fight it to the death. They're convinced that a man should not be used to testify against himself. And how would people in Congress like the idea that they could be made to take such a test under criminal law?"

Klee said, "I wouldn't like to take it."

A

"That's a little creepy," Klee admitted.

Dr. A

'Truth is the very essence of life.' That man's struggle to discover truth is his greatest ideal?" Dr. A

Christian said, "That's my area of competence. We dress up the law. We specify that your test can be used only in important criminal cases. We restrict its use to the government. Make it like a strictly controlled narcotics substance or arms manufacturing. So if you can get the test proven scientifically, I can get the legislation." Then he asked, "Exactly how the hell does that work anyway?"

"The new PETT' Dr. A

"It's voodoo to me," Christian said. "You should be in jail with those two physics guys."

Dr. A

But even Dr. A

Christian said, "Do you think it's possible to figure out how the brain works, really?"

Dr. A

"Catch– 22. Our brain will never catch up with the brain. Because of that, no matter what happens, mankind can never be more than a higher form of animal." He seemed overjoyed by this fact.

He became abstracted for a moment. "You know there's a 'ghost in the machine,' Koestler's phrase. Man has two brains really, the primitive brain and the overlying civilized brain. Have you noticed there is a certain unexplainable malice in human beings. A useless malice?"

Christian said, "Call the President about the PET. Try to persuade him. "

Dr. A

The rumor that one of the White House personal staff would sign the petition to remove Ke

Eugene Dazzy was at his desk surrounded by three secretaries taking notes for actions to be taken by his own personal staff. He wore his Walkman over his ears but the sound was turned off.

And his usual good-humored face was grim. He looked up at his uninvited visitor and said, "Chris, this is the worst possible time for you to come snooping around."

Christian said, "Eugene, don't bullshit me. How come nobody's curious about who the rumored traitor on the staff is. That means everybody knows, except me. And I'm the guy who should know."

Dazzy dismissed his secretaries. They were alone in the office. Dazzy smiled at Christian. "It never occurred to me you didn't know. You keep track of everything with your FBI and Secret Service, your stealth intelligence and listening devices. Those thousands of agents the Congress doesn't know you have on the payroll. How come you're so ignorant?"

Christian said coldly, "I know you're fucking some dancer twice a week in one of those apartments that belong to Jeralyn's restaurant."

Dazzy sighed. "That's it. This lobbyist who loans me the apartment came to see me. He asked me to sign the removal of-the-President document. He wasn't crude about it, there were no direct threats, but the implication was clear. Sign it or my little sins would be all over the papers and television." Dazzy laughed. "I couldn't believe it. How could they be so dumb?"

Christian said, "So what answer did you give?"

Dazzy smiled. "I crossed his name off my 'friends' list. I barred his access. And I told him I would give my old buddy Christian Klee his name as a potential threat to the security of the President. Then I told Francis. He told me to forget the whole thing."