Chapter 5

Lucy Maddison looked at the report and said, "Shit!" It was not a ladylike exclamation but it presented her feelings adequately.

Nancy Paddock said, "We have to tell Sheila."

"I know but we just can't phone Stethbridge or even use Sheila's cell. You better use your cell and invite Sheila to a birthday party."

"Ok."

Two hours later, Sheila phoned Lucy. "Hello, Honey. What's so important?"

"Can we talk?"

"Yes we can, Dear."

"We got our first case of possible brain lesions. He, of course, is one of the test subjects using AB463R. He was rushed to the hospital complaining of severe pain to his brain."

"Where are the results?"

"I can courier them over or send you an encrypted file with everything."

"Tell me the important points first."

"It's a male, age 24. He suffers from Down's syndrome and his long term prognosis was that he would be lucky to reach 28."

More and more details came out until Sheila said, "I want to see the subject for myself."

"He's slated to come in tomorrow but he may still be in the hospital. You can wear one of our lab coats or carry one of our identifications and make your own assessment."

That night I hurried home to read the report. There was the usual line up of students including the two new ones in school uniforms. One was ripe and ready to pluck but the other was a different matter. She would have to be slowly seduced and presented with the outward signs of love.

That night one of the students had to go to bed with me. I was worried and needed some way to relax. I knew I was a sociopath. Pretending to have a conscience was all I could do.

I juggled her appointments so I could be in hospital at the right time. When I strode into the correct room I saw an old woman of sixty seven sitting beside the bed. The report and photos explained the setting.

I smiled and extended my hand. "Hello, Mrs Appleton. I'm a specialist assigned to Sam's case. My name is Sheila Knox."

The woman looked worn out. "Hello, Sheila. What do you know about his headaches?"

"Nothing much yet. That's why I'm here."

"Of course. Forgive me. My husband has problems too and it gets hectic some times."

"That's no problem. What can you tell me about what happened to Sam the day preceding his headache?"

"Matthew, Sam's father, suffered a heart attack. I had to run to the hospital to see what I could do. I left Sam with his cousin Nick. Just before I left, I gave him the pill and recorded the time in the chart. Nick is older than Sam but still irresponsible. When I came home I found Sam moaning on the floor while Nick was talking on the phone. The pain was so intense that I got Nick to drive us here. I followed procedures and contacted the clinic."

"So you have no idea what brought the bout on?"

"None whatsoever."

I was not a medical doctor but I was concerned with how the effects of the drug was effecting one of my test subjects. I did all the tests a doctor would do and a few more. Blood samples were collected.

Mrs Appleton left to see her husband when the tests started. When the last sample of blood was taken, Sam woke up and looked at his nurse. He gave the usual look of a person suffering from Down's Syndrome.

I was going to leave now and Sam said, "Why are you going, Sh — Sheila?"

I was exasperated, especially at those that were so inferior. "I'm finished my tests, Sam. I have other work to do."

Sam looked down and started to cry. I was not swayed by pity but had to ask because of professionalism, "What's wrong, Sam?"

"My head hurts and you think I'm stupid. I can't help it."

"I don't think that at all."

"You're lying. I know you hate stupid people. You think we should all die."

I was stunned. "Where did you get an idea like that?"

"I don't know but I know that you hate me."

Something odd was going on. The subject may not have been asleep when I mentioned my name. I hoped my facial characteristics could have given me away but I schooled herself to not react that way. An idea occurred to me. "What am I thinking about now?"

"A funny blue monkey with stripes on its face."

I was astonished and never this much. My mind went into overdrive and I realised that I had to try to keep my real feelings buried deep. I had to do some quick remedial work so I was not seen as only interested in the subject because of his condition.

"That was very good, Sam. What now?"

Sam smiled and said, "Me Tarzan." His hands came up to cradle his head.

I was prepared for tis but it still shocked me. "Very good, Sam." My current excitement was the hardest thing I ever tried to control.

I sat on the bed so I would not appear to be dominant though that was the way I usually chose. When Sam looked at my breasts the way every man did, I recorded the information.

Sam got tired quickly. A nurse came in and I urged her to get a sedative for Sam. I wanted him awake but I had to have time to think on this development. At the moment I was thinking that the developing lesion had done something to a portion of the brain to bring on true mental telepathy.

The sedative had already been prescribed if needed and Sam drifted off to sleep. I stayed close so that Sam would not divulge his new ability to the world.

I went hunting Mrs Appleton and found her with her husband. Matthew the husband and father was pallid. It looked like he was ready to die and this fit my plans very well.

I waited to be noticed and now acted like my opposite. I tried to be very carrying when asking how Matthew was doing.

"He isn't doing much better. I don't know what I can do."

"Two of your menfolk would be too much for a person thirty years younger. You must have an iron constitution."

"I don't feel that strong. I'm run ragged."

"I came here to offer some help."

"What can you do?"

"I work for a company that supplied the drug Sam was using. I could claim that I want to check on his condition much more vigorously. This would require he be transferred to another facility that has a round-the-clock monitoring. If I phrase the request adequately, there would be no cost to you."

Mrs Appleton thought of the words and looked at her husband. "Will Sam get better?"

"I expect him to if he is monitored better. We both know that we are just postponing the inevitable. Unfortunately, people with problems like what Sam has are usually with us for just a short time."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. When would you need to know?"

"If I take Sam now, I would have performed a fait accompli in a manner of speaking. I have to work fast to ensure that my company will show enough interest to underwrite the costs."

"Now?"

"What better time? Your husband needs you and you can't be in two places at once. Sam will get much better care than he would any other place."

"Let me think about it, please."

I had to act concerned. I went over to Matthew and moved some hair off of his face though I detested even touching a male. I fiddled with whatever I could to show that I was trying her best.

Finally Mrs Appleton said, "Sheila, I'd like to try this. If Sam is too much of a burden then I'll take him back."

I was immensely relieved but I could not appear that way. "I don't think Sam will be a problem. He woke up after I completed the tests. We even joked a bit. The headache had not gone but it had considerably lessened."

Arrangements were made. Papers would have to be signed and then arrangements made for a man to enter my home.

I had to set aside all my appointments as I contacted my lawyer to make up the form. Luckily there were some similar forms already in existence.

A room had to be prepared for Sam. This would disrupt the household but the secret had to be kept.

Kelly was brought into service and picked up the form from the lawyer's office. She hurried up to the room occupied by Sam. I took the woman far from the room even though Sam was asleep.

"Kelly, I stumbled on something utterly fantastic. The man we're going to help is telepathic."

"What?"

"You heard me. I don't know how this happened but I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"He can actually read minds?"

"He can read mine. I have to bury everything I don't want him to know under a lot of surface thoughts."

"If he can read my mind, he will know I hate men."

"He already knows too much about me. We could hire some temps but then they would know as well."

Kelly said, "What about the teachers or the students?"

"Most of them don't like men either."

"Some of the girls are more hetro, or could be."

"That's true."

"The two new girls. They hate their father but not necessarily all men. They could do some of the work."

"That's a good idea. I think they can even be trusted. They want to stay bad enough that they will not divulge the secret. The older one is not useful for anything. She can be the primary care giver. I can claim it's part of the training."

The two of us went back to Sam's room while thinking kind thoughts for all men. I went to find Mrs Appleton and in a few moments the papers were signed. The Appleton doctor was summoned and he facilitated the removal of Sam from the hospital. He was also going to provide a copy of all his records concerning Sam after he got a waiver to do so.

Sam woke up when he was being transferred to a wheelchair. I stayed very close to keep the secret from leaking out. Sam was transferred to the Mercedes. Kelly sat in the back with him while still thinking happy thoughts.

Sam's mother kissed her son and explained what was happening and why it was happening.

Sam said, "It's ok, Mom. I'm big now. I can do this."

"You certainly are, Sam, and I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

I wanted to plan but had to content myself with flooding my mind with the work I would like to do at my office. I had to change that to something less violent.

Kelly though had less of a problem because she just remembered how this man's mother loved him and how he loved the woman back.

Part way home Sam said, "My Mom's the best."

Kelly put out her hand and put it on top of Sam's and said, "Yes, she is. Too bad all of us don't have great mothers."

Janice, the head of security, met the car as it pulled up to the front of the house. She had been only partially briefed but the two Compton sisters were told to be present.

Kelly and I assisted Kimberly with her new charge though the girl was dumfounded as to why she had this duty. She had only been a student for three weeks. She was the second youngest and she figured somebody older should get this job.

Sam walked unsteadily. He gawked at the house then at the people and finally at the interior of the house.

He needlessly said, "This house is big."

I was quick to reply, "Yes, and you get to have a room of your very own here."

"Do I get a TV?"

"Sure you do. What's better than TV though is talking to interesting people."

"TV is better."

"It might be in some cases, Sam."

Sam was introduced to everybody. Since it was only a matter of time before everybody found out, Sheila added, "Sam is staying with us for a few reasons. His father had a heart attack and his mother has her hands full. I agreed to take in Sam for her.

"Another reason is that I found that Sam has a gift. I think all of you are loyal to the school so I'm going to tell you that Sam recently learned to read minds."

Nobody said anything. In a moment it was Sam that said, "I can read minds. Want me to show you?"

It was Kelly that moved out after I pushed her. "Can you try me first, Sam?"

"Sure." He paused a moment and said, "You're scared of me. I won't hurt you. I'm big but I don't hurt anybody except when I fall on them. I didn't mean to hurt Uncle Frank."

"That's ok, Sam. Try again."

"You're thinking of a teddy bear."

Kelly was shocked and finally said, "You're right, Sam. Try it again."

Sam almost instantly said, "A pretty cloud in the sky. It's up high."

"You're right again, Sam. Let's try some of the other girls?"

Kimberly was pulled out and she uncertainly said, "Hi Sam. Can you guess what I'm thinking?"

"You want to eat." This was a sort of catharsis and everybody laughed. Sam started calling people by their names and just gave small details. Sam used a lot of arm and hand gestures so he was assisted to sit on the floor and then the rest sat too.

Sam was the centre of attention now and he liked the position. The girls, and even the women, became more comfortable with the young man. He was uncoordinated and thin. Those that had been in the school for as little as a year could easily out wrestle him.

After the meal, I invented a few 'games'. Since Kimberly would be the primary caregiver, she was chosen to think of different colours while Sam told her what they were. At each success, she stepped back a step until Sam was not as quick. At fifty metres, Sam sounded to be just guessing.

Another game had him think of something the girls had to think of but hide. This was a difficult conception and it appeared that you almost had to think at Sam for him to pick up the information if you were more than three metres away. A frightened woman could hide the target information much easier but Sam was hesitant to try.

Another game involved looking at a magazine. Sam would say what the pictures were of but had difficulty understanding the thoughts when the girls were reading.

When Sam got tired the games stopped. The girls were more comfortable with him being in the house. In the past I had kept up a constant harangue of males and it was now being eroded slowly.

Sam sat in his room. I was sitting nearby. I said, "Sam, do you remember when you first got your headache?"

"Yeah, sorta. Why?"

"I'm — "

"You're trying to find out how you can do it."

"That's right, Sam."

"It's probably going to hurt your head."

"It might, but I want to learn."

Sam concentrated and said, "I don't remember much."

"Ok, who were you with?"

"Nick."

"Good, he was on the phone your mother said. Did the headache come on slowly or did it just hit you?"

"Oh, it hit me hard."

"Did you fall before the headache. Did something hit your head?"

"Noooo."

"Did you feel sick?"

"A little — maybe. I ate one of Nick's candies. It didn't taste good."

This was interesting. "What did the candy look like?"

"It was wrapped in shiny paper. The candy was small and tasted sour. I spit some of it out and had to take a drink."

"Was the shiny paper really aluminum foil?"

"I think so."

Sam was given a bath with the aid of the housekeeper and Kimberly. Before he went to bed, he phoned home. I was present to intercept the call if Sam wandered into a dangerous area. His mother sounded relieved that Sam was doing so well.

The next day, Sam's clothing was fetched. I took a sick day which I had never done before. I still kept in touch with work by telephone though. Many more tests were devised and even the students were encouraged to devise additional tests. This made the bizarre situation much more plausible.

I phoned the hospital and got in touch with Sam's mother. I said, "I was talking with Sam and found he consumed a foil wrapped bitter substance. Sam believed it to be candy but spit most of it out. Apparently it had come from his cousin Nick's pocket."

"Oh, my god. I'm going to kill that boy."

"I'm afraid I want to do the same thing. How can I get a hold of him?"

"I can give you his phone number but it is more likely he will come over to my home."

"That's probably true. Perhaps you could mention finding something foil wrapped. It wouldn't take long for him to retrieve it."

"I don't imagine it would."

By mid afternoon a BMW pulled up outside the Appleton home. The doorbell rang but it was me that answered the door.

I said, "Come in, Nick. I've been waiting for you."

"Where's Aunt Bea?"

"She had to leave for the hospital. Matthew isn't doing well."

"I'll go see her then."

"I'm the one that set this meeting up."

"What meeting?"

"Do you want me to talk on the front steps about what you lost?"

"You have it?"

I just turned around and walked into the house. After a moment, Nick followed. "Where is it?"

"Tell me what kind of drug it is."

"Who said it was a drug?"

"Let's not waste time. I'm not a cop. I don't care what you sell and to whom. All I want to know is what gave your cousin for his headache?"

"I didn't give him anything."

"What did he try to eat?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because I want to know. Unlike most people I have no conscience. I would as soon see you dead or in jail. I can manage both. I want the name of the drug and I want it now."

Nick was fairly large and said, "Are you going to shoot me?"

I didn't need any further invitation. I lunged forward and struck Nick many times. All of them were designed to convey the maximum pain with the least amount of damage. I had promised Mrs Appleton not to hurt him too much.

Nick woke up and found himself tied. I was sitting in a comfortable chair with an electric kettle on the table beside me. A plume of water vapour was seen coming from the container.

"What are you doing? Get me out of here." When I didn't respond, he added, "I'll call the cops."

I casually stood and straightened out my slacks and then picked up the kettle. She walked over Nick and poured a small amount on his leg.

Nick screamed in pain and I just looked at him as if he were a rat that was supposed to respond to a given stimulus. A second dollop of nearly boiling water found Nick blubbering, "I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"

I poured some more that just missed Nick's crotch but still managed to scald him with the splatter.

Nick expressed even more energetically his willingness to cooperate.

"Nick, child. Tell me what I want to know."

"It was speed."

"Well, I won't ask you about its purity but I want a sample of the same material Sam ingested."

"I've got some in my jacket. Let me get it for you."

"Thank you, Nick. I'm quite capable of fetching the substance if its there."

I found the drugs in the lining and went to get a knife. Nick was positive he was going to be the target and I didn't allay his fears. I stabbed the jacket and the knife struck the floor and just missed Nick's abdomen. Nick wet himself this time.

I said, "Which are which?"

Nick was crying now and explained how he identified each of the drugs. I then said, "These are all from the same batch as the one your cousin consumed?"

"Yes, I only buy from one place."

"Did you purchase these at the same time?"

"Yes, it was a week before that retard took one of them."

"Such language. Perhaps I should wash out your mouth with boiling water?"

"No, he's a nice guy, only slow."

"He's nice for a male. Now I want to tell you something. In my past I have had occasion to kill some people. Some the police consider self defence. I'm sure that if I found you near me without my permission, I could kill you. Besides my ability to use my hands and feet I have to tell you that I am more than a fair shot. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, I won't bother you."

"See that you don't. I wasn't lying when I said I have no conscience. I would as soon kill you so there would be no further problems but I promised your aunt."

"I won't bother you."

"See that you don't."

I put the kettle away and left the house. It would be quite possible that when Mrs Appleton got home she would find an unwanted guest and some of his wares spread around his trussed up form.

Sam was busy doing experiments with the girls and he was happy to do so. Even those women that hated men found the young man more of a child than a threat.

Sam had blood samples taken every eight hours in case the effects were chemical in nature. By the third day it was found that his range was decreasing. In eight days it was completely gone.

In desperation, I gave him some of the speed but the effect didn't materialise. It did not take long for me to draw an inference to AB463R and the amphetamines.

On Friday night, I started up his regimen once more. He took the tablet of Abicore-L. A half hour later I fed him a small amount of the amphetamine.

Sam went into excruciating pain once more but all I did was monitor him and have him placed in his bed. The next day a debilitated Sam had his ability back. When the pain in his mind subsided, he was tested again and found that his range had increased but this could have been attributed to the original tests only starting a day after his initial ingestion of the drug combo.

The testing continued. Sam became a pet of the girls and they took him out to be exercised. It was young Piper that was the most vocal to have him live a normal life. She also helped all she could in tabulating the data. I saw her as a potential researcher one day. But now a girl's conscience would be detrimental to finding the answers quickly.

Piper sat in a chair in Sam's room along with three other girls. One of them was Kimberley. Sam was worn-out listening to the girls 'testing' him.

Piper suspicion that there were microphones in the room approached certainty. She thought to Sam, "Sam I want you to just listen for a minute. Don't say anything, just nod or shake your head. Is that ok?"

Sam said vocally, "Sure," then felt embarrassed and said, "Sorry."

"No problem, Sam, I want to play a different kind of game but it has to be our secret."

Sam eagerly nodded his head and smiled.

"I want to play a trick on the girls. It's going to be fun. Your part is easy. We're supposed to have a secret and we try to hide it. Your job is to find out what it is. I want you to not do this as good as you can. You can say you have a feeling but don't understand."

Sam looked at her quizzically and Piper intuitively said, "Just do this for me and I will give you — a big kiss."

Sam smiled widely and Piper knew she was getting her first ally.

After Sam got his third dose of medication, I approached Sheila Knox and said, "Miss Knox, I have no scientific basis for this idea but I believe that Sam understands us better. He speaks to us using almost proper grammar. He may get this information from the minds of the people he reads but it's also possible that his own mind is improving."